#marts-struggle-with-drawing

[sashiavi]

Thirst idea:

Shane catching you and Sam fucking in the Joja Mart Storage. At first, he's disgusted. At work, seriously? Have some decency. But as Sam pauses his thrusts, Shane decides fuck it, he doesn't get paid enough anyways.

This results in Shane pulling Sam out of you and taking his place from behind, groaning at the feeling of your sweet heat around him. He wastes no time in setting a steady pace, all while mocking Sam for how amateur he is. See how he's making you feel? How his hands pinch and twist your nipples, drawing such sweet sounds out of you? How his cock hits the perfect spot inside of you, making you squirm and clench around him?

Sam better get his act together. Otherwise, Shane just might take his place, and all he'll get is his sloppy seconds. Would that really be such a bad thing though?

Sam and Shane are my absolute favourite poly pair and I will die on this hill </3 I need to write a nice yummy fic for them-

Ty for inspiring me ♡♡ drabble ahead

Joja backroom endeavours with Sammy were always a little tricky.

His cock is thick, bullyingly so; With an impressive length to pair, Yoba its hard to take him easily sometimes.

You whine and keen, your pitiful sounds echoing around the back room, uncomfy with the chilly fridge air biting at your skin and the achy stretch of Sam's cock making an attempt at a quickie.

Of course Shane hears it- He always fucken' does. Those whimpery whines and huffy little begs for Sam to settle down, gasps and choked up hiccups chirped out with each rough fuck of the blonde’s hips.

Always so annoying- Sam being that dirty little exhibitionist that can't keep it wrapped up in his pants, practically dragging Shane into your shared shenanigans.

Of course, you can't blame him for it. For huffing a curse and barking a rough insult towards the blonde, curses dribbling off of his tongue while his lips twitch into an unimpressed scowl.

Look at how he has you.

Bent over a frosty box of product, pathetically clinging to the edges while Sam rails you from behind, large and long fingers twisted into your hair, purposely pressing your face into the cardboard. It's uninspiring if you ask Shane. No wonder you're struggling to take the younger man, heck, you're probably dryer than the fucken' Calico Desert. Boys and their eagerness, right? Skipping all the Prep to get to the goods.

You can't blame him for rolling his eyes and pulling Sam off by the scruff like a mutt, situating himself against your bare ass all while Sam watches with an obedient gulp.

Shane easily leans over you, soft tummy pressing into your back, all warm compared to the chilly fridge air. His hand soothes between your legs, two fingers easily slipping between the wet of your folds, circling that sweet bud of yours, smearing the growing mess of slick all over your cunt. He barks a soft grumble in your ear, filthy words shaming Sam, praising you for being so kind to even help the boy in the first place.

"Sucha' Good n' helpful girl aren'tcha? Hmm? Takin' that idiot all sweet like that-" His prickly jaw grazes the back of your neck, teasing at your ear causing a hot shiver to run down your spine. His thick fingers dare to sink into your supple hole, more than wet than before, practically drooling for the other man. "S'okay.. Gonan make you nice n' ready f'him.. Yeah?" Mockingly soft and yet laced in truth.

Poor Sammy has to watch from the side- See you take the fat of Shane's Cock, a little shorter but far thicker than his own, stretching the taught walls of your cunt wide. That paw of his finds itself cupping the supple mound of your cunt, wet fingers toying and circling the bud of your clit while his hips begin their rolling fucks.

Your sounds are something else- Less of a whining choke, strung along and keening, bottom lip bitten by your teeth stuck in a horny frown. Yoba, the gasp of your throat and roll of your eyes when Shane dares to manhandle you.

His other hand weasels its way between the valley of your breasts, palm laying flat to pull you in, forcing you to half stand while the older man snaps his hips in mean little fucks. He fiddles with your chest, groping and teasing, twisting your pert nipples between his fingers in tandem with the circling of your sticky clit.

You hold yourself up with your hands, back arched perfectly, taking Shane from behind, pushing yourself back into the girth of his cock. Sam can only stare, eyes coming in contact with Shane's, feeling blood rush to his cock with the quirk of the older man's eyebrow, with the insults he throws at the Blonde.

"Can only dream of takin' her like this hmm? Listen- Fuck.. Listen to her-" Was he talking about those moany chirps from your throat or the gush of your cunt- Yoba, Sam didn't care. Not when you looked so good like this.

Nor when you finally cream, stuttering a hiccup while your milky cunt finished Shane off, suckling the man until he spurt his last thick rope of cum into your cunt.

Sam should be embarrassed, beat red in the face for being so put down, feeble in the eyes of the older man- Unable to properly ready his girl and please you like he needed to- But how could he care?

Despite it all, Sammy loves his sloppy seconds.

•·············°·············•♡•·············°·············•

Whoops I wrote a drabble

[z00oo1]

Collin and Penelope Fics Pt 2

Ran out of room on my last list so I'm starting a new one here! I do not own any of these fics these are just recs. Some summaries have been shortened to save space.

Knock First by Lilyofthevolume

Penelope and Colin are tired of being interrupted by his catty secretary, Marina. What happens when they stop caring about getting caught?

for you are my fate by maxmayfield

After dancing with Penelope at a society ball for the first time, Colin begins to see his friend in a new ligh

I Wanna Be Yours (Polin Prompts) by Lovelymagnolia

just a bunch of polin prompts

The One With Colin's Flemish Kiss by bridgertonbabe

Colin's secret relationship with Penelope is nearly rumbled when he slips up and kisses his girlfriend in front of his sisters-in-law. In order to cover up his blunder he makes a bold impulsive choice to provide Kate and Sophie with a distraction - but it's a choice which his brothers don't take kindly to in the slightest. Friends AU

and it was all yellow by ninjamanda

Canon divergent AU one-shot where Colin and Pen actually "communicate" and talk through their issues on their wedding night!

all the strings attached by penelopecolin (sexymonk)

Penelope struggles to draw boundaries with her new roommate - and when Colin starts behaving peculiarly towards her, she finds herself headed for a downward spiral.

The Honeymoon Period by Rachel_writes_plays

A little story about one specific day between the ending of episode 8 and the events of the epilogue.

blue dress on a boat by missparker

Penelope's efforts to find herself a husband on the marriage mart are going poorly. Benedict Bridgerton needs a wife they strike a deal to marry. Colin comes home from his travels to discover the engagement, he handles it poorly, to say the least.

Broken Glass by Radomizedusername

When a happily married Colin and Penelope briefly move back into the Bridgerton house during the late stages of Penelope's pregnancy, Anthony finds his temper rising. He expected that he would hardly notice their presence back in his home. Little did he realize he would hardly notice anything else.

Six Pomergrante Seeds by jerrymander

Colin's heartbreaking words to Penelope lead her to make different choices just days away from their wedding.

Friends, Foes, and Fernes by Mariequitecontrarie

When Colin and Penelope run into Lord Debling as a couple for the first time, their awkward conversation unearths lingering doubts and insecurities.

Matchmaker by Readingchef45

 how Eloise ensures that Penelope will be her sister from the ages of 9 to 25.

wherever you will go by nojamhands

Penelope's job requires her to finally settle in London, while Colin's asks him to take on one last trek to the Pacific. When Penelope doesn't hear from him for nearly two weeks, she starts to panic, then gets a phone call that changes the course of her life forever

still i can't get enough. by stolemystark17

Anthony is looking for his Viscountess and Penelope made the list. Colin does not care for this development. (But not because he's courting her).He is NOT courting her. He's just looking at her respectfully. As a friend.

The Family Life by alexxou_stories24

One-shots about married/parents Polin (Regency/Modern/Fluff/Smut).

you got me overnight (just let me be close to you) by marriedpolin (bisexualoliviab)

Or, a 5+1 fic about respecting the sanctity of a shared bedchamber.

EpiPen by everlarktoast

“This is Penelope. She moved into the house across the way. She’s allergic to nuts, but she has her EpiPen." Five times Bridgertons decide to stop eating nuts, and the time Colin realizes he’d given them up a long time ago.

When Lady Whistledown has a hangover by Luna1994

Penelope looked at the paper confused, it was the newspaper of Lady Whistledown.

"I would like to end this edition with probably the most scandalous thing that happened in last night’s ball, Penelope Featherington had a change on her appearance, I would not blame you dear reader for not noticing it, this author often forgets her existence, however Colin Bridgerton apparently did notice it, the two of them were seen in a dark corner

Juvenile Assumptions by NLovett

The one where Hyacinth runs away from home...yeah, all the way to Colin & Penelope's house across the square.

To London on Brooding Wings by FrenEdits95

As her world slowly devolves into a haze of lust, blood, and what can only be described as madness, she finds herself wondering if she should let her friends help her or if she should try and save them from herself.

The Love of Older siblings by Remus2039

This is a version of how Kanthony reacts to the lovers quarrel of Polin. And Kanthony's affection for Pen.

All Will Be Well by BritishGirl93

Polin AU - Medieval times

Promise Me by Jennnnyyyy

Penelope is nearing child birth and is worried that Colin might have to make a difficult choice, she has Benedict promise to be there and decide instead. Will he be able to keep his promise?

The First Draft by kws136

Colin is privy to the first drafts of the letters Pen wrote to his mother. He doesn't handle it well. Then again, maybe he does.

Twelve Days of Polin Christmas by 12daysofPolinChristmas

Thirteen authors, thirteen fics, and a LOT of birds ...

Echoes of You by Penny_Feathers_Bright

Edmund Bridgerton sees a little redheaded girl fall into a mud puddle at Hyde Park. Little does he know that she's his future daughter-in-law. A fluffy oneshot where Edmund meets Penelope before the events of the main series.

Sugar by lixabix, wantisamlindyla

In which Colin slowly, inadvertently, and inevitably becomes Penelope’s sugar daddy.

Romancing ever after by georgialee006

Colin Bridgerton had been a fool to not realise what had been before him all that time. He loved his wife more than anything, and the life they had built. Yet often he wondered why he hadn’t known sooner that she was the one.

There Goes My Life by Jennnnyyyy

Agatha Bridgerton has an admirer and a crush - Colin goes a little haywire with the help of Anthony.

Fighting Over Miss Featherington by Mariequitecontrarie

Tired of Colin pouting and Penelope deflecting, Eloise decides to take matters into her own hands.

Hearts and Flowers Ball by Cassandra_of_Troy

I saw someone saying it was a crime for Colin not to see Penelope in the pink dress at the Aubrey Hall ball and this story was born. We know our boy would fall on his knees for her that night

You Are Mine by Littlepearlfairy

What if instead of Marina finding herself pregnant and unwed at the beginning of the season, it's Penelope?

[oliverdeend]

Omega Mart x Jack in the box 😜 I ship it 👌🏻

Omega: My goodness, Jack. Just look at how cute you are and how adorable your smile is.. I could just eat you up, my dear~

Jack: *flustered* Hmhmhmhmhmhm ohohomega plehehese..~

Drawing the abs was such a struggle I hate it 😩

The pose is from @tickle-fight-club again 🫶🏻

[alarrytale]

Hi Marte. How do you separate the stunts from the people? I really struggle with Harry and Louis' images. It's partly to do with how other people perceive them, like Harry as a homewrecker and womanizer, and Louis as a homophobe. Then they do things to push these images. It's especially hard as a queer fan of Louis since the beginning and seeing how flamboyant and free he was and how proud and confident of his sexuality he was to then going deep into the closet and now people think he is homophobic. It breaks my heart. It breaks my heart that there are artists/actors etc forced in the closet and when ones eventually come out they always talk about how much it damaged their mental health and that they wish they CO earlier as they lost so much time. Because if more public figures CO it would pave the way for others to follow in their footsteps and it would give young lgbtq+s people to look up to, and it would normalize lgbtq+ people in industries like you keep saying. There is everything to gain with it, but the industry is clearly really corrupt and more and more dodgy stuff comes out in the news. It's even worse for Louis because he's saddled with a child that isn't his. Do you think anything will change anytime soon? Some people have CO but it's really far and few between.

Hi, anon!

I seperate the stunts from the people because i know who they really are. I know who they are after observing their behaviour, listening to them and picking up on their silent communication. I filter out the noice which are their lies, attempt at gaslighting and fake personas. I know they're both gay, so i don't listen to anyone who says differently. Like i don't listen to flat-earthers or people who believe trickle-down economics works. They're simply wrong, but there is no point in arguing with them. They don't have the information we do and they don't want to see it.

Since they're both gay they must be closeted. You can’t force anyone out of a closet, even if you feel there are no incentives left for them to stay closeted. I believe they're both forcibly closeted. I don't think L would take advantage of a child like he is to enforce his own closet. If i believed that i would hate him. So i don't think they're closeted by choice. Their behaviour over the years tells me this as well. They are fighting to get to be who they are, but they are prohibited by contracts and old fashioned label views.

Louis is viewed as a homophobe because of his past homophobic statements. But none of the people who view him as such know he's got a triangle tattoo, wore a rainbow apple t-shirt when Tim Cook came out, sings i love him i hate it and bathes his audience in rainbow lights. They also don't know he's closeted and with Harry. They don't know how closeting in Hollywood works, how long they're willing to go to closet someone and how much money is at stake. We know this, and we know the truth.

We also know that H can't be a homewrecker or a womaniser if he's gay. We know he's queercoding and not queerbaiting. We know he wants to show us he's queer and took on the role of a closeted queer man, because he identified with it. We know he has to do things he doesn’t want to do to be able to get more freedom to the things he wants to do. We know it's a balance he has to keep.

When they do stuff in stunts that are unacceptable, i always try to give them the benefit of the doubt. They are good people in an ugly business. No hands are fully clean. But i also call them out when they do unacceptable stuff, because the unacceptable stuff shouldn't be normalised and accepted. I'm not down with blind idolisaton. I tolerate bearding and stunting, but i struggle when they mix it with brand promotion. That i have zero tolerance for. I'll empathise with you for having to drag a woman around to seem straight, but i draw the line at you trying to sell me citrus fruit bikes at the same time and acting bothered by the paps. That's emotional manipulation. Fuck that, no sympathy from me.

I hate both their public images. I don't blame anyone who buys into their images and i agree with the people who critisise their images. If somebody thinks Louis is homophobic or a dead beat dad, or Harry a womaniser or a queerbaiter i think fair enough. Publicly they are. H and L don't get to complain about their images, even though that's not who they are because they are perpetuating them.

I think they deal with their fake images, lies and horrible public behaviour by being open, truthful and honest to themselves, and with their friends and family. I think they're only closeted to the general public. Fandom knows who they truly are and don't buy into their images. If fandom did believe L is homophobic or H a queerbaiter they wouldn't have fans at all, who would be fans of that? Some fans buy into some of their images, but not everything.

I'm not sure when things will change for them, i don't think they have much of a say. Best we can hope for is Sony seeing profit in an out H and L or it's a contract running it's course that will make it possible for them to come out. I have no idea. But things are changing, albeit slowly. Younger music artist are not okay with closeting anymore. It's not neccessary either. Being queer is more and more accepted and normalised. The business is still ugly and people have skeletons in their closets. So it's complicated. If H and L were 10 years younger i think they'd be allowed out.

In the meantime, filter out the noice and try to see them for who they are. They're not perfect people, but they're good people in a difficult situation trying to make the best of things. They will come out one day, we just don't know when.

[fourturtleloved]

I've been wanting to make this webcomic for 7 years now. For the past couple of days, I decided that I'll do what I used to do in middle school- just start drawing and figure stuff out along the way. I got the basics of the world and characters thought up, but the thing holding me back is constantly trying to refine it. If I keep refining it, I'll never get it out.

So, here's the first couple of pages and a Prelog of sorts for Maul Mart - a slice of life sort of thing about a young woman struggling to survive in a capitalistic world much like ours, but with Paranorms, also known as "monsters".

Dunno if I will have a weekly schedule or not, but we will see.

[lambourngb]

seven sentence sunday

I was tagged by the wonderful EJ @ravens-words  - I always appreciate you thinking of me.

I am writing again. I’m writing a LOT. I wrote 60,000 words last month, but I’m not writing RNM currently. I’m having a block there, I think it’s because the stories I was working on then, are tied to my dad being sick. Anyway I’m still working through it and I hope with more time, I can at least finish the Ringmaker epic and my sequel to LYW.

I am still into Top Gun. Currently, I have “survival is insufficient” which is a Last of Us/Top Gun fusion set just after Outbreak Day in 2003. It’s 55,000 words, IceMav. Currently pre-slash, lots of action, lots of pining, lots of “wow, the Iraq War was pretty fucked up, imagine if Zombies halted that 8 months in lol but then you see the US military carry out the same draconian behavior stateside as FEDRA”,

I just started “Working on Nathan Hale’s Eulogy” which is a pre-TGM, canon adjacent story, assuming established IceMav, how does Ice tell Mav he’s dying? It’s pretty heavy, drawing on alot of my own personal experience. It’s 9K now, hopefully finishes at 15K.

first off : survival is insufficient:

There was a disconcerting line of orange and pink undergrowth, trailing from the defunct ice cooler and leading toward the line of tractor-trailers. Tom nudged the vine with his toe, perplexed at why it was growing in the middle of the desert. He risked a glance toward the parked trucks, and jumped when a shadow moved behind the windshield of one of the trucks. He looked closer, and nearly every parked truck had … something, now scrabbling at the windows. 

“Organic tripwire,” Mav observed dryly next to him, while Tom struggled to take in what it meant for the fungal infection. It wasn’t just isolated to just taking over a body, it had spread out, sinking into concrete and other mediums while it waited for another host. “Looks like some of the truckers were sick when they stopped for the night.”

“Doesn’t look like enough intelligence in their brains survived infection for them to understand how to operate the door locks, they’re all trapped in there.” 

“No kidding, they’re not going anywhere. Truckers keep those cabs locked up like Fort Knox when they’re stopped. No one wants to get hijacked.”

“Lucky us,” Tom murmured before turning back to the closed market door. “There could be more of them in there.”

Mav shouldered his rifle with a sure grip, and nodded to him to pull the door open. “Well, we’ve come a long way since Lancaster. I’m ready this time.”

The door swung open, easily. 

They both waited for something to jump out from the store aisles, but nothing happened. The overhead fluorescent lights flickered briefly before staying on, bright and welcoming. It was the result of a long, sustained campaign by corporate interests to minimize maintenance on chain operations; the lights stayed on automatically, along with the drink coolers, only the human behind the counter had to be replaced after a shift. With a glance toward the doomed truckers in the lot, Tom stepped inside with Mav to investigate the store.

The shelves were empty of certain staples, beer, cigarettes, and easy to grab snacks. It had been clearly ransacked as the area descended into chaos, but not by any true survivalist looking to make a stand. The mini mart staples of motor oil, canned goods, and batteries were largely untouched. He exchanged a meaningful look with Mav, and he nodded in agreement with him; once they were fueled up, they would be back for the food and whatever else would fit in the Yukon. 

Mav moved toward the cashier register, and then inhaled sharply when he moved around the counter. “Got a body here, not infected… just looks like someone just shot him.”

“Infected don’t carry guns.”

“Well, the military would have been more efficient and dragged his body out. I think we’re looking at a run-of-the-mill human monster.” He whispered an apology under his breath, as he nudged the poor dead clerk out of the way, and then opened the panel that controlled the gas pumps. It was a matter of a few, chilling minutes of waiting, as Tom watched the door and the back hallways toward the bathroom for any signs of company, and then Mav flashed a thumbs up. “Okay, I told the pump we put a $100 in, the maximum, it should be enough to fill the Yukon and a few of our cans.”  

“Great, let’s get going before the welcome wagon from that crash site arrives.” Tom stayed on high alert as he filled the Yukon, the noises from the parked trucks kept growing louder as more and more trapped infected were alerted to their presence.

and now from: “Working on Nathan Hale’s Eulogy”:

“Now I need another shower,” Pete joked in response, a smile evident in his voice. 

Tom slowly collapsed down on top of him, taking care not to knee him, giving a grunt of acknowledgement as he worked to catch his breath again. His lungs were screaming for oxygen, complaining a little louder than what he thought was normal. Yet another small betrayal. He rolled over onto his back, and stretched his ribcage upward to take a deeper breath, with his eyes closed. 

The bed shifted next to him, Pete moved toward the nightstand for a wet wipe. Tom flinched at the cold touch, before sighing in pleasure as Pete began to clean them up thoroughly with slow, loving swipes. Pete made a considering sound in his throat as he tracked upward, cleaning off their chests. “You haven’t been skipping lunch, have you, Ice? And dinner? You look like you’ve lost a little weight.”

“Just getting ready for the beach season,” Tom joked, even though a small wave of alarm swept through him.

Pete slapped him with the end of the wet wipe, “Asshole. I’m serious, you better be taking care of yourself while I’m in the desert.”

“I promise, I’m not skipping any meals.” He left it unsaid that he wasn’t finishing his meals either. 

“I’ll make you a big omelet in the morning,” Pete promised, his voice warm and drowsy with love. “Will fix you right up.”

If only that were true.

*

[shadesofnavy]

Huff.

I'm struggling to draw tonight so I'ma kick back and spam y'all with stuff 'bout my gang here because why not lol

-Keith sings in the shower. Well, who doesn't tbh lol. But I mean this guy actually hits high af notes perfectly in the shower like he's at a show. If he's in a good mood. If he's not feelin' too upbeat then he's just quiet, might just hum a little to try and light his spirits up

-Cherry has hemophobia. While not nearly as intense, it makes her skin crawl and nerves skyrocket. She won't faint at a drip drop, but an open bleeding wound uncovered might set her off a panic

-Pico likes to play solitary. He has an old deck he's had since he was a kid. He's also really good at chess and Monopoly

-Darnell has a fear of abandonment that he rarely speaks of, one of the main reasons why he's very attached to his mother even as an adult. Because of this he's somewhat become a lone wolf

-Keith knows how to play the guitar, bass, piano and drums. He comes up with random guitar solos sometimes when he's just fiddling around, often taking them and making them into songs

-He's pretty open when it comes to music genres, but his favorite ones are hip-hop, funk, grunge, alternative rock, rap and nu metal. He does a mix of original songs and covers during his performances around town, sometimes getting along and preforming together with other bands that are also there.

-While not much of a singer himself, Pico does in fact enjoy listening to Keith sing his favorite 90s hits.

-Cherry has a little spice garden on the balcony of her and Keith's apartment. She grows rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, marjoram, parsley, basil and even a few heads of garlics growing apart.

-Pico likes flowers but he won't admit it.

-Nene hates her job at Wal-Mart mainly because she has to deal with tons of crappy people everyday, however she tries her best to do a good job and is at least grateful she has at least some way of getting income

-One of her dreams was to become a graphic designer

-Despite being friendly and open towards people in general, Keith can become very jealous and possessive of his loved ones if he senses someone trying to get close to them in an intimate way (ol' alpha instinct kickin' in there). Because of this sometimes he can come off as obnoxious and dense especially when that someone isn't actually trying to get closer with his special one(s)

-Darnell likes to collect old vintage toy cars. He has entire wall in his bedroom with shelves full of them

-He's excellent at rapping and beatboxing, however he doesn't really show it off unless he's sure he's by himself

-Keith is actually more of a cat person and Cherry is more of a dog person. That being said, if either were to get the opposite they'd still love it to death. (Also because their personalities are the opposite. So Cherry's Keith's cat and Keith is Cherry's dog. Thats why they love each other so much. I am so funny)

-Pico literally could not care about cats or dogs and which is better. He finds them both adorable anyways. He also likes fish.

-Nene has a pet snake named Dagger. Despite his name he's just a small adorable white snek keeping her happy and alive

-Darnell used to have a Golden Retriever named Sam when he was 14 as a birthday gift and therapeutic companion. He mysteriously went missing one morning shortly after Darnell graduated high school and was never found since

-Pico will often turn down friend offers and meet-ups with people who take an interest in him by claiming he's too busy and needs to walk his dead pet fish before walking away without another word (thanking to my good ol bud for that one <3)

-This technique did not work for neither Keith nor Cherry

-Keith suffers from dermatillomania, mainly caused by his ADHD whenever he's bored

[sketchyjessieblog]

My Experiences Making Stickers

Machines

In terms of making stickers, you don't inherently need any machine whatsoever. If you can find decent sticker paper to draw on, some kind of laminate or protective adhesive coat, and scissors, you can make stickers just fine. Hell, you don't even really need the laminate/coat, but people tend to use stickers in situations where they'll need that protection to stand up to rain, weather, or condensation.

However, importantly, producing stickers without a machine is slow as fuck. Hand drawing is much slower than printing, and hand cutting is much slower than using a machine like a Cricut. Ultimately, I'd recommend at least a printer, as it will probably be able to print on more material than you can draw on, and it's a fairly cheap way to speed up production. But going without a Cricut is a lot more reasonable, as the Cricut is quite expensive, and you'll likely not need to produce at a large enough scale where hand cutting is impractical initially.

I personally have both: a printer and a Cricut. I like them both, and the Cricut allows much more precise and uniform cutting than I can do myself. But I honestly might have gone without the Cricut if I had better realized it wasn't really necessary to create good die cut style stickers.

Paper

Sticker paper is fairly easy to find online, and I've seen some decent material in stores like Hobby Lobby and Wal-Mart. Generally, you'll get more for your money going with bulk options online, but a smaller order might be more in budget and more practical early on.

In terms of material, I'd personally recommend something along the lines of printable vinyl, or otherwise something with a coating already on it. I have some sticker paper that was effectively uncoated paper, and it doesn't stand up well to weather on its own. And laminate and coating options have been difficult to work with in my personal experience. The spray I tried ended up being scratchy and weird, and laminate sheets are extremely thick, to the point that the Cricut struggles to cut it, even on the highest setting I have (poster board).

Another note, home printers can be quite finicky when it comes to thick material. Try to pick fairly thin, but still durable, material when possible, as thicker materials can get snagged in the average home printer. I effectively couldn't print on some heavy cardstock I got because of this.

On a final note, unless you need very uniform, standard shapes, like circles, rectangles, etc., I don't recommend getting pre-cut label sheets. Die cuts tend to look much more interesting and work with much more designs, and it's fairly easy to make them even without a Cricut if you make the outline simple enough.

Designs

In terms of design, you can get away with a lot as long as you're working with a printable material. I'd recommend making the files fairly bright and saturated, as this tends to come out looking better. If you're working with an incredibly dark piece, make it slightly brighter than you would think it should be. In my experience, a lot of detail can get lost with darker works, as the print looks darker than what's on screen. I'd recommend going more saturated with very light, pastel works. I've had issues with the material coming out near white, with the color barely showing through. Ultimately, it may be best to simply test things out with your own machines, but these are my experiences.

With hand drawn stickers, something I haven't personally tried, you'll have to consider your own personal limitations and tools. Again, this is something you can probably experiment with, but be mindful of your body. You don't want to treat yourself like a printing machine and develop medical problems like carpal tunnel because of it. We already risk that enough as artists.

Selling

If you'd like to sell your stickers, I recommend ensuring they're fairly weatherproof, as the average person is going to want to stick them in places where that's at least somewhat important. Laptops, tumblers, their car, etc.

I won't get too much into places to sell items, because that could probably be its own post, but in terms of pricing, I'd base that on the effort, material, and size. For me, I tend to price tiny stickers (roughly 1-2 inches) at 50 cents and larger stickers (2-4 inches) at $1. I don't usually make much larger stickers, so I don't have personal pricing there. Beyond my anecdote, I'd recommend looking around at local events, sites like etsy, and possibly even calculating sheer cost to yourself plus the profit you want to make. Analyzing general “market trends” plus your own costs will probably be the best route to get a decent price tag.

Shipping is something I have limited experience with, but I'd recommend going with a fairly protective shipping container, such as a bubble mailer. Even with decent weatherproofing, stickers can be fragile. In addition, you may want to charge your customers for shipping. I've personally paid upwards of $5-6 to ship individual bubble mailers with artwork and stickers in it, but I was also paying for tracking. The prices without tracking were more around $1-2, and obviously this will vary massively depending on the size of your mailer and the weight of your items. You may also be able to talk to your local post office or research business shipping. I don't know much about how to keep shipping costs low, but I've seen options for savings on things such as bulk shipping.

Products

Cricut Explore Air 2 - Pretty useful, but I had some issues with calibration initially. Also glossy materials have some issues with the scanner: I've used scotch tape over the lines the scanner looks for to help that. You can also use some cloth to gently clean the scanner if it's having issues. You definitely need the software that works with it, the Cricut Design Space, and use the Print Then Cut feature for printed sticker designs. I personally print from the Design Space as PDF, then print out the PDF, because the Design Space doesn't have proper paper type settings from what I can see.

Cricut Machine Mat - I found some decent off brand ones at Hobby Lobby. The machine comes with one, but I damaged my first mat and had to buy more. Good to have at least one extra on hand just in case.

Cricut Weeder - This makes removing stickers from the mat very simple. You can get a lot of the big parts off by hand, but the weeder is good for getting little details off without damaging the sticker.

EPSON EcoTank ET-2803 - Pretty decent printer. I haven't had to change ink since I got it a couple months ago, and I use it pretty regularly. It can be finicky with paper and get jammed easily, but otherwise it's fairly reliable to me.

Cricut Printable Vinyl - I just started using this properly, but I ran tap water over it, and the damage was pretty minimal from what I could tell. It was still usable after the fact, and the art was undisturbed. Prints fine, though it likes to fold on the edges a bit and get ink on the very tips, which doesn't impact much in my process.

Pen+Gear Self Adhesive Laminate Sheets - Too thick for the Cricut, but useful for other applications. Would work amazing for hand cut stickers. I personally use this for bookmarks atm, and the stickers I got using this are incredibly well protected.

Scissors - Any brand works. Good to have even with a Cricut. Useful for less precise cutting.

[rodanseys]

Review: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Genre: Memoir

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis: Michelle Zauner, known more famously as the lead singer behind the band Japanese Breakfast, recounts her relationship with her mother through her adolescence until her early adulthood, when her mom died from cancer.  Being half-Korean on her mom’s side and born in the U.S., her mother’s death also causes Zauner to fight for cultural self-understanding. 

Content warnings: child abuse, death, racism

Review under the cut | More reviews & my 2023 reading list  

If you are looking for a sign to read this book, take this review as that sign!!!

Okay, I get the hype.  This book was piercing, funny, full of love, and full of hope.  I had a grandmother pass away from cancer when I was 10; spending lots of time in the hospital with her, I learned just how much chemotherapy could deplete a person’s body and spirit.  Zauner’s ability to capture that was just as impressive as the bravery I am sure that it took her to write the words down. 

More than anything, I really enjoyed how Zauner didn’t tell all of her story chronologically.  She has a masterful way of alluding to a big dynamic in her life (for example, her relationship with her dad), then cutting to a specific memory (despite the laws of chronology) to prove how that dynamic came to be, then going back into her chronological retelling.  It allowed everything to come to the surface at the perfect time for the reader to need the information without loosing the artistic craft of writing.  And, god, does Zauner have artistic craft with writing!  It wasn’t a memoir written by someone who wants to just put themselves at the center of a story, but someone who knows how to write to make a reader empathize without needing to know the face behind the memoir.  I felt so distinctly with her.  I feel like I can draw a picture of her family house’s kitchen.  Everything about the book, from the honesty of the story to the intricacy of the prose, asks you to come in closer... and you really don’t have a choice except to oblige. 

I was openly sobbing in the section of the book describing the cancer treatments, both because of my personal experience and her unrelenting writing.  There was so much love everywhere for her mother that it was inescapable.  And so beautiful.  And so relatable. 

The way she approached how her biracial identity impacted her whole life, but was brought to a crux by her mother’s death, also hit home to me.  The desire to turn away from your non-white heritage just to come back running to it when it is too late... I saw this in my father who, while seeing his dad die, was asking him more than ever for Tagalog translations of English words.  There is something so gripping and real and relatable in her struggle.

I can’t wait to reread this when I feel up to it.  For now, I will let it settle into me, feeling very grateful that Zauner was willing to share this story.

[mandyjane-lifedesign]

The Night Parade: Japanese Folklore Meets Mental Health

Publishing on the 26th of October is Jami Nakamura Lin's forthcoming memoir The Night Parade. Perfect for fans of Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner and In the Dreamhouse by Carmen Maria Machado.  Blending heart-wrenching personal narrative with the captivating allure of Japanese folklore, this lyrical masterpiece challenges the perceptions of mental illness, grief, and the intricate dance between light and darkness. Posing the question, how do we learn to live with the things that haunt us?  In the groundbreaking tradition of In the Dream House and The Collected Schizophrenias, a gorgeously illustrated lyrical memoir that draws upon the Japanese myth of the Hyakki Yagy — the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons — to shift the cultural narrative around mental illness, grief, and remembrance. Are these the only two stories? The one where you defeat your monster, and the other where you succumb to it? Jami Nakamura Lin spent much of her life feeling monstrous for reasons outside of her control. As a Japanese Taiwanese American woman with undiagnosed bipolar disorder, her adolescence was marked by periods of extreme rage and self-medicating, an ever-evolving array of psychiatric treatments, and her relationships with those she loved — especially her father — suffered as a result. Frustrated with the tidy arc of the typical mental illness memoir, the kind whose trajectory leads toward being ‘better’, Lin sought comfort in the Japanese folklore she’d loved as a child, tales of supernatural creatures known to terrify in the night. Through the lens of the yokai and other East Asian mythology, she set out to interrogate the Western notion of conflict and resolution, grief, loss, mental illness, and the myriad ways fear of difference shapes who we are as a people. Divided into four acts in the traditional Japanese narrative structure and featuring stunning full colour watercolour illustrations by Jami’s sister. The Night Parade explores Jami Nakamura Lin's own profound journey from undiagnosed bipolar disorder to the complex web of relationships that define us. Jami’s introspective narrative will resonate with anyone who has grappled with the monsters within. A timely subject matter given the continued conversations around mental health awareness and breaking taboos. Lin's exploration of mental health, grief, and acceptance is an ode to the human spirit's enduring capacity to find light amidst the shadows. Bucking the trend of typical mental illness memoirs, The Night Parade delves into the ambiguity of life's struggles. Lin's courageous approach challenges the conventional notions of resolution, inviting readers to reflect on the layers of existence that encompass both light and shadow. Praise for The Night Parade: ‘At once a medical memoir ... and a reflection on mythology — the personal, the collective, the inherited — The Night Parade moves with courage ... Jami Nakamura Lin’s speculative memoir is a feat of storytelling; one that I found deeply moving.’ – Katie Goh ‘The Night Parade is stunning — it is haunting and magical and terrifying at once. Deeply intimate, but with a sense of scope that transcends history and genre, I loved stepping into this dream of a memoir, of a shared experience.’  –  Catherine Cho, author of Inferno Read the full article

[natashawithers]

Making Animated GIFs

Someone asked how I make GIF animations after I posted the Sanders Sides animation I did for @thatsthat24 and I wanted to share my answer with others!

This will be a pretty in-depth answer, so I’m sorry in advance for the length!

To start, for me, the best way to make gifs is first to just think of them as animations (don’t think about it being a gif). There's plenty of programs you can use to make gifs, and some of them (especially the ones you have to pay for) make the process much easier. But while it might take a little leg work to find a process you can afford that works best for you, don't get too bogged down trying to find the best program -- that's kind of what I did after I had to cancel my Photoshop subscription and it just made me waste time that I could've spent animating. 

Animation is simply the art of tricking people into thinking that a well-timed sequence of still drawings is actually showing movement -- it’s all a big illusion~ So any program you use to draw could potentially help you make gifs. In Photoshop, I made simple animations using the frame animation tool as shown in this helpful tutorial by @everydaylouie: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUJe8Bil7Sw

But for the Sanders Sides animation, I used a combination of FireAlpaca and Krita, both of which are free programs. I did frame-by-frame animation in FireAlpaca first, starting with an incredibly, roughly drawn animation for the first pass to get the initial timing down. 

At this stage, you start with keyframes and then just keep drawing inbetween frames until you get the movement you want. Here's a tutorial on Inbetweening by @howardwimshurst:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAYS94xAAc4

On the next pass, I refined the lineart, shapes and expressions a bit on each frame. 

On the next pass, I cleaned up the lineart. Then finally, I went back and added color -- this is the final result.

Here are two pretty good tutorials on animating using FireAlpaca: 

By @leslielumarie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDF-DaVi0qU

By @scotchtapeofficial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpN5QD9aM4g&t=193s

For shorter animations, I draw less frames and animate at around 8-12fps (sometimes up to 30 frames). For the Sanders Sides animation, I drew it on 2′s at 24 fps for a smoother, more cinematic looking animation -- but that also means drawing MUCH more frames to get the look you want (The Sanders Sides animation ended up being 211 frames, including duplicates for the timing TTwTT;). I rendered out the animation as a PNG Sequence (usually I would just do it as a gif using FireAlpaca, but I wanted to do a bit more tweaking with the timing) and imported it into Krita that, for me, has an easier timeline to work with. 

In Krita, I just extended a few of the frames to make the mouth movement easier to read and put together the three different shots. Animating something this long on ONE file project in FireAlpaca would've eaten up my computer’s memory, so I had to separate each shot into a different file to work under -- after rendering out the three shots as three separate PNG Sequences, like I said earlier, I put them together in Krita, tweaked the timing, and rendered it all out as one single animated GIF. Here's how to animate using Krita by @marts-struggle-with-drawing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1EhWydbdVk&t=1s

I know this seems long and complicated, but most of this stuff is just the technical part of finding programs you can use and afford to render out PNG Sequences as animated GIF files. This is only the method I used in this instance; chances are, I'll find a much easier one in the future, especially if I can get a faster computer or can pay for animation programs. The thing to remember is that no matter what program you use, it's just a tool -- like a pencil or a pen or a crayon -- the tool itself might change, but in the end, you're still just animating. So even if you can't afford expensive programs, you can still animate using the many free programs online that amazingly awesome people have created for artists and animators. In order to animate well (whether for a simple 10-frame gif or a fully rendered 24fps animation), watch a lot of animations, figure out the style you like, see what you can do with what you have available, and learn the 12 basic principles of animation; here’s a playlist you can knock out pretty quickly by AlanBeckerTutorials on the 12 principles:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haa7n3UGyDc&list=PL-bOh8btec4CXd2ya1NmSKpi92U_l6ZJd

Also study/observe how things and people move so that you can use all you've learned to either copy this movement or exaggerate it for extra effect.

I hope this doesn't scare you away from wanting to animate! It can seem like a very daunting venture and in many cases, it is, especially if you attempt to make something ridiculously advanced and complex on your first try and end up discouraged when it doesn’t look perfect. But the results can be very rewarding if you've taken the time to learn all that you need to in order to achieve the kind of animation you want. So start small...

...and work your way up. With practice and dedication, you’ll get there!

Good luck and happy animating! :D

Free drawing/animation programs:

FireAlpaca: http://firealpaca.com/

Krita: https://krita.org/en/

[mossnmice]

So I heard we’re doing witchsonas??

Anyway here’s my guy they’re in beast keeping and plants

[alarrytale]

Hi Marte! I might be wrong ofc but I can't see Niall queerbaiting. He's always been a big lgbt+ ally and has many queer friends, wouldn't they look down on him for it? Obviously during 1D there was a lot of pressure put on them to be straight due to having a female audience. I'm wondering if as time went on Niall realized he wasn't straight. I think that Harry, Louis, Zayn and Liam knew from the beginning. Maybe it took Niall longer to figure it out. Although I remember years ago, I don't follow him as closely now, he would often post instastories with men and I got queer vibes rather than platonic. I'm super curious about his recent queer coding and that people are now taking notice and questioning his sexuality. It seems really intentional. I'm excited to see where it will lead to and will be really disappointed if he returns to pushing heterosexuality. The constant back and forth celebrities do is so irritating. I understand why they do it but it would be great for the lgbtq+ representation if more celebrities actually came out. The conservatives always bleat on about how homophobia doesn't exist anymore and that there is gay privilege but in the same breath they are always targeting lgbtq+ people, like especially Sam Sm*th, and they're still crying over Harry's vogue photoshoot and constantly bringing it up. More out celebrities would normalize queer musicians, actors etc. I wish for that one day. Btw I noticed that Shawn is back in the studio so we'll probably have new music soon. Pretty interesting because twitter music prediction accs have been saying that Shawn, Harry, Justin B*eber are releasing music this year, and now Shawn posted a pic in the studio. Makes it more probable that they're right and we'll have Harry music too! Do you think Shawn will go deeper into the closet? I worry for his mental health and I get the feeling there is a lot of inner struggling going on. Do you think he'll give in?

Hi, anon!

I think you're on to something. It might be that it took Niall a bit to come to terms with his sexuality. Hate to disappoint you, but Ameli* was at his show last night and he sang to her (all captured on film and posted on twitter of course...) so the back and forth is already happening. If he is queer and his relationship with A is fake, maybe he's allowed to push the queer as long as he balances it out with stunting. Like both H and L have to balance the straight and the gay?

One reason for Niall to queerbait is if he's not selling out his shows. He needs the extra attention that comes with queerbaiting to draw larries and other fans to his shows. Having Shawn on stage and flinging his hanky about sure looks like queerbaiting when he's serenading his gf the next show...

I don't know about Shawn. I know to little, but i'm expecting a stunt when his album comes out (single in april and album in june is what the insider accounts are saying). I hope he comes out because i think it would benefit him immensely, in many ways. I don't think his label is on board with that though. We'll have to see.

[a-bee-wizard]

look its my ocs

[ikariokami]

Alright, I'll bite. Ash and Jason, go

:0 Thank you so much for the ask! I’m genuinely surprised anyone is interested in hearing my insane ramblings about this rarepair. It may be a bit long so apologies in advance.

CW : Use of the F-Slur, mentions of homophobia, blood, canon-typical violence

The main pillar I prop this ship upon is the Freddy vs Jason vs Ash comics (herein shortened to FvJvA). For anyone that doesn’t know, FvJvA was a script originally written as the sequel to the 2003 film Freddy vs Jason. When it didn’t make it anywhere near development, it was turned into a six part comic series instead. The plot, in short, is about Freddy using Jason to get the necronomicon to release himself from Jason’s head (where he’s been trapped since the end of the last movie). Ash, of course, doesn’t want evil to get its hands on the book. Shenanigans ensue.

It is definitely a product of it’s time but is also an incredibly interesting read when you go into it with the idea that Ash is a disaster bisexual and Jason is hopelessly smitten with him at first sight. I know that may sound like a weird read but hear me out.

From the moment Jason meets Ash, he pays particularly close attention to him, even going as far as to memorize his name after seeing his name tag at a glance. Also, throughout the comic, Freddy constantly calls Jason a fag either directly or through controlled delusions. This is a story where Freddy is trapped in Jason’s head and privy to all of his thoughts and secrets. It stands to reason that Freddy could be poking at it so much because he knows for a fact that Jaaon is gay. The reason why Freddy calling Jason a fag bothers him so much isn’t because he isn’t gay, it’s because he knows he is and Jason isn’t someone that has any negative connotations surrounding homosexuality. (Put a pin in that, we’ll come back to it).

It also should be noted that Jason never makes a direct effort to kill Ash. Every time he has the opportunity, he opts for incapacitating him instead. The following pages take place directly after Jason has slaughtered his way through an entire S-Mart to get to Ash and the book. Even when Ash draws first blood, Jason tosses him away instead of trying to fight him head on with his machete.

As for Ash, he has his own repressed feelings that have compounded into internalized homophobia. He also throws around his share of homophobic insults in this series, one of which is directed at Jason. I like to think that Ash is attracted to Jason but obviously doesn’t want to admit it to himself. When Ash and the gang try to ambush Jason with a trap, Jason sees through it and doesn’t go for the bait. Ash later notes that he’s clearly not as stupid as everyone says he is. This is what prompts Ash to later try reasoning with Jason in the final fight with Freddy.

Also, Freddy outright calls Ash Jason’s boyfriend in this wonderful scene.

When it comes to Ash and Jason’s relationship outside of the comics, I believe they have a lot of potential to grow together.

As mentioned before, Jason doesn’t think being gay is wrong. His life was cut short before he could really get a sense of the world. As a result, he didn’t grow up learning traditional gender roles or inheriting typically masculine traits. All of Jason’s ideas about sex and intimacy come from the people that trespass on his land and what he observes in nature.

On the other hand, Ash grew up with a toxic father in a small Michigan town where he was inundated with the expectation to “be a real man”. As his relationship with Jason goes from enemies to friends to lovers, Ash is going to struggle a lot with his identity and sexuality. When they do get to a place where they’re more comfortable with each other, Jason would become the only person Ash has ever truly been himself with.

But of course, Ash is a massive coward and Jason has zero relationship experience beyond the familial so it will take them quite some time to work through both their issues before they get anywhere close to romantic intimacy.

There’s also the stark contrast in their personalities that makes their dynamic even more fun. Jason never speaks/Ash never shuts up, Jason is reserved and inexperienced sexually/Ash is a playboy with plenty of life experience. There’s also the fact that both of them lost their mother at a young age and know what it’s like to be shunned by the people around them. So while they’re both wildly different people, they have more in common than they realize and can understand each other better than anyone else.

I’ve been working on a fic about their relationship post-comic in which Ash returns to Crystal Lake in spring to retrieve the necronomicon (trapped beneath the frozen lake with Jason at the end of FvJvA). Jason has no need for the book so he simply gives it back to Ash, sparking an unusual friendship.

I’m surprised by the number of people interested in this niche little ship! I was already prepared to create content for an audience of two (me and my wife) but it’s nice to see other people can also appreciate my favorite rare pair. As an fyi, I’ve taken to calling the ship Ashees and tag content of them on my blog as such.

If anyone cares to see more of them, I’ll definitely be posting fics - snippets, ficlets, headcannons, one shots AND multi-chapter stories - as well as drawing plenty of fan art for these two on this blog. I also make content for my other OTP, Ghostmyers and my secondary ship, Myerhees. Also other general slasher things.

If you made it all the way through this, thank you for reading!

[enderspawn]

Idk, I think pinning ALL the blame to Dream is kida shitty. Some other streamers don't like it (The chat when Built Mart is picked shows us that) and they also do complain in stream. Yes Dream complains a lot, but other streamers do the same in stream, even saying worse things than Dream.

And not all the criticism is unfair. George still struggles with the game because of his color blindless.

I know other streamers complain about it as well, hell Sapnap did it earlier today. I also know there is genuinely good critique to be made, especially with regards to color blindness and adapting to player needs. But the reason the discourse has been focused on dream is because of his decision to publicly announce that he doesn’t plan to compete anymore as long as build mart could possibly be played.

Let me be clear; I respect him for knowing what is and isnt fun for him and setting a boundary. He faces an immense amount of pressure to perform, so having a game that he struggles with and that he doesn’t find enjoyable is understandable.

However, what he’s done is screw over Noxcrew in the process. now they face a dilemma: either comply and remove a game mid-season (since they’ll have no time to meaningfully rework it until the end of s2, like we saw before) so that they now have to find a game to replace it from their old catalog, OR be swarmed by constant hatred from the more toxic side of Dream’s fans and lose one of their largest competitors as well (which I’m not gonna touch on as much, bc idk the technical side of mcc watch rates and expected amounts or whatever)

No matter how much dream says to not spread hate, it has shown time and time again it does not stop it. I know he can not be held fully accountable for the actions of his fans, especially those going against his word, but there’s also a line where you have to understand how you impact your fans behavior. If you know that you complaining about something/someone has historically led to that thing/person facing mass harassment, you should learn to not do those things. Saying “don’t send hate, it’s all good fun” clearly does not work, you need to change your actions.

This has happened repeatedly over many different occasions, even just looking at mcc. MCC14 and then shittalking HBomb got him hate for months (where many ppl still hate him for it). Hell even this very MCC, quig got sent death threats just for punching dream in tgttos. Him outwardly stating that Build Mart is the reason he will not compete is drawing the target for those same toxic fans to attack. he has to be immeasurably stupid to not realize that connection yet, but he just simply doesn’t… seem to care.

I realize this post comes off as incredibly negative and I’m trying to not be. I want to give him benefit of the doubt and not enter this to argue in bad faith. He is just a guy and a very new cc in the grand scheme of things, so it makes sense he lacks a lot of skills when it comes to managing his audience. But when so much of the discourse and issues we’ve had can be tied back to his fans and/or his actions, it’s hard to find that sympathetic angle at times.