#my version of the coat is made of fleece

[marlequinncos]

can we see what the coat fitzcoat looks like on?

Sure! It's slightly long in the sleeves as per the show, and while my version is not entirely screen-accurate, it's still quite warm.

[gracie-eilish]

hi love! i hope youre well! could you write a fic where its the first day of winter and the reader doesnt enjoy the cold much and it just be super fluffy with billie trying to keep the reader warm? winters just started in my country and im suffering 😭 thank you love 🫶

snow angel

an: not related to the reneé rapp song :)

… pretend it’s normal for it to snow in socal

The first day of winter rolled in like a sleepy whisper. It was quiet, gentle, and utterly unwelcome by you.

You sighed as you tugged your coat tighter, the zipper pulled all the way to your chin. A thick, knitted scarf was wrapped around your neck like a protective cocoon, and your gloved fingers were clenched in your pockets. A soft wool hat was pulled low over your ears, and still, the cold found ways to sneak in and nibble at your cheeks and nose.

Beside you, Billie was practically glowing. She wore an oversized cream-colored hoodie under a fleece-lined trench, a beanie slouched over her dark hair, and her cheeks were already flushed from the chill. Her hands, to your utter betrayal, were bare. She lifted one to cup a snowflake from the air and grinned at the way it melted instantly on her palm.

“Stop looking so cute,” she said without even glancing at you. You turned toward her with a skeptical grunt.

“I’m not trying to be cute. I’m freezing.”

She giggled.

That was the fourth time. The fourth time she giggled at your very real discomfort.

“I’m suffering,” you said dramatically, your voice muffled by your scarf.

“Baby,” she chuckled, bumping her shoulder into yours, “you look like a grumpy little marshmallow.”

You scowled, or tried to, but it only made her laugh harder.

“See? That pout,” she poked your cheek, “and those rosy little chipmunk cheeks. You’re too much.”

You stopped walking just long enough to huff. “Billie, my nose is numb.”

“Your nose is pink,” she corrected lovingly, gently pressing her warm fingers to the tip of it. “Like a cartoon bunny. Adorable.”

Her teasing wasn’t cruel, just light, full of affection. You couldn’t really stay mad when she was looking at you like that, her eyes sparkling like she’d never been more delighted by anything in her life. You tried not to smile, but she saw it anyway.

“There it is,” she whispered. “Told you. Cute.”

You groaned and resumed walking, Billie matching your pace easily as the two of you meandered down the wide promenade of the outdoor mall. Tiny white lights twinkled in the trees overhead, wrapped in spirals around every bare branch, and a faint instrumental version of “Let It Snow” drifted from hidden speakers.

“I should be at home. Under like, six blankets. With a space heater. And socks that go up to my knees.”

“You are under six layers. You’ve got like three jackets on right now.”

“One of them is technically a hoodie.”

“That counts,” she said, taking your arm and linking hers through it. “But you’re out here with me, even though you hate it. That’s love.”

“It’s suffering, is what it is,” you grumbled.

She smiled and leaned her head against your shoulder. “Suffering you’ll be rewarded for. Trust me.”

You raised a brow, but she just hummed and tugged you toward a little shop with peppermint-scented air wafting out the door.

Inside, the warmth wrapped around you instantly. Billie helped you tug your gloves off and held your fingers between hers to warm them, squeezing gently.

“This is temporary,” you muttered, voice still cranky. “The cold is waiting right outside.”

“Mhm,” she said, ignoring your dramatics, “but right now, you’ve got me. And cinnamon candles. And like, five hundred throw blankets to feel.”

You did feel all the blankets. And the soaps. And the overpriced cocoa-scented bath bombs you had no intention of buying. Billie tossed one in your basket anyway.

“For the tub,” she said. “After I thaw out my snow-hating sweetheart.”

You stuck out your tongue at her and her little voice. She winked.

From shop to shop you went, slowly, Billie dragging you in and out of bookstores, little local jewelry stands, a place that only sold honey and beeswax things, and another that had every holiday ornament imaginable, even a purple glitter hedgehog, which she bought just because you said it made you smile.

You protested at first, “I don’t even like hedgehogs that much!” But she saw the truth on your face and kissed your cheek anyway.

Eventually, your nose stopped stinging, and your fingers felt more like fingers again. Billie, to your surprise, was still giggling every time she looked at you. Your scarf had slipped down just enough to reveal the full effect of your pout, and she was obsessed.

“You look like someone told you your favorite show got canceled,” she teased as you walked toward the smell of cinnamon buns.

“I feel like it,” you said. “But if one of those smells as good as it tastes…”

“Only one way to find out.”

You ended up sitting at a little bistro table under a heater, steam rising off your shared pastry. Billie pulled her sleeves over her hands and cupped the hot chocolate you bought her. She smiled at you from behind the rim of the mug.

“You know,” she said, after a long sip, “I think you secretly like winter.”

You gave her a look. “You’re delusional.”

“No, no. I think you like this part. The part where I keep you warm and spoil you with hot cocoa and sneak kisses on your cold little nose.”

She leaned over and kissed it again, just to prove her point. You groaned softly, but she caught the curve of your smile as you turned away.

“I like the part where we’re together,” you admitted, quiet.

Her grin softened into something warmer, something private. She reached across the table and took your hand.

“Well. That’s the only part I need.”

And you stayed like that for a while, her fingers wrapped around yours, your cheeks pink from more than the cold, the quiet first snow of winter drifting around you like the hush before a kiss.

By the time you made it back to Billie’s house- a cozy, quiet, and tucked into a peaceful LA neighborhood already dusted with the rarest kind of southern California snow- the tips of your ears were red, your scarf smelled like cinnamon sugar, and Billie had called you cute approximately twenty-seven more times.

The second the door shut behind you, you let out a groan so dramatic it echoed in the entryway.

“Oh my god,” you muttered, dropping your gloves to the floor and nearly tripping over your boots as you shuffled out of them. “I have never been so done with the outdoors.”

Billie’s laugh followed you like a warm wind. “You were outside for, like… four hours.”

“Four eternal hours,” you corrected, swaying slightly as you peeled off your coat, hoodie, and scarf in a chaotic heap. “The snow was taunting me.”

Billie raised an eyebrow. “You mean gently falling and being perfect and festive?”

You pointed at her. “Exactly. Taunting.”

She rolled her eyes, but her grin betrayed her affection. You were down to your long-sleeved tee and leggings now, toes finally free from the stiff prison of winter boots. Billie leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching you with that soft look in her eyes again, like you were her favorite song playing on vinyl.

“You’re ridiculous,” she said sweetly.

“You love it,” you replied, waddling toward her dramatically in thick, fuzzy socks. Billie caught you in her arms and hugged you tight.

“I do love it,” she mumbled against your hair. “I love you.”

You melted into her like butter on warm toast, letting the heat of her seep into your bones.

“I’m still cold,” you whispered.

Billie pulled back, one eyebrow raised, and then took your hand. “We’ll fix that.”

She led you down the hall into her living room, where everything already smelled like pine and vanilla, and the dim lighting was perfect, just the soft flicker of candles and the glow of string lights woven around the shelves and windows. And then you saw it. Your heart practically stuttered.

Billie had made a blanket nest on the couch. Not just a blanket fort, a whole cozy kingdom. Fluffy pillows lined the cushions like little clouds, and a mountain of blankets were stacked and layered like a patchwork throne. She’d even pulled up the soft ottoman and set a little tray on it with a mug of something steamy and a small bowl of mini marshmallows. The electric fireplace was flickering, fake but warm, casting gentle golden light over the room.

“Did you do all this for me?” you asked, blinking at the sight.

Billie gave you a lopsided grin and shrugged. “I had a feeling your winter grump would need a full-body intervention.”

You turned, slow, dramatic, and full of awe. “You are my hero.”

She smirked and pulled you into the pile of fluff, yanking a heated blanket around both of you as you tumbled into the couch like a pair of tired penguins.

The second you hit the cushions, you let out a soft, contented moan. Billie laughed again, wrapping her arms around you and adjusting the blanket so it cocooned you completely. She even slid one of those microwavable stuffed animals, a lavender-scented bunny, under your hands.

“I want to live here,” you mumbled into her shoulder.

“Baby… You do live here,” she reminded you gently, stroking your back through the blanket.

“Then I never want to leave this couch again.”

She pressed her nose into your temple. “You don’t have to.”

Your eyes fluttered shut for a moment, finally warm to your core. Billie shifted slightly to reach for the mug and brought it to your lips. “Careful,” she warned, “it’s hot.”

You sipped. It was some kind of spiced apple cider, sweet, tangy, and perfectly warm.

You sighed. “Okay. I take it back. Winter isn’t a total betrayal.”

“Ohhh, really?” Billie teased. “Suddenly it’s not evil just because I gave you a heated blanket and some cider?”

“Yes,” you said without hesitation.

Billie chuckled, setting the mug down and pulling you back into her arms. She adjusted so your legs tangled with hers, her chin resting atop your head, her breath warm against your hairline.

For a while, you just lay there, half-asleep, listening to the muffled hum of Billie’s heartbeat and the occasional crackle of the fake fireplace. Your limbs were heavy with comfort, your nose finally its normal color again, and the scent of Billie’s skin, fresh linen, peppermint, and just a hint of vanilla, was the only thing grounding you to the world.

“You’re so quiet,” she whispered.

“Warm people don’t need to talk,” you replied sleepily.

She smiled and squeezed you a little tighter. “I like you when you’re like this.”

“Silent and bundled like a burrito?”

“No,” she said, giggling into your hair. “Just… soft. Happy. Safe.”

You tilted your head up to look at her, and her eyes were full of that quiet tenderness again. That gaze she only gave you when it was just the two of you, no music, no shows, no stage lights, just Billie and you and the stillness of being in love.

You reached up to touch her cheek, fingertips brushing over her smooth skin. “You make me feel safe,” you murmured. “Even when I’m being a brat about the cold.”

“You’re not a brat,” she said. “You’re just… fragile. Like a little snowdrop.”

You squinted. “A what?”

She laughed. “You know. Like a flower that doesn’t survive frost.”

“Are you calling me a weak flower?”

“I’m saying you’re delicate and precious and I would shield you from all the snow in the world if I could.”

Your face flushed, but not from the cold this time.

“Okay,” you whispered. “I forgive you.”

“For what?”

“For dragging me out into the arctic tundra this morning.”

Billie smirked. “It was Beverly Hills. And the sun was out.”

“Still counts.”

She leaned in and kissed your nose, now warm enough to tingle. “I’ll make it up to you.”

You arched a brow. “Oh yeah?”

“Yep. We’re gonna stay right here. Forever. Or at least until tomorrow. You, me, and this pile of blankets.”

“Sounds good to me,” you said, wrapping your arms tighter around her.

And with that, the outside world disappeared. The cold faded to a distant memory. In its place was only this: Billie’s steady heartbeat, the soft flicker of candlelight, and the knowledge that even the harshest winter would always melt away in her arms.

[thewisaaaaad]

so I was writing more about my Narinders Locker Au and uh.

It got a little out of hand. so I'm splitting it into parts.

Here's the part about Lamb and crew :D

The ship the lamb sails upon was once Narinders own ship. A gigantic beast of a galleon, its hide is made entirely of cast iron. Given its weight, the ship should not float at all. and for the centuries that Narinder was imprisoned, it didn't. But with the power of the red crown, the lamb can will it to rise from the depths or return to it at will.

It is a gigantic galleon, armed with sixty cannons a side, with two cannons that point forward as well. It has 8 sails, and an extra mast to match.

It is poorly balanced on purpose. the front of the ship catches an air bubble within it, and the rear is weighted with extra iron, causing the ship to tip backwards beneath the waves. This allows the ship to rise with the nose pointed upwards at a diagonal, permitting it to pierce heretical ships from below, or to fall upon vessels that are caught beneath it.

The crew, blessed by The One Below, are able to breath seawater as easily as air, and thus the ships ambush abilities can be used to their fullest potential.

the ships name is Iron vale, but the crew (and Narinder) affectionately call it "rust bucket". The lamb is unamused. (they want their ship to be cool, dammit.)

The crew is fiercely devoted to the lamb. After all, they did save all of them from the Captains, and all of them hold personal grudges against the Captains too.

All of them are trained in combat, though only half of them really engage in any given conflict. most use whatever weapons they have on hand, although some specialize in certain weapons and have claimed custom versions from the traveling weponsmith.

The lamb themself is a foolhardy youth, empowered by the crown they seek vengeance, and Narinder has to remind them often that part of their deal was that they had to seek adventure for all the fallen who never got to see the world.

They wear the crown as a tricorn (obviously) and wield it as a cutlass (also obvious). they wear a pair of well worn and oft patched pair of pants, held up with a sash woven from their mothers wool, and the sash is embroidered with sheep and Lilly of the valley in red thread, but the embroidering is unfinished. It will never be finished.

Their fleece is a red pirate coat that leaves its sleeves flowing in the wind, tied around their neck with a golden cord and clasped with a small anchor.

The lambs wool is constantly sopping wet, and they will never dry for they are tied to the sea now. Their horns are short and dull, and their tail undocked. The wool on their face droops down over one eye, giving the appearance of an eye patch.

In their chest sits a gaping hole where their heart once sat. It was taken from them by narinder, for a gift such as the crown cannot come without sacrifice.

That heart is Narinders most treasured possession.

Their magic takes a unique form too. Instead of balls of fire and lost souls wrought with their hands as in the game, they wield blood red brine and frozen ice flung from a flintlock instead. When the lamb falls in battle, they melt into blood red briny water that slinks back into the ocean, to find the bones and rotting flesh of sunken sailors to create a new body.

After all, one cannot simply stab the sea, and expect to have killed it.

[good-omens-scrapbook]

“Aziraphale hastened to the mitten tree and reached for his own finished wares. He’d completed them that morning and received a great deal of praise from Edith. They were loving detailed and intricately patterned. The hat was mostly black, with two bright gold eyes knit into the front and a silly red tongue hanging over the forehead. It was the scarf that made the ensemble though, it looked just like a snake.

…

In some ways he looked very much as Aziraphale would have expected. Wisps of uneven red hair stuck out from the rim of his new hat, curling into his eyes. His round face was dotted with freckles, but sallow beneath them as though he’d been recently ill. Most arresting were his eyes, which were at once familiar and so very different. They were large and round, normal except for the inhuman shade of gold- the hue that Aziraphale had known for thousands of years.”

On the 23rd of December 1996, child-sized Aziraphale finally found the human child version of his demon.

I absolutely had to depict the moment that Tony and his mother Maddy are leaving the church after meeting “Ezra” and his parents.

(Sorry, @demonicputto, I can’t knit as well as Ezra and Edith. So this year Tony has his snake scarf and hat made out of fleece instead. And Maddy’s coat is still a work-in-progress, as she’s a very new resident of the house!)

[hashtag-xolo]

I’m sure you’ve been asked this before, but what’s it like having a dog who needs to wear clothes all/a lot of the time? Do breeders usually train puppies to be good about that—or rescues work with the dogs about it? Or is it more of an as needed thing where some dogs don’t need to wear clothes so much? And I remember hearing that there’s a lot of maintenance for their skin, but what about the fur they do have (the little patches, not necessarily the coated dogs); I’d guess it's not much different than a fully-coated dog just because there isn’t much of it?

Also, I think Nico has the same--but much smaller--harness as one of my family’s dogs. This isn’t relevant, but it is pretty fun seeing a tiny version of it (or something very similar) in the wild.

Honestly the needing to wear clothes frequently is my biggest complaint about hairless xolos 😂 Don't get me wrong, it's fun to have a dog whose look you can so easily customize so drastically! But also, having to swap clothes, make sure your dog is in the right level of clothing for the weather, and whatnot before going out can be a hassle for me and for the dog. Clothing also collects dirt and oil at different rates so the fabric choice you make is really important. For instance, fleece collects dirt like mad so even though it's soft it's really not ideal for xolo clothing because it can cause pimples to form really quickly. Other fabrics aren't as comfortable on the skin and so speaking of that harness, it has a mesh interior that doesn't feel very nice so I prefer he has a shirt between it and his skin to prevent irritation from any chafing. (Keeping it snug helps that but can't prevent it entirely either...) Aside from protecting them from the cold, you also need to make sure that xolos with unpigmented skin have sun protection. That means clothing or sunblock. Plus the expenses of buying said clothes which can be a pretty penny when it comes to quality brands.

But on the flip side, I don't have to worry about a matted coat or spending thirty minutes getting mud off my dog either because bathing him takes five minutes from start to finish (unless the shampoo needs to sit). Nor do I need to spend a lot of money on grooming either. So in the end it's really just picking where you want your time, energy, and money spent.

As far as skin and coat care, the skin care regimen will truly differ from dog to dog. Some xolos have basically no skin problems. Some have really bad skin issues their whole life. Others just get hormonal acne as adolescents and then they clear up. And others still have skin issues caused by diet or environmental factors that will get cleared up by changing whatever is causing them. Tzapo has basically no skin issues and just needed the occasional blackhead or pimple resolved. Nico has more skin problems but he was neglected as a puppy, doesn't have a stellar breeding line like Tzapo did, and he's an adolescent so it's hard to predict if these issues will be a constant problem or if he'll wind up with low maintenance skin. I'm hopeful that he will have less skin issues in time but if not, there are medications and special shampoos to help with dog acne, including some made with salicylic acid just like human acne products 😅 but their hair is really low maintenance especially in the (mostly) hairless variety. I occasionally detangled Tzapo's tail plume but that was it.

I am unsure of the extent that breeders go to desensitizing puppies to clothes but it's definitely something they should do considering many xolos will benefit from it. I think hairless xolos probably are easier to acclimate to clothing if only because it does make them more comfortable. I know that if it's cold Nico is way more thrilled to put his clothes on that when it's warmer. Tzapo was the same.

[self-shipping-doll13]

Gold-Embossed Dinner Plates

November Prompts

Wc: 3930

Tw: Slight NSFW

There was a wild lashing outdoors, the droplets bouncing off the pavement. It was 4:30pm when 4:30pm was a late Autumn evening, and no longer a Summer afternoon. Not taking joy in the needles of rain I’d be braving in my venture, I was zipping up my fleece to stave off the late chill when my co-worker pulled me aside.

Ubbe and I had spoken only a couple of times before. He was good for our customer base, since a few people sidled in to smile at him dreamily when they bought their expensive pastries.

“Someone told me you had a run in with my brother,” Ubbe began, and there was a wry twitch on his lip.

“Yes, I met him a couple of days ago,” I said mildly.

That the two men were related should not have come as a surprise. They had the same last name, the same blue eyes—but Ubbe’s had not such keen ferocity.

The memory rekindled a fire in my cheeks. Ubbe seemed to choose his words thoughtfully, examining my face. “…I think I should apologise on his behalf. He didn’t say anything to bother you? Ivar can be unpredictable—he does things without thinking.”

“No, no,” I replied with dismay. How conscientious of Ubbe, but I was eager to mollify any worries he had. What garbled version of the story had he heard? “Nothing bad went on,” I reassured him. “We just had a little awkward moment. I’m fine, don’t worry at all!”

“Ah,” he accepted this correction, distancing himself. “Then forget I said anything.” And he smiled so that he showed the whites of his eyes. I hurried home.

That was before I started actually dating his brother, and I was soon made aware of Ivar’s brusque attitude (which I grew to find charming) by his… unorthodox teaching methods. Evidently others were unaccustomed to his gentler side. But I certainly did not resent the fact that I received special treatment. It made me feel, well, special. Later he told me I was.

From Ivar’s now-and-again comments on his family I gleaned a few more things: he had a half brother named Björn who was travelling the Mediterranean. The middle child, Hvitserk, was a tattoo artist and lived in the city with his girlfriend Thora—fine work. In those quiet moments late at night, I trailed my fingers softly across the sable whorls of ink on his skin. Sigurd, one year older than Ivar, had estranged himself from certain members of his family a couple of years ago and was trying to eke out a living as a musician. As a rule, he and Ivar despised each other, and Ivar was not keen on my speaking to Sigurd anytime soon. Or ever.

Floki, a family friend and apparently Ivar’s old teacher, was the person Ivar was most nervous for me to meet, because he held him partially responsible for his interest in old Norse history. Floki actually lived near my own home, on the briny grey coast. He made boats—in fact, he made a whole lot of other things. So one day, I found myself in the heart of his workshop, in a modest dwelling by a quay. Intricate carvings lined the tall shelves, and the wood shavings Floki blew from a coffee table made clear he had a pretty spontaneous work ethic. His wife, Helga, was immensely doting and kind, though sad-eyed. Dunking biscuits in hot cocoa whilst in their sitting room, I listened to the waves break up against hulls of white painted ships. It was probably the most comfortable I’d felt around Ivar’s family.

Floki was not related to Ivar by blood, but with his eccentricities, he definitely fit into the archetype of a ‘fun uncle.” Secretly I thought he acted more like Ivar's father than his actual father, whom I’d once met briefly in the hall landing just as he was shrugging on his fur-lined coat. Ragnar hummed at me blankly like I was the new and easily shatterable vase, and then left to go on and do other things.

I got the feeling that maybe he’d left that landing a lot in the past.

Ragnar had been separated from his wife Aslaug, Ivar’s mother, for over a decade. Not legally perhaps, but in every way that mattered. As I’d first seen her after seeing Ragnar, she was stiff and distracted, and seemed to look through me rather than at me. Aslaug and I smiled politely in the vague direction of the other, but without any real engagement. She was tall, auburn-haired and intimidatingly beautiful, so I knew where Ivar got his good genes from.

The idea of a more substantial meeting would not come up until something like a week or two after that. It was during one of those nights, lonesome but for the two of us and fuelled by kisses and caffeine, where it was impossible to resist getting lost in each other. And we got pretty lost—two times, three times—lost so thoroughly I could barely recall any other words than his name, and the soreness he left behind was the sweetest thing. Panting, I lay curled up against him, sweaty and sticky and satisfied. My heart was pounding and our intermingled breathing was so loud, the scent of sex permeated the air. The city outside was alive with blaring car horns and the drunken shouts of Halloween revellers, floating in through the open window and into his apartment. I could’ve died right there and been content.

“A girl could really get used to this,” I mumbled.

Ivar was rubbing my hip. “Yeah?”

Gazing up at him affectionately, I propped my chin up on my knuckles as I stretched my legs and toes out. His eyes had that tired, sultry glazed over look.

“Sweetheart… Keep staring at me like that and I’m going to be tempted to have a go at you again.”

I grinned cheekily. “Hm, I wouldn’t stop you.”

My muscles were utterly relaxed—I was steadily growing drowsy and my lids were drooping. He planted a kiss on the top of my head, shifting under me.

“You want to sleep, don’t you?”

Yawning, I nodded. “Should go to the bathroom first…”

Basking in the afterglow, I hated to drag myself away from him, and it was tough to lift up and roll out of bed. Caressing me with slow, gentle motions, he held fast.

“Wait, listen,” Ivar said, nose still buried in my dishevelled hair. “I wanna talk to you about something.”

“Yeah?”

Ivar tucked a loose strand back. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly. “How would you like it if I asked you to come to dinner with me and my family this weekend?”

I blinked for a moment. This statement was spoken more like a question; lacking in his usual confidence. “Of course I’d go,” I told him, without really thinking.

“That was fast,” Ivar said hazily. “My mother wants to get to know you, this girl I keep talking about. And my older brothers are going to be there. Two of them.” He puffed air out of his nose, then looked at me seriously, with pleading eyes. “Do you mean it? You want to go?”

“Yes.” Propping myself up on my elbow, I trailed a line down his jaw, finding light stubble and coaxing him into a grin. “Did you really think I could say no to you?”

“Saturday.” Ivar told me, chasing my hand to kiss it like he always did. “And I’m looking forward to it.”

Humming, I pressed my lips to his and then got up, goosebumps rising on my arms in the cool evening air. We both had a lecture the next morning, with him in his usual role. It was a good thing I wore a turtleneck to hide the purple welts blooming on my throat.

Once I had more time to ruminate on my decision, I felt I was actually a bit concerned. If Ivar was antsy for me to be like Floki, I was nervous to properly acquaint myself with his mother. Questioning if I truly measured up was a daily occurrence—if just an internal one—and it did feel like a kind of yardstick was awaiting me.

Fiddling with the straighteners, I examined myself doubtfully in the mirror that Saturday. My exact fear could not be pinpointed—it was a cluster of little fears. I was anxious for his mother and I to get along, to not be found disappointing; too unattractive, too socially inept, too working class. Beyond this, I was just anxious, and slightly clammy with my makeup and my hair done up.

Aslaug met us both at the door, dazzling with perfectly straight white teeth. “Jasmine, welcome,” she held both my elbows gently. “Ivar’s told me so much about you.”

“And you,” I told her, smiling as graciously as I could as she brought her nose to my cheek in a fake air kiss. I tensed up a bit, not sure whether to reciprocate.

“Don’t scare her off,” Ivar smirked, arching a brow.

Aslaug threw him a mild glare, and I was struck by the facial similarity. “You will have to excuse my son, Ivar has no manners in this house,” she said gravely.

My lips twitched as I was startled into amusement. About the exact same time as he said: “She loves it.” I told her: “Oh, that’s never been a problem for me.”

After some gracious laughter, she turned to head back into the dining hall, he took my hand discreetly, the other flexing around the spiked handle of his crutch. “C’mon, It’s just this way,” Ivar whispered into my ear, and I nodded and trailed after him into the dining hall. Tired, I did not feel as adept at socialising as I did on recharged days. But I was glad that it seemed Aslaug had forgotten how our original meeting went, because that meant I could hopefully make a better impression.

At this point I’d been in their house a few times before, but tonight I was struck by how nice the place was. The house itself was located in a safe, well-groomed neighbourhood, filled up with doctors and big cars. Probably cleaned up for the guests’ arrival, too. I sat down in my chair, in awe of the gleaming silverware and finely embroidered tablecloth in rich hues of crimson and gold. Careful not to let any loose drops besmirch it, I poured a stream of gravy onto my food and passed the boat to Ivar, who drained it dry.

“This looks amazing,” exclaimed Thora. She seemed more comfortable with the new faces than I was.

“It’s one of our family’s favourite dishes,” replied Aslaug. She ate her meal delicately, and had refused the offering of the gravy boat. “I hope you enjoy it.”

“Thank you for having us,” I piped up, trying to meet her gaze directly. “You have a beautiful dining table.”

“Not at all. Please, make yourself at home.” Aslaug wore a green velvet dress, and ornaments tinkled at her wrist as she held the stem of her wine glass. “I hope the traffic coming down wasn’t a problem? Siggy’s been very troubled with it lately.”

“No, it was fine,” I said reflexively.

“How is Siggy?” Hvitserk asked, shovelling in piles of food into his mouth. Aslaug’s face turned awkward.

“Doing her best to cope with the changes,” she said in a gentle voice. “Living in an empty house when you’re not used to it can be difficult. She likes to fill up her time, so I take her with me to Pottery class. But from what I’m hearing, Thyri is doing well in America.”

Ivar was digging in by my side, wholly unaffected by the formal atmosphere. “That seat is empty.” He sent it a combative side-glance. “I thought I’d see Ubbe here.”

There were three vacancies. Untouched chairs made of high-backed mahogany. Myself and Thora’s were clearly the reserves, metallic and modern in design.

“Ubbe couldn’t make it,” explained Aslaug. “He’s been very busy lately. He works on Saturdays now.”

Ivar flashed one of his sinister false smiles. “Hm. It’s just been a while since I’ve last seen him, that’s all.”

Hvitserk cleared his throat. “Working two jobs… That’s Ubbe for you. He told me he’s saving up for the grand hotel booking.” I did always peg Ubbe as the type to not accept financial help. Hvitserk took a loud sip of his drink. “But you know, I think I agree with him. Margrethe deserves to be a happy bride.”

Thora looked to him curiously. “Margrethe?”

“Yeah, she’s his fiancé.”

Observing the pleasantries, I cut my meat, my knife and fork scraping loudly on ceramic. The dinner plate was embossed with gold—black borders engraved with delicate fleur de lis—and I felt like a slob for using it, though it was at Aslaug’s behest. It seemed more suited to filling tall glass display cases, like Fine China that was never eaten off of, but always treasured.

After a while, Ivar began disturbing the peace. “Listen to yourselves,” he said mockingly. “The food is going to go down my throat like nails if this is all we talk about the whole time. Mother, you’ve hardly said anything about yourself. How is the class?” He waved his fork.

Personally I couldn’t see how it could be anything but excessively delicious: with the golden-brown roasted potatoes, steaming green vegetables and slices of lamb drizzled with the gravy, it felt like Christmas.

I’d eaten a brussel sprout too quickly and a hot lump was struggling down my oesophagus as I listened in.

“Well,” Aslaug pressed a well-groomed hand to her chest like she had heartburn. Evidently with her favourite child, she had infinite patience. “It’s really not that exciting, it just gives me something to do. Helga’s much better at it than I am,” she said modestly.

“I’d love to hear about it,” I said. Though struggling with the brussel sprout pain, I was now enjoying thinking of swiftly spinning potter’s wheels. “It sounds interesting.”

“Yes, exactly,” said Ivar, endearingly invested.

Aslaug turned her piercing eyes on me, curious. Thora made sounds of enthusiasm, keeping a hand over her lips as she nodded and chewed her food.

I fired on. “Is it a hard hobby to keep up?”

“Not really,” she said, and after a moment went on: “Like most crafts, I suppose it takes practice. And time. I’ve been doing it for several years now.”

“Will you show us? I get pictures, but eh…” Ivar looked genuinely eager to see his mother’s work. I understand that they were always close, if sometimes at odds.

“Yeah,” said Hvitserk. “I haven’t seen any of them.”

For a moment she looked taken aback, and hesitated, as if deciding if it would be appropriate for her to leave her guests. “Excuse me, I’ll just go and find it.”

Aslaug’s heels echoed impressively on the oaken floorboards, which were polished to a fine sheen. We were now left without our hostess to wrangle us.

“So, Jasmine, are you in university?” Thora asked.

At this, I perked up. “Yes. English Literature, and I take a few other courses. And I guess you’re in too?”

“Mhm, I do Fine Art.”

“What’s it like? I’ve always been curious, but I don’t know anyone who majors in art. Not right now anyway.”

“Basically like how you’d expect. I spend a lot of time in a studio, I guess. A while ago I was nosing about in the city trying to find inspiration to help with my personal portfolio, and, well,” Thora rested her head briefly on Hvitserk’s shoulder. “That’s how I met this guy.”

“This guy? Ow.”

She laughed and told me, “Shared interests.”

Hvitserk laughed too, poking her with his fork in a way I deemed affectionate. “We’re in the same boat.” I smiled at them clumsily, unsure of how to phrase it.

Ivar made an amused noise. “Jasmine here has the dubious honour of minoring in Norse studies.” Not hesitating, he brushed his knuckles over my cheek. I knew he loved that course—didn’t love the people in it. “Very bright little student, aren’t you sweet?”

“I think I have an unfair advantage,” I said bashfully, finding his touch pleasing despite my embarrassment.

Ivar snorted with derision. “Not that you need it, what with a class average like that.” He stretched out in his high-backed chair, and then went back to eating.

His older sibling was looking between us with increasing awareness. Somehow the fact that I knew our relationship was inappropriate hadn’t been on my list of concerns until now. But it was probably good to rip the band-aid quickly, since I didn’t intend to let it stop me and obviously neither did Ivar.

“I’m happy for you,” Hvitserk said in an Ubbe-like way.

“Cheers,” Ivar said, grinning and raising his glass.

The tapping of high heels was heard once more as Aslaug strode back in. Ivar gulped down his drink.

“This one is very recent.” She was holding a mottled clay pot, vaguely shaped like an amphora, and she set it down gently on the table beside her plate. “I wanted to paint it first, but was thinking of maybe putting some flowers into it. Artificial ones, so they won’t wilt.”

Ivar squinted at it, leaning forward slightly. “You know, that looks just like the one we broke ten years ago.”

“No, it was longer ago than that,” said Hvitserk. Ivar’s head snapped back quickly to look at him. “Thirteen—fourteen. I was pushing you in the cart, hit that sharp turn by the living room. Happened there.”

“Oh, it was eternally a pain to clean up after you boys.” Aslaug sounded distantly cross, as if the memory still vexed her. “Shards everywhere, all over the floor.”

“I like the shape of it,” said Thora tactfully.

“It’s really pretty.” I also complimented, observing the pot with its smooth, shiny surface like a spotted seal’s hide.

“Beautiful shape, though it wasn’t very neat,” agreed Aslaug, stroking it. “But I’ll have this one done up more tastefully. Anyway, I’m distracting you all from eating.” She nonetheless seemed to be proud of her work, and to my eyes, was slightly flushed at the attention.

Loud chewing and plate scraping resumed. I chatted more with Thora, who was enduringly friendly, throughout most of the meal. Ivar and I would occasionally lean close to exchange furtive whispers as he pointed out things I hadn’t noticed before; the orange juice stain on the tablecloth, the slightly crooked painting, the peel of the wallpaper.

Our fingers would join together under the table. He also liked to flaunt them in full view, smirking pridefully. Something warm filled my belly, so I drank more water.

After eating, we all set up in the living room. This place was far cosier—not to disparage the rest of the house, which was tastefully furnished. But here, it was much easier to relax. One of those electric fire lights flamed red in the grate, and the settee was piled with tasselled suede cushions. Laughing, I sank into it, more interested in our steadily improving dialogue. Somewhere along the way, I accepted a taste of sherry and a slice of plated pavlova. The sugary sweetness of the crust melted on my tongue, and I let Ivar steal a green grape off of it. He popped it in his mouth.

Both a long time and no time at all had passed by the time we’d finished up. Aslaug pressed her fingers to her temple as if she had a migraine. Ivar urged her in a gentle voice to dismiss us, so when she smiled at us this time the skin of her eyes crinkled tenderly.

As a guest I followed Ivar through a doorway. The bedroom was cloaked in black-and-navy and held the fond air of being preserved for return migration. There by a tall oak wardrobe, I dropped a canvas bag that held a change of clothing and a toothbrush. I would’ve never realised it was half-past-twelve were it not for the glittering of a digital alarm clock on an end table.

Ivar found his chair by the desk and let his crutch fall by the wayside. “Sit here a minute.” He beckoned me to him, and I padded across the soft carpet. The heat of Ivar’s palms warmed my legs through denim. “There. That’s better… Being on me where you should be.”

“I feel like I could be silent for the rest of the night.” Sighing deeply, I threw both my arms around his neck.

“Go ahead,” he said. “Just means I get to talk more.”

“You would anyway,” I said, and before he could open his mouth to retort I blurted out a confession of sherry, “Do you think your mom likes me? I couldn’t tell.”

His double take alleviated my concern before he even opened his mouth “Of course. We got to talking earlier, mother said she was glad I found someone who’s nice and actually sensible… Which you are.” He snorted. “Put it this way, she has no reason to dislike you.”

“I was only… Unsure if I would be considered suitable.”

“Nonsense,” Ivar said. “She’s always on my case to get settled down. If anything, you’ve made her very happy.”

Bubbles of my silliness popped harmlessly, and in the dim lamplight I wondered if he knew how desperately I’d like to kiss him. “That’s good. I’m really glad.”

I toyed with the moon pendant on my necklace. She was peering through ash grey curtains, silvery rays bouncing off of laden bookshelves. Glossy hardbacks jumped out at me, and I hoped in the morning after a slice of buttered toast, I’d be able to slide one out curiously and ask after it, just a little. Warmed, we’d talk and laugh, spread out in a tangle of belongings on various soft surfaces, like we did in his apartment.

“Relax. You worry too much. And you don’t need to.” Ivar squeezed me. “My mother’s easy to please, not like me. With brothers like mine, it’s a necessity.”

She did appear to have a lot of patience. “I thought Hvitserk was alright,” I said, grinning behind my hand.

“Only because you don’t know him like I do. And you should know by now that my opinion is the only one that matters,” he finished haughtily.

I suspected this was not wholly true, but Ivar was very wilful. Even by relinquishing a book to me on that fateful day, he’d gotten his way.

The rush of desire to kiss him overwhelmed me now. By his noise of pleasant surprise, I could tell he really didn’t know of it, that I would have to communicate it very thoroughly to him. There In his arms I found a casual welcoming, precious for its thoughtlessness.

I knew then any rejection was self-imagined. So I eased, and thought of comfort. “It’s feeling stuffy in here. Mind if I open the window just a crack?”

Ivar stroked my knee, distracted. “Not by too much.”

It was a mild Autumn evening. Tugging at the curtains, I reached up and pressed the lever down. From the gap a light breeze floated in, carrying a hint of spice. The room was ground level, and in the back garden a lone tree threw itself up in a sprawl of limbs.

Embraces resumed with sighs on our lips. Twisted boughs shivered in the wind; in the dark the leaves gleamed yellow and green, like sly cat’s eyes.

Dividers by @/thecutestgrotto

[bisonaari]

Omg you made your own coat 👀👀👀👀?!?! Thats rad as hell.

Hope your journey goes smoothly.

Sure did!!! I gained quite a lot of weight in the past years, and none of my coats fit anymore hahaha. I made one autumn version and one winter version of the same pattern!! They're both black outside and green inside but with different materials

Autumn: synthetic thin wool, lined with rayon

Winter: 100% sheep wool, lined with cotton fleece and insulated with thinsulate

They are both adjustable if I gain or lose weight, so I'll be able to wear them for quite a while!! Hence why I invested in good materials that I liked

The winter coat looks like that

It's autumn sibling is the same but less stiff lol

[helluva-world-innit]

So...they are far from perfect, but they have taken me months and I finally have these two as close to what I see in my head as I'm going to get them for now. I will just hope I improve as I draw them more or something. Digital art is also something I'm still adjusting to so...yeah. Anyway, say hey to our protags (reimagined)! Buckle up, this post got looooooong.

Charlie is the only child sired by Lucifer himself even if it's in a most unconventional way. He's essentially her father and her mother. No Lilith here, folks, sorry. I'm not Jewish and I don't feel comfortable adding her considering what Jewish folks have said about her inclusion in modern works so she's just...not appearing in this comic. A lot of this will be based on my Protestant upbringing with my Hellenic Polytheist sensibilities thrown in, just fyi.

Now, about the redesign...

I don't actually hate the redesign of Charlie in the show. Her hair is fun, her being masc-presenting is interesting, and red is actually my favorite color. However, I completely redid the Rings and like the idea of Charlie trying to unify Hell with her cause instead of just Pride Ring. She kept some of her red because Lucifer has blond/red hair in my version, depending on how much of his angelic persona drops. There's also red in her coat of many colors which is a Biblical reference as well as an extension of Charlie's ideas about Hell and how the "rainbow" of the Rings should be working together to rehabilitate Sinners instead of just torturing them and making them worse. She even made it herself from scraps of the Ringmasters' clothes, Belphagor's fleece, and an old sewing machine. Her dad hates it because it makes her look poor. They are locked in constant battle over him trying to discreetly destroy it and her salvaging it last minute. She also wears spats on her shoes. They're tap shoes because ofc they are. I let her keep her love of theater because it's cute. Lucifer secretly loves that his daughter is just as much of a showboat as he is.

JC is also Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Comic, but at least we have Charlie.

Now, some of you are probably noticing that I made Charlie darker...that's not an accident. Charlie, by the method of her birth here, has black skin. She has her father's eyes and hair. As I get better at drawing and rendering black hair, we will see it in other styles because I love some of the things black folks with more textured hair than myself do with it. I just really like the bubble braid too. It suggests thickness not a lot of people have in their hair. Charlie has had to learn how to style her hair herself a lot since Luci can barely manage some puff buns. Doesn't help that It seems to grow back as fast as it's cut so Charlie mostly trims the ends and moisturizes the hell out of it.

I think it's fitting for Charlie to have a bit extra vibrancy with demon and angelic features because she isn't mortal. At least not completely. She does have a more horrifying form with horns and eyes and wings but she hardly ever has to use it. She also has a natural charm to her she gets from her dad that makes it very hard to turn down what she suggests. Not impossible, just very unappealing. Hoping I can get to a point where her eyes aren't so scary looking but she does have cat pupils so, we'll...see.

Funny thing about Charlie is she is a bit like Elsa. Born with powers beyond comprehension, lives in an icy castle in the mountainside of the remote (only) city in her country, and was kept away from most of her citizens until her 200th birthday.

Okay, it's not a complete 1:1 here. Yes, Lucifer kept Charlie under wraps for about 200, well 50 years from his family, the other Ringmasters. The other denizens of Hell had no idea they had a princess until the events of the comic. They really aren't sure what to make of it either. Some Hellborn think they'll be able to marry into Lucifer's good graces (Sinners cannot legally marry anyone), others consider ransoming Charlie when she ventures out to start the rehab hotel (they are so painfully mistaken; everyone from her dad to her aunt Bel has taught her how to fight viciously even if it's not her preferred method of conflict resolution. to say nothing of the protective friends she gathers quickly). It also makes Charlie a little...well, naive about just how well her plans to rehab Hell are going to go. Most of what she knows about interacting with others come from pop media and her loving and protective family. It's an eye-opening experience when she strikes out on her own.

Debating on adding more black fleece to the bottom hem of her coat too. Thots? The background is just a deserted little corner of Pride Ring which is covered in snow (yes, Pride Ring is cold like in the Divine Comedy here). The orange trees in the background are courtesy of @holoanarchy for giving me the idea when I asked "what's a good color for the leaves of Hell trees?". I'll talk more about those when I post that Ring up, though.

Okay, let's talk about this lovable asshole now.

Blitz Wire has had to struggle and fight for most of the things he has in life. From the very beginning, things have been...tough for him. Imps are not the very bottom of the social ladder in my version of circus Hell, but they still make up the majority of the working class. If you've never been working class, take it from me, it sucks rocks. Sucks even more when neither of your parents were ever really successful or good with money either, as is the case with the Wires. Blitz's parents met when they were young and idealistic in Greed Ring and shortly married after a brief courtship. Beatriz (this is what I named his mom to keep with the 'B' theme), worked in a factory where they painted figurines of Mammon and the gold paint she huffed developed into Imphysema over time. She stayed sickly throughout Blitz, Barbie, and Fizz's childhood while Buckzo took over the family carnival to help put food on the table. When Beatriz could no longer work, he put the kids to it. They were happy to help and work to get noticed by Mammon so they could rake in some dough to get better medical treatment for their mother, despite the Ringmaster being the very reason she was sick in the first place (capitalism, baby!).

Blitz, as in the canon...is not very funny. Despite having a range of acrobatic tricks and being able to think and react very quickly, he just never had a knack for nor got a grasp of how to hold people's interest and make them laugh. Is what it is. Fizz was always the star of their little sideshow attraction. Barbie came as a close second with her death-defying knife acts and torture plays. Blitz just never stood out as an entertainer as the maladjusted middle child. Over time, that became a resentment. Coupled with Buckzo's disregard for him as his son, Blitz started pushing the envelope with the acts he performed.

Finally, when he was sixteen, Blitz decided he was ready to run a giant obstacle course straight out of Hell. It went about as bad as you would expect. Fizz got the brunt of the damage when he pulled his surrogate brother out of the jaws of certain death. While he was still recovering from being scalded by holy water, Blitz was fired and kicked out of the only home he'd ever known by his father. Barbie and Beatriz kept in touch, despite Buckzo's "banning" it, but Blitz spent the remainder of his teenage years on the streets of Hell, urban foraging and doing odd jobs to save up for a place away from Greed and the posters of Fizz's face as his fame grew.

I didn't really want to change much about Blitz's clothing choices since it makes sense for him to want to look professional, but also be comfortable while slicing throats and blowing people up. Also, blue and gold comes from him being from Greed and Asmo being his company's sponsor. Took away the boots and gave him proper hooves, though. Now, I didn't base the imps' lower halves on any specific ungulates, but Blitz's top half is defs based on an iguana. I want them to be more reptilian since Wrath is pretty desert-oriented and Satan is lizard-like herself. I could probs get away with making his tail a little shorter, but I'm happy with how his horns and spines turned out. He smokes this shitty brand of cigs called Blak'N'Bluz. They aren't called that because of the black filter and blue of the Hellfire they burn on, though. It's said they actually make one's lungs black and blue with one drag because they're so caustic. They're the easiest to steal as a result and the one Blitz started with so he always comes back to them.

I wanted him and Barbie to look more twin-like and I really don't care for OG Blitz's horns. As far as the pendant he's wearing goes, it never made sense to me that his mom only left him something and never left anything for her other kids (which could not be the case but we just don't know because...well, we're never given this info). Blitz and Barbie split their mother's necklace down the middle and each of them wears a piece of it. No idea what to give Fizz from her yet.

I changed Blitz's facial scars and I'll tell you why. Forget who pointed it out in the critical tag, but the type of face scar OG Blitz has would likely leave him blind, with low vision, or with no eyelid in the eye covered in that scar tissue. No matter how you slice it, his sight would be compromised. Given that I gave that particular trait to Loona and Vaggie also has an eye patch, I decided to vary him up. He's still disabled though. As another person pointed out on a totally unrelated to HB/HH post, burn scars can impact everything from self-esteem to physical movement depending on what caused them and how they heal. Due to the majority of Blitz's scarring being on his right and back, his tail and right side usually suffer some debilitating pain flares when he overworks himself. Also, migraines and trouble extending his limbs fully. Basically, he carries a bottle of percocet around (it's like demon ibuprophen; it's fine). His pain is part of why Blitz is such a cussy grump. Hard to be pleasant when you're poor, traumatized, AND hurting all the time.

I.M.P. is still a thing in this rewrite (still debating the name), but Blitz got the idea for it when he was dating Verosika (yup, that's still a thing too). She's the one who got him an in with her boss, Asmodeus. So, he has access to Asmodean crystals since the Ringmaster also liked the idea for snatching extra wicked souls early (they're a power source and, therefore, far more valuable then someone committing tax fraud or whatever) They parted on okay terms, but Blitz adopted Loona shortly after entering his 30s. Kid's gotta eat, so he expanded the business from an imp with a knife to two imps with a van full of guns. Hiring on Moxxie from his old stomping grounds of Greed, they were able to take on more clients. That led to meeting and hiring Millie. Loona comes on hunts now that she's old enough too and they all have a blast. The rest, they say, is history.

The other side of his face for ref:

Gave him a tear-shaped scar because why not? Also a horntip cap. That one is damaged and his trying to keep it from getting worse and breaking the whole tip off.

[sassypotatoe1]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE farmers will literally almost fucking kill a sheerer if they cut their sheep badly while sheering, like they won't do it but it'll be close. We've domesticated and bred sheep for millenia to produce longer thicker fleece for our wool, they can not go without sheering if they're not short-fleeced sheep. They get mats, they get infestations like ticks or botfly maggots that WILL KILL THEM WITH DISEASE, long and thick fleece catches on things and rips out causing superficial wounds that are not visible and can get infected or attract infestation.

Sheep are not our slaves bred and exploited for our gain alone and to their detriment. A flock of wool-sheep live really long, have the best diets, a warm and cosy place to sleep, get all their healthcare needs taken care of for free, get to roam and graze to their heart's desire and in exchange we keep their hair when they get a haircut.

And wool is not just used for the fiber, which is fantastic by the way you will not get the same temperature regulation from synthetic fibers no matter what claims are made. Wool is coated in lanolin, the sheep version of sebum, which is a fantastic moisturizer and skin barrier protector, I use lanolin hand cream for my eczema, it's also stupidly good for waterproofing and can also be burned as a fuel, but most of its use is in cosmetics.

Like imagine if for millenia, some advanced alien race upgraded and maintained all our infrastructure, streamlined our industry and made it fully sustainable, solved man-made climate change, world hunger and economic disparities, solved world sociopolitics and gave us all free advanced alien health care, and all they asked in return is our armpit hair every time we shave. And they even develop the best possible methods of shaving so we no longer get razor burn or ingrown hairs. And they don't even change any of our culture and beliefs, just the practical aspects. Would you feel like an exploited slave, or would you think that's a pretty good deal?

Like say what you want about the meat industry and I'll probably agree with you that is unsustainable, exploitative and abusive as fuck (but so is a majority of the agricultural practices used to produce plant based alternatives to meat) but for the love of god animal byproducts that do not harm the animal to remove (fleece, honey, milk) in moderation and with gentle processes are infinitely better than the substitutes. For a multitude of reasons.

You can be vegan but you better be willing to properly vet every bit of your consumption in terms of sustainability if you want to claim it is for moral reasons because replacing good-practice local humane meat production with slave labor water stealing soy patties helps exactly no one and nothing. If it's because of emotional reasons, or because you don't like the taste or texture of animal products, that's all good and well, but don't pretend you're doing it for sustainability and ethics if you're not willing to put a single iota of research into it.

[cleverhottubmiracle]

Even after years of shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I still get overwhelmed by the sheer volume. Page after page of sweaters, boots, and trendy pieces, it’s easy to lose focus. I like to do my initial perusal online and then visit the store to see what else pops up. I then purchase online for the best size range and selection. The few times I’ve relied on a salesperson to help me find the right size from the warehouse, they’ve never seemed able to get it right. OUTFIT DETAILS I bought these super comfy sandals at the Nsale last year and was hoping to get another color at this year’s sale, but they’re not included. I may get the white anyway because they would go with everything 😉. An easy way to shop this Nsale is to narrow things down by: Brands you already know and trust Colors that suit your palette Categories you tend to refresh each fall, like denim, outerwear, or knits A quick tip: the best pieces do sell out fast. If you’re unsure about sizing, order two and return the one that doesn’t work. It’s easier to try things on at home than regret not getting them in your size. Here’s a small roundup of pieces that are standing out for me. 1 – Frank & Eileen Pieces I love Frank & Eileen pieces, but they’re expensive, so I’m always on the lookout for a sale. The brand seldom offers discounts on its own website, so it’s a treat when Nordstrom does. This year, they have a nice selection of their triple fleece (my favorite F&E fabric) and other pieces for the fall. The colors are also often unique to Nordstrom, so they seem a bit exclusive. I have several of these Mini Belfast Fleece Jackets and love them. I wear a small and think they run generously. The length is perfect for wearing with pants and even works well over a casual dress or skirt. They’re 100% cotton, machine washable, and made in the USA. The sale also includes a knee-length version in the redwood color or sagebrush green, which looks terrific. If you’re curious to try the Frank & Eileen brand, this sale is an excellent opportunity to do so. MORE FRANK & EILEEN INCLUDED IN NSALE I’m always on the hunt for comfy booties for fall, but I haven’t spotted anything that rings my bell…yet. My physical therapist has convinced me to wear more shoes with cork insoles, and that includes Birkenstocks. These shearling-lined Arizona sandals look perfect for a house shoe for me. I think it’s time to graduate from the rubber versions I’ve been wearing, and this color is right up my alley. I know most people would wear these outside, and I may, but probably not. I have several pairs of these Ilse Jacobson Tulip slip-on shoes and can attest to their amazing comfort. This Nsale offers them in several colors, including a fun leopard print. 3 – Sleepwear & Robes Many people overlook this section of the sale, but I’ve always had great luck during it. These Moonlight Eco pajamas are an amazing price and feel incredibly soft to sleep in. They come in lots of colors and rival much more expensive sleepwear. I also bought this shorts version last summer, and they’re perfect for hot weather now. I splurged and bought a set of these cashmere pajamas last year, and I’ve worn them a lot…yes, even out of the house as clothes…they’re that nice. MORE SLEEPWEAR AT NSALE 4 – Hooded Waterproof Rain Jacket I love a fun umbrella as much as the next person, but when it’s coming down in buckets and the wind is blowing, I prefer a waterproof rain jacket with a hood. This sale has quite a few options, but the Barbour Hooded Rain Coat really caught my eye. This is a serious raincoat with a zip-front closure, covered with a snap storm placket. There’s a drawstring to snug up the hood and at the waist. This is lined and totally waterproof. Reviews say it runs large, so I’m ordering a 6 and an 8 to be sure I get the right size before it sells out. I really like this jacket in Navy as well, so I may get it to compare. MORE HOODED RAIN JACKETS ON NSALE 5 – Cashmere This sale is always packed with a lot of cashmere. I have always found Nordstrom’s brand of cashmere to be a great value and very soft. Each year, I buy one or two of these Nordstrom Brand cashmere pullovers to replace ones that didn’t survive the summer or to add some new colors. This year it comes in 7 great colors. Vince always has some great cashmere and wool sweaters in this sale too, and I’ve found them to be luxe with no itch factor. I had this cashmere wrap in my cart last year, but it sold out so quickly that I missed it! Fingers crossed I get it this year. MORE CASHMERE ON NSALE This sale consistently offers a well-curated selection of high-end beauty tools, perfect for yourself or as a thoughtful gift during the holidays. This Simplehuman Magnifying tabletop mirror is part of the anniversary sale again this year. I’m not sure about you, but I need a strong magnifying mirror to find every errant chin hair and clean up my makeup mishaps. This mirror is highly rated, featuring 5x magnification and touch-control brightness. It’s fully rechargeable and holds its charge for up to five weeks. Its regular price is $230, and it’s on sale for $159.99. I love my Dermaflash, and it’s also on sale. BEAUTY TOOLS AT NSALE 7- Eileen Fisher Eileen Fisher is another pricey brand that I love to score while discounted during the Nsale. I have and love these corduroy pants…but they’re full-length on me. The model must have very long legs :). Their merino turtleneck sweater comes in 3 colors, and looks like a great fall basic. This would look great paired with these slim pants. I’m ordering these high-waist wide-leg pants in the ocean color. I love the fit of this style, and hello… these are full-length! I’m really tired of wide-leg crops and prefer longer pants in cooler weather. These straight-leg pants are sort of perfect…I have them in black. MORE EILEEN FISHER ON NSALE 8- Plus Size Picks From The Nsale I was pleased to see a nice selection of plus-sized pieces in the Nsale. I don’t wear plus size myself, but I recognize that some of my readers do, so here’s what I found: This Calson alpaca blend cardigan is the most stunning color! This classic trench is a perfect layer for fall, and this patch pocket leather jacket looks beautiful. MORE PLUS SIZE FROM NSALE 9 – Petite Picks From Nsale As with plus, petite is also represented in the sale…but I’m seeing less of it. They don’t give an inseam measurement for these animal print jeans, but they’re in regular and petite lengths. I bought these Itty Bitty Bootcut jeans in petite last year and love them! MORE PETITE FINDS AT NSALE There are also a lot of home and beauty items included in this sale, so don’t forget to check out those sections. I’m heading into the store today to see what else I can find, but I promise not to overhype it. Even influencers get bored with the overexposure this sale gets. Have a great day, and be sure to wear what makes you feel confident. You May Also Enjoy Source link

[norajworld]

Even after years of shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I still get overwhelmed by the sheer volume. Page after page of sweaters, boots, and trendy pieces, it’s easy to lose focus. I like to do my initial perusal online and then visit the store to see what else pops up. I then purchase online for the best size range and selection. The few times I’ve relied on a salesperson to help me find the right size from the warehouse, they’ve never seemed able to get it right. OUTFIT DETAILS I bought these super comfy sandals at the Nsale last year and was hoping to get another color at this year’s sale, but they’re not included. I may get the white anyway because they would go with everything 😉. An easy way to shop this Nsale is to narrow things down by: Brands you already know and trust Colors that suit your palette Categories you tend to refresh each fall, like denim, outerwear, or knits A quick tip: the best pieces do sell out fast. If you’re unsure about sizing, order two and return the one that doesn’t work. It’s easier to try things on at home than regret not getting them in your size. Here’s a small roundup of pieces that are standing out for me. 1 – Frank & Eileen Pieces I love Frank & Eileen pieces, but they’re expensive, so I’m always on the lookout for a sale. The brand seldom offers discounts on its own website, so it’s a treat when Nordstrom does. This year, they have a nice selection of their triple fleece (my favorite F&E fabric) and other pieces for the fall. The colors are also often unique to Nordstrom, so they seem a bit exclusive. I have several of these Mini Belfast Fleece Jackets and love them. I wear a small and think they run generously. The length is perfect for wearing with pants and even works well over a casual dress or skirt. They’re 100% cotton, machine washable, and made in the USA. The sale also includes a knee-length version in the redwood color or sagebrush green, which looks terrific. If you’re curious to try the Frank & Eileen brand, this sale is an excellent opportunity to do so. MORE FRANK & EILEEN INCLUDED IN NSALE I’m always on the hunt for comfy booties for fall, but I haven’t spotted anything that rings my bell…yet. My physical therapist has convinced me to wear more shoes with cork insoles, and that includes Birkenstocks. These shearling-lined Arizona sandals look perfect for a house shoe for me. I think it’s time to graduate from the rubber versions I’ve been wearing, and this color is right up my alley. I know most people would wear these outside, and I may, but probably not. I have several pairs of these Ilse Jacobson Tulip slip-on shoes and can attest to their amazing comfort. This Nsale offers them in several colors, including a fun leopard print. 3 – Sleepwear & Robes Many people overlook this section of the sale, but I’ve always had great luck during it. These Moonlight Eco pajamas are an amazing price and feel incredibly soft to sleep in. They come in lots of colors and rival much more expensive sleepwear. I also bought this shorts version last summer, and they’re perfect for hot weather now. I splurged and bought a set of these cashmere pajamas last year, and I’ve worn them a lot…yes, even out of the house as clothes…they’re that nice. MORE SLEEPWEAR AT NSALE 4 – Hooded Waterproof Rain Jacket I love a fun umbrella as much as the next person, but when it’s coming down in buckets and the wind is blowing, I prefer a waterproof rain jacket with a hood. This sale has quite a few options, but the Barbour Hooded Rain Coat really caught my eye. This is a serious raincoat with a zip-front closure, covered with a snap storm placket. There’s a drawstring to snug up the hood and at the waist. This is lined and totally waterproof. Reviews say it runs large, so I’m ordering a 6 and an 8 to be sure I get the right size before it sells out. I really like this jacket in Navy as well, so I may get it to compare. MORE HOODED RAIN JACKETS ON NSALE 5 – Cashmere This sale is always packed with a lot of cashmere. I have always found Nordstrom’s brand of cashmere to be a great value and very soft. Each year, I buy one or two of these Nordstrom Brand cashmere pullovers to replace ones that didn’t survive the summer or to add some new colors. This year it comes in 7 great colors. Vince always has some great cashmere and wool sweaters in this sale too, and I’ve found them to be luxe with no itch factor. I had this cashmere wrap in my cart last year, but it sold out so quickly that I missed it! Fingers crossed I get it this year. MORE CASHMERE ON NSALE This sale consistently offers a well-curated selection of high-end beauty tools, perfect for yourself or as a thoughtful gift during the holidays. This Simplehuman Magnifying tabletop mirror is part of the anniversary sale again this year. I’m not sure about you, but I need a strong magnifying mirror to find every errant chin hair and clean up my makeup mishaps. This mirror is highly rated, featuring 5x magnification and touch-control brightness. It’s fully rechargeable and holds its charge for up to five weeks. Its regular price is $230, and it’s on sale for $159.99. I love my Dermaflash, and it’s also on sale. BEAUTY TOOLS AT NSALE 7- Eileen Fisher Eileen Fisher is another pricey brand that I love to score while discounted during the Nsale. I have and love these corduroy pants…but they’re full-length on me. The model must have very long legs :). Their merino turtleneck sweater comes in 3 colors, and looks like a great fall basic. This would look great paired with these slim pants. I’m ordering these high-waist wide-leg pants in the ocean color. I love the fit of this style, and hello… these are full-length! I’m really tired of wide-leg crops and prefer longer pants in cooler weather. These straight-leg pants are sort of perfect…I have them in black. MORE EILEEN FISHER ON NSALE 8- Plus Size Picks From The Nsale I was pleased to see a nice selection of plus-sized pieces in the Nsale. I don’t wear plus size myself, but I recognize that some of my readers do, so here’s what I found: This Calson alpaca blend cardigan is the most stunning color! This classic trench is a perfect layer for fall, and this patch pocket leather jacket looks beautiful. MORE PLUS SIZE FROM NSALE 9 – Petite Picks From Nsale As with plus, petite is also represented in the sale…but I’m seeing less of it. They don’t give an inseam measurement for these animal print jeans, but they’re in regular and petite lengths. I bought these Itty Bitty Bootcut jeans in petite last year and love them! MORE PETITE FINDS AT NSALE There are also a lot of home and beauty items included in this sale, so don’t forget to check out those sections. I’m heading into the store today to see what else I can find, but I promise not to overhype it. Even influencers get bored with the overexposure this sale gets. Have a great day, and be sure to wear what makes you feel confident. You May Also Enjoy Source link

[luparaneo]

So posting that art made me remember something.

Kind of a funny guy to attach myself to, but I think I finally understand what a "comfort character" is now.

Story time! This is going to be cringe, but that doesn't matter because I am free. uwu

Long story short, I've become a bit of an accidental Ayato stan after getting him as a newbie with absurdly early pity when I first started playing Genshin. From there it became a minor obsession where I'd often joke that he lives in my head rent free. It just kinda happened, I don't think it was a conscious choice lmao

Last year in 2024 I even got a used DokiDoki cosplay that I spiffed up/made wearable, because I really liked his outfit and wanted to wear it at a convention! Ayato has immaculate drip, okay?

I already knew I had a thing for masculine clothes because I'd literally dream about wearing suit vests but when everything was ready and I put it on...

I. Felt. Magnificent. More so than I ever expected from a costume.

I really don't know how else to put it into words, but for that convention it was genuinely like I was someone else for a few days. Like I was meant to wear it all along, as corny as it sounds.

It still needs repairs (partied 2 hard lul) but ever since then I've been fighting the urge to wear it around just because of that feeling. Maybe I'll figure out how to make a soft fleece version of the overcoat someday? As I personally found out mass-produced cosplays aren't very durable, sadly..

Anyway, fast forward to this past March and I'm out of state to visit my family for a week. Little tangent, but I doubt myself regarding identifying as nonbinary/agender sometimes. I'll feel fake. I'm not out to my family because most of them wouldn't understand and I don't want to deal with the drama. It's tiring.

The whole time I'm telling myself that I shouldn't hold it against them because they don't know but every misgender, every misname, felt like a knife twisting into the very fiber of my being. I knew no cis person would have a reaction like that, thus my mental health was in shambles until I left.

Then when I'm back home, that VERY night I end up having a dream where I'm wearing this cosplay again. Like this dude just came waltzing out of my subconscious to plop his coat on me because he knew that would make me feel better. And the wild thing is, it genuinely worked.

Like what the hell, careful what you joke about because if you do it long enough you'll start believing it and it'll become reality. Or maybe my fate was instantly sealed and Ayato really did just set up shop in my noggin from that moment I saw the golden comet.

Well, I'm not complaining, he's a very polite roommate.

[chilimili212]

After a long, cold winter, we’re finally getting a taste of early spring here in Philly—and I’m more than ready to trade heavy coats for lighter layers. Spring jackets are one of my favorite ways to finish an outfit and keep things feeling fresh during the in-between weather. Today I’m sharing a few of my current go-to styles, plus a big roundup of more casual spring jackets to check out at the end of the post. EVEREVE Rocky Two Pocket Utility Jacket The Rocky Two Pocket Utility Jacket from EVEREVE is another favorite this spring—and probably the most versatile of the bunch (at least for me!). The black color makes it incredibly easy to mix and match with just about everything in my closet. The style itself is equally easy to wear, thanks to the 21″ length and comfortable stretch fabric. I love the little details on this one—the utility-style chest pockets, seamed sleeves, and the stand collar you can either pop for extra style or fold back to open up the neckline. It’s one of those jackets that just works. I styled it over the same FRAME v-neck tee with blue denim flares and white leather sneakers, but the possibilities are endless. I’ve worn it with leopard pumps for a dressier twist, and it would look just as good layered over stripes, pastels, or even a bold pop of color. EVEREVE Rocky Two Pocket Utility Jacket (M) // FRAME Le Mid Rise V-Neck (XS) // Pistola Kinsley Flare (29) // similar belt // Paul Green Hadley (8) // rag & bone Daily Straw Tote // Celine sunglasses // Anna Beck toggle necklace Also, if you like this jacket but aren’t into black, the EVEREVE Camp Jacket is almost identical. It’s made from a linen-blend fabric and comes in Sand, Sage Green, and Navy—three beautiful, seasonal colors that are perfect for spring. KUT from the Kloth Amanda Boxy Twill Jacket The KUT from the Kloth Amanda Jacket has been around for a few seasons—and for good reason. This military-inspired jacket is made from soft, stretchy twill and has a slightly boxy fit. The longer 23 ½” length is still cropped enough to look current, but it offers a little more coverage than some of the shorter styles out there. I styled the strawberry pink version last year with a classic white v-neck tee and my go-to wide-leg crop jeans (last day they’re on sale!). Raffia sandals and a straw clutch kept the look light and seasonal. Sadly, the pink is sold out now, but it’s still available in four great neutrals. KUT from the Kloth Amanda Boxy Jacket (S) // similar tee (S) // PAIGE Anessa Wide Leg Crop Jeans (29) // Sam Edelman Bambi (8) // similar belt (M) // straw clutch // Lagos earrings I also wore the Amanda in Tree (a deep olive green) last fall with wide-leg jeans and boots. (By the way, these jeans are a great under-$100 option if you’re looking for a full-length, medium-wash wide leg!) This look is easy to adapt for spring—just swap in sandals or white sneakers for a lighter, warm-weather vibe. Kut from the Kloth Amanda Boxy Twill Jacket (S) // AllSaints Stevie Cotton T-Shirt (M) // Hint of Blu Wide Leg Jeans (29) // Blondo Emmalyn Boots (8.5) // similar belt // JW PEI handbag // similar earrings // Tom Ford sunglasses  And here’s the same jacket in both the Tree and Ecru shades, styled with a black-and-white striped tee, flare jeans, and my cream-and-coral adidas sneakers. It’s a simple combo that works with either color. Kut from the Kloth Amanda Boxy Twill Jacket (S) // Boden Ella Short Sleeve Breton (M) // MOTHER The Weekend Fray (29) // adidas Handball Spezial (also at Nordstrom) (8) Frank & Eileen Mini Belfast For a more tailored option, the Frank & Eileen Mini Belfast Cropped Sweatshirt Peacoat strikes the perfect balance of form and function. Made from 100% cotton fleece, it has all the structure of a classic peacoat—complete with notched lapels, double-breasted horn buttons, and patch pockets—but with the soft, stretchy comfort of your favorite sweatshirt. The cropped silhouette, contrasting buttons, scrunchable sleeves, and statement collar make it feel modern and wearable, whether you’re dressing it up or throwing it on with jeans. I styled it here over the white Patrick Popover Henley, paired with stretchy pull-on jeans and boat shoes for a casual, preppy vibe. Frank & Eileen Mini Belfast c/o // F&E Patrick Popover Henley c/o (S) // F&E Derry Pull-On Jeans c/o (30) // Jeffrey Campbell Boast Boat Shoe (8.5) // similar bag Splendid Diana French Terry Blazer The Splendid Diana French Terry Blazer is a more affordable alternative to the Frank & Eileen Mini Belfast. Sizes are a bit limited in the navy, but it also comes in a crisp white for spring. It’s also made from 100% cotton French terry fabric and features a similar double-breasted button closure, patch pockets, and raw edge detailing. The biggest differences are the Diana blazer isn’t quite as thick or roomy, and it doesn’t have the contrasting horn buttons that give the F&E version its standout look. That said, I do love that the navy here is a true navy—whereas the Frank & Eileen British Royal Navy can read almost black in certain lighting. I styled this jacket here over a periwinkle blue cowl neck top with ecru denim and warm brown accents in the shoes, belt, and bag. This is a soft, spring-ready color combo I really love! Splendid Diana French Terry Blazer (S) // EVEREVE Gia Cowl (S) // MOTHER Tomcat in Ecru (39) // Schutz Arissa (8) // similar belt // LV Neverfull (option) I also wore this jacket while traveling to and from Nashville last weekend: on the way down with a white tee and blue jeans, and on the way back with a fun coral and navy graphic tee, the same jeans, and sneakers. It’s a great layer for travel—lightweight, comfortable, and easy to throw on over just about anything. Also, these jeans are on sale for one more day! They’re super stretchy and comfortable, and they may run just a bit big; I’m very comfortable in the size 29. LEFT: Splendid Diana French Terry Blazer (S) // Sanctuary tee (M) // Citizens Palma (29) // Paul Green Hadley (8) // similar belt // similar camera bag // LAGOS earrings // Anna Beck station necklace // AWAY The Bigger Carry-On // Goyard tote (option) RIGHT: Clare V. Ciao Classic Tee (L) // Citizens Palma (29) // Paul Green Hadley (8) // Splendid Diana (S) // Jenny Bird earrings // Anna Beck toggle necklace // similar camera bag Tommy Bahama Two Palms Linen Raw Edge Jacket Finally, when you want to level up, the Tommy Bahama Two Palms Linen Raw Edge Jacket is a great piece to have on hand, and it comes in a bunch of colors. I styled the black one last spring over a printed woven tank with white jeans and finished the outfit with black wedge sandals to tie it all together for a polished feel. Tommy Bahama Two Palms Linen Raw Edge Jacket (S) // old Halogen tank (S) // MOTHER The Hustler Ankle Fray – 25% off, last day! (30) // Vince mules (8) Whether you’re refreshing your spring wardrobe or just looking for one great layer to throw on and go, a casual jacket is one of the most useful pieces you can have this time of year. From sporty bombers to tailored sweatshirts to classic utility styles, there are so many versatile options out there right now. I hope this post gave you some fresh ideas! I’ve rounded up all of these jackets—plus even more—for your shopping inspiration below. Click through any image to shop! Shop Casual Spring Jackets for Women Stay In Touch If you liked this post, be sure you’re signed up for my email newsletter. In addition to my most recent blog posts, you’ll receive exclusive newsletter content like special sales, my newest favorite finds, and an occasional peek behind the scenes — all delivered right to your inbox. I would also love for you to join my JLS Fashion Insiders Facebook Group! This is a friendly place to discuss all matters of fashion and style with other women, share your outfits, get advice, and stay up to date on all the happenings in our community. Source link

[twatkcox]

[The Keihancarl Diaries: September 16, 2023]

Hi everyone, Keihancarl here. This will be my second time at the Manila International Book Fair/MIBF post-pandemic (my fifth overall since 2017), plus my first time attending the Best Of Anime/BoA (if I manage to get there before the onsite tickets run out). And so, let’s begin!

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I’m wearing all-black with a splash of red. Well, except for the shirt, since I decided to wear the Kei Tsukishima shirt (a black shirt with an orange and white print) that I bought online more than a month ago. I decided to wear the black fleece coat and black fingerless gloves as well, hoping that I wouldn’t be mistaken as a cosplayer (as was the case back in 2018, during Pinoy Otaku Festival: Ai, though it only happened once). I was initially planning to wear my red plaid scarf, but I decided to ditch it at the last minute.

I decided to leave the house around 9:45 AM (supposedly 9:00 AM), knowing that I’d be dealing with heavy traffic (particularly along Commonwealth Avenue) later.

I reached the MRT North Avenue station within an hour from SM Fairview. Surprisingly, the travel time was a bit faster than expected. Traffic was incredibly light in most parts of Commonwealth Avenue. Along the way, some of the MRT-7 stations are being constructed, with a few of them nearing completion.

The entire MRT ride took me 45 minutes. Getting off at Taft Avenue station, I rode the EDSA Bus Carousel to the Mall Of Asia Complex. Reaching the area, I immediately head to SMX Convention Center (via the elevated bridgeway, coming from MOA Square/IKEA area) to check out Best Of Anime 2023: The Reunion (the event is only for one day, as opposed to two days). It took me 20 minutes to buy the ticket and get inside the venue.

Inside, it feels different. The venue is quite large and there are awesome stalls selling various anime merch. There are food stalls on the side, offering a variety of snacks and meals.

And speaking of which, I treat myself to a serving of gyoza (4 pieces). I didn't buy any drinks, though.

I get to see performances by Starmarie and Chicken Blow The Idol, plus a cosplay talk with AC Hernandez. There was also the official launch of Ani-One Philippines, but I never got to witness it as I already left the venue by then.

I stayed inside the venue for about two hours and bought a couple of souvenirs: a small Domo plushie from Splat.MNL (I used to see their store at Trinoma several years back) and a couple of magnetic bookmarks from Khel_Gotcha (I couldn't remember which stall). I also had a couple of selfies with the cosplayers as well outside the venue.

I head down to the ground floor where the Manila International Book Fair was held. As soon as I got in, I checked some of the booths, including Tuttle, Black Ink Comics, Tankobonbon, and Psicom, among others.

Fully Booked made a comeback at this year's MIBF. National Book Store is notably absent in this event.

There were long lines in some of the booths. Also, there are numerous book signings as well.

As with the previous MIBF visits (except 2018), I never bought anything. I was actually interested in the book No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai (the one I saw at the Tuttle booth), which also had a manga version. Both the novel and the manga are not available in the country yet, the one managing the booth told me. That would've been an awesome souvenir from the event, but… oh well.

At this point, I was starting to get hungry so I decided to leave SMX and head directly to the Mall Of Asia. It took me a while to find a restaurant. Fast food chains are always full of diners and with long lines at the counter.

I initially chose Greenwich, but the long line to the counter made me decide against it. And then there's Pepper Lunch, but I changed my mind at the last minute. I finally decided on Classic Savory.

I chose a solo meal with buttered fried chicken and salt-and-peppered ribs. The buttered fried chicken is okay, but five pieces? I almost had to take out the remaining chicken since I couldn't eat anymore, but I managed to consume them anyway.

Moving on, I checked some of the shops inside the mall, including Muji and Fully Booked. I even passed by ChaTraMue, an original Thai tea shop, but I never got to try any of their drinks.

The heavy rainfall that afternoon made it impossible for me to go to the Esplanade. Instead, the rooftop garden, with the view of Manila Bay and the MOA Eye, became my outdoor setting for some selfies. It was already dark when I got there, though, and the rain had already stopped by then.

The two sculptures are yet to be revealed.

Oh look, there’s a nun by the stairs.

Afterward, it's time for IKEA. Well, I could've visited it right after the MIBF, but I was starting to get hungry at that point, hence the need for a late lunch (more like an early dinner).

Anyway, it was already quarter to seven when I got there, so I had to check much of the area as fast as I could. It took me almost an hour to check out some of the furniture and some home furnishings and even took some wacky selfies.

I could've bought something there, but I hold off for now.

These would make awesome containers, especially for fruit salads.

The LED screen at the MOA Arena was finally fixed. The last time I checked, it looked kind of glitchy. Also, the MOA Globe is lit. Too bad I never get to take a pic.

And it's time to go home. It didn't take me long enough to catch the UV Express ride to SM Fairview. Traffic is light in most parts of the route, but there's heavy traffic past the Batasan portion of Commonwealth Avenue northbound. I even witnessed a traffic accident in that area.

I reached SM Fairview around 9:20 PM. The mall was still open so I took some time to check the area. I couldn't check Booksale though, as they are already closed for the day (though the lights were still on). I got home about 30 minutes later.

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Two events in one awesome Saturday afternoon. An anime convention and a book fair? That was an awesome match. I thought I wouldn't be able to check out the first one since there'll be a potential amount of visitors coming from the book fair. And it's a one-day event too. But the event wasn't jampacked, unlike the book fair below.

I'm so glad I finally get to see another anime convention, and the second for this year after Pinoy Otaku Festival 2023: Shizen (I never got to attend Coshabatsu last July, so that obviously didn't count). Next month, there's the Ozine event at the Fairview Terraces, which will happen a few days after my birthday. My next mall-hopping trip should take me to the BGC and Makati areas, and I'm already planning it. Looking forward to visiting Mitsukoshi BGC, perhaps?

And that concludes everything that happened on that awesome day. Arigato and sayonara! Until next time!

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Most of the pics featured in this post are from my Instagram account, @kcox_105. The first and last photos are from my private Instagram account, @kcox105.

[mctreeleth]

I have spent the last year sewing with almost exclusively either reclaimed fabric from thrifted poly-cotton bed sheets or doona covers, or very stable wool from vintage blankets. So, as you might expect, trying to use a surprisingly slippery damask is absolutely doing my head in.

[goatskickin]

💞 A bit of something to share with you this Valentine’s Day! 💞 Let’s celebrate winter with some lovely coat and outerwear options!

First is something simple: ambodycouture, but made top only, for adults AND elders. 

I honestly can’t believe no one has done this. But maybe I’m the only one that likes this 2000′s furry vest + sweater combo.

Comes in the original 3 colors but also 2 new ones. 

This is a *NEW* mesh! And the meshes and textures are not linked, so you can toss one or the other if you’d like.  Categorized for Everyday and Outerwear.

Graydragonfly recolored efbodyturtleneckscarf over a decade (!) ago at TSR. And just recently, I got the mod that allows for Separates for All, so I had a little copy-paste opportunity on my hands. Categorized for Everyday and Outerwear. The top-only sweater and scarf mesh for elder female is by Skell.

Comes in 8 colors!

The skirt counterpart is just as adorable! The bottom only mesh is by Bloom. Categorized for Everyday and Outerwear. 

Also comes in 8 colors.

This was a no-brainer for me: my retextures of the Seasons trench coat, on @julietoon​‘s top only version.

Categorized for Everyday and Outerwear.

I’ve always loved the shape of these cropped jackets from Bon Voyage, and I wanted to have a handful of tops that looked distinctly different from each other.

Each one has a different button, and some have sweaters underneath too. All texture credit goes to All About Style and Fashion Twist.  For adult and elder; both meshes are by Skell.

Categorized for Everyday and Formal.

Did you think I’d forget about grandpa? No sir! A snuggly turtleneck sweater for your pops.

Mesh is by Skell.  Categorized for Everyday and Outerwear.

This last one I am going to talk about a little more, because after the cropped jackets, these might be my favorite. They are ‘fun coats’ - for AF and EF! From left to right:

Ziva - a long patterned trench coat with boots and a turtleneck. The coat texture is AAS and Maxis, and the turtleneck is FashionTwist. 

Aisyt - a recolor of one of my own meshes, SuperSpy WinterSolider. AAS had this brilliantly bright red coat texture that I was looking to work with forever, so I made use of it here! And so I could distinguish it from the other recolors I’ve made, this is a zippy coat instead of a button up one like the original texture intends. Also, has a little striped turtleneck and leather pants as well, for extra pizazz.

Ohshun - a luxe fur coat over a checked skirt! This is a rare upload of mine where the AF and EF share the same mesh. Usually I don’t do that but in this case, the mesh is bulky enough that I do not mind. Textures are AAS, Maxis, FashionTwist. Mesh is by Cocomama.

Riva - @brandinotbroke​‘s 4t2 conversion of Discover University Fleece Jacket & Nifty Knitting Boots - with a beautiful AAS pattern on the coat! The boots have been edited a tiny bit as well. Prende - a belted trench featuring a print from an animal of unknown origin. This one has shiny leather pants too, for fabulousness. The AF mesh is by Cocomama, and the elder conversion is by me.

💕 Download -  Happy Valentines Day - love, Goat  💕