#ring splints art

[butchiesart]

They are THE bisexual power couple.

[creations-by-chaosfay]

I'm 100% serious when I say that if anyone buys the Cutie Breeze quilting frame for me, I'll make a quilt for them equal to the amount they paid for it. It's on my Throne list. This thing will make it possible for me to machine quilt using my regular machine while treating it like a longarm machine. I'll be finishing soooooo many quilts, and they'll be less expensive because it's done on a machine and take significantly less time than what handquilting involves.

I'll need to practice before I'm comfortable selling what I finish, so those quilts I make will be at a discounted price.

There's a very real possibility I have EDS. Even if I don't, I live with chronic wrist pain in both wrists, and tendonitis in my left hand and thumb. This device will serve as an accommodation for these issues.

As of posting this, there are three still available. They're also 40% off. This is normally $1k USD, and it's on sale for $600. You will be my hero and get a quilt in exchange for this.

Please and thank you.

[millionancientbees]

Relief

Oil on canvas

This painting is about the incredible relief that I felt the first time I was fitted for oval 8 ring splints. Ring splints help people who need more support for their finger joints; in my case, it’s because of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which makes my finger joints hypermobile, my grip weak and strained, and which damages my hands and causes significant pain. As an artist, this is horrible. I cried the first time I drew and it did not hurt.

Unfortunately ring splints like the ones I’ve painted here are very expensive. They’re $30-170 per joint, depending on where you have them made and what you need them for. I’ll likely never be able to afford to get a set and the plastic ones break quickly. I’ll still forever hold the memory of getting my first plastic set and going about my days with less pain. It made life feel possible for the first time in a long, long time.

[a-scary-lack-of-common-sense]

Peakest form of self projection is making them share your chronic pain, so I mobility aided your tf2 mercs, you're welcome

[fortunegrins]

Hi my internet followers fun fact about me, I'm physically disabled and it sucks a lot but you know what doesn't suck and is also cool?This EDS zebra dog

Stellar can be referred to with any pronouns but I mostly default to he! He has hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome like me and also uses the same type of crutches and some of the same braces as me. Oh yeah you better believe we are coping healthily 😎

I finished them in time for the end of EDS awareness month which is cool

[schaettchen]

I made ring splints! They’re so expensive to buy and I’m already throwing too much money at medical equipment so I decided I could learn to make them. I’m not sure if these will do as well as the oval 8s I’ve been using, since I do a lot of heavy lifting at work, but I’m excited to have learned some new skills. And they’re prettier than the oval 8s. I need a better cord for the thumb splint and I plan to do a bit of experimenting to see if I can get support for the CMC as well as the MCP joint on the thumb (and I need to make one for the left hand) but I’m super excited!

I made these out of steel using pliers, a ring mandrel, and a dremel tool. Happy to expand on my process if anyone has questions.

Image IDs: five pictures of a light skinned hand wearing steel rings on the joints. Each finger has one figure eight shaped ring splint and the thumb has a larger one with a loop. The loop is attached to red cord around the wrist to secure the thumb splints. Each picture has a different hand position, showing the range of motion and there is one close up on the thumb splint.

[kezcore]

tried pastels for the first time. had a profound Art moment. got possessed by the ghosts of professional deep artists. realized hypermobility hurts. feeling quirky.

[bisexualbaker]

Guess who just finished a six month art project? 😃

Behold, the fruits of my labor: A complete Dreamwidth (and similar site) custom mood theme!

(For complete image descriptions of individual moods, see the Rat Moods tag on my Dreamwidth account and click through the posts. Sorry for the extra complications, but it is not possible to fit every description in under four thousand characters.)

An explanation: Dreamwidth and similar sites, like its "parent" site LiveJournal, have an option to add "moods" from a drop-down list to every post you make. Dreamwidth itself hosts a number of default mood themes, but if you have a paid account, you have the option of using a custom mood theme with images you choose. I've wanted to make one with pet rats for years, and this year I finally did something about it: I started the Dreamwidth community "Mood Theme in a Year", with the goal of completing an entire custom mood theme between January 1st and December 31st.

...I may have rushed ahead a bit 😅

Rat lovers may be interested to see some of the natural behaviors I've included here, though I've also gone "off-script" and included quite a few more anthropomorphic behaviors as well. You might also be interested to discover how some of the moods relate to each other!

I plan to make this mood theme available for general public use in the near future! I do want to make a few alternates first; I already have three other skin tone variations for Touched (a black hooded dumbo rat being touched on the head by a person's finger), but I want to make a variation of each of them with ring splints; I also want to do a variation of Intimidated (a trembling gray rat with a calico cat sneaking up on it) and Rushed (that same rat running away from the cat's swiping paw) with an owl instead.

So yeah! That's something I've been working on recently. I had a total blast making it, and I'm super pleased with how it turned out 🐭💗

(@rat-detector, do you think that your followers might perhaps like to see these...?)

[rachelillustrates]

My top 7 Faerie stories/worlds atm 🦋

**Note, I am super dupes aware that I haven't read/watched everything, so please feel free to reblog/comment with recommendations!**

Faerie is the pulse of my heart, and my mind/spirit/etc. spends a LOT of time thinking about it, SO here's the most resonant of depictions of the realm/faeries themselves in my current opinion (and why).

(And not in any particular order:)

Elfhame, @hollyblack 's "Folk of the Air" series and all related books

Arda, Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" and all related adaptations

"Suitor Armor" by @thepurpah

Studio Ghibli's take on spirits in Japanese folklore

Brian and Wendy Froud's take on Faerie

"Fraggle Rock"

"Tock the Gnome," by myself!

Thoughts:

(Art by Rovina Cai, from "How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories")

I feel very much that Holly Black gets the lushness and richness of Faerie, plus the trickery of it, and that level of dangerous beauty - what attracts humanity to it, etc. How everything is in extremes, too, but also how parts of it echo the human experience - both in terms of courts, but also in terms of the heart, and the emotional impact of intense circumstances and intense feelings.

I am, admittedly, not all caught up yet since I haven't read her earlier works, but of course I recommend starting with "The Cruel Prince" and reading forward from there (the more recent "Stolen Heir Duology" having an extra special place in my esteem)!

(Also special shoutout to the fact that there are Nisse - Gnomes! - in the recent books, AND that her take on Redcaps is absolutely Orcish 💚)

(Also also, cw: Changelings. They can be a triggering/upsetting subject, considering how our concept of them as humans seems to have come about. She does make pretty heavy use of them, but not in the ways that one might expect, and always from a very emotionally-centered space - not a humans-abusing-potential-fae space.)

So, Tolkien - yes, I am including the world of his works in this because even though he considered them religious and specifically-denominational, he took SO MUCH inspiration from folklore and faerie tales (do not even get me started on what got edited out of "The Silmarillion" istg) that Arda is not wholly Christian, from my Faerie-worshiping queer-ass faerie perspective thankyouverymuch. Not to mention what is being done in fandom with the faerie-races, especially the Dwarves and the Hobbits, AND what recent adaptations are opening up with the Orcs!! Obviously, his take on Faerie is a much more literally-grounded reality - they exist in the Earth-based world (as if Faerie has bled into what we expect Earth to be), they have magic (at least the Elves and Dwarves do) but it's both somehow super ethereal and super physical at once. And divinely connected, since the biggest magic in Middle-earth (or any part of Arda) comes from the lesser Gods - the Valar, and the Maiar who serve under them as well as from Big Sky Daddy Eru, but we're not talking about him right now. So that, to me, really speaks to the spiritual nature of Faerie too - which is always always always personally interesting to me, and Jrrt's take on the fae was absolutely foundational in my budding concept of them, before I even really thought about who they are in a conscious way.

I don't know where to recommend starting, since I got into the world through the Jackson films, first, and I wouldn't change my experience for anything because it's given me SO much. But in fandom, shoutout to the works of @conkers-thecosy (read her fics here!) as well as "A Long List of Happy Endings" by vicious_summer and "The Mushroom Mine" series by @chrononautintraining for Dwarf Stuff - and "Splint" by HelenaMarkos for Orc Stuff. Plus, as much as I know it's divisive, "Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" is - again - doing wonders about the Orcs AND doing very well by the Dwarves too, in my opinion, showing them as a fully realized and thriving people (though Dwarf women should still have beards, Amazon!! And there seems to be some confusion around how the name of Durin functions...)!! Available to stream on Prime, here.

"Suitor Armor" takes place in a world that appears very similar to medieval Earth, and as such the worldbuilding itself doesn't feel very specifically Faerie - yet. However, with the main character having significant ties to the fae, and with the story still having space to explore their culture once the tale takes the characters there, I have faith that we are gonna see more of this take on Faerie specifically soon. In the meantime, what we have seen so far - how faerie magic works, how they relate to each other, etc. - rings true for me, and is lovely to behold, especially in the face of the tragedy around their circumstances in the Big Plot.

Free to read here (and coming to bookshelves in 2025!!).

As for Studio Ghibli - Miyazaki's take on the spirits of Japanese folklore - which are absolutely Faerie - was SO formative for me growing up. I don't have anything else to say about that except that he's right!!

I recommend "Princess Mononoke," "Spirited Away" and "My Neighbor Totoro," particularly. All available to stream on Max right now (but buying physical media is better, and they're very likely available to rent other places, too).

Brian and Wendy Froud's work has, of course, also been absolutely formative for me - especially when I started getting into Faerie properly. Their work doesn't require much commentary either - they're just correct 💗 Nothing I've experienced has ever contradicted what I've read in their books, and I feel like their work really, really gets the energy of the fae and the liminality of their existence. And that there is kindness, and light, as well as danger.

I recommend "Trolls" and "Faeries' Tales," to start with, and of course the quintessential "Faeries" by Brian Froud and Alan Lee, which started it all.

(Also, considering what's below, special honorary shoutout to their work on "The Dark Crystal." Definite overlap there and absolutely counts.)

Obviously there's some crossover with The Muppets here, considering they come from the same studio, BUT if we're looking at just "Fraggle Rock" on its own - absolutely. Though a very different take than those mentioned above, if you're looking for the whimsy and delight at the heart of the fae, the Fraggles have it.

Both the original series and the reboot are currently available to stream on AppleTV.

Okay, and my own! What I'm doing with the world of "Tock the Gnome" is a little bit different - again, we're looking at a realm that isn't free from some of the physical bounds we find on Earth - but in its vast history there is Faerie at its purest, and the characters are on a Big Quest that will be instrumental in restoring the realm to what one would expect of Faerieland (all wrapped up in a body-positive, sapphic-presenting queer romance, btw). My focus is on Gnomes and Orcs, in particular, since the fact that they're also fae is a big part of my message. Recognizing that, as well as recognizing the importance of connectedness between people and the balance of that and personal sovereignty, and how damage to those things might impact the whole of a magical realm.

All pages available to read for free here, across several platforms (with print issues available here).

🦋💗🦋👏👏

[bones-n-bugs]

i have a question for physically disabled folks who use silver splints / ring splints

there's a lot of anxiety going on because i don't usually reach out like this - but im gonna try (/ lighthearted)

im an artist, and i have hEDS - the process of working towards an art and design diploma has made me realise the pain and weakness in my hands just keeps getting worse. i've been considering silver splints / ring splits to take stress off the joints my hands and avoid hyper extension for a good few years and it's now gotten to the point where im actively searching for some-

*however*- the items i can seem to find are extremely expensive, im prepared to save to be able to afford them, but i was wondering - does anyone know anywhere to access more affordable ones?

i can find pip joint + dip joint silver splints for £25-£40, but thumb mcp silver splints all seem to be £150+

i doubt this will get much interaction, but anything is appreciated -

[solstice-snakes]

Having arthritis in your hands as an artist is scary and I always dread the day I have to quit painting

9x12 in. acrylic and liquid gold leaf on canvas.

[ID: an acrylic painting of a white hand in a teal wrist brace and silver ring splint flipping off the viewer. there is a gold halo surrounding the hand and the hand is severed and bloody at the wrist. end ID]

[notedchampagne]

Is Harris wearing ring splints in the art you reblogged?

harrishank.... yes she is

ty!! its my shortcut when im too lazy to draw shoes or feet

[sweetestofchaos]

Blackthorn Ch 6 | M.YG

Pairing: Crown Prince Dragon!Yoongi x Crown Princess Impundulu!Keena  Genre: Soulmate AU | Arranged Marriage AU | Fantasy AU | Fluff  Word Count: 4.5K Warnings: Talks of Reincarnation | Use of Magic | Daechwita Yoongi’s Outfit Rating: PG16

Dream of Me - Namjoon discovers something about himself and Ceyeh enjoys her time in the palace.

a/n: Huge thanks to @theharrowing​ for offering to beta this on such short notice. Thank you @sailoryooons​ for making the banner. Credit to @colormepurplex2 for making the Namjoon edit. a/n 2: I apologize for the short update. I broke this up because a few major events will be taking place soon and I don’t want to rush it.

Taglist: @thickemadame

Series Masterlist | Masterlist

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Outside of the butterfly house, Namjoon stood with the royal carpenter and compared the blueprints to what was in front of him. A six foot wall made of stone enclosed the new and improved butterfly house within a large rectangular barrier that was split into five sections within. The outside would be guarded by the royal guard while inside Aga, Mingi, Minho, Chan and Jooheon would rotate stations. Thick oak doors with intricate artwork of phlox, lupine and a rock cress were carved into the wood. Mother of pearl and opal butterflies were made to be the knocker as well as detective accents embedded through the length of the walls.

The courtyard inside was large with its own koi pond and a wooden bridge to cross over to the main house that followed a stoned pathway. The main house was a large hanok with flooring that was able to be heated during the colder months. Latticework windows and support beams added a little flare to the building and Namjoon was impressed. The majority of the butterfly house was complete and it didn’t take long at all. The only thing left to do was add art and homely items.

The courtyard needed a garden and the servant quarters, kitchen and personal hot spring were being built. Namjoon thought it best that the Princess have her own bathing chambers so that she wouldn’t have to walk the distance or be carried by a gama just to bathe in the palace.

Namjoon nodded his head in delight; things were coming along nicely. He was sure that the butterfly house would be finished by the end of the week, at the latest a day past. Namjoon turned around with his back facing toward the butterfly house and pointed towards where old Monie used to be. He had envisioned another lily pond with a beautiful statue in the center surrounded by pretty flowers. A wooden splint was on his ring finger, the same finger that got a splinter, and it hurt a lot. Namjoon couldn’t bend his finger without a sharp pain shooting up his arm, so he had Doctor Hyungwon stabilize it.

“When can we start on the pond?” Namjoon glanced over at the carpenter as they looked at the empty space. A bird house would look really cute…maybe it could hang from the statue.

“My men wouldn’t need much time. It’s a simple enough project, would you like this finished before the rest of the house?”

Namjoon turned his head to look at the seventh garden that was nearly finished and he flexed his jaw. “It would be beneficial to have it finished at the same time as His Highness’ gift to the Princess.”

“As you wish, Namjoon. I will work on the drafts later and send them for your approval.”

Namjoon nodded his head and winced as his head started to throb, “I will take my leave for now. I have another matter to attend to.” Namjoon bowed his head to the carpenter and started his way back into the palace. He had one artist in mind to help complete his vision for the butterfly house and it would take his friend two weeks to reach the palace. Namjoon had sent a messenger bird to his dear friend and he had noticed that the bird had returned when he was discussing the pond.

Namjoon hurried his way to his chambers and grinned that deep dimpled smile once he saw the cornflower blue bird sitting at his window. Namjoon walked over to the bird and held out his bad arm. The bird jumped onto his outstretched wrist and Namjoon tickled underneath the bird’s beak.

“Thank you for coming home safe, Koya.” Namjoon carefully unlaced the small canister from Koya’s leg and released the bird. He sat on the edge of his desk and smacked the note out before he unrolled it. The uneven and slightly slanted handwriting on the note in Namjoon’s hand put a smile on his face. He knew the handwriting for he had seen it a million times. Namjoon looked down at the message and his stomach knotted in excitement.

His friend had accepted the commission and would start his journey to the palace tomorrow before sunrise. Namjoon quickly scribbled out a reply, he was far too excited to see his friend after so long and thought it would be nice to spend some time with him before he got sucked into his own creative mind. Rolling the message and slipping it into the carrier, Namjoon placed it back onto the bird’s leg and tickled under its beak.

“Have a rest and set out in a few hours.” Namjoon set the bird free and watched as it flew over to one of the many bird feeders within the palace walls.

Namjoon took a step away from the window and he felt himself stumble before his hand shot out and caught the edge of a table. He blinked his eyes quickly to clear his vision and placed a hand on his forehead. That sharp pain from before was back and it started to drum behind his eyes. Carefully, Namjoon made his way to his bed and stripped himself of his outer layers before he laid down. He had clearly overworked himself within the last few days and this was his body’s way of telling him to rest. As he closed his eyes, Namjoon muttered a soft prayer for himself before the pain pulled him under.

The next time Namjoon opened his eyes he was in a lush forest of green vines that wrapped together to create a shabby yet beautiful home. The ground was covered in moss and fallen yellow ginkgo and unknown leaves, and large trees with thick branches created a scattered overcast as diffused sunlight poured down from above. It was a beautiful sight and in the center stood a tall wooden figure with yellow-brown eyes and rich green oak leaves on its head for hair. Small twigs stuck up from the being’s head that resembled a crown, and where tiny chunks of wood were missing moss filled in the gaps.

Namjoon stood frozen before the being; he didn’t recall ever seeing it before yet the familiarity that flooded his heart was strong.

“Namjoon, son of Junghee. Next in line for the title of royal gardener…my dear boy. Look how much you’ve grown.” The being’s voice was strong and warm, it soothed what little fear clung to Namjoon’s mind. “Do you know who I am?”

Namjoon bit his lip, he did not know the being in front of him and he feared that would anger the creature.

Namjoon was sure that the being smiled, though it was hard to tell since it was wood. The being beckoned Namjoon forward with one long splintery arm and Namjoon found that he could not ignore the silent command. He stood in front of the being and craned his neck back as he stared upwards.

“You called me Monie.”

Namjoon’s eyes widened, “Monie? O-Old Monie…t-the mongolian oak from the seventh garden?”

“The very same -'' Monie smiled and squatted down in front of Namjoon so that he didn’t have to look up, “I am the eldest son of the guardian in the Irotra forest. Two millennia far into the past, when the Min Empire was but a dream, my home was being destroyed by greedy bandits who wanted to use our wood for their weapons and profit.”

Namjoon had heard this story from his father. Old Monie was a gift but Namjoon never knew who the gift was from.

“A young general of the army had passed through with a small group of armed soldiers and when he saw what those bandits were doing, he killed them all. My father at the time ordered me to keep the animals from the area while he went to deal with the humans. The general and his men prayed to the trees and at the time my father had heard their prayers. They prayed for the souls of the trees and asked for a cleansing rain to wash away the sin of those bandits.”

Namjoon felt his mouth drop. They prayed for the souls of the trees…he had thought that only his family and a select few knew of that. It was their belief that everything in the world had a soul and it was only right to pray for the soul when it passed on.

“My father at the time was impressed by the humanity that the general showed along with his men. As a show of gratitude, I was gifted to the general and it was my duty to oversee the gardens of the Min empire. One of the soldiers, a Kim of your lineage became my friend and that is how the Kims came to be royal gardeners.” Old Monie placed a hand on Namjoon’s shoulder as he spoke again.

“My name is Esrym and I am a hamadryad. I was unable to leave the Mongolian oak tree that my soul was placed in, that was the deal I made with my father. Through your blood, and your blood alone, I was able to escape death. However, it is your choice to allow me refuge in your body.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you allow it, our souls will fuse together and you will become the new guardian of the Min gardens as well as the forests of the Min Empire.”

Namjoon’s stomach lurched as goosebumps broke out on his skin and he took one step backwards at the offer. “I won’t be human anymore?”

Esrym shrugged his shoulders, “What is human to you, Namjoon?”

Namjoon opened his mouth and closed it. What was it to be human? What did it mean?

Esrym continued to speak in place of Namjoon’s silence. “Your looks will not change nor will your heart or mind. I will give you my strength and power to do more for those you love and hold dear.”

As Esrym’s words sunk into Namjoon’s mind, the faces of his parents and friends flashed before his eyes. A single set of large brown doe eyes struck his heart and Namjoon nodded his head. “I offer my body as refuge.”

Esrym grunted and held out his hand, “Give me your hand Namjoon.”

Namjoon lifted his right hand and Esrym motioned for the left, the hand with the finger splint. Namjoon rested his left hand in Esrym’s palm and he inhaled sharply when a small light glowed from the tiny hole in his finger. He remembered getting a splinter and now he understood that was Esrym entering his body. Namjoon’s finger started to warm and he felt Esrym’s power seep into his bloodstream, it was heavy and featherlight all at once. A blissful feeling that muddled the mind with a silky overcast. Namjoon felt his eyes flutter and his balance waver.

“Thank you for saving me, Namjoon, son of Junghee.”

Namjoon jumped up right with a gasp. He was in bed, covered in a cold sweat. He looked around his room as he breathed harshly and stared down at his hand. His finger was no longer in the splint, the wooden contraption was broken on the bed and Namjoon squinted at his hand. There were no markings, no heat…was it a fever dream? Namjoon slowed his breathing and wiped at the sweat on his brow with the back of his hand.

“What a crazy dream,” Namjoon muttered to himself and he turned his head to glance out the window. The sun was high in the sky, so it was a little past midday. He needed to get up and check on the gardens. Carefully, Namjoon slid from his bed and redressed himself into a fresh hanfu. The robes were a dark yellow with grey undertones, white mismatched sized clemati covered the robes and a yellow cream sash was wrapped around his waist. Namjoon wasted no time as he pulled on a pair of grey boots and pulled his hair into a messy ponytail at the back of his neck with a grey ribbon.

The dream was fresh in Namjoon’s mind as he stepped outside of the palace and started to walk through the gardens. The plants around him looked brighter, the colors so vivid and blinding that Namjoon had to step away. He hid away in the shade of a gazebo and sat with his head in his hands. He felt fine, his finger and head no longer hurt but something felt off…different.

“Nammmmmjoon. Nammmjoon!”

A tiny voice rang in his ear and Namjoon flinched at the sound. He picked his head up and looked around, there was no one around.

“Nammmjoon! Excuuuuse meeeee!”

Namjoon flinched again and when he turned his head towards the sound of his name he came face to face with a bumblebee. Namjoon blinked once, twice…no. No….Namjoon raised an eyebrow and glanced around.

“A-Are you talking to me?” Namjoon whispered as he leaned closer to the bumblebee.

The bumblebee buzzed around his head and landed on Namjoon’s upturned palm.

“Yesssss! Nammmmjoon!”

Namjoon stared at the bumblebee with wide eyes, this couldn’t be - the dream flashed in Namjoon’s mind and he bit his lower lip. His jaw tensed as he thought about what Esrym had told him, what he had agreed to in his dream.

“Yoooou, Nammmjoon are the neeeew proteeector!”

Namjoon raised his hand up to his face and he almost went crossed eyed as he stared at the bumblebee in his hand.

“What did you need, little one?” Namjoon whispered as he silently accepted that what took place in his mind with Esrym really had happened.

The tiny bumblebee fluttered its wings and crawled around in Namjoon’s hand, “Neeeeed? Nothiiiing! Jussssst cameeee to sayyyy heeeello!”

Namjoon grinned and bowed his head in thanks. “Should I expect others to say hello?”

“Theeeeey willlll nooow! Theeeey weeeere scareeeed of the neeeew proteeector.”

Namjoon looked out at the garden before him and he could feel every plant watching him. A weight in his chest shifted and he felt lighter.

“You may tell everyone that I look forward to meeting them again. Properly, this time.”

The bumblebee seemed to wiggle its butt in a tiny circle in Namjoon’s hand before it zoomed up into the air and dashed off to deliver the message. Namjoon shook his head with a laugh, his dimples dug into his cheeks and his eyes sparkled as he took in the new world around him. He was the guardian of this beautiful garden and every garden in the empire. Namjoon rose to his feet slowly and inhaled deeply. The air was fragrant with tiger lilies and he paused in his steps. Jungkook! He had to tell Jungkook the wonderful news.

In the palace, Ceyeh sat in front of the vanity motionless. Her silver eyes watched as Wheein and Hyejin worked on unbraiding her hair. They took careful steps to not ruffle any of the feathers on Ceyeh’s ears; they learned very fast that they were sensitive and put the bird spirit in a foul mood. Fatsani stood close by to make sure the two women were okay and had no questions as they chatted with each other. Today was wash day since Izaso wanted to make sure that the new handmaidens would be able to rebraid the Princess’s hair afterward. They had done very well on the dolls they were giving but Izaso was still skeptical.

Ceyeh’s cycle wasn’t as bad as everyone feared. The hamerkop spirit kept to herself and only grabbed someone's attention if the pain in her stomach was too much. She stayed by the window most of the time and listened to the birds that dropped by to sing of their travels. Other times, Ceyeh was found with the new handmaidens as she taught them basic sign language based on the Laibic alphabet.

“That was the last braid!” Wheein announced and Byulyi stepped up to lead the Princess into the washroom.

Ceyeh stripped herself and carefully stepped into the heated water. Her eyes closed as the warmth engulfed her sore body. The cramps were mild at best, but the constant squeeze made Ceyeh thankful that she was able to protect the Princess. Byulyi washed the Princess’ body twice before Yongsun entered the room with Fatsani beside her.

“Do not be afraid to work section by section. The Princess has a lot of hair.” Fatsani smiled as she handed Yongsun a wide toothed comb and a special elixir that helped to detangle the hair.

Together, Yongsun and Byulyi sectioned the Princess’s hair and started to detangle the sections. The Princess did have a lot of hair, it was thick and coily, unlike the pin straight hair both handmaidens had. Once they were finished washing the Princess’ hair, Fatsani double checked and she was impressed. She asked if Ceyeh had felt any pain and when the Princess shook her head, Fatsani motioned for them to move on.

They helped the Princess from the bath and patted her dry with the softest of towels. Fresh out of the heated water in her wash room, Ceyeh stood in silence as Byulyi rubbed oils and creams into her skin. A dark greyish violet silk robe was placed around her naked body and she was led back in front of the vanity where Wheein and Hyejin waited. Oils, combs, pins and fabric ties were laid out on top of the vanity and Ceyeh watched in the mirror as the two handmaidens thought of how best to style her hair.

“Take your time,” Izaso instructed as she watched from the side. “Why don’t you try the style we practiced while the Princess was bathing?”

Wheein and Hyejin nodded their heads and started to work on the Princess’ hair. They used two different magic stones to help dry the Princess’ hair. A cemetan stone (a pale green and white streaked stone the size of a lime) that pulled the excess water from the hair and an aeninic stone (a murky green stone carved into a comb), that helped minimize frizz. A zigzag part down the middle, two long fishtail braids on either side with golden string woven throughout and two smaller braids draped across the forehead like a crown finished the hairstyle and Izaso was pleased.

“Beautiful job ladies. Ceyeh, do you like it?” Izaso asked and Ceyeh nodded her head.

The hairstyle was simple enough and she appreciated that they didn’t try to force her hair to be pin straight more than it had to be. There were still a few waves from the slicked down coils and Ceyeh was grateful. She stood from the vanity and allowed Hyejin and Yongsun to dress her. The outfit was simple, a grey and magenta collarless dress with wide trumpet sleeves. Dark grey and pink cichlid fish lined the hemming of the dress and sleeves while golden thread ran in thin bold vertical stripes of the skirt.

Ceyeh slipped her feet into a pair of greyish magenta slippers and bowed her head in thanks. She grabbed the chalkboard off the bed and requested to be escorted to the cherry blossom garden where she knew the Empress was waiting to have their morning meal together. It had only been three days since the Empress had first come to visit Ceyeh. The Empress had requested that the bird spirit spend some time with her in the mornings before the Empress’s day became hectic.

Chimika walked over the main door and stepped out to inform Aga that the Princess was ready to start her day. Aga entered the room with a bow as he crossed his arms over his chest and Ceyeh rolled her eyes. She knew that the man before her had angered her host and it was not her place to forgive him. Ceyah allowed for Aga to lead her out of her chambers and she smiled politely to Chan and Jooheon as she left. Mingi and Minho were behind as she walked side by side with Aga.

“What are your plans for today, Ceyeh?” Aga glanced down at the Princess as he spoke and Ceyeh fanned her hand outward which made Aga laugh. “It is for your own safety that you stay in the room as much as possible.”

Ceyeh raised an eyebrow at Aga’s words and clicked her tongue.

“What would happen if you were taken? How would we-”

The sky above started to darken and Aga sighed.

“Yes, the weather…how did I forget?”

The blue skies came back and Ceyeh patted Aga’s arm as they walked. The gazebo in the cherry blossom garden came into view and Ceyeh spotted the top of the Empress’s head. She wore her hair up in elegant loops with golden dragon pins to hold it in place while large gold and diamond clips were scattered throughout. As Ceyeh approached the gazebo she saw more of the Empress’s face and today she wore bold blue and gold eye paint with a light pink lip tint. Her robes were black with a blue and gold lotus flower pattern. The sleeves of her dress were lined with golden leaves and she sat with her hands folded in her lap.

“Your Majesty,” Aga greeted with a low bow as he offered Ceyeh his arm to help her up the steps.

“Thank you Aga.” Empress Min nodded her head and turned her attention to Ceyeh. A large smile took over her face as the Princess sat beside her. “How are you feeling today, my old friend?” Empress Min placed her hand on top of Ceyeh’s making sure to leave one free so that she could write on her chalkboard.

Ceyeh smiled and knocked her shoulder into the Empress’ which made Empress Min laugh as her eyes crinkled.

“I believe your cycle is almost over correct?”

Ceyeh nodded her head and started to pick at the breakfast cookies that were in front of her.

“Should we spend some time in the library? There is a beautiful spot where the sun spills in and warms the soul. It makes for wonderful leisure.”

Ceyeh’s eyes shined bright, the silver started to shimmer and Empress Min nodded her head as she understood.

“Very well. Let us enjoy our meal and then we shall depart for the library.”

Seokjin laughed loudly as he used Hoseok’s shoulder to hold himself upright. Hoseok sighed but his lips quivered slightly as he tried not to laugh. The joke was in extremely poor taste but Seokjin’s laugh was contagious and Hoseok struggled not to laugh. Prince Yoongi stared at his friends from his seat behind one of the two desks in the royal advisor’s study and rolled his eyes. Leave it to Seokjin to make the Prince lose his place in his reading.

“Are you done?” Prince Yoongi questioned as he placed the papers in his hand on the desk and folded his hands together before he rested his chin on his fingers.

Hoseok pushed Seokjin off of him and cleared his throat, “Did you need something, Yoongi?”

Seokjin straightened up and wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes before he inhaled and coughed. “S-Sorry.” Seokjin pushed his hair from his face and the butterfly sleeves of his navy blue duster danced around him. “Did you want to head to the library now, Your Highness?” Seokjin offered and the Prince gave a single nod of his head.

Seokjin smoothed his hands down the length of his torso, the navy blue knot shank buttons of his frog closure duster were rough against his finger tips. He cleared his throat and spared a glance to Hoseok who just sighed and clicked his tongue. Hoseok was back to his everyday hanbok, now that the Prince was up and moving around the palace. A simple black robe with golden leaves stitched along the cuffs and collar with a deep plum changui on top, the same golden leaves stitched on the collar, down the center and hem. A wide black belt with matching gold leaves was tied around Hoseok’s waist and a plum colored jumeoni sat at his right hip.

Seokjin and Hoseok both wore similar hairstyles today, a ponytail with two sections of hair framed their faces. Seokjin wore a high ponytail with a silver donggot to hold it in place with a navy ribbon flowing freely while Hoseok wore a low half ponytail with a single gold bead on each section of hair that framed his face.  

Prince Yoongi rose from his seat and held his head high. His hair was piled onto top of his head, the golden sangtugwan covered with beautiful quartz stone while a golden dragon with emerald eyes was carved into the donggot. A black headband kept any flyaways out of the Prince’s face while his ears and neck were dressed in thick gold jewelry. As he walked around the desk, the Prince’s black robes caught the light and the golden four toed dragon in the center of his torso reflected against the wall. Dressed in a more simple hanbok, the Prince’s rank stood out with the gold dragon that sat on each of the shoulders of his jacket and the gold brocade fabric on the collar. Hoseok and Seokjin weren’t sure why the Prince had decided to dress that way but they knew better than to ask.

Hoseok chalked it up to Prince Yoongi wanting to put any negative rumors to rest. In his current dress he looked powerful and Hoseok knew that no one would say any different. The Prince clasped his hands behind his back and raised an eyebrow as he stared at the closed door. Hoseok moved first to open the door and he stepped out of the room. Seokjin motioned for the Prince to exit and once he was out of the room, Seokjin followed behind.

The three men walked the halls and ignored everyone who bowed low at the sight of the Prince. Hoseok kept his eyes open for any sign of disrespect while Seokjin openly chatted with Prince Yoongi about a book he felt the Prince would enjoy. As they got closer to the library, Hoseok noticed a small increase of guards. He squinted his eyes in thought as he passed another guard that he usually would not see in this section of the palace. Hoseok’s eyes widened as he realized why. There guards belong to the Empress and if they were around then that meant -

“Your Highness!” Hoseok spun around on his heels and held out his hands. “T-The garden! Namjoon requested that you meet him. He had a question!” Hoseok kept his face neutral as he spoke and the Prince’s smile slowly dropped from his face.

“We can go later,” Prince Yoongi stated and Hoseok shook his head.

“It sounded pretty urgent to me, Your Highness. In my haste to forget Seokjin’s horrible joke-”

“Hey!” Seokjin stepped back and threw a hand over his heart.

“I forgot about Namjoon,” Hoseok prattled on quickly as he ignored Seokjin’s dramatics.

Prince Yoongi frowned and then pressed his lips into a tight line as he tried to figure out what Namjoon could possibly need so badly. He sighed and nodded his head, “Very well. Let’s not leave him waiting any longer.” The Prince turned on his heels and started to walk off.

Seokjin shot Hoseok a confused glance and Hoseok jerked his head towards the guards, “The library is closed,” he whispered to Seokjin and hurried to catch up to the Prince.

[sugarpuptard]

cant sleep brain too busy and i had to pry myself away from working on my avi in unity to try and get some sleep so i can shower in the morning cuz i was too tired too earlier and my stupid tube is infected again so im tired and it hurts to move around (◞‸◟)

i feel like jotting down some of my goals for 2025 tho, i gotta make a new pinterest board for this year's inspo and ideas but here r sum of my goalz

- practice art more seriously

- get stronger with PT

- stick to skincare routine & overall self care routines

- do more lil house chores, grind in those housewife training hours

- finally get finger ring splints and a better wheelchair that isn't wack, and also compression socks & braces 4 my ankles, knees & hips that aren't sensory hell

- start reading & studying the bible cuz i love my fiancé

- have better nutrition and keep it good

- start therapy ;-;

- find ways 2 make money

- study japanese more

- keep my stuff organized & sell/donate stuff i dont need anymore

- journal DAILY cuz memory bad

- do my makeup and dress up more to feel better

uhhhhh idk what else to put besides dont die but maybe i update when i think of more (灬ºωº灬)

[bionicle-ramblings]

Humanized Toa Metru x Reader stuff because I'm bored and I saw a really good piece of art work

These are collective ones. I'll make "solo" posts or something for each team member later

Is it a polyamorous thing? It could be. You're not exactly a member of the team, but you're not unwelcome in the group. You're an honorary member, as it were. You fill them in with anything they need to know, like what threat is where, what they should expect, et cetera. As an honorary member, you're not allowed on missions. At all. Too risky. You also suspect that a few of the Toa just want you around because they want to keep an eye on you, so you don't snitch to anyone else

You know them because they're around you, you're all loosely aware of each other, being on, "Oh, that's (name)," basis

For the longest time, you thought Nokama was the leader, but were surprised to see Vakama was instead. Knowing them, loosely, you always thought Nokama would lead the charge because of her being a student-teacher/studying to be a teacher. Nope. Vakama has admitted he didn't ask to be a leader, but now that the role's been put on him, he's in it. You did suggest using a lottery system where names were picked out of a hat and whoever’s name was picked was the one to lead, but you got laughed at by Onewa and Matau

Before finding out, you would see each of them with battle damage, like scratches and bruises that weren't there the day before. When asked, the responses varied from, "I fell down" to "I ran into the door" to "I got in a fight" even to "What bruises?" and "It's none of your business." You thought they were all in a fight club before learning they were Toa

You asked Vakama how he lights candles, being able to use and control fire, and he lit one using a lighter he keeps on him for incognito. When you asked to see his elemental powers, he lit another candle with his index finger, though he really uses whichever finger he wants, even the ring finger

You are medically inclined, so you've had to patch up the Toa a fair number of times. That includes having to emergency stitch Whenua, splint Nuju's arm, help Vakama cauterize his own leg, tourniquet Nokama's hand, clean and change bandages Matau got, all sorts of things

Turns you their luck spread to you because you've had to have your leg stitched and some serious injuries fixed by the Toa

Most nights consist of waiting for your partner or partners to come home or, worse case scenario, wait for a few to come back with bad news

They talk to each other, but they open up with you

You've lost more bets than you care to admit because Matau and Onewa talked you into eating chili peppers with them and Vakama. You three were no match and you thought Vakama was just using his heat resistance to his advantage. He proved he wasn't by eating a small bit of chocolate with capsaicin extra in it and it was the first time anyone of you saw him need to get milk to drink after eating something spicy. He did pour himself a cup, though, because having a strong reaction to spice and drinkimg out of the carton is a no-no

You and Matau were once the only ones up first, and you woke up everyone by banging pots and pans together

You used to doubt Vakama had visions. You weren't a prick about it, but you had your doubts. That is until one day, while out with Matau and Nokama for some chill time, Vakama raced towards you three, shouting at you to turn away from where you were going. You realized why when you got attacked by Nidhiki. Later, when the battle was over, you asked how Vakama knew where you three were as phones don't exist and you didn't tell him where you were exactly. He didn't know. His visions did

Whenua and Nuju still have some disagreements about studying the past or future. You have ensudred those arguments don't get physical

You've lost race after race against Nokama when you two were swimming, but you did come close

A nothing activity you and the team have done: A try not to laugh game. No toiching, no props, no prep time, just you and your imagination. You found out that you get a lot of pity/"Oh, come on," laughs from Nokama, Vakama, and Nuju when you use wordplay and puns, but you also learned that Whenua isn't a fan and teamed up with Matau and Onewa to make you laugh specifically as revenge

Cuddle puddles. That is all

[fashioningdisability]

No longer invisible: Embracing mobility aids and prosthesis as a part of fashion

Prosthesis and other mobility aids have long been viewed as more of a “function-over-fashion” piece – an item that is needed to help disabled individuals in their everyday life rather than something that can be used to express oneself. These pieces are designed with the intention of not drawing attention to them, that disability is something to be kept invisible as not to inconvenience able-bodied people.

In 2021, the fashion world was greeted with a collaborative project between Chinese disabled influencer Xiao Yang and Chinese based accessories brand YVMIN, who had created a series of three prosthesis shells for Yang’s prosthetic leg. YVMIN’s aesthetic sensibilities are striking, making use of the “liquid metal” aesthetic to create unique and interesting pieces, often in a distinctive shining chrome look. In an interview with Vogue, Xiaoyu Zhang and Min Li – the design team behind YVMIN, described the project as a concept that would turn prosthesis into wearable art, Zhang stating that “We think it is only natural to decorate any part of our body, prosthetic as well.”

“This project tells everyone that wearing a prosthesis is a fact that cannot be changed—but wearing a prosthesis that looks gorgeous is also achievable.” – Xiao Yang

Photoshoot featuring Xiao Yang in her custom YVMIN prosthetic shells

Yang’s philosophy in regards to the use of prosthesis echoes the same sentiment many people in the disabled community have been saying for a number of years. In recent years, people have been embracing extending their own personal style into their mobility aids, taking the lead in decorating wheelchairs and canes to better fit their own style. Companies have also started to appear to offer stylish mobility aids, such as NeoWalk and their brightly coloured canes and Etsy sellers such as India-based ShivSilverJewels designing gorgeous ring splints for those with EDS and arthritis. With about 18% of the Australian population having some form of disability, we can hopefully look forward to seeing more brands and companies beginning to embrace aesthetic appeal in the creation of mobility aids for the community.