#so. any good etsy alternatives???

[theartofmadeline]

idk feels pretty gross of Etsy to send a campaign called “keep commerce human” to shop owners this week and then announce on their site that they’re going to continue to allow the sale of AI generated products

[coveredinredpaint]

Hi! I'm trying to start making my first battle jacket, but idk where to start, any tips?

thanks you for your atention!

-🐛

heyey!

i remember making a post about this but once again i cant find it. so ill just make one again.

step one is gathering inspo! i personally use tumblr and pinterest. sketching out ideas you have to see how they fit together also helps create an idea of what you might want. if you want to make sure you like the placement of a patch or chain, you can attach it with safety pins first.

dont let yourself be stopped by gatekeepers or elitists, its your jacket and thus there are no rules. although i do advise you to not put political patches on your back, to prevent bigots from attacking you from behind.

also dont put big and/or sharp spikes on gear youre going to be wearing while in the moshpit. you dont want to seriously injure yourself someone else, also make sure you dont have any patches attached with safetypins on your jacket while in the pit, for the same reason

if you dont have a jacket yet id advise looking out for them on fleamarkets, garagesales, thriftstores or online secondhand sites like vinted. i advise buying one that is a bit bigger on you, cause jackets tend to shrink a bit when you sew patches onto them. also a sturdier one like denim or leather (dont buy "vegan" (plastic) leather itll disintegrate in a year) makes sure your jacket will last longer.

i made a tutorial on making patches last year,

also made a tutorial on making bottlecap buttons

for chains id look in hardware or craftstores, spikes can be found in craftstores sometimes but etsy is a good alternative. if you have other alternative friends you can also trade with them! i get a lot of my coolest stuff from my friends.

ehh i think thats about it? let me know if you want some more in depth info about something.

[alithographica]

Re: Redbubble & Alternatives

Redbubble is doing some nonsense and I've deleted my account. I barely bothered with it anyway, was mostly there for people who've asked for specific images as posters.

Anyway in doing that I sacrificed the $4.35 that was still sitting in my earnings. They only let you cash out at $20, so rather than drum up sales and therefore make Redbubble more money, I'm gonna do what I feel is $4.35 in anti-publicity for them. 🥳

tl;dr there are new fees that hurt artist income at all sales levels. Redbubble is either looking to cut costs and raise profits for funsies, or is in serious financial trouble.

About the new fees:

Redbubble offers their services to artists by allowing artists to control their profit margin above a certain baseline manufacturing fee. This was pretty cool! There's now an additional fee that will be charged starting May 1, 2023. It is not an upfront fee that requires you to pay out of pocket, but it does directly cut your profit margin. How badly? Well...

By Redbubble's own example, if in one month you sell $300 in products that you had set at a 25% margin, you'd previously earn $75. Under the new structure, that earnings level means you pay a $28 fee, so you will now be paid $47. That $28 represents a 37% cut off what you were supposed to earn.

There's a full fee table in that link, but other highlights include a $1 fee if you earned $2 (aka 50%!) and big sellers who'd expect to take home $400 will now receive $320 (an $80 fee, 20%).

It also puts you in a weird spot that earning $1 more in a month may bump you to the next tier, causing you to actually take home less money. Make $1 more, end up losing $11. Make it make sense. 🤨

About the new tiers:

Each shop is evaluated and labeled Standard, Premium, or Pro. Premium and Pro shops are not subject to the new fees, but there's no clarity on how to move from one tier to another. Redbubble says it's under your control but it's clearly not. Many artists are reporting that they have accounts with next to no sales that have been labeled Pro, and accounts with thousands of annual sales that are labeled Standard.

Action items:

Look, I'm not gonna tell other artists that they have to close their shops, or tell buyers not to buy from Redbubble if your favorite artists have chosen to stay. What you do with the above info is up to you.

What I will say is that many artists are leaving because the new pay structure sucks. I encourage people who buy from Redbubble to expand their support to other sites.

Attrition is arguably their goal here—they know people will leave over this, and that'll probably lower their costs and lower competition for the remaining accounts. But goodwill is lost easily and they're playing a dangerous game on betting how many stay vs. leave. I'm out.

Feel free to leave your feedback on Redbubble's feedback form here, but it feels slightly like yelling into the void.

Alternatives:

tbh I don't have a good read on things. If you do know of any recommended (or unrecommended) print-on-demand sites, speak up!

I will say that as of now (April 2023), based on my research:

🟢 INPRNT sounds like a winner if your game is art prints and stickers. Does not have any wearable products like t-shirts.

🟡 Etsy + Printify/Printful might be viable? Etsy always had higher profit margins than POD marketplaces, but it's a bit more work and they also do weird things occasionally. Also has a listing fee so if you're the type to upload a ton of designs, pricey.

🔴 Teepublic is owned by Redbubble. Doesn't have the tier/new fee structure as of now but might be imminent. Have also heard their customer service sucks.

🔴 Society6 is going to charge artists shipping costs, and there's going to be a (mandatory?) subscription service launched in the fall, so that's not a winner anymore either.

[elminx]

Elminx's Ritual Walkthrough: A Spell to

Remove Unwanted Things From Your Life

Note: This ritual is my own creation - it combines the elements of a cleansing spell with cord-cutting. It also involves the basic concepts of sympathetic magic and some candle magic. Feel free to make it your own in any way that fits your personality and practice.

This is one of the most versatile spells in my repertoire - it can be used as a general all-purpose cleansing spell or specifically to target a particular problem you are currently experiencing. I am going to go through the basics of the spell first. The second section will involve how to adapt this spell to varying concerns. Its ingredients are meant to be simple and accessible - you can follow it as written or add more for flare. As always, I assume you will arrange your sacred space before you begin.

At its bare bones, this is a longer-lasting candle ritual of cleansing that involves strong elements of cord-cutting into the mix. You will be asked to actively attend to your candle every 30 minutes while your candle is lit. This is not optional - if you are not willing to do this, this is not the spell for you. A lot of the magic of this spell comes into play with the repetition of action - this is the MOST IMPORTANT element of this ritual, do not skip out on this step.

The Basic Ritual

You will Need:

1 Pillar Candle, preferably a figure candle* A fireproof bowl or tray Salt or Sand 1 or more Cleansing Herbs** A Cleansing oil, olive is fine (optional) A pair of scissors*** A stopwatch (the app of your phone is fine)

*This is especially true when you are new to this ritual. This candle is supposed to represent you and using a figure candle of your gender will reinforce this in your mind. I prefer to use the figure candles by Darknessvoid on Etsy, but any figure candle will do. Beeswax is best for this purpose because it has a long burn time which we want for this rituatl. For those of you who are nonbinary, I know that Madame Pamita sells nonbinary figure candles. Any pillar candle will do in a pinch just keep in mind that we WANT the candle to burn for a long time. I don't find the color of the candle to be important here (I use undyed beeswax) but you can add color magic here if you wish. **This should be a cleansing herb that you have a solid relationship with. I would suggest lemon, mint, sage, hyssop, or cedar as good options for this step but ultimately use what you have and feel comfortable with. For additional fire safety, use fresh herbs when applicable as they are less likely to ignite. ***I use regular old house scissors for this ritual. If you have a cutting device that is sanctified and important to your craft, use that. It does not have to be scissors, a knife or other cutting utensil will be fine

Set up your sacred space - this does not have to be fancy; do what feels right.

Prepare for A Long Burn, aka Candle Burning Safety - This is a long candle ritual - the longer your candle burns, the more effective the end results (in my experience). So we want to set up for candle safety - I do this by choosing a fire-safe plate and lining it with salt (you can use sand as an alternative). I place my candle in a safe space with nothing flammable nearby. Please follow your very best fire safety rules here.

Prepare your candle for burning - Take your pillar candle and become better acquainted with it. This candle is supposed to represent you; you may wish to carve your name and date of birth into the candle. Rub the candle over your entire body - focusing on problem areas (I'll go more into that below). If you do energy work, focus on pulling what you want to remove out of your body and into the candle. You can breathe into the face of the candle - whatever you have to do until you feel like the candle is a representation of you. This is an important step - take as long as you need to here. When this step feels complete, you can anoint your candle with a cleansing oil if you are using it (many traditions will call for holding the candle against your body and anointing the candle from the feet to the wick signifying that we are working on removal.) Place your candle in the center of your plate of salt/sand.

Sanctify or Empower Your Herb(s) - I will not go into details about how to do this because you should have a way that is already in your practice. The goal here is to somehow "wake up" the herbs and inform them of their role in this ritual. I like to arrange the herbs in an ascetic way around my candle, but do what works for you here. They just need to end up on the plate on top of the sand/salt. Keep in mind that dry herbs are quite flammable, so keep them farther away from the candle for fire safety.

Light your candle and begin the ritual - the goal of this ritual is to cut away any problems in your life every 1/2 hour while the candle is burning. The first cut should begin immediately after you have lit the candle and is the most important. I like to speak out loud as I make cuts around the candle with my scissors - I "name" each thing I am cutting as I focus on letting it go to exit my life. As I see it, there are five planes involved in a candle spell like this: to the left and right of the candle, in front of the candle, behind the candle, and above the candle. I was taught that the left side represents the past, the right the future, the back the mental realm, in front the physical realm, and above the spiritual realm. You do not need to use this format, but it can be a helpful way of thinking about WHERE to cut on the candle. Bring whatever is bothering you to mind, speak your intentions to remove it from your life, and then cut the air around the candle in the appropriate location. If you are good at energy work, you may be able to "find" the cord to cut, but it's okay if you can't do this. If something is feeling especially stuck, I sometimes cut the cords from around the candle and then from around my body. I am most likely to do this on the first cut.

Set Your Timer for 30 Minutes - You want to repeat the cutting part of the ritual every 30 minutes for as long as the candle burns. You may find that you are cutting at the same locations every time you return to this action, or you may find areas that need cutting that seem to be revealed as the ritual progresses. You can go with your intuition here or do divination on this subject - I wouldn't start divination for this until you've lit your candle and begun the ritual.

Take an action in your physical life to aid this spell - This is a great opportunity to take real-world steps that reflect the magic you are working on. You could cut your hair. You could clean your space. If you are removing a person from your life, this is the time to block them on social media if you have not done so already.

Rinse and Repeat - You should be cutting as part of this ritual for as long as your candle burns. It is okay to put out and relight your candle as needed; just make sure to burn it in half-hour increments. You could use numerology to your advantage here by burning the candle over nine days (nine is the number of completion). Doing this for the nine days leading up to a new moon would enhance the natural energy of this spell.

Finishing Touches - because this is a spell of removal, you want to clean up and discard any leftover elements of this spell as close to spell completion as possible. These items should be thrown away and I suggest doing so away from your house. I gather the items into a plastic bag and dispose of them in a public trash bin. If you can't do that for whatever reason, at least put them in the bin outside of your house.

How to Modify This Ritual

This ritual can be modified in any way that you can think of to remove something specific.

To Remove a Person From Your Life - To do a gentle cord cutting, repeat this ritual as written. Specify that you are cutting the ties that bind you and the person you want to remove during the cutting sections. Adding an herb like lavender that has a soft and calming domination element to it can aid in this effect. Here you might put your focus on the past, the future, and the physical sides of the candle.

If you need to forcibly remove a person from your life - add in some banishment herbs. If there is an air of obsession on either of your parts, cut in the mental realms as well.

Hexbreaking - this isn't in and of itself a hex-breaking ritual, but it can be used in conjunction with other magics to mollify some of the effects of baneful magic or the evil eye on your person. In this case, it is best to have a good idea of what effect the baneful magic is having and, from there, cut in the appropriate quadrant of the candle specifying "I am cutting away the baneful magic cast by xxx on my xxx". Add hex-breaking herbs to your ritual for this purpose.

Healing - I can't believe I have to say this, but magic cannot heal you of anything major, life-threatening, or chronic. But this spell is especially good at drawing out SYMPTOMS (I have used it to augment the treatment for my chronic illness and to help with colds and viruses in the past). On the step where you rub your candle over your body, focus on areas where you are symptomatic and draw the symptoms out of your body and into the candle. Add herbs that help you with these symptoms to this ritual.

For Help with Trauma - Please only do this if you have some handle on the trauma you have undergone. If you feel that there is a chance that thinking about the trauma may hurt you further, this is not a helpful ritual for you. When you are at a point where you understand your trauma well and wish to do a ritual to help release it, you can cut it away from your body as part of this ritual. It will help to understand where you are carrying the trauma - cut it away from your mental realm if you keep ruminating on it, or away from the belly of your candle if you carry it as stomach issues. You may need a buddy to be with while you attempt this sort of work; tread with care here.

For Intrusive Thoughts - Again, this ritual cannot cure you of intrusive thoughts, but it can help to manage them for a time. Rub the candle all over your head during step 3, focusing on pushing your intrusive thoughts out and into the head of the candle. During the cutting stage, focus on cutting in the mental realm.

I…could go on. If you need to remove it from your person, this ritual can be adapted for that purpose. If you have an idea in your head but don't know how to actualize it, feel free to send me an ask so I can spitball ideas with you.

A Few Final Thoughts

As humans, we tend to accumulate lots of stuff in our minds and in our bodies. This is a ritual that is designed, at its core, to separate out what is ours to carry forward from what we might just be carrying with us. This may not be the right ritual for you; if so, that is completely okay. You should never perform magic that doesn't feel right.

That said, keep in mind that when you clear out a lot of stuff, you can create a bit of a vacuum. Once whatever you want gone IS gone, you should take steps to protect yourself from its return. As always, I hope that this post was helpful. Do you like my work? You can support me by tipping me on KoFi or purchasing an astrology report written just for you.

[infernothechaosgod]

One thing imma be real one thing i don't like about some mouseverse comics is that some characters just straight up look so human, and honestly I think that theres some good missed potential with some of them like the phantom blot la creatura

Before I got into the comics for good I thought the phantom blot was suppoust to be a human and that was one of the reasons why he freaked mickey out so much bc he's just straight up activating his uncanny valley/ is somewhere where he's just straight up not suppoust to be so he doesnt look like anything mickey's seen yet but apparently he's suppoust to be a dog

I think blots design is very good without his mask he looks like one of these rich people way over their head (its bc of the mustache, brows and half closed eyes half of the time im telling you he looks like he has 500$ of spare change in his pocket at all times )

(He'd rob me out of my money on etsy)

But blots design really doesnt look like a dog and I honestly think for him thats a strenght for a couple of reasons I dont wanna fully write out here bc id be getting into character design study for like 4 pager out here but the main point is Blot is the villian and a well masked one on top of that his design being highly diffrent from others is a good thing bc he's already not like others he stands out and he's evil and he's suppoust to be creepy so I think not really looking like a dog despite teachnicly being one has its purpose and even metaphor to it if you wanna go that route (maybe bc he views himself so above everyone and so humanized compared to them that he ends up sticking out, because he is so above them he's no longer one of them and its visible in his design)

But the points above start to fall flat and explode like a comicly large firework when you consider eeeeeh

All these are background/one off characters so I understand why the designs arent exactly thought out on the same level as main characters that would honestly be ridiculous but some of them just don't look like any animals and some straight up look like humans with slightly altered face structure

And that unfortunately also goes for my best girl samantha

ily but you do not look like a dog girl T T

When I was first reading that comic i thought she got the "kitty kat" treatment but turns out its just a thing for one off/side characters

Also there are some alternative designs for already existing characters that look more human in animation that arent used for some reason probably bc the animation and comic departaments being quite diffrent and also having a giant brick ball between eachother or disney just refusing to re-brand or re-design things that are already somehow well known

Comic o'hara design ^^^

Animated o'hara design ^^^

There very slightly diffrent but I can easily tell animated o'hara is a dog while the comic ver had me a bit confused (especialy since I didnt see the ears at first)

Also o'charas first apperance IN COMIC FORM looks alot more charming to me for some reason, the same goes for other police officers

he's so fat here I love it

They look alot cuter that way imo I like their snouts alot more in that form Plus they do the side eye every dog ever gives you at some point you know exactly what im talking about 🫵🫵🫵🫵

I dont know it could just be me being picky but I feel like there would be some ways of making the side characters look more animal but still easy to draw and design, maybe something like character base's for diffrent animal species that can get altered for diffrent one off/side characters...or giving the comic artist more time to do their job crazy idea i know

Idk like i said it could just be me being picky but I just don't like that and think there are some ways to change that

This is just my opinion and rambling though so lemme know what you think maybe im missing something or you preffer them that way Id love to hear others opinion since I know there are ppl out there who put alot more thinking abt the mouseverse than i did and probably ever will

ye

[cliobii]

(all three are now on sale for a limited time!) NEW STICKERS!!!! Going up on my Etsy soon :D the Herbert ones are bigger than the previous version (thank goodness lol), the Nygmobblepot stickers are transparent/clear, and all three are matte instead of gloss!

I’ll keep the previous listings up too, but these are an alternative if you’d like any of these options! I might actually lower the price on the og Herbert stickers bc they’re so tiny and I feel terrible lol 😭💔

https://www.etsy.com/shop/cliobii/?etsrc=sdt

[maximilliansblog]

How to build your first fursuit head for ~$100 USD (2023)

What’s good furries? I’m sure a lot of you have a fursona and want to make your first fursuit. I recommend starting with a partial just in case you mess up or fall out of the hobby. It’s also less expensive!

This tutorial will only cover the head. I haven’t made any of the other stuff and I’m probably going to buy it online premade because I’m lazy.

1.) Have a reference sheet for your fursona.

If you are an artist, draw (the best you can) a reference sheet of your fursona from the front, side, and back. I made a little turnaround animation for mine, but this is not necessary.

Not an artist? Don’t want to draw? Commission someone to do it for you. I recommend Etsy, but you can find furry artists with open commissions all over the internet.

No money for commissions? You might be out of luck. Ask a friend or draw it the best you can. Alternatively, you can edit someone else’s fursona reference sheet to make it look like your fursona. Yeah, it’s stealing. Just don’t post it and act like it’s yours 👍

You can also go into the Roblox game, Catalogue Avatar Creator, and assemble something that looks kind of like your fursona. Take a screenshot of it from the front, side, and back, then go into a photo editor (I recommend IbisPaint or MediBang Paint, they are both free) and add in your special details.

I recommend not making your first fursuit super complicated or some kind of rare species. But you do you. It will just be really hard.

Also determine what style of fursuit you want. Toony? Kemono? Realistic? (I don’t recommend realistic for your first fursuit but you do you). This will be important later.

2.) Find Shit to Build It With

Once again, I recommend Etsy. You’ll need:

+ all the fur colors you need (try 2-3)

+ eye mesh

+ 3D printed mask

+ hot glue gun and hot glue sticks (dollar store)

+ needle and thread (dollar store or Walmart)

+ balaclava

+ styrofoam head

+ fabric scissors

+ extra foam pieces for ears or horns

Assemble all of that. It should be around $80-120 USD.

Your 3D printed mask is the most important thing. Another reason to get a relatively common species. Mine was a dragon. Remember the fursuit style you picked earlier? Search on etsy “3d printed [style] [species] furry mask” and you should be able to find one. You can also get pre-made foam heads. I don’t recommend trying to make your own head base, because A) it’s hard and B) those materials cost more money.

This shit will take a while to come in so don’t get too excited about it. My mask took like a month because it came from Germany.

3.) Mark the Color Spots on your Head Base

Basically just take a sharpie and outline the different color regions on your headbase. You can also use a pencil if you’re a pussy /j

4.) Uhhhh Eyeball That Fabric Pattern and Hot Glue the Pieces to Your Headbase

Some people use duct tape to make a pattern. That did not work for me! So I eyeballed it. Made some mistakes. That’s okay.

5.) Trim Down the Fur Length

Most people use clippers for this but I didn’t want to buy any and I didn’t know how to use them so I did it VERY CAREFULLY with scissors.

6.) Fill in the Cracks Between Your Hot Glue Seams With Loose Fur

Look at all this damn fur on the floor! If only there was something to do with it!

Put hot glue between the super visible seams where you hotglued different pieces of fabric next to each other, then pack in some of that loose fur. Cut it down if it’s too long. The seams will be less visible.

7.) Hot Glue the Eye Mesh Behind the Eye Holes

VERY CAREFULLY hot glue this so your character isn’t cross-eyed. You can try follow-me eyes but I didn’t do that with mine.

8.) Add Your Extra Details

You know like whiskers or plastic teeth or a tongue or anything else you want to put on there.

Now you’re done with the mask part.

9.) CAREFULLY Hot Glue Your Balaclava to the Inside of the Mask

The eye hole should be where your eye mesh is so that you can see out. Also make sure some of the balaclava is glued to the top of the mask.

10.) Weigh Down Your Styrofoam Head With a Heavy Rock

Or put it on a stand. Or hot glue it to the table. Whatever works.

11.) Put the Balaclava that you Glued to the Mask on the Styrofoam Head

Pretty simple. The reason we weighed down the styrofoam head is because the front of your mask will be heavy and make it fall over while you’re trying to work.

12.) ????? Put Fur On the Balaclava

You’ll also need to like add some fur connecting the sides of the mask to the balaclava. Hard to explain. You’ll probably figure it out?

13.) Trim that Fur and Put the Trimmings in the Seams Like Before

14.) Take it off of the Styrofoam Head

You may need to cut a slit in the back of the neck of your fursuit head. Not only will it help get the styrofoam head out, now your head can get in and out too!

15.) Put it on

Edit it if something is wrong. It might feel crooked but it’s probably not.

16.) Enjoy!

Hopefully this was helpful! This is how made mine.

[skyriderarts]

GLOBAL PROTESTS ON MARCH 2ND, 2024

This website will tell you where to find your closest rally to protest against the assault on Rafah, the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, the starvation and genocide of the Palestinian people, and the attacks on Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

Mark that day off, make signs, and remember Protester etiquette;

Physically tell someone and write down where you're going to be, how long you should be there, and when you're expected to be back or when they should hear from you. If they don't or you're not back after that time, tell them to get in contact with the National Lawyers Guild and the ACLU if you live in the States. You can also search for lawyers that do what's called "Mass Defense Program"(fancy term for when a bunch of protesters are nabbed at once) in your area for region appropriate alternatives.

Do NOT wear anything that has identifiable logos or symbols that the police can reverse search for, Cops found people from the George Floyd marches from a shirt found off Etsy. Wear layers in case you are grabbed by anyone, and purses should have a quick-release clip with little in them as possible if that gets snatched too. Have on shoes you feel comfortable walking for hours on end in and are also good for if you quickly need to run away from police. And *MOST DEFINITELY* WEAR A FUCKING MASK! Not just so police can't get you recorded to he tracked down at your home later, *WE'RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID AND YOU DON'T WANNA DIE TO IT!*

Keep an eye out for people in the crowds who seem like they're trying to rile up a mob or otherwise become violent; at best they're pulling attention away from the actual intent of the march, at worse they're undercover cops trying to entrap you and everyone around you.

Bring an umbrella: The protesters of Hong Kong taught us that even if the weather will be dry for you, it's a very simple shield that'll keep any water or chemicals from being sprayed on you.

If worst comes to worst and you do get arrested (and this one primarily applies to Americans, I'm sorry but I don't know about the rest of the world. If it's similar please educate me and others with an addition to this post) you've got *two sentences* you need to repeat; "I have the right to remain silent. I have the right to an attorney." SHUT THE FUCK UP AFTER THAT! No matter what they try and scare you with, what they try and bribe you with, you just shut the fuck up.

[southparktegreity]

south park ; [main 4+ butters] + s/o who draws !

NOTICE : all characters are aged up to their 19/20's!

CW : mentions of drinking (stans part), otherwise none

stan :

i get the impression stan would be really supportive! i feel like he would help you come up with things creatively

he would definitely ask you to draw like the skeleton hands on his hands

out of all the boys, i think he'd be the most interested in learning how to draw or alternatively learning how to draw specific things

i feel like it might end up being a healthy way to express his emotions, ie through vent art instead of drinking

i also think he'd like to paint more than any other medium, probably oil painting? but he uses the cheap acrylic ones whenever he's making vent art since oil paint is expensive

"hey... thanks again y/n for teaching me how to paint.. - it's really helped me."

kyle :

again, very supportive

though he probably would have minor concerns if you started to consider being an artist as your main job? i think he'd be worried about you making money so he might try and help you start an etsy shop or a redbubble or something so people could support you on something other than commissions :)

if you did that with him he'd definitely help you package and ship things out to your customers

whenever you and him babysit ike, you guys all three play pictionary !!!

they both think you're cheating lol

"isn't this like - cheating?! you're too good at this!"

kenny :

i feel like kenny would also want to learn like stan, specifically because he wants to draw you and karen together with him ! he’d probably wanna give it to you and her as a gift since he can’t afford other things

would definitely want you to draw on him, anywhere you want. i could definitely see him wanting you to make him some tattoo art or smth

karen would also probably want you to teach her how to draw

so you and kenny and karen all sit down together and teach them some simple stuff !!

kenny ends up drawing the life he imagines for you and karen, beautiful house - pretty garden - all the works. and of course, most importantly - you both with him

"well... here's the garden, and here's the house... and if you look inside this window right here... you can find you me and karen."

cartman :

as with everything you do, cartman will probably make fun of you, saying something about your “gay drawings”

we all know he secretly loves watching you draw

i feel like he would really like watching the process of you drawing? like he doesn’t care about what it is, but rather the whole process itself

if you take too long though he’ll start to complain

will probably beg you to draw either ‘the racoon’ fanart OR making him x kyles mom fanart

he'll end up commissioning you if you say no

"um. y/nnn. are your requests open? you see, there's this really neat superhero - you'd love him - that i want you to draw for me. he's VERY kewl.... you should - like.. draw him for me... what do you mean i have to pay you?"

butters :

butters DEFINITELY loves it!

i feel like you both would do art trades, except he'd feel a bit bad since he doesn't have the best skill - so he'd make it up to you by buying you a sketchbook or something

i think he also loves the feeling of being drawn on, and looking down at his hands and stuff to find drawings of hello kitty and him that you made ! he would practically MELT - but he’d probably be too shy to ask you to do it

definitely has gotten grounded for your drawings on him

i also feel like he totally shows off all your drawings to cartman and everyone

"well, heya fellas! look at what my partner drew on me! ain't it pretty? :)"

[desultory-novice]

One very very very neat thing I noticed in Forgotten Land is how every single Gotcha Figure can feasibly be made (and quite a few have been!) irl; so therefore, I shall scour all of Etsy to find them, especially that Fecto Forgo (larva) figure!

Oho~! Well, we always appreciate fans of the drippy rat here! XD

It's true that it's impressive how they even went to the effort of rendering things like the fire similar to how it would look on a real figurine! It's good inspiration for ambitious crafters too! (And Etsy's not a bad place to check, since I was there recently and noticed a lot more 3D prints for sale than I remember. Probably wouldn't be too difficult to rip one of the models and create one yourself!)

...I do still have two alternating wishes for the figures. One is that they were more like the collectible keychains/stickers they were clearly inspired by and so, had more legacy content in there. (Though Dream Buffet tried to make up for that with the cookies. Even having some real deep cuts! But the whole game, I was praying to unlock a secret fifth machine that would let me pull the missing friends from Star Allies. The fact that they built in the option to admire the FL figurines made me miss that all the more...)

LET ME TURN MY BLORBOS AROUNDDDDDD

My other wish is that, if they couldn't go legacy with it, they would at least include descriptions for all the figures. Why yes, I want lore for the old car, and Bouncy, and the tulip, and the animal sand sculpture, and the ear of corn, and Handmade Kirby.

Even if they were simplistic descriptions with no deep lore attached, some text would have enhanced the appeal of pulling one of them. Instead, I found myself just spamming the button through the ones without any text, quickly forgetting their existence.

[r0gue-taxidermy]

PACKERS AND PACKING INFORMATION AND REVIEWS:

Cw: prosthetic male genitalia/penises for informational purposes only 

I’m going to start this by first introducing myself so hello I’m Jackson I’m a plus size ftm trans teenager and I’m going to go over the best and easiest way to pack as a trans dude

You may be asking what a packer is? Well a packer is a gender affirming tool that creates or mimics a bulge or a penis which may seem like it’s a thing meant for adults but actually it’s very useful for everyone it helps with dysphoria or even just helps if your wanting to appear more masculine

Another thing that will be mentioned are STPs; STP stands for stand to pee device which do make it possible to as said stand to pee which can go from looking realistic or just being a cup with a tube

so I will be ranking my favorite packers/STPs/packing alternatives and will include where to find and price ranges and packing ability’s. If you have any questions either message me or comment them down below! Starting off strong with number one my favorite packer is

1. STP FREELY:

This is my favorite STP packer it’s 3.5 inches long and is a SOFT packer with a wide brim cup with a lip so no worry about spills or anything made with a skin safe soft silicone , definitely more of an affordable packer + STP it ranges from 45-50$ and it comes in 5 different skin tones! there is a XL Version of this packer that is 5 inches that I have not tried that is 50$ (you can also buy the XL rod which turns this into a pack and play “toy” for around 16$) and both xl and regular come with the option of being circumcised or non circumcised which I think is a neat feature! This packer also requires a harness ! I recommend the cake bandit packing harness it’s comfortable and not too tight. you can find both of these on TransGuySupply.com

Packing ability:9/10 definitely my favorite packer I’ve owned packs very well

Looks:9/10 nice weight, decently realistic but there are definitely better packers on the market but overall a wonderful packer

Stp ability: 10/10 very easy to get used too, big cup with a lip and semi realistic urethra hole

Can’t stress how much I love this packer will buy again

2. EZ bulge:

Here’s a cheap simple packing option for people who want to try out packing as it’s a foam insert made of a thicker foam material that you put In your boxers, these usually range from 5-10$ which isn’t bad the only downside is that they are stiff and if your bigger like me it will rub against your thighs and become uncomfortable and there’s definitely pros and cons for this packer like it’s latex or silicone free but it is kind of stiff and hard to position you can get this packer from transguysupply.com or Etsy!

Packing ability: 7/10 it works but is kind of uncomfortable and if not positioned right can look funny

Looks: 6/10definitely a more discrete option if you don’t get one with a dick imprint

3.HOMEMADE SOCK PACKERS

Omg I can’t express how much these save my life if I’m dyphoric these are a simple, cheap and easy way to pack I can’t express how much I use these on a daily basis, there are plenty of videos on YouTube on how to make these (kade cooks has a good tutorial on YouTube btw)

Packing ability:5/10 definitely a easy packing tool but can look kinda wonky if not made right and may take some trial and error

Looks: 2/10 definitely not a good looking packer but gets the job done

4.FOAM INSERT PACKER

Similar to the EZ bulge this is another foam packer insert but definitely is more comfortable, it’s a thin foam works well with most of the packing jockstraps,briefs, or boxers it’s about 5$ usually. I had one for a couple months then it started falling apart as the first layer of thin fabric came off of back but was a cheap and easy packer and is way more discrete option you can find this packer on transguysupply.com

Packing ability: definitely a solid 6/10 it works well but can fold or bunch up easily if you have bigger thighs

Looks:5/10 decently discrete looks similar to a bra cup

5.PACKER GEAR STP

this was my first ever STP or packer in general and can I say how much I hate this packer very small cup with no lip so spills are a big problem, it is almost physically impossible to use this as a packer this is the stiffest packer I’ve ever had IT WILL MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE YOUR HARD, the urethra and hole of this packer is massive and it’s unrealistic you will piss a stream the size of a no.2 pencil. One of its cons though is that it is the cheapest stp packer I know it’s 15$ and comes in two different skin colors, it is around 4.5 inches and can be found on transguysupply.com

Packing ability: 0/10 it’s trash

Looks: 5/10 it definitely tried to look realistic

Stp ability: 5/10 definitely not the best on the market but for how affordable it is it’s not too bad minus the firm cheap silicone and small cup

6. ANY FEMALE CAMPING URINAL

Such a honorable mention this fuckin thing well these can be found in most camping places, Amazon or anywhere online really. I can’t say I hate them but I can’t say I like them either but definitely work, they look mad dumb honestly and make me dysphoric lowkey but they work as STPs but unlike the other two options on this list this can’t be used as at a urinal but they don’t spill and are easily found and can be used by people who aren’t FtM or transmasc and usually range about 5-20$ online

Packing ability:0/10

Looks:0/10 mad Fucking ugly

Stp ability:10/10 definitely does the job

And that’s the end of my review folks I hope this can help out other trans people

[metal-caregiver]

Tips for caregivers of punk/scene littles

This is probably my longest winded post..and the most self indulgent lol.. Here's just some of my personal snip-bits on being an alternative regressor. I hope this can help someone out or at least be entertaining for those who are alt regressors too ^^

Find stim toys that are otherwise "unconventional" or aren't labeled as stim toys ! - This might be a stretch,, and can honestly work for anyone looking for something to stim with. I love my chain necklace and I wear it everywhere I go! Its got a ring and 2 chains that I like to play with,, the texture of the metal is also nice in my hands and has a good weight around my neck. Sensory pressure is my favorite stim ! Skull necklace Moon phases Pride flags O-Ring necklace (mine!) Playing with piercings can also be a stim but ! be careful that jewelry is cleaned and fresh piercings are healed ! Its ok to allow your little to wear corsets, fishnets and tight clothing! It can be a great way to provide pressure therapy, or a stim in public or on the go~ Never force your regressor to stop watching shows/movies or listening to certain music while they're regressed. Sometimes horror movies, and loud noises can be comforting! * Talk with your little while they're big about this! There may be certain horror topics to avoid when they're regressed ! ... Some resources / things that I find helpful as an alt cg!

Movies & TV Shows 🎥 Stranger Things Over The Garden Wall Gravity Falls The Owl House Amphibia The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy Invader ZIM Courage the Cowardly Dog Dead End Park Scooby Doo Ruby Gloom Danny Phantom The Adams Family The Munsters Daria Corpse Bride The Nightmare Before Christmas Coraline James and the Giant Peach ParaNorman Edward Scissorhands Dark Shadows BeetleJuice SOME OF THESE MOVIES CONTAIN 18+ SCENES ** (but are generally sfw / are all PG-13) Nicknames ✏️ Petal, Dewdrop, Baby Bat, Prince(ss/et) of darkness, Moon-child, Beastie, Cub/Little Cub, Beetle, Vamp(y), Little monster, Little terror, Rockstar, Bizkit (like..limp bizkit its a personal one ok😭?!) Games and other Media 🎮 Night in the woods FNAF Silent Hill Animal Crossing Zelda Danganronpa Pokemon Kingdom Hearts Fran Bow Little Nightmares Little Miss Fortune Stanley Parable Half Life Omori Skyrim Devil May Cry Roblox Minecraft Shoots and Ladders - Korn Clown - Korn Bring Me To Life - Evanescence Juggalo Juice - ICP Hokus Pokus - ICP Rainbows & Stuff - ICP Youre So Creepy - Ghost Town Sugar we're going down - Fall out Boy I Write Sins Not Tragedies - PAN!C Teenagers - MCR Welcome to the Black Parade - MCR SOME OF THESE MEDIAS CONTAIN 18+ CONTENT & LANGUAGE ** (or are generally unsuitable for regressors but...we're embracing unconventional regressors with this list) Misc items Rainbow Drip bat plushie (etsy) Rearz "Rebel" collection (also in pink) - dips / nappys ( pocket nappy ) ( training pants ) - changing pad - onesie Bat sippy cup ( - Bitten CURRENTLY SOLD OUT) Skeleanimals bat hoodie ( - hot topic CURRENTLY SOLD OUT) Mushroom sippy cup (etsy) "Spoiled Bat" Tumblr cup (etsy) "Ghost W/The Most" Sippy (etsy) Personally I have used Rearz and aside from medial brands you find at the stores,, these have been my favorite ! They fit comfortably and Im not consciously aware of wearing them (after a bit) despite being also K!nk affiliated (like Little4Big ^^") They're one of my favorite adult nappy brands..and highly recommend them if you're looking for more "edgy" designs ! They also have "Rebel" in pink ~ Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any shops,,these have been recommended by friends, or through personal purchases

[aspecriddler]

THEE Guide to Not Being a Punk Poser

Hey, so if you're reading this, you may or may not be looking to get into the punk scene, and you also may or may not be at a total loss on where to start

Well fear not! I am here with this little introduction post on how to Not Be A Poser (title pending)

FIRST UP: The Ideals

When it comes to the ideals of alternative subcultures, this graphic by @theygender (hope the tag is ok, lmk if it isn't) is the best summary I've ever seen

And if you're like me, you're solidly on the line between punk and grunge, but leaning just a bit more punk. This is fine /gen

Punk is about community. Punk is about fighting for a better future. Punk is about doing no harm and taking no shit. Punk is about looking out for the underdog. If you don't embody these values then you're not punk. The ideology of Punk is, in my opinion, the most important part of the subculture

But if you've been doing your research you already knew that. Now let's get into what a lot of people call the fun stuff: the music and the fashion

SECOND: The Music

There are a Lot of different subgenres of punk music, the most famous being punk rock and folk punk. I subscribe more to punk rock because I really enjoy fast music

Bands to look for include: Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys, Pansy Division, Dog Park Dissidents, Cheap Perfume, Mommy Long Legs, Gang Green, The Germs, Rage Against the Machine, G.L.O.S.S., X-Ray Spex, The Cramps, Circle Jerks, Crass, Limp Wrist, and Pure Hell

Of course there's a lot more but those are some staples plus some of my personal favorites. You can find my personal punk playlist here

Overall the sound is Loud and it is Angry. There are many songs about killing cops and hating capitalism and it fucks. If you like funky basslines, sick ass drums, angry yelling, and shredding guitars this music is for you

PART THREE: The Fashion

Okay, okay, I had to save the quote unquote best for last. Imo the fashion of punk is the most diy out of almost any other subculture

Literally anything you can get your hands on can become fashion. Steal what you can, pick up shit off the side of the road, and if you can't/don't know how to do something get a friend in the scene to either teach you or commission them or something

Brands? The fuck is that, the only brands you need to know are Rit fabric dye, goodwill, etsy (sometimes), your local craft store, and a good spike maker (I don't deal with spikes currently so I have no good resources for them, so other punks feel free to chime in!)

Want cool metal shit? Take apart cans and turn them into spikes. Take a lighter apart and use those metal bits. Steal safety pins from walmart.

Want/need to sew something? Yarn and a tapestry needle if you can't get/don't want to use dental floss. When sewing patches do a straight stitch around followed by a hobo stitch around again and that shit will stay forever. Alternatively pin patches on with safety pins, this works pretty well in a pinch

Fabric paint is your best friend!!! Start with a white base layer and the colors will be much more vibrant. Don't think you have painting skills? Doesn't matter, you're punk and you have the audacity to wear whatever you make with pride

Invest in a leather jacket. I don't mean in terms of money, I got mine at goodwill for ten bucks. But it will change your life. I recommend getting two: one to keep plain and one to diy. Also flannels are good for diy and can also be made into vests for warm weather very easily.

Both of these flannels I decorated myself in a matter of hours. If I can do it, so can you

Also! When you cut the sleeves off of a flannel you can use the extra fabric to make diy pockets :3

PART FOUR: Community and Conclusion

So this is kind of my close out section lol

I'm not sure what kind of discord communities exist for true punk culture, so if anyone has one they wanna promote feel free

Do some research on local punk bands in your area, get your friends together and diy outfits for a concert, or just to wear. The world is your punk oyster, and as long as you or other people aren't getting hurt you can do whatever you want forever

Plz use this post to find other punks so we can start gaining more community (I'm totally not desperate lol)

[torque-witch]

Meet the Witch - 2024 Edition

Honestly I have not introduced myself in a LONG time because I've had this account since 2014 ish - so in case there are new people here this can be a good reference point.

So hi, hello - this is me in 2024. You can call me Cara but most people here know me as Torque! My pronouns are They/Them and I am currently 32 and married. I live in Pittsburgh, PA.

Most people know me for my devotion to Hel, Norse goddess of Death and my art of her!

(My hair is a bit longer so I just pull it back - but I barely take pictures anymore. Anyhow -)

What's new?

Still chronically ill and disabled; in 2024 we are still recovering from medical trauma that induced two phobias, POTS-like symptoms and a mystery digestive issue that is probably the severe IBS my meds that caused the trauma were controlling.

I am currently and hopefully to stay fully self-employed after finally getting off my feet from said trauma that left me pretty house-bound for a year. Somewhere in there I got a job with a catering company that truly was terrorizing, never reported me for taxes and therefore fucked up my finance history.

But, in 2024 so far I have done a good amount of shows and toured again briefly with the Oddities & Curiosities Expo group in cities outside of PA and that was incredible! I grew a lot as an artist, and it really helped me to work through some of my phobias and continue to stabilize.

You can find my Etsy here but I am focusing most of my efforts on shows! It would be best to follow my Instagram to keep up with events and new products!

Otherwise I've just been focusing on adulting and trying to fix our finances so that we can actually buy a house someday (hopefully).

A fun fact is that I started listening to ATEEZ in mid-2023 and got to see them in concert in DC this year as a bday gift to myself. It was absolutely the most incredible thing I've ever experienced. They are PERFORMERS.

If you're still on the fence about listening to Kpop, you're missing out! I poo-pooed it for a long time as cringey, but ATEEZ has very progressive lyrics and most of the fan-base in real life are alternative women and enby's in their 20's and 30's. Seriously the most fun I've ever had.

Other than that if I need to state it again, this page is for representation and acceptance of all forms and hate will not be tolerated. It's impossible to write out all the ways that people can be hateful but basically don't be a nazi or phobic in any way.

Not much else happened this year except a bunch of small-town drama associated with said catering company (story time?) and shit with our previous landlord (we moved). I made some really good local friends that I'm so appreciative of, and joined a DnD campaign for the first time!

My character is Ashaf Tendara, an Arcana Cleric archeologist who accidentally found some ruins of Ubtao and now unfortunately because of one of the sessions, their way of spell-casting is just screaming T-rex noises for ten minutes straight (Ubtao is related to dinosaurs somehow). We've finally emerged from the poop dungeons in said campaign, and some of those interactions I've wrote down are truly incredible. My Mage Hand is also a spectral sticky hand. My husband's steel defender's name is Duke Poop'em because of said poop dungeons.

I also read manga, watch anime and still read young adult fantasy at my big age (Adult SciFi is sooooo dense omg but it just takes me longer lol) and watch cozy game and horror playthroughs on YouTube. I listen to podcasts a lot about the paranormal, true crime and reddit readings.

Basically I'm a chronically ill and online shut-in artist with some witchy stuff sprinkled up in there.

I hope that was exciting and super informative. If you have any questions please send them in!

-Torque

[silverfoxstole]

My latest creation: Anne Bearleyn!

I saw that they were selling bears with the cheat’s version of this kind of costume (one layer with all the bits attached rather than separate garments) at Hever Castle the other day and decided to have a go myself.

It was a bit of a learning curve as until now I’d only made miniature tailored garments, which if you know what you’re doing with the full-sized versions is quite straightforward; I’ve not sewn a Tudor gown of any description before so it took a bit of puzzling when I was drafting the patterns to work out what I needed and how best to go about it. She has a shift, kirtle with under-sleeves and an over-dress; the shift was fine but I wish I hadn’t chosen brocade for the kirtle. I’d forgotten how much it frays and had to cover the ends of the seam allowances with fabric glue in an attempt to stop it disintegrating! I actually made the gown twice as an attempt to line it with satin didn’t work, so now just the sleeves are lined as they’re the only bit of the inside on show. I thought I’d made them wide enough but once they’re turned up they’re quite snug and you can hardly see the brocade underneath which is slightly annoying after so much work. The French hood is made of felt with bead trim glued along the edges and I used more beads for the necklace with felt for the B.

Unfortunately the fur I used for all my other bears is no longer available so I had to look for an alternative, eventually getting some from a fabric shop on Etsy that looked like a good bet. It’s a very soft, strokeable fur but the pile is longer so the eyes disappear a bit, as does the embroidery thread I use for eyebrows and the mouth; next time I’ll use a darker thread and get slightly bigger eyes I think. It sheds like mad, too; by the time I’d finished everything was covered in fluff - including me - and I had to go and get the vaccuum cleaner!

Given my perfectionist tendencies at some point I may make her a better kirtle and gown but for now I’m pretty happy with the way she turned out.

[loving-n0t-heyting]

as someone who does sadly get most of their information through posts (looking to change that but also, busy and bad at reading) can you elaborate/explain the theory behind how artisians should be paid for their labor?

(disclaimer that i am not an expert, and also do not attribute to marx/engels the kind of prophetic status a lot of ppl on here do, but do know enough to spot some truly egregious eisegesis)

a big theme in marx/engels is the "socialisation of production" under capitalism; it comes up in capital, obviously, but also in a lot of shorter works, including eg socialism: utopian and scientific. it refers to the integration of formerly bespoke, domestic, individual productive labour into industrialised, public, mass production whose paradigm case is the industrial textile factory in contrast to women's household production of fabric goods. this is essential to capitalisms ability to reap the efficiency benefits of economies of scale, and to its formation of a large cohesive working class responsible for the tasks of production, while coming at the cost of making any given individual's level of contribution to overall output imprecise and illegible. it stands in contrast to medieval feudal production, in which it makes more sense to think of the labouring peasants as a large number of individualised workers whose productivity scales more or less linearly wrt man-hours of work

marx/engels dont see this process as essentially good per se; they clearly regard it as a very serious exacerbator of exploitation and class inequality. but it is for them bound up with the possibility of a communist transition: the efficiency and wide-scale social integration afforded by socialisation are an important part of what lays the groundwork for a transition to socialism/communism under an organised working class, and it is why socialism was hitherto at best a pious wish detached from economic reality. so in this sense capitalist socialisation is a (latently) revolutionary development, and opposition to it is reactionary

this marxist attachment to the socialisation of production goes hand in hand with a suspicion of peasants and small-scale artisans (both often falling under the reviled heading of "petite bourgeois"). theirs is a form of production incompatible with socialisation: insofar as they are peasants or small-scale artisans rather than proletarians, their way of life is inimical to mass, industrialised, divided labour, and thus is inherently reactionary. this was a source of major friction between marx/engels and other less "scientific" socialists of the time, such as proudhon, who saw in individual artisans a preferable alternative to industrial capitalist barons. and this why ppl talking about marx spinning in his grave over bespoke seamstress hobbyists getting paid poorly are being idiots: handwringing over the payment due to such small-scale, unsocialised producers is antithetical to his core revolutionary beliefs

now you shouldnt take this too seriously purely in and of itself. the fact marx said smth is not in its own right a great reason to believe it if yr not already committed to thinking he was the brilliantest most insightfulest economist ever to walk the earth. he wasnt a fucking oracle. and in particular a lot of the most annoying leftists on this site are eager to import into wholly inappropriate contexts (like bizarre shittings on etsy artists and patreon furry illustrators) sentiments at home in 19th cent. tirades against small textile merchants. but if yr going to invoke the name of one of historys most prominent political philosophers as some sort of socialist talisman its not a good look if you bungle the contents of his writings that badly