#thank you to hawberries

[wishthatiwasnessiesgirl]

thank you @hawberries for this incredible nie mingjue portrait!!! he’s so beautiful and i love him so much!

[butter-leopard]

Wanders: Week 16

Art by Rama Thorn

Words by Nicole Hawberry

You crouch for a drink at the river's edge. Something gleams under the surface, and you pull a pair of scissors from the water. You wipe them of muck to reveal sleek silver.

The scissors speak: "Thank you. Thank you for rescuing me. Take me with you, and you'll see, I'll come in handy. I can cut anything. Anything at all."

You think of the possibilities. Steel. Stone. Tendon and bone. Stars from the sky. The space between two destinations. The lonely hollow behind your heart. Breath from a body.

Carefully, politely--wisely--you turn down the offer and leave the scissors there on the soft earth of the riverbank.

(Previous, Next)

[issalesnunes]

Thank you @and-make-it-double

Last song: Sunlight - Hozier

Favorite color: I don't have a favorite color

Last movie/TV show: 911 (TV)

Sweet/spicy/savory?: spicy without a doubt

Relationship status: Single

Last thing I googled: The last thing I looked up was who invented the raincoat. And just for the record, it was a chemist called Charles Macintosh in 1824.

Current obsession: Fanfic - Ao3

Tag Nine People: @andatsea, @bamsara @cherriielle @danasauurr @eylulkalpliadam @foxyjoy-art @gesu-ko @hawberries @ikimaru @juniperarts

Nine people I'd like to get to know better

Tagged by @meghawhopp <33

Last song: Down by the River by Borislav Slavov from the Baldur’s Gate 3 Soundtrack (or more specifically the cover of Down by the River by Nerissa Ravencroft)

Favorite color: Blue and purple!

Last movie/TV show: Seinfeld, I’m currently on season four!

Sweet/spicy/savory?: I have a huge sweet tooth, so sweet things

Relationship status: Single

Last thing I googled: I searched up the show “Arthur” because I was trying to find that one meme where Buster was like “You really think someone would do that, just go on the internet and spread lies?”

Current obsession: Fragaria memories and tears of themis mostly^^

Tag Nine People: @kyaruun @xinieeee @deadmansbistro @florapot @hunita812 @scuffle-with-spirals @rexonalapis @maxellera @manicpixiedoomedgirl

[solacefruit]

68?

Hello there! Thank you for sending in an ask!

68. Are there any fics that influenced you to write the way you do?

This is such an interesting question! I'm much more a reader of published work than fanfiction, so I think that's been more of a formative influence overall.

But some of my favourite reading experiences of the last decade have been fanfiction and there's a couple of writers I very much admire and enjoy, and would be so delighted to be on their level, so I feel that counts enough!

The main ones for me are:

The Fisher-Prince & Lost Teeth Like White Jewels, both co-written by roachpatrol (aka Raymond Roach) + urbanAnchorite (aka Tamsyn Muir) -- I so enjoy the world they've created, the feel and cadence of their writing, the religion around the edges. Really delicious to read. One I will come back to ever now and then. I can recommend their other work also!

Good Omens series by gyzym (aka Dylan Morrison / dylan thyme on socials) was one of the first I found and really really loved when I was new to AO3 back in the way back when of about 2012-ish. I love that his writing was punchy and poetic, very restrained and elegant in ways that I hadn't come across in a fan-sense prior to then.

The work of Fahye (aka Freya Marske), but particularly her And All Things Nice + hood & glove (with hawberries, aka Phee, whose art I completely love) stand out in my mind as lovely pieces of writing.

[gurinn]

SOLD adopts

[dovedapple]

thinking about “you bring out the worst in me” “i like the worst in you”

[joyfulpocketninja]

@hawberries Thank you for the Tutu buttons! I got them safely and they are now a part of the beginnings of a Princess Tutu itabag.

[fritesandfries]

Tanghulu (Fruit Sticks)

Thank you Karo® Syrup for sponsoring this post. Celebrate sweet moments together with Karo®!

You might be familiar with caramel or candied apples, but meet Tanghulu! This Northern Chinese treat is versatile for many different kinds of fruit. It’s traditionally made with a fruit called hawberry or hawthorn, which are like tiny apples. And similar to caramel apples, you get that sweet, sticky exterior except each bite is crunchy and it doesn’t stick to your teeth. I love the contrast of biting into Tanghulu with softer fruits like strawberries and grapes. Grapes are a particular favorite of mine because the sugar sticks to them so well. They end up looking like glass blueberries. The smooth texture of my Tanghulu recipe is made possible because of the sugar mixture it is dipped in. The key ingredient? Karo Syrup.

You might already know of Karo Syrup, because it is in so many classic American treats: marshmallows, fudges, caramels, pies, and scotcheroos...the list goes on. In a commercial kitchen, chefs often use it so they can produce all those treats at scale. I depend on its versatility to balance the sweetness and smoothen the textures of desserts. For this dessert, it allows the flavors of the fruit to shine through.

This recipe makes enough for about a pound of fruit -- I used a mix of cut apricots, oranges, grapes, berries, and kiwi. I highly encourage and recommend experimenting with Tanghulu using different kinds of fruits -- it’s such a fun dessert to make with older kids but it can be a visual showstopper for cocktails and other desserts.

Before we dive into the recipe, here are materials you’ll need:

Bamboo skewers: I used shorter 6-inch skewers. You can use longer ones for barbecue, but just add more fruit. Make sure that the stick is thick enough to withstand the weight of all the fruit.

Candy thermometer: there are ways around using a candy thermometer but this is an important and helpful tool for accuracy.

Saucepan: do not use non-stick pans since many of them are not built for high heat and candy making. (This is technically candy-making!)

Cold stone surface or ceramic bowls: You’ll need something to rest your dipped fruit. You also do not want to use materials with porous surfaces -- like wood -- that allows the Tanghulu to stick to it.

Now onto the recipe!

For 6 servings:

1 pound assorted prepared fruit, peeled and/or sliced

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup

3 tablespoons water

Using bamboo skewers, skewer all of your fruit, filling the skewer half way. Set aside. If you do not have a cold stone surface to work on, use bowls: Sprawl out enough bowls for your skewers, enough to place the skewers around the edge so they do not touch. You will need this to rest your dipped fruit on. I prefer bowls because I can lean the stick against the edge of the bowl without risking it sticking to a surface.

In a saucepan, add the sugar, Karo Syrup, and water together. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue boiling until the syrup reaches 300°F-310°F degrees on the candy thermometer, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you do not have a candy thermometer, the sugar mixture should turn hard when you dip some into cold water.

Turn off the heat and quickly, dip a skewer into the sugar mixture until it is coated. Rest it back onto your stone surface or against a bowl. Repeat. For softer fruits like orange segments, hold the skewer close to the surface of the hot sugar mixture and spoon on the mixture.

Let the sugar coating cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes, before enjoying it.

Find inspiration for your next cooking project from Karo® Foodservice.

[dimpledpran]

Thank you to all the incredible content creators who made 2021 slightly easier to deal with!

Fave MDZS Blogs @mdzsnet . @theuntameddaily . @fytheuntamed . @mdzsartreblogs . @mxtxnet​ . @mdzs-language-fest​ .

Fave MDZS Gifsets/Edits @agendratum : x @aheartfullofjolllly : x x x x  @bang-won : x @carolineeforbes : x @cherryysundae : x @cloudylotus : x x x  @fengqing : x x x x x  @gusucloud : x @hanguangjaan : x x x x x x  @hanguangjunn : x @highwarlockkareena : x x x x x x x x  @hleonaa : x  @inessencedevided : x x x  @jiangwanyin : x @lanwangiji : x x x x x x x x x  @lanyuan : x @lanzhanshands : x @lanzhansmiles : x x x  @lan-xichens : x x x x  @louzhan : x   @maikhiwi00 : x  @manhasetardis : x x x x x x x x x x x   @nyx4 : x x x  @purplexedhuman : x x x   @rose-nebulijia : x @rinielle : x x @sarawatsaraleo : x @sobichen : x @suibianjie : x x x x  @susuwatari-kompeito : x @theheartofthekoko : x x  @valarinde : x  @wanyinxichen : x x x   @warmday : x x   @weiwuxian : x x x x  @wuyus : x x x x x x x x x x x    @wuxien : x x  @yibo-wang : x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x @zelkam : x

Fave MDZS Fanart @aikakuu : x @alightbuthappypen : x @aoxue : x @bluestrawberrypaint : x @candicewright : x x x x x    @dual-mayhem : x @grapesoddaart : x @hawberries : x @iaquo0 : x @inyourorangeshirt : x @isawjamesfirst : x @jengarie : x x @mikasbees : x @nathengyn : x @palehorsemen : x @rinamyeon : x @sketchyscribbles : x @thatgothsamurai : x x @the-pudding-is-a-lie : x x @zazrichor : x @zelkams-art : x x x x 

Fave MDZS Fanfic Tremble A Prayer a light hidden and singing A Mother’s Curse (A Mother’s Blessing) Tis The Damn Season Emergency Husband speak to me in a language I can feel a lotus blooms in caiyi Goodbye, dreams in a river you wade slipping secrets, skipping stones he gets under your skin 

[marcipancake]

AHHHH IN COLOUR!!! SO PRETTY!!!

I really love your sakuatsu it just sjxhsksjab inspires me again for them xjshkisbs

felt kind of sad lately, but this has also meant that i was too busy to also feel shame, so here’s whatever this is. please accept it.

[gif 1 is a chibi looping animation of atsumu with fox ears and tail, sleeping on a desk. sakusa, behind him, gently pokes his ear to make it flick, then glances away and blushes. gif 2 is a line animation of atsumu sitting cross-legged on the ground, again with fox features; he pricks his ears up as if in excitement, then lays them back affectionately and wags his tail.]

[allisas]

Hawberry End - CC Free

I’ve finally ended my builder’s block and finished a new build! This build was done as part of @saurussims‘ 12th Box Challenge. I often find myself overwhelmed by the possibilities of a blank lot and doing shell or box challenges is a great way to get some restrictions to both inspire and challenge me as a builder. I can’t recommend them enough! They work wonders both for unexperienced and experienced builders and you can also submit them and get them toured on a stream if you want, super rewarding! It’s win all around! 😄

The Hawberry's have finally moved in to the house of their dreams! It's spacious and modern with a cozy, yet stylish interior. And the backyard is an oasis of its own with the generous pool, the small florist/wine storage house and cozy barbecue area. With 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms this house has everything a family of four could ever need. Take a look inside! 

The house has been playtested.

Info: Price: §162 357 (furnished) §50 986 (unfurnished) Lot Size: 40x40 Lot Traits: Homey, Good Schools, Fast Internet Location: It's A Good House, Brindleton Bay

Used Packs:

EP’s: All of them GP’s: Outdoor Retreat, Spa Day, Dine Out, Parenthood, Jungle Adventure, StrangerVille, Realm of Magic, Journey to Batuu SP’s: Perfect Patio, Cool Kitchen, Spooky, Romantic Garden, Kids Room, Backyard, Vintage Glamour, Bowling, Fitness, Toddler, Laundry Day, My First Pet, Moschino, Tiny Living, Paranormal Kits: Country Kitchen, Courtyard Oasis

Download at the Gallery: Origin ID - Allisasims or #Allisas Download Tray-files: Simfileshare

PS. Extra thanks to TwistedMexi for the wonderful T.O.O.L and Better BuildBuy mods which makes building a much more pleasant and fun experience! You can find these awesome mods here!

[iturbide]

@banyanas happy birthday I bound your fic

Sometime in the past couple years I came across @armoredsuperheavy‘s guide for How to Make a Book from an AO3 Page, detailing everything from the specifics of formatting a fic for print to actually making the physical book out of it -- and ever since, I’ve been pondering the idea of giving it a try.  I never quite had the time or resources to dedicate to it, but it’s been on my mind for a long time now.

Then last fall I came across @eat0crow‘s related guide on How to Bind a One-Shot, and since that seemed like a much more realistic intro project, I decided it was time to give it a shot. 

Send the Scourge, Send the Swarm is a hugely important fic for me: it’s what set my brain on fire and got me writing for the Promare fandom in the first place, and while I haven’t finished anything yet, the sequel to this particular piece is near and dear to my heart and 100% guaranteed to be my magnum opus for the fandom; since it’s such a short work, clocking in at just under 6k words, the one-shot format seemed just right for it.  I spent last winter and the beginning of this year getting supplies together (including a roll of the glorious Kakusei washi tape from @hawberries), doing some experiments, formatting the text, figuring out the process by trial and error...and my first round of experiments is finally done!

I ended up making four copies for testing purposes.  The covers are hand-lettered with paint markers in the style of the Promare movie logo (I used an online Promare Title Generator to get the look right and then printed it at the correct scale to use as a guide); inside text is 10 pt Garamond for the work itself, with a combination of Bomber Escort Condensed and Just in the Firestorm for titles/chapters/headings.  I’ve changed over the horizontal line break from the fic to use a triangle format (because, y’know, Promare) with a bit of Zalgo text modification creeping in, bound it with pink and teal embroidery floss (had to have the Promare colors), and covered the stitching on the spine with washi tape to complete the look.

This was a super fun project and I’m really looking forward to playing with it more in the future.  But most of all, happy birthday Bany and thank you for writing this incredible piece that I love with all my heart 💖

[piosplayhouse]

Ok I'm done reading for tonight!! Thank you for accompanying me on my journey! Excited to hopefully pick up tomorrow :-)

I also just have to plug the bookmark I'm using for this, which is by @/hawberries and available here! (Also peep one of their prints in the background haha). It's super cute and I'm absolutely in love with the sparkle effect, 10/10 enhances my reading experience tenfold.

[agendratum]

my goodies from @hawberries arrived!! thank you so much! everything is so nice and pretty ;-;

also the australian poststamps are so cute o:

[summerstormsandnoodles]

Waaaaaaaaah these came in today they are so gorgeous thank you so much @hawberries

Everyone go get yours here

[eohachu]

RULES: When your work is tagged, show the process of its creation from planning to posting, then tag 5 people with a specific link to one of their creative works you’d like to see the process of. Use the tag #showyourprocess so we can find yours!

I was tagged by Aamna @yibobibo to show the process for this gifset. Thank you so much kleine Maus 🧡 Thank you for showing us your own process!!

Thank you also to @lan-xichens @suibianjie @highwarlockkareena @nyx4 and @aheartfullofjolllly​ for starting this amazing project 🥰

Let’s get right into it, shall we:

Planning

I never do much planning. Maybe I should tho... I had this set in mind ever since I first saw that WenZhou scene in episode 32. The intimacy instantly reminded me of the two other scenes I included in this set. For some reason there’s always That Scene That Hits Me in danmei live adaptations!!

At first I had planned to do 6 separate gifs but I didn’t like the format so I decided to try overlays! It was my first time blending two gifs together. I think it turned out quite fine.

So I looked for the respective scenes, cut them into clips, and put them through Avisynth. I decided to go quite big so I chose a dimension of 540x400. (Usually my gifs are 540x370.)

I save all the clipped out scenes in a folder inside the folders for the respective dramas.

Creating

So, for the first gif I first imported the two clips separately. Then I deleted the extra frames for each one and sharpened them (also separately). For sharpening I use this action that includes converting them into smart objects. I mostly use the “Sharpening V1″ option, sometimes if it looks good also “Sharpening V2″.

Now I duplicated the Yunlan part of the gif (left side) onto the Shen Wei part. I tried the “Lighten” blending mode like HanYi explained in her tutorial, but it wasn’t right for what I had in mind lol. So I simply set the blending mode back to normal and added a mask to one of the gifs:

And I blacked out the area where I wanted the underlying gif to show up. So now it looks like this:

A bit sad, isn’t it? So in the next step I went through my usual colouring process: Brightness/Contrast, Curves, Levels (sometimes I use them, sometimes I don’t), Vibrance, Selective Color, Hue/Saturation. The biggest problem was to make the skin color vibrant but not too yellow or pink (somehow I always ended up with either of these).

(I’ll be honest, I don’t usually change this much. I don’t normally touch whites and neutrals at all. It’s just that this gif was pretty difficult to colour ksfhsdkjf)

This is what it looks like now:

I definitely wanted to include typography here, which is also something I did for the first time heh. So I’m sure there’s easier ways to do this but alas, here is how I did it:

I added a text layer and typed in the quote. I wanted to go for something simple so I turned to the good ol’ Verdana font. I wanted it to look like a box, so I played around with the space bar and manually adjusted the spaces between letters which you can do where the little VA symbol is:

After I was done with all my gifs (lmao) I decided I wanted to add the quote in hanzi too, as a transparent layer in the background. So I looked up the quotes in Chinese, pasted them into another text layer and set the blending mode to soft light. I also played around with font size and spaces. The font I used is one of PS’s pre-installed ones called FZShuTi.

Added the watermark, and done!! Then I repeated basically the same process for the other two scenes, except that I didn’t need to blend two gifs together for the last one. I had to adjust the layers for colouring individually since they are three different shows with different lighting, setting, and colouring and I wanted it to look at least a bit consistent (🥵).

Special thanks to Kareena who helped me point out some problems I had!!

Posting:

Yeah so I’m pretty impatient when it comes to posting but I queued this one to post in the evening as I do for most of my content. I loaded the gifs into a photo post, added an ID and the Darwish quote. It was quite difficult to find a quote that fit all of these pairings but that one hit me in the face (Mahmoud pls....).

Added the names of the shows and the episode numbers, plus a link to the set that finally convinced me to make this hehe (thank u Aamna).

D O N E !

Tagging:

@aikakuu​ and this piece of art (srsly one of my favourite XingChen pieces out there ;-;)

@yutaan​ and this lil Wen Ning!!

@hawberries​ and this piece that took me out

 @shuang-hua​ and these babies (i know it’s watercolour so no pressure if it’s difficult to make a show-your-process post!!)

@weiwuxian​ and the juniors <3 (listen my lack of planning is why i could never do this)