#the way i keep recycling this old photo for everything

[hyallulonelyhime]

Hyahime presents: That time when a jsk became an ironing board cover..

Today i'm sharing a classic from cgl many of you have definitely heard about: The ironing board fiasco. The story of a girl, her dad's fiance and many feels.

Everything started when OP shared this image and said the following:

Due to some unusual circumstances, I'm currently living in a partially-renovated house with my dad and his fiancé.

His fiancé is a very sweet lady who is very thrifty. She makes all her own clothes and and will usually find a practical use for something, rather than throw it out (i.e recycling old bottles and jars to pot plants).

I had a Baby The Stars Shine Bright Strawberry and Cherry Ruffle jumperskirt that I didn't wear anymore, so I was planning to sell it. From memory, it cost about $400.

I put it out in the main room next to a pile of clothes I planned to donate to Good Sammies, so I'd remember to take photos of it for the sale. I then went away for a week to visit my grandparents

When I came back, I noticed the pile of clothes had disappeared. Cool, my dad and/or his fiancé had donated them for me. But wait… Where was the jumperskirt?

It was then that I saw the sight portrayed in the uploaded. My dress had been cut up to to make an ironing board cover and a tablecloth. I don't know where the rest of the material is.

It appeared that my dad's fiancé had assumed the jumperskirt was part of the donation pile, and thought there was no harm in 'recycling' it for her own uses. In her efforts to pretty up the concrete-y wasteland of a house, she had unknowingly destroyed an expensive brand dress.

Literally the only thing I could do in that moment was stare blankly. I can't even be mad at her, she had no idea.

So now I have a BTSSB ironing board and table cloth.

the story immediately caught the attention of users as they scrolled. Some found it terrible, others couldn't help but laugh..

Though some were quick to say it must've been fake.

So.. did OP fake this for attention? Let's investigate.

It is very unlikely the fabric was gathered from a replica, judging by the print details and the fact that this isn't a very sought-after or popular piece you'd see everywhere.

But how did one dress result in so much fabric? Although it looks like a lot, one anon pointed this out:

But she knew she'd get the attention, right? ...yes, but I don't think anyone would come up with this specific odd way to recycle a lolita piece and make the community react.

OP responded to the questions and thoughts with the following:

At this point, some anons were pretty much just fighting over if it's okay for OP to be so calm or not. Which.. is a little bit weird. Others were more emotional about this than the victim themselves.

But what you may not know is.. there's more. There's more to the Kawaiironing fiasco.

Op comes back.

I queried the whereabouts of the remaining material and she showed me. She said my dad told her I was "throwing them out" (I have no idea where he drew that conclusion as i specifically said I was donating a bunch of clothes, so at the very least he should have assumed I was, you know, donating them), so she thought it was fine to cut up. My fault anyway, didn't separate the "sell" pile from the "donate" pile. HOWEVER… There were a few other brand dresses I was planning to sell. I assumed they had been donated with the rest of my clothes, as they were nowhere to be found. I was a little sad about that (they were valuable Angelic Pretty, BBSTB and Metamorphose), but oh well. Then I looked in her material bag and found they had also been cut up… When dad said I was "throwing THEM" out, he did not state a plural by accident… Pics to follow.

If anyone wants individual versions of those pics lemme know.

The loli gods frown upon me today for my unbecoming carelessness in handling burando.

Op decided to keep the truth a secret: ignorance is bliss, and her stepmother did not deserve to feel the guilt of ruining so much burando.. or to know that so many lolitas were in shambles knowing about her crafts.

..Although, anons said this wouldn't stop her from doing it again. Maybe she should know so she doesn't cut up even more dresses.

One thing is certain. that's a really cute ironing board cover. Maybe the fabric could become even more random burando stuff: headbows, little makeup bags, cup coasters, mats.. oven mitts?

Lolita home goods for all! we demand a cute life!(✧∀✧)/

[sixty-silver-wishes]

Roasting you based on your favorite of these German Expressionist films

(this post is a joke; don't take it too seriously lol)

Metropolis: You've got spicy political opinions and daddy issues. You were doing great in life until you found out how corrupt capitalism is sometime in high school or college, and it's absolutely mind-boggling to you that nobody else is batting an eyelid at all the injustices of the world because they're too busy defending the concept of a 40-hour work week. You're constantly checking your privilege and everyone else's, too. Or you just want to bang a robot. That's probably it.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari: Okay, I could make a joke about you being emo, or you liking the most basic film on the list, but that's not really the issue here. Your Hot Topic fashion sense and shitty drugstore eyeliner are nowhere near as concerning as the fact that you have no idea who the hell you are without them. You constantly overthink everything and are great at solving everyone's problems but your own, and you're averaging like 4 hours of sleep on a good night. You can't get your intrusive thoughts to leave you alone and if you relate to literally any character in this film, you need to get help. It's okay; I promise your therapist doesn't secretly hate you.

M: You're a surprisingly sweet and empathetic person for someone whose favorite film on this list is about a child murderer. You care deeply about others and are very much in tune with yourself, but unfortunately, everything you say is so off-putting that most people don't get that vibe about you. If they actually gave you a chance, they'd find that you have a great personality, but they don't, so instead you're stuck at home stalking your ex's vacation photos on social media.

Dr. Mabuse the Gambler: You like the finer things in life. You're high-maintenance, your tastes are classy and expensive, and you actually know how wine tasting works. However, you're way too into conspiracy theories and pyramid schemes for your own good, and your cultured proclivities are deeply undercut by the fact that you probably got into Bitcoin when that was a thing. Your two career paths are either "businessperson" or "cult leader," and it's concerningly difficult to discern which one you're on.

Nosferatu: Your sense of humor relies entirely on recycling memes that are at least a decade old, and the fact that you communicate nearly entirely in pop culture references is your attempt at disguising the fact that you're really bad at socializing. You think you have lots of great ideas that make perfect sense, but most people don't know what the hell you're going on about. However, you've got one or two ride or die friends who love you for who you are, cringe and all. Keep being you, Nosferatu fan. Never change.

The Student of Prague: I'm not sure this one is actually anyone's favorite film, but if this was yours, you were into shipping the Onceler with himself when that was a thing. You're super competitive, but you have a tendency to overwork yourself and burn out quickly, so now you're living off of Top Ramen and protein bars. People love to tell you that you "have potential" and "just need to apply yourself," but what they don't get is that you're stressed 24/7 and won't give yourself a break because you're trying so hard to satisfy your own impossible standards. Please take a nap.

Der Golem: You're great with children, small animals, and potted plants, but that's because literally anyone else you have to deal with fucking pisses you off. The absolute audacity of everyone around you means you're never not two seconds away from throwing hands, but honestly? You're always right and you should say it. You're actually a really nice person, but people keep pushing you to your limit and you're sick of it. On an unrelated note, you probably work in customer service.

Different from the Others: If this is your favorite film and you're a member of the LGBT community, that's perfectly understandable. It was a monumental achievement in LGBT cinema in the early 20th century and, despite being somewhat dated by today's standards due to the time period it was created in, largely holds up as an educational, yet tragic, piece of cinema. That being said, if you're a straight/cis/allo person and this is your favorite film, what is going on with you. I want to study you in a lab. How did you find this film. Come to think of it, how did you even get into German Expressionist cinema to begin with. I just want to know

Der Januskopf: [REDACTED]

Genuine: You're a "Caligari" fan who doesn't want to seem basic like the rest of the "Caligari" fans, so somehow you ended up here. You don't actually like this film aside from the visuals. Nobody actually likes this film. You want so, so badly to like this film, so you lie to yourself, just like you do about everything else.

[houseofbrat]

As someone who works in PR I am ASTONISHED at how bad Kensington Palace is at all of this. It’s the most interesting part of the whole thing for me. Well that, and how much it seemingly vindicates H&M and Harry in particular in what he’s said about the firm and the media’s role in protecting the Heir at all costs.

Yeah I work in PR for a public company and anytime we want to put something out we have to run it up the chain - we need legal and Investor relations and executive approvals.

Even if KP and BP had their individual PR teams, which makes sense, there should still be one main central PR office that everyone answers to that manages the entire royal families PR, makes sure schedules and press opportunities and STRATEGY AND MESSAGING all aligns, before running up the chain for final approvals. There’d be a social team and a crisis team and government relations team and a branding team and a general “talent rep” kind of team, all working in tandem to serve the overall strategy for the royal family.

The fact that there are so many cooks in so many different kitchens is why the royal family has had so many PR disasters honestly for decades now. They’re truly doing it all wrong. So many Worst Practices here, not Best Practices.

It really doesn't seem like there is an overall PR team. Just the separate entities

Yeah and that’s the problem IMO. They are a business that should be run like a business. They should have the individual departments I suggested, and even more, working in tandem.

The fact that there are so many separate entities with different agendas and priorities is a huge part of their problem IMO.

But Charles has been transparent for the most part!! And photographed repeatedly. It’s so bizarre when compared to KP, and feels passive aggressive to me to be honest lolol.

They’re really so so so bad at this 😭😭😭😭 but the British public and the media lets them get away with it 🙃🙃🙃

For heaven’s sake. If she’s recovering nicely, why resort to recycling old photos?

Other sources are making a pretty good case for the fact that it’s a November photo, taken after Catherine and the children visited the baby bank.

Does nobody, and I mean nobody, know how to do PR in that place anymore? Now it's pin all of this on just-recovering-from-abdominal-surgery Kate? Why not on William since they were so proud about how he was the one that took the photo? Somehow they keep making everything ten times worse.

I’m sorry, but I don’t believe for a second that Kate personally edited that photo together in such a way that it had to be killed as inauthentic. The pulling of the photo is likely more about the refusal to provide metadata or the raw image for proof rather than silly Photoshop choices. That isn’t an issue of “mummy going wild on the computer,” it’s a larger organizational issue about trust, transparency, and KP’s overall poor approach to news orgs and the press lately.

Why is Kate taking the fall? Why is William such a lout to let an ill Kate put this on her own shoulders rather than admit KP made an error or say KP is going to reevaluate their practices and make a change?

Are college interns running Palace p.r.? Because I cannot understand how they're botching this so badly. If Kate couldn't/wouldn't pose for a legit photo, then just don't release anything. The Royals are basically dumping tankers of gas on the inferno by playing all these games. 

Sorry, am I going insane? After saying they wouldn’t respond to these conspiracy theories, they

a) responded by putting out a doctored image,

b) responded to the backlash of doctored image by claiming the woman recovering from a medical issue was playing around in Photoshop, and

c) responded to the backlash of editing claims by putting out an image where the person in the photo is supposed to be Kate but could LITERALLY BE ANYBODY.

NONE OF YOU ARE FINDING THIS WEIRD? NONE?!

"Kate's Back"

Well, it is indeed a picture of Kate's back

Apparently the main symptom of her mysterious medical condition is that any photo with her in it immediately becomes grainy, blurry, or with people's wrists trying to escape into a fifth dimension.

Good Lord, I haven't followed a disaster story this closely since Oceangate Titan and this one may be even worse. The narrative is out of control and the rules have gone out the window.

They already lost control of the narrative at this point. No matter what they do now, they will be scrutinized more than they've ever been before. And they seem grossly unprepared for it.

She’s not even facing camera, how is this supposed to help? This just feeds the conspiracy theorists! headdesk

It's becoming a PR nightmare that only Olivia Pope can rescue.

Maybe the better question is that people are concerned about Kate's welfare, and most WERE okay with waiting under the timeline KP initially offered that is she will likely return by or after Easter.

However KP has mismanaged the messaging, and with that concern grows over how weird some of the updates are. The article explains why this medical time out is turning into an absolute PR crisis. It isn't so much about Kates right to medical privacy (she definitely deserves that )

It now is about institutional reliability, the heir William's arguably erratic or unusual behavior or his courtiers' comments, the mess with the all kill photoshopped/Frankensteined photo (which has never happened before with a palace released photo), the very different approaches from BP vs KP, etc etc. It's become bigger than Kate sad to say.

And ultimately now people are worried for her, in a way they wouldn't have been, because things have become so irregular and bungled. So the urgency to make sure she is safe and okay has become louder and more insistent.

“CNN is now reviewing all handout photos previously provided by Kensington Palace.”

“In editorial photography, photojournalists and editors commonly adjust a photograph’s exposure or color balance in order to more accurately reflect the scene. Most news organizations, including CNN, regard it as unacceptable to move, change or manipulate the pixels of an image. To do so would alter the reality of the situation the image is intended to document.”

“In the past, the family’s amateur photographs have been well received when posted on social media. But on this occasion, this photo was also released to media organizations as a handout and the palace wasn’t transparent about the fact it had been adjusted.

That will have damaged the trust between the palace and media organizations – many of which, like CNN, will likely be assessing all royal handouts. The editing storm has undermined the existing relationship and when public interest over any possible cover up escalates, as it has done recently, many news outlets will now have take that speculation more seriously.”

[alarrytale]

Like what is a problem to show us how creative or funny he is or what he’s interested in right now that he can’t do it himself and he has to have an army of people talking and prayising him in interviews/podcasts.

I think the problem is that during 1D EVERY SINGLE DETAIL about their life was made public and therefore they keep anything way more private now, which I totally understand and support. I’m here for their music, not to know what they do in their free time.

And this doesn’t just apply to Harry and Louis, what about Niall? Besides that he loves gold (that’s part of his brand at this point), which personal stuff does he share with us these days? Not much I’ll say.

We have their baby photos, their birth times, their old schoolteacher stories etc. everything from they were born to 2016 was made public, I get why they don’t want to share more than they have to these days. They don’t owe it to us! If that’s important to like their music, then I guess we need to find artists who share their personal life and support them instead.

Hi, anon!

I guess you and i just fundamentally disagree on some things. Because i don't see it as "every single detail of their life were made public" as if they had no choice, gave no consent, as if they didn’t share this willingly and happily, and as if they didn’t want people to get to know them. And it's not true that every single detail of their life were made public. Most of what we know about them has come directly from them and are of little importance or significance. We know Harry has four nipples, but we don’t know if he recycles or how guilty he feels when travelling on private jets. If there is something they don't want out there and to become public knowledge, it won't. There are so many steps they can take to ensure their privacy if they really want and need it.

Also, these people are famous, celebrities with narcissistic tendencies. You have to be, to be at that level of celebrity. They use their private life as tabloid fodder, they thrive on attention and their friends and family benefit from the associated fame as well, so it's in their own interest to share much of their life with the public. Attention and recognition boost their egos, and they're exhibitionist. The only thing they care to hide from the public are the things that will hurt their image. So it's more about image control, reputation control and brand management than it is about privacy.

When it comes to their sexuality and real relationship, they are closeted. They're not keeping this private because they want to protect it and make a divide between work (what they show the public) and their private life. It's simply because they aren’t allowed to show the world they love each other. Considering how they've tried to tell us for 15 years now, in different shapes and forms, that they love each other and are together, it isn't about privacy at all.

When it comes to Harry, i think a part of his image is to try to show him as someone who's not desperate for attention and fame, who loves to be pictured, recognised in the streets and speculated about, but as someone who is so famous and cool, people just can't leave him alone when he wants to be left alone. But in reality, these are set up situations to make them seem like a breach of privacy and to push how popular he is. Hussell is a good example of how his team framed it as a private relationship, that they tried to keep from the public, but just couldn’t because of the fame of the two people involved. We know that's all bullshit. Also, H being annoyed at paps when he and JC were biking on the citrus fruit bikes. As if it wasn't a PR opportunity, a PR deal, and that he wasn't the one who called the paps.

If Harry wants privacy he has a funny way of going about things. Harry isn't a particular private person, he doesn't care to keep his own business private, but he has to keep his sexuality and relationship private, because he's closeted. What we don’t know about H is due to him having an image to uphold and a brand to manage. It's not about privacy.

Btw. In future, it would be very helpful to me if you could link the quote you're quoting, because i can't remember everything my anons say and the context of which it was said. I answer way too many anons about a hundred topics at once to know every anon. Thanks!

[a-tale-never-told]

Nagito's Investigations

Hope's Peak Nurse's office, September 11, 2012, 11:30am.

How's she doing, Tsumiki. Is she going to be alright?

*The rest of the gang were gathered around the bed, where Chiaki is currently lying in the hospital bed, completely motionless and her body covered by a white blanket, with her head being the exception. Nagito, in all of this, slowly takes the file out of his jacket*

Oh, um... H-her vital signs are normal, as she's B-breathing normally. H-However, I f-fear that she will have to s-sleep the whole day just to get some r-rest from all of that sleep deprivation she has.

I understand. Thanks for keeping me posted. Let me know when she wakes up, okay?

Okay, Nagito. We brought Chiaki to the bed in order to help her recover, just like you asked. And now it's time to tell us the truth: What's in the file and how did you even find it in the first place?

Ah, the file? Very well, then. I guess I could tell you everything that I know since you did uphold your end of the deal, and I figured you needed to know anyway about this. So it all started when I was on my way to find the prescribed medicine Hanamura requested. It was about this time that I was already on the Fourth Floor of the academy, on my little detour...

_____________________________________________

*whistles*

*As Komaeda starts walking down the hallways of the Fourth floor, he starts to whistle Jingle Bells while closing his eyes, albeit opening one to see clearly, he stops in the front of the hallway, seeing an entrance to the office of the Headmaster of Hope's Peak. Curious, he opens his eyes and stops whistling to open the door, only to find it locked.*

Locked... I should've guessed that our beloved headmaster wouldn't be so idiotic as to leave the front entrance open to any would-be intruders.

Luckily for me, I have this valuable object with me at all times! *takes out a makeshift lockpick made out of recycled metal * Now then! Time to work.

*Once he takes out the pick, he starts to put it in the keyhole and starts to pick at it hard. Eventually, the lock is opened and Nagito calmly opens the door to head inside the now-empty office. Inside the office is a desk that is currently empty on the front, except for one photo of the headmaster holding an infant white-haired girl in his arms, smiling. Komaeda, taking a quick glance at the picture, ignores it and heads to the front desk, where he proceeds to open the drawer, containing a photo of the girl, now aged up to be 12 years old, a few coins, and pens, and of course, a folder holding a paper inside of it. Seeing it, Komaeda grabs the folder and starts to open it*

Alright Headmaster Kirigiri, let us inspect and see what you are trying to hide in-

!!

*Upon looking at the file, Komaeda reels his head back in shock, amazed as to what he found in the folder. Blinking his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things, he saw a picture of a familiar brown-haired teen with a stoic yet annoyed expression and a familiar name from before. Inside the file are his name, date of birth, hobbies, interests, parent's names, and the most important thing to Komaeda, his status in the school and biography*

Well, I certainly was not expecting this! Haha! Now, let's just see who you truly are behind that exterior of yours, Hajime Hinata...

_____________________________________________

So when I opened the file, I could've never believed that I would even see this man again. Curious, I decided to investigate it more to see what I could find about Hinata and what he is, and what I found was... truly something that invoked my ire deeply.

Do you all remember the assignment that Miss Yukizome gave us a while back last week? Just before the academy was closed due to the murder of Mr Simmons?

Yeah, it was something about that we had to do a presentation of an important topic or event that happened in history, and that we would present it in class. We would use all available resources to complete the assignment, and we had to submit it by the end of the week.

Correct! Whilst everyone else was studying with the textbooks from the school, I decided to head for a more alternative solution. So I simply called Fuyuhiko and asked him to drop me off at the Kyoto National Library, so I could get my research from the history books for the assignment. As I was approaching the history section of the library, I came across this strange fellow in front of me in the same section and area as I, sitting down at a desk, inspecting a book that he had with him.

Curious, I went to check up on him, and from there, the conversation started. He simply told me his name, and how he dreamed of going to Hope's Peak Academy, which I can genuinely see why considering that we both wanted to be accepted into Hope's Peak and become a part of some significant event. However, I did not have a lot of time to talk to him as I shortly afterward grabbed all of my books and left the library.

Y'know, I wanted to give Hinata the benefit of the doubt, considering that I had my suspicions about him being in the talentless filth that is the Reserve Course, as well as considering the simple factor that he seemed absolutely genuine about being accepted into Hope's Peak, which is rather the exact same feelings I possessed back then during my first time at Hope's Peak. But after analyzing the contents of the file and reading every single piece of dialogue, my perception of him has significantly changed and I finally now know the truth about him.

The sheer, unmitigated truth is that Hajime Hinata is nothing more than worthless talentless trash and simply isn't even worthy of being an Ultimate! He is a liar and manipulates people just so he can advance his own position at the top and is insignificant compared to the talented people, the ones who truly contribute to society and spread true hope!

There are two kinds of people in this world that are definitive in life, based on their status in this despair-ridden world: Those who are talented, as those who are with talent, don't just become talented, they are simply born into that lifestyle of abilities and glamour, and then there are people who are worthless to society, the ordinary people that do not possess talent, and contribute nothing to humanity's advancement. Those who try to succeed with effort and time are nothing more than worthless trash, and no matter how hard they try to succeed, it will all be worthless in the end, as they cannot be compared to someone who was born into success and has the capabilities and abilities that are far superior to any lowly, ordinary human.

Hinata is one of those ordinary people, except actually far more than all of them worse as not only is he a talentless piece of trash, but also wants to spend time with the Ultimates simply to suck up and feel happy and secure about himself. Everything about his motivations and reasons for going to Hope's Peak is nothing more than worthless garbage, as he simply does not put in the work to actually achieve or strive for success, he simply complains about how he has no talent and that he is incapable about his skills as a talentless individual in this society, instead of actually trying to change that.

I completely understand that I am nothing more than self-righteous, hypocritical trash who rants about hope, but at least I worked to get where I am today! Sure, I had my luck to back me up, but the majority of the time, I tried to control and gain some reign over my talents as an Ultimate and actually contribute and give something noteworthy and valuable to this academy, despite my personal issues. But as for this worthless, talentless, insecure loser, all he ever contributes to society is just constantly whining about his lack of talent and trying to be somebody, but failing miserably in the process. And what makes this man so pathetic and miserable to look at is the fact that he didn't even pay for his own tuition fee for Hope's Peak, but rather his own parents paid for him instead.

How tremendously and utterly embarrassing is that?! To have your own parents basically, pay your tuition fee to enter you into Hope's Peak Academy? In the end, he never ended up in the Main course as he dreamed of, but rather alongside the other worthless, talentless trash in the Reserve Course, so all of his parent's hard work and effort simply translated into failure. I honestly feel ashamed for his parents, to give birth to a talentless, worthless son who contributes and does nothing of valuable use for this society and try to enroll him at Hope's Peak, only for him to belong in the talentless, bigoted place that he deserves to be in.

But the main significant issue with this entire complaint about Hinata being a part of this academy, which infuriates me to no end, is the fact that he is so valued and apparently important to this school, despite doing nothing, that his file is in the Headmaster's office, instead of the staff room like everyone else. Why? Out of all the talented and well-renowned individuals in this academy, ranging from people like the Ultimate Princess to the Ultimate Blacksmith, and even the Ultimate Chef, why is a talentless waste of air even being recognized by one of the most famous and most popular men in the Japanese education system?! This worthless human being hasn't even shown himself to be considerably anywhere near valuable or noteworthy to even be worthy of the headmaster's presence, let alone even have his file in his office!.

The main point of this entire conversation is that Hajime Hinata is a worthless, self-egotistical, talentless piece of trash and that's all he'll ever be! No, worse than trash, because at least trash has some value to be found underneath all of that lack of talent, while this degenerate piece of scum contributes absolutely nothing to society and only reaps the benefits! He contributes nothing! He serves no purpose in life and in Hope's Peak Academy! He does absolutely nothing of value or of grateful use! He is NOTHING!! HE DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE AN ULTIMATE!! HE DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE A PART OF THE MAIN COURSE!! AND HE CERTAINLY DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE A PART OF THIS TALENTED ACADEMY!!!

!!

!!!

!!!

!!

!!

*Pants* *Pants* *Pants* F-Forgive me for that unnecessary display of violent rage and anger, everyone. I do not wish to cause you all harm as a result of my crusade to eliminate despair. But I absolutely cannot stand someone like him disrupting the balance between the Ultimates and the rest of society. And I will make sure he's out of this academy and back to his home where he belongs...

[somsesh]

"And, without a doubt, that is the kindest thing you can say about life. It’s not nothing."

_

The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka

Just finished reading Shehan Karunatilaka's Booker Prize-winning book, and while it started with a style of writing that had the voice of a cynic trying too hard to establish itself, it eventually eases out, embraces the character well, and we get to see Sheha's Lanka in its beautiful honesty. I have recently been shooting again on film, so the protagonist being a photographer shooting on film in the 80s added a balmy touch for me. The book captures the politics, and its people, and mixes them with the supernatural in such a living, materialistic way, that you don't realise when you are with a living and when you are not.

Also, kudos to the author for never losing sight of the whodunnit angle. Shehan has gambled like a professional, serving cards in a way that would keep you guessing, and tugging at your heart just like the way Maali did at his Nikon 3ST (tried looking up this model, but I guess it's a fictitious one, but it must be a rangefinder with leaf shutter because it hardly makes a sound when taking a photo).

Lastly, ​I always love a book with plenty of quote-worthy lines, and this book does so without trying to dish out a sermon. Shehan's book is definitely an ace at that. Sharing some of the lines that I highlighted while reading.

_

"All stories are recycled and all stories are unfair."

_

"‘We are educated Colombo Tamils. We must be careful and not attract attention. You understand, no?’ You think of the lottery of birth and how everything else is mythology, stories the ego tells itself to justify fortune or explain away injustice. You wonder if you should hold your tongue." 

_

"‘Because people are OK if bad things happen to people who aren’t them.’"

_

"‘Why is Sri Lanka number one in suicides?’ asks the girl, peering through thick glasses. Are we that much more sadder or violent than the rest of the world?’ ‘Who the fuck cares?’ says the hunched figure, as a lady in pigtails does her high jump over the edge. ‘It’s because we have just the right amount of education to understand that the world is cruel,’ says the schoolgirl. ‘And just enough corruption and inequality to feel powerless against it.’"

_

"‘God’s gift,’ the warden said, ‘His violence... God loves violence. You understand that, don’t you?... Why else would there be so much of it? It’s in us. It comes out of us. It is what we do more naturally than we breathe. There is no moral order at all. There is only this – can my violence conquer yours?’ Dennis Lehane, Shutter Island" 

This one is not by Shehan but it makes so much sense when it appears in the book.

_

"‘You know why the battle of good vs evil is so one-sided, Malin? Because evil is better organised, better equipped and better paid. It is not monsters or yakas or demons we should fear. Organised collectives of evil doers who think they are performing the work of the righteous. That is what should make us shudder.’"

_

"Even on the sad days, when you have to process young children or those leaving lovers behind, you come to realise that every death is significant, even when every life appears not to be."

_

Ending with two shots I had taken during my trip to Colombo back in 2010. You can read more about it on my old blog.

[cleanersproviderstips]

The Ultimate Guide to Decluttering Before Your Big Move: Tips for a Stress-Free Transition

Moving to a new home is an exciting milestone, but the thought of packing up an entire life’s worth of belongings can quickly turn into a stressful ordeal. As a busy professional or a homeowner, the thought of hauling boxes, dealing with piles of stuff, and trying to fit it all into your new space might feel overwhelming. However, decluttering before your move doesn’t just lighten your load physically—it also brings mental clarity, and the process doesn’t have to be painful. It’s all about making smarter decisions about what to keep, sell, or donate. So let’s make this move easier together!

In this guide, we’ll explore how you can declutter your home efficiently, step by step, so you’re ready for a fresh start without the stress.

Start Early for a Smoother Move

The key to decluttering successfully is not leaving it until the last minute. Starting early gives you the time you need to go through every room, item by item, without rushing through it. Start at least a month before your moving day, if possible. This way, you’ll have time to think about your decisions without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.

The first step is to set aside some time each week to tackle a specific area. Whether it’s a shelf, a drawer, or a whole room, breaking it down into manageable chunks will make the process feel less daunting. You’ll be surprised at how quickly things come together when you give yourself plenty of time.

Don’t Get Stuck in Nostalgia—Let Go of the Past

As you start decluttering, you’ll likely come across items that bring back fond memories. Maybe it’s an old sweater, a souvenir from a trip, or a stack of photos. While feeling sentimental about these things is normal, the goal is to focus on the future, not the past. If you’re attached to something but don’t use it, ask yourself, “Will this make my new space better?” If the answer is no, it’s time to let go.

One helpful tip is to limit yourself to a specific number of mementoes. Keeping a small box for sentimental items will prevent you from holding on to everything. You don’t need every single thing that reminds you of the past to create a meaningful memory.

Tackle the Least Used Spaces First

When decluttering, starting with the areas you rarely use—such as the attic, basement, or garage—is a good strategy. These spaces are often filled with forgotten items, making them ideal for decluttering without disrupting your daily routine.

Once these areas are cleared, move on to rooms that are used less frequently, such as guest rooms or home offices. You’ll find it easier to stay motivated when you see the visible results of your efforts in these less-used spaces.

Use the "Core 4 Method" to Simplify the Process

The "Core 4 Method" is a fantastic way to break down the decluttering process into manageable steps. This method involves:

Clear out: Take everything out of a space so you can see what you’re working with.

Categories: Group similar items together (clothes, books, electronics, etc.).

Cut out: Be ruthless—donate, recycle, or toss anything that no longer serves a purpose.

Contain: Keep only the items that bring value and store them in an organised way.

By using this method, you’ll ensure that every single item gets the attention it deserves, leaving you with a more streamlined and organised home.

Make One Decision at a Time—No Overthinking

Decluttering can feel overwhelming, and the temptation to overthink every single item is real. However, this will only slow you down. Instead, commit to making one decision at a time. Look at each item and ask yourself, “Do I really need this?” Trust your instincts—if you hesitate, it’s probably time to part with it.

Take a deep breath, and keep the momentum going. By following this rule, you’ll avoid getting stuck on small decisions and keep your decluttering process moving forward.

Commit to Bringing Less to Your New Home

Before you start packing up your things, promise yourself that you’ll bring fewer items into your new space. Moving is the perfect opportunity to reassess your belongings and eliminate excess. Make it a habit to evaluate purchases in the future—ask yourself if each item truly adds value to your home. A minimalist mindset is not only great for decluttering now, but it’ll help you avoid unnecessary clutter in your new space in the long run.

Get Motivated with the Right Mindset

Decluttering can feel like a major task, especially when you’re juggling a busy work schedule. Stay motivated by reminding yourself of the benefits. Not only will you be creating a cleaner, more organised space, but you’ll also reduce stress and anxiety, making your new home feel more like a sanctuary.

If you need extra motivation, invite friends or family to help. Turning it into a fun group activity with music or treats can make the process much quicker. The energy and enthusiasm from others will help keep you focused and motivated.

Pride in Packing

Once your home is decluttered, it’s time to start packing. Take pride in how you pack your belongings—use quality boxes, label them properly, and protect fragile items. This process gives you a fresh start in your new home and ensures that nothing gets lost or damaged during the move.

By packing thoughtfully, you’ll also make unpacking easier, as you’ll know exactly where everything is. And the best part? You won’t feel weighed down by unnecessary items that should have been decluttered in the first place.

A Fresh Start with Less Stress

Decluttering before a move may feel overwhelming, but with a clear plan in place, you’ll feel organised and ready for your new chapter. Starting early, following a method like the Core 4, and keeping a positive mindset will help you declutter quickly and efficiently. Remember, the goal isn’t perfection—just progress.

By letting go of things that no longer serve you and embracing the future, you’ll enter your new home with less stuff and more peace of mind.

FAQs

How can I declutter if I’m short on time?

Start small. Set a timer for 10 minutes a day and focus on one area. If you’re in a rush, tackle the least used spaces first, like the attic or basement. These areas are usually easier to declutter and don’t disrupt your routine.

What if I feel emotionally attached to my belongings?

It’s okay to feel attached, but try to remember that you’re making space for new memories. Limit yourself to a small box of sentimental items, and only keep what truly adds value to your life.

How do I stay motivated during the decluttering process?

Keep your end goal in mind—a clean, organised home. Consider getting help from friends or family, or reward yourself after completing each task. A positive attitude and a clear vision will help keep you motivated.

© Top TD Cleaning Company

[anmoltraders]

Sell Your IT Scrap/Computer Scrap with Best Price

Introduction

Are you sitting on a pile of outdated IT equipment? Selling your IT Scrap isn’t just a way to declutter but also an opportunity to earn and contribute to environmental sustainability. Let’s explore how you can make the most out of selling computer scrap.

What is IT Scrap?

Definition of IT Scrap

IT scrap refers to obsolete or damaged electronic devices and components, including old computers, laptops, cables, and more.

Common Types of IT Scrap

Computers: CPUs, monitors, and peripherals

Mobile Devices: Smartphones and tablets

Networking Equipment: Routers and switches

Why Should You Sell Your Computer Scrap?

Environmental Responsibility When we recycle old or broken IT equipment (like computers and phones), we keep a lot of waste out of landfills. Instead of dumping it, recycling helps reduce the amount of garbage we create. This is important because it saves space in landfills and keeps harmful chemicals in electronics from polluting the soil and water. Recycling also helps conserve natural resources, since we don’t need to extract as many new materials from the earth.

Financial Gains from Scrap Old computer parts, like motherboards and processors, often contain valuable metals, such as gold, silver, and copper. Even though each part has only a small amount, when you gather a lot of these parts together, you can get a good price for them. This can be profitable for people or businesses who collect and Sell IT Scrap.

Encouraging Circular Economy Selling old or unwanted electronics so they can be reused or recycled is part of what’s called a “circular economy.” This means that instead of throwing things away, we find ways to give them a second life. It’s a way to keep products and materials in use for as long as possible, which reduces waste and makes better use of resources.

Identifying Valuable IT Scrap

Components in Demand

CPUs, GPUs, and Motherboards: High resale value due to demand.

RAM and Hard Drives: Essential for refurbishing.

Rare Metals in IT Scrap

Gold, silver, and palladium are used in electronic circuits, making IT scrap lucrative.

How to Prepare Your IT Scrap for Sale

Sorting and Separating Components

This step involves going through all the parts you have and dividing them into two categories:

Functional Parts: These are parts that still work and could be reused or resold. For example, a computer’s hard drive that still stores data correctly.

Broken Parts: These are parts that are damaged or no longer working, like a cracked screen or a faulty power supply.

By separating the functional parts from the broken ones, it’s easier to accurately assess the value of each component. Working parts are worth more, so keeping them separate helps you understand the potential earnings from selling your items.

Cleaning and Organizing Scrap

Once you’ve sorted everything, it’s time to clean up:

Removing Dust: Dust and dirt can accumulate on old parts, which might make them look less valuable or even affect their functionality. Give each part a quick clean to make it look presentable.

Labeling Components: Labeling each part with details like its function or condition (e.g., “working hard drive” or “broken motherboard”) makes it easier to show potential buyers what you have. It also helps you keep track of your inventory, so you know exactly what you’re selling.

Backing Up and Wiping Data

Before selling any electronic devices that may have your data (like computers or phones), it’s essential to:

Back Up: Save any important files, photos, or information that you want to keep. You can transfer them to another device or upload them to cloud storage.

Wipe Data: Erase all personal information from the device to protect your privacy. This means deleting files, removing accounts, and possibly using a data-wiping tool to make sure your information can’t be recovered by others.

Following these steps ensures your parts are organized, clean, and your personal data is safe, making the selling process smoother and potentially more profitable.

Where to Sell Your IT Scrap

Local Scrap Dealers

What to Do: Look for scrap dealers in your area who deal specifically with electronic items.

Why It’s Helpful: Local dealers can often buy electronics quickly and may be interested in various items, even older or broken ones. It’s a convenient way to sell without needing to ship anything far.

Online Platforms and Marketplaces

What to Do: Use websites like eBay, Craigslist, or other local classifieds to list your electronics for sale.

Why It’s Helpful: These platforms connect you directly with potential buyers. You can set your price, and people who are specifically interested in what you’re selling can reach out. It’s good for selling individual or smaller quantities of items.

Specialized IT Scrap Buyers

What to Do: Search for companies or businesses that focus on buying used IT equipment, especially if you have a large number or valuable electronics to sell.

Why It’s Helpful: These specialized buyers are often looking for bulk purchases or rare, valuable parts, so they might offer better prices for items that regular dealers wouldn’t pay as much for.

How to Get the Best Price for Your IT Scrap

Understanding Market Trends

It’s essential to keep up with changes in market prices for metals and other materials. Prices can go up or down depending on various factors like demand, supply, or even global events. By staying informed about these trends, you’ll know the best times to buy or sell. This knowledge helps you make decisions that can save money or increase profits.

Selling in Bulk

When you sell a large quantity of items, buyers are often willing to pay more per unit because they’re getting a bigger supply all at once. This is what we mean by “selling in bulk.” Bulk sales are attractive to buyers, as they don’t need to make multiple smaller purchases, saving them time and often money. For sellers, this means a better price and quicker sales.

Negotiation Tips

When negotiating prices, being well-informed and confident is key. If you know the current market rates, you’ll have a strong basis for your price and can negotiate more effectively. Researching before entering a negotiation can give you an advantage and help you get the best possible price for your items.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Following E-Waste Disposal Regulations

When you sell old or unwanted electronics, you must follow certain rules and regulations. These laws vary depending on where you are, but they all aim to protect the environment and public health. If you don’t follow these laws, you could face fines or other penalties. By understanding and following local e-waste disposal rules, you can avoid these issues and keep your business compliant.

Ensuring Secure Data Destruction

When you sell or dispose of electronics, it’s essential to ensure that any data stored on them is securely erased. This is especially important for computers, phones, and hard drives, which may contain sensitive information. Partnering with buyers or recyclers who guarantee data security helps protect you and your clients from the risk of data theft or misuse. This means that all personal and business information is permanently erased before the devices are resold or recycled.

Advantages of Selling IT Scrap

Environmental Impact: By selling old IT equipment, you help reduce electronic waste, or “e-waste,” in landfills. This waste can contain harmful materials that pollute the environment. Recycling IT scrap means the materials can be reused, lowering the demand for new resources and reducing pollution.

Extra Income: Instead of letting unused or outdated tech gather dust, selling it can bring in extra money. Many businesses accumulate unused electronics over time, and selling them can turn those idle items into cash.

Challenges in Selling IT Scrap

Market Fluctuations

The prices of metals and components (like copper, aluminum, or electronic parts) don’t stay the same; they can go up or down frequently.

These changes can be caused by a variety of factors, such as changes in supply and demand, economic shifts, or global events.

For example, if there’s a shortage of a certain metal due to a strike in a major mining area, the price of that metal could increase.

Companies need to keep an eye on these price changes because it impacts their costs and, eventually, their profits.

Finding Reliable Buyers

Not every buyer is dependable or honest, so businesses have to be careful about who they deal with.

Some buyers may delay payments, not pay in full, or cancel orders at the last minute. To avoid such risks, it’s essential to do research on potential buyers.

This could mean checking the buyer’s reputation, seeing if they’ve worked with other suppliers before, or confirming their financial stability.

Taking time to find trustworthy buyers helps ensure smoother transactions and reduces the risk of losses.

Success Stories of IT Scrap Sellers

Case Studies: Turning Tech Trash into Treasure

This section looks at people and companies who are creatively repurposing or selling outdated, broken, or discarded tech products, like old smartphones, computers, or electronic parts. Instead of letting this “tech trash” go to waste, these individuals and businesses find ways to repair, refurbish, or even transform it into something valuable. By doing this, they not only make money but also reduce waste and contribute positively to the environment. Their stories showcase how tech items that might seem useless can actually hold significant value with the right skills and perspective.

Lessons to Learn

In this part, successful sellers share their experiences and advice for getting the most profit out of selling or repurposing tech items. These tips can range from knowing where to find good tech deals, how to negotiate prices, and strategies to make items look more appealing, to building trust with customers. They might also discuss how to research market trends, so you know which tech items are in demand. By following these insights, new sellers can maximize their profits and make smarter choices when entering the world of tech resale or upcycling.

In short, these sections focus on the success stories of “tech recyclers” and offer practical guidance for anyone interested in turning old gadgets into a profitable venture.

How Selling IT Scrap Benefits the Environment

Reducing Landfill Waste

Reducing landfill waste is about properly managing the trash we throw away so it doesn’t end up harming our environment. When we throw things into landfills, they often sit there for a long time, taking up space and potentially releasing harmful chemicals or gases. By reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfills, we help protect the environment. This can be done through practices like recycling, composting, and reusing materials. For example, instead of tossing out plastic bottles, they can be recycled and used to make new items, which saves space in landfills and cuts down on pollution.

Conserving Natural Resources

Conserving natural resources means using fewer raw materials from the Earth, like metals and minerals. When we recycle metals (such as aluminium or copper), we don’t need to mine as much from the Earth to get new metal. Mining can damage ecosystems, pollute water, and require a lot of energy. Recycling metals reduces this demand, preserving these resources for future generations and reducing the impact on the environment. By reusing what we already have, we save energy, protect ecosystems, and conserve resources.

Tips to Maximize Your Profit

Partnering with Trusted Buyers

When you’re selling something valuable, like a product or even property, working with trustworthy buyers or dealers is essential. A “trusted buyer” is someone with a good reputation for fair dealings, meaning they’ll offer a fair price and pay on time. Building relationships with these kinds of reliable dealers can make selling easier and more profitable because you know they won’t take advantage of you. So, finding and keeping connections with trustworthy buyers ensures you get a good deal.

Timing Your Sales

Timing plays a big role in how much you can make when you sell. If you sell during a period of high demand – for example, when many people are interested in buying what you’re selling – you’re likely to get a better price. High-demand times mean more competition among buyers, which can drive up prices. For example, selling winter gear right before winter or selling property when the real estate market is booming can result in a better return.

Why Anmol Traders is the Best Place to Sell Your IT Scrap at the Best Price

Anmol Traders is your top choice for selling IT scrap, offering competitive prices and a hassle-free process. They accept a wide range of items like computers, laptops, motherboards, and networking equipment, ensuring you can sell all your scrap in one place.

They prioritize environmental responsibility by recycling e-waste sustainably and guarantee secure data destruction for your peace of mind. With free pickup services for bulk quantities and a reputation for fair practices, Anmol Traders ensures a smooth and rewarding experience.

Sell your IT scrap to Anmol Traders today and get the best value while contributing to a greener planet!

Conclusion

Selling your IT scrap to Anmol Traders is not just about getting the best price; it’s about partnering with a company that values your time, money, and environmental contributions. Whether you’re selling a single laptop or clearing out a warehouse of e-waste, Anmol Traders ensures a seamless, rewarding, and responsible experience.

FAQs

What is IT scrap, and why is it valuable?

IT scrap refers to old, broken, or outdated electronics, like computers, phones, and other tech devices. These devices might not work well anymore, but they contain valuable materials, such as metals (gold, silver, and copper) and other components, that can be reused or recycled. Because of these valuable materials, companies and recyclers are interested in buying IT scrap to recover and reuse these resources.

How can I safely sell my old computers?

When selling old computers, it’s essential to ensure that your data is wiped clean. This means removing all personal information and files so no one else can access them. You can use data-wiping software for this. Then, make sure you’re selling to a trusted buyer who won’t misuse the device or any leftover information. Trusted buyers could be well-reviewed dealers or certified recyclers.

What should I do before selling IT scrap?

Before selling any IT scrap, make sure to back up any data you still need, like files, photos, or documents. Next, clean the electronics if needed, as well-presented items can sometimes get better prices. Also, sort your items (such as separating laptops from phones or organizing parts like cables) since some buyers offer higher prices if the items are well-organized.

Are there risks in selling IT scrap online?

Yes, there are some risks, especially when dealing with unknown buyers. Some people or companies may pretend to be legitimate but are actually scammers looking to take advantage of sellers. To avoid scams, check the buyer’s reviews, do a quick online search about them, and avoid sharing too much personal information upfront.

How can I find the best IT scrap dealer near me?

To find a reliable IT scrap dealer, start by looking at online reviews on websites or apps where people share their experiences with local dealers. Additionally, you can ask friends, family, or coworkers if they have any recommendations. Local businesses or tech repair shops may also provide helpful suggestions on trusted dealers.

[killlatrav]

i'll be remiss to admit i debated if any of this was a good idea. but the truth is, your birthday should always be something celebrated. you might have been the greatest person i've ever gotten to experience in my own 35 years on this earth, even if you've frustrated me endlessly. i've seen what you can do for your fans, the people that you surround yourself with, your crew, and that is just something that needs to be celebrated. the way you've brought fathers and daughters closer that never thought they'd have things in common by showing up to a little old football game for someone like me. the way you show up when you no longer have to but do because that is just the woman that you are. there's not a part of me that doesn't understand how special you are for so many reasons and i hope that people realize you are so much more than taylor swift, the singer, writer, artist. while it may have shaped so much of you, there's so much more to you that i've gotten to experience and will forever cherish those moments, no matter what has happened. you've changed me for the better, you've pushed me to be better, and at the end of the day you are simply one of the best humans to be put on this planet for so many reasons. when the fans say they made the right person famous, they're not lying, no matter how much i know you're rolling your eyes to his comment. they did. they made the right woman famous, the one that will stand behind her morals, that will be there when needed for the people she cares about. you're special, tay, never forget that wherever it takes you.

i couldn't miss passing along some gifts, one that i've had in the works for awhile that i just didn't want to throw out, and i couldn't exactly return it. then the rest kind of fell into place, so i truly do hope you like them, even if they're pieces to just hold onto until you can pass them onto someone else someday.

the first two gifts are more small, but if anyone would appreciate them, it'd be you. the first bracelet if you hold up the little charm to the light you'll see a photo of you sealed inside from your last night on The Eras tour, you were just looking out into the crowd after the very last song and there was something about it that was so special, so beautifully breathtaking you taking in your last moments, savoring them and i hope that you get to use this as a way to remember those very last moments. talking about savoring, i found a place that will send you recipes that have been written down by old historical figures. as someone who loves to bake, cook, i figured if anyone was going to be gutsy enough to try some of these recipes it'd be you. i've spent the last year collecting all of these and sealing them in a little pouch. hopefully some will impress you along the way and be things to add to your recipe book forever. for the last two pieces, they kind of go hand in hand, as someone who appreciates vintage and recycled pieces these two were pieces that i had found awhile ago and took time to get here. the first is a vintage french ring from the 1850's made up of sapphires and diamonds but the truth is when i saw it, it reminded me of your midnights bodysuit the way it sparkled and glimmered, and don't worry with your mom's help it's been sized to fit your middle finger. the last is from the early 1800's a solid gold snake twist bracelet, one topped in sapphire, the last in a rose diamond. for when you're ready to keep teasing the fans endlessly in public about the reputation release.

happy birthday, tay. i hope you get everything you want and more coming into this next year. @taylorheat

-t

[mysticdragon3md3]

Good Smile Company's new announcement to replace their plastic blister packaging with paper/cardboard packaging, has gotten me reminiscing about all the plastic packaging from my Nendoroids, Figma, and other figures, that I've had to get rid of.

Photos from 2016, 2017, and 2019.

I have a lot of anxiety about throwing things away, so this is still painful for me to look at sometimes. But I have limited room. I just have to trust that they'll get recycled. That's the only thing that helps me feel better.

But the problem is, there is NO guarantee that these will get recycled! ;o;! Here in America, sometimes, waste collectors will decide it's too expensive to recycle, even though everything is labelled and separated for recycling, and they'll just dump it in landfills and oceans anyway. At least, that's what I heard a long time ago. I can't remember the news report I saw it on anymore.

But here are some newer reports:

But also, there's a big after-market in Nendoroids and Figma. And you can't get a good price for your old figures, if you don't have all the packaging. But I have too much social anxiety to sell my figures, and I'm extremely sentimental and therefore, can't let go of my collections. So I always thought I'd never want to sell my figures. I'd never need to keep the packaging. This anxiety about keeping the packaging was all in my head; not a practical concern. But now, I have almost 200 Nendoroids and I'm running out of room. It would be dishonest for me to say there weren't some figures in my collection, that I look at sometimes, and wish I could sell or get rid of. But the plastic is gone now.

Either way, I'm looking forward to Good Smile replacing their plastic packaging with paper/cardboard. Better wood pulp in landfills/oceans, than plastic, leeching toxins into the environment and food supplies for centuries.

[thelistingteammiami]

5 Biggest Things to Remember When Decluttering in the New Year

A new year always inspires us to have a fresh start. Maybe you're a homeowner who just wants to take advantage of that burst of energy and motivation to tackle clutter around your home. If your goal is to reset your space so you’re only surrounded by things that make you happy, decluttering is a powerful and transformative resolution that’s worth keeping.

Or maybe you’re planning to list your home for sale this year. You can have a good headstart in this new journey by purging through your belongings so you’ll know what to keep and what to let go when you move.

Whether you're the former or the latter, remember that decluttering not only resets your physical space but can also profoundly impact your mental and emotional well-being. Here are five time-tested tips to keep in mind and to help guide you on your organizing journey.

Creating more space in your home will be close to impossible if you don't resist the urge to buy new things. So before and while decluttering, it’s a good idea to hold off on shopping for new items until you’re done with your purge and everything you own has a dedicated space. Avoid impulse purchases, and stop falling for social media marketing. No, you probably don’t need every product that your favorite influencers get paid to promote, so breathe and think twice before adding a potential clutter. 

Imagine this: you were so proud of yourself for clearing your clutter, only to find them still sitting in those boxes a week later because you haven't thought about where they’ll go. So plan this before you start—where would all your clutter go? Deciding an exit strategy for your unwanted stuff is as important as the purging itself.

For instance, you might need to check with your local government to see where you can recycle or dispose of old and non-functional devices. Or, you love books but find yourself with more selections than you can ever read in your lifetime. See if your local library accepts donations or if there’s a little book club in your neighborhood where you can give your paperbacks. If you’re looking to sell pre-loved items such as clothing, make sure to schedule a time to take photos and list the items online so that they don’t just sit there for months. Check for charities or even animal shelters in your town that accept old linens or towels. The satisfaction you get from decluttering your home may become twofold when you think that your things may still be of use to others, especially those in need.

There is no one-size-fits-all way to start decluttering, so assess yourself and do what's best for you. Have tons of New Year energy? Devote an entire weekend to declutter your closets or a specific room. Feeling completely overwhelmed as another year starts? Start small and tackle any area that’s relatively easy for you, say, your spice cabinet, junk drawer, or even your freezer. There’s no need to start with a bang if it only elevates your stress levels. When you’ve finished, you’ll feel the confidence (and the adrenaline) you need to finally organize bigger spaces in your home.

Aside from the fact that decluttering all in one go is just not realistic, it can be frustrating as well. Professional organizers see decluttering as a mindfulness practice, which means you don't want to bite off more than you can chew. Instead of saying you’ve got to “clear it all out” in one sitting, rephrase and say you’ll devote at least a few hours to sort it out, and you’ll feel the difference. Besides, you won’t even be able to see all of your clutter on the first pass. After letting go of the obvious unwanted stuff on your first round, there will be a round two for things you haven’t seen before or you haven’t decided yet. 

Learn to free yourself of guilt brought on by the things you're keeping. Whether it’s a strange gift that you feel guilty giving away because the person who gave it is special, or that arts and crafts project made by a great aunt. If you’re keeping things because you feel bad disposing of them rather than they mean something, maybe it’s time to get over it. Let those things go, guilt-free. It doesn’t mean you didn’t appreciate the gesture or that the gift hasn’t been taken to heart.

[rosettasanders]

Today is a day to look forward to new opportunities and clearing of baggage.

Out with the old and in with the new.  Really look at all that I have and all that I do and ask “Does this serve me or keep me stuck”? Then reduce, recycle, or keep. This is going to be a year or clarity and purpose. Everything I need is on its way I live in abundance.

Rosetta Sanders

Photo by Ricardo Loaiza on Unsplash

[pear-pies]

Placebo in Rock & Folk magazine - April 2003

Words by Jerome Soligny, photos by Carole Epinette

Wonky translation under the cut:

These three did it all. Shot with the QOTSAs and posed with Indo. They survived "Velvet Goldmine" and the Top Bab. They come back after the ordeal of the fourth album. Danger interview: “Jerome, what if you came out?” They ask our charming reporter.

"We do not regret anything"

Everything begins again with "Bulletproof Cupid", a punky instrument that pulls everything off. Then "English Summer Rein", mechanico-depressive spinning punctuated by twisted keyboards, and "Sleeping With Ghosts", the lament which advances while blistering during cooking, confirm the tone. Against all expectations, because you never know how will age the groups that the previous album installed at the Top, Placebo took over. And stuffed it in an iron glove. Further on, "The Bitter End" tumbles through yapping guitars which would stick to the hatches the thickest of the sailors. Be careful, Placebo is on the way out of being one. At the end of the record, Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal and Steve Hewitt do not even run out of steam. The cows. They drop a "Centerfolds" which frolic like a cynical top under a shower of saving doubts. What augur still other perspectives.

The fourth album: a horror for all who have faced it. Often a stupid trap. Returning from the Gothic directly inherited from the glam of pageantry and from these hasty and harmful certainties which congest the face and the veins, Placebo publishes its first real great disc. Oh, not the marvel of wonders, not the album from the third millennium, but something very strong, compact, tenacious in listening, which proves that the future is indeed there, in front, where the light is most blinding. Calfeucée in their Parisian hotel (the Costes, of course), our three lads do not make the blow of the revelation, of the luminous questioning. Simply, they now think with their heads, a good plan most often Likewise, reality no longer frightens them, and it is probably she who is hiding behind this "Sleeping With Ghosts" which relates the sorrows only for the better. melt into hopes At the moment when rock brings us back to life and when we just want to ask them everything, the Placebo have decided to say everything. Not even in a hurry, they settle down on the couch, ready to talk like never before. Despite new batteries embedded in the carcass, the Panasonic barely a Brian Molko: Hey Jerome, you came to talk to us this time when you had not come to the previous album ...

Rock & Folk: Uh yes but I was there for the first two, that says a lot, right?

Brian Molko: Certainly, I also believe that over time, we finally appreciate the true nature of the problem: we were mainly criticized for the sound of the previous album, which I can understand but, paradoxically, it is the one that brought us to the Top.

R&F: Legitimately, we have the right to expect a lot from the people we love: while "Black Market Music" sounded a bit like a sequel, this new record is all about a renaissance.

Brian Molko: Actually, we were finally able to live a little. After having existed in a small bubble for a very long time, we forced ourselves to take an eight-month break. The album-tour rhythm put us on the sidelines: we no longer had normal contact with anything. We were losing ourselves. We have fully lived the old cliché which claims that we spend the first years of our life writing a first record and six months on the second. It turned out to be very true. We had to get back to the situation of the first album, see friends, go shopping, look at the buildings in our city.

R&F: So the freshness would come from there ...

Brian Molko: Yes, and it was essential spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Steve Hewitt: We had to be in tune with reality again.

Brian Molko: In fact, we find ourselves in a bit of the same state of mind as when we released "Without You I'm Nothing", although "Sleeping With Ghosts" is a lot less gloomy. The heroin has since stopped leaking. In fact, I feel like I've pulled myself out of what I consider my second teenage years, between twenty and thirty. I conquered the self-destruction, exorcised some demons, understood what had happened to me. I held on to what I had learned. As a human being, I am now able to continue living, to try to answer the big questions posed by existence.

R&F: Maybe that's why the melodies are needed this time. It took me four records to get a favorite Placebo track.

The whole group in chorus: Which one?

R&F: "Protect Me From What I Want", of course ...

Brian Molko: The most paradoxical is that this song dates from the end of the "Black Market Music" sessions. I was not married at the time, but I was trying to get out of a particularly vicious divorce.just started. Then we wait for the lyrics, which don't arrive, it's rather intriguing. We especially wanted to avoid the big Rican producer side, we needed someone who shakes us up a bit. Jim could do that because he comes from dance and his pedigree is impressive. We have all his records at home, Bjôrk, Massive Attack, Sneaker Pimps and especially DJ Shadow. It is believed that guitar rock can only evolve by incorporating new genres, this is the only way to remain a modern rock band. At home, we practically only listen to hip hop.

R&F: Still, he didn't betray you.

Brian Molko: No because he actually brought out our rock side, which I'm particularly proud of. In fact, because we always wanted to control everything, it was not easy to be forced, to do certain things backwards, to walk on the head. But in truth, that's what we wanted: yes, there was some tension in the studio but we all took advantage of it. The challenge is necessary and it is also valid for the public. We opened up and rediscovered ourselves.

Stefan Olsdal (emerging from his chair): We found ourselves in front of the mirror, at the foot of the wall: someone had to kick our ass.

Brian Molko: Jim was like, "Why are you doing this?" We would answer him: "Because we always do it like that!" He would say: "All the more reason not to do it."

Stefan Olsdal: On the first day, he messed up all the demos, changed the tones, the tempos ...

R&F: Like Brian Eno ...

Steve Hewitt: Yeah, but with a lot more compassion. Eno is a bit (silence) ... We don't really like being told our actions, but at the same time, we are still young, still absorbing. Jim knew how to preserve us while making a modern sound.

R&F: Modern and rock'n'roll at the same time, a characteristic which does not necessarily apply to all the young groups in The which recycle the past gently but are convinced to have found the virus of the AIDS.

Steve Hewitt: Placebo doesn't belong to any current, has nothing to do with fashion.

R&F: You always pose as outsiders.

Brian Molko: It's the only way to survive.

Steve Hewitt: These bands, like The Strokes, play the nostalgia card.

Stefan Olsdal: And what happens next? I would not like to be in their place.

Brian Molko: If you want good New York pop, you better listen to Blondie.

R&F: In 2003, 11 seems that you have abandoned all the androgynous paraphernalia, sexual ambiguity, glam references ...

Brian Molko: I think today everyone knows what there is to know. Our sexual inclinations haven't changed, and we still wear makeup. It is just more expensive and better applied. We are ourselves, in our music and in private. I went through my travelo period (in French in the interview - Editor's note), and I understood that being androgynous was not wearing skirts. It is a way of being on the spiritual plane. It is not an image but a state of mind.

Steve Hewitt: It's like being punk, it's an attitude.

Brian Molko: At the same time, I don't regret any of my eccentricities. I grew up in the spotlight and it all kind of makes me smile.

Stefan Olsdal: People still talk to us about certain outfits or positions, as if it still shocks them.

R&F: Yes, and particularly in France, a particularly homophobic country which bumps heartily on gay artists.

Brian Molko: And you, coincidentally, you still hang out with.

Stefan Olsdal: Jérôme, it's coming out time (laughs) ...

Brian Molko: All that has to change, that all of France becomes gay (laughs)!

R&F: "Protect Me From What I Want" precisely, here is a title heavy with meaning. What was the idea behind this song?

Brian Molko: For me, it's a study of the pathological need people have to copulate, the search for meaning in copulation. As if bachelors or monogamists were aliens. As if we were only one when we were two. The song is about the fact that one relationship has destroyed me but I can't help but look for another ... why do I keep coming back to this?

R&F: Wow, we're bathing in philosophy here!

Brian Molko: Yes and it's the same elsewhere in the record: in "Plasticine", I insist on the fact that you have to be yourself above all while asking myself all these questions. Why do we have to do a lot of forbidden things, bad or harmful?

R&F: It's therapy in public.

Brian Molko: At least I find some balance in it. These are not songs about compassion or self-pity. They came out like this because it was vital for me. I am in this privileged situation where I can express myself and the world hears me. Otherwise, I would be really frustrated and I would have suffered a lot more in the last fifteen years.

R&F: Music saved your life.

Brian Molko: Sure.

Steve Hewitt: Everyone: I think we can say that. Without Placebo, we would not be not even alive.

Brian Molko: Spitting it all out is not necessarily the right solution. There are things with which to live. In fact, I've always been afraid to go see a psychiatrist ...

R&F: Yet, listening to you speak earlier, you could have the feeling that Jim Abiss acted a bit like a shrink with you.

Brian Molko: That's right. You could say that.

R&F: At a time when Bush and Blair want to play World War III, what attitude do you adopt? What do you think of these Englishmen who left for Iraq to constitute a human shield?

Brian Molko: Let's say we stand together. We participated in the March for Peace on February 14th with Damon Albarn and 3D from Massive Attack. We were also surprised that so few groups mobilized, which increased our desire to participate tenfold.

R&F: Do you consider that it is the role of the artist to give voice in such circumstances?

Steve Hewitt: Yes, in the sense that we can help with general motivation.

Brian Molko: I'm very interested in seeing if Blair is going to let Bush bomb Iraq with the British present on the soil of the country. If he ever allows that, the consequences will be dire.

R&F: It will only be one more religious war, in the name of oil and money ...

Brian Molko: It seems absurd that we can still fight for that. And curiously, nobody speaks more, or almost, of Bin Laden. Wouldn't it all come from him, by chance, as a huge consequence of September 11? On the other hand, we have such a feeling that Bush wants to finish the job that daddy started. Its image is so bad that it needs at least one war to restore its image.

Steve Hewitt: And reinvigorate its dying economy.

R&F: The method is lamentable, deceitful. Like those employed by the recording industry which claims to be doing well by selling pop in damaged boxes to ignoramuses.

Brian Molko: The ability of this job to ingest people, bribe them and then spit them out is impressive. This is what happened here at Canal +.R&F: Business is the beast.

Brian Molko: All these pre-made artists are young and naff ...

Steve Hewitt: They'll all end up in a labor camp for ex-pop stars.

R&F: Warhol was talking about fifteen minute glory, we're brutally passed to fifteen seconds.

Brian Molko: We should have called them Karaoke idols from the start.

Steve Hewitt: And it only works because of the TV ...

R&F: Who washes the poor, helpless brains.

Steve Hewitt: You can tell how much people want to think less

R&F: And spend less. For many, music should be free: one in five thirteen-year-olds doesn't know that a disc doesn't have to be a computer-burnt puck. Some are flabbergasted when they see a cover for the first time.

Stefan Olsdal: And those who don't buy records put pressure on those who have them to pass them on at all costs, just long enough to copy them.

R&F: Exactly.

Brian Molko: That's why we blame Robbie Williams so much. Scooping 80 million pounds off EMI and then declaring that pirating music is a fantastic thing just makes him want to stick a chunk in his face.

R&F .: And then piracy is not a matter of environment. It's not a suburban thing. There are rich kids who find it normal to burn 80 CDs during their weekend and sometimes sell them to their friends ...

Brian Molko: What do these people believe? That we are there, the face in the stream with a syringe stuck in the arm singing "La Vie En Rose"? And who will pay for our children's school? Not them, anyway. Our mentality is quite different: we always want to buy records from people we love, from our friends. Personally, we are partly out of the woods, but it will be particularly difficult for new groups to make a living from music in five or ten years.

R&F: Come on, we're not going to leave each other on this, a little humor won't hurt anyone. If you were to be banned from any of these three things, which would you choose: making music, making money or making love?

Steve Hewitt (almost tit for tat): I would stop making money, without hesitation. It's because I love music and sex too much. And then, well, you have to choose.

Brian Molko (completely overwhelmed): Oh damn, that's not true. What a dilemma!

R&F: No Brian, that doesn't count, make an effort (laughs).

Brian Molko: Ah, I don't know. And then if. I would stop making money and get on well with someone super rich.

R&F: Or you would be pimp ...

Brian Molko: Yes, that's it. Good plan.

Stefan Olsdal: Stop making love does not mean to stop loving ...

Brian Molko (preparing his shot): And we can always masturbate (general laughter).

Stefan Olsdal: OK then, I would stop making love.

R&F: Okay, it will be written in black and white for all eternity.

Brian Molko: Will we live long enough to regret it? This is the real question.

*COLLECTED BY JEROME SOLIGNY

[Inset, Trash Palace]

Already present on the first album by Trash Palace which he had adorned with his presence one unhealthy recovery of "I Love You, Me No More "in duet with Asia Argento, Brian Molko is coming to re-stack. This time he cosigns directly "The Metric System " with Dimitri Trash Palace Tikovoi, an electro saw boosted to bleeps fundamentals available in two remix and its clip on an enhanced single recently published at Discograph. The result is particularly (d) amazing and sounds good logical, like of Placebo cyber.Placebo in  Rock & Folk magazine - April 2003

[tipsycad147]

15 Of The Best Tools & Ingredients For The Broke Witch

BY AVERY HART

Getting started as a witch can be truly daunting, even more so now that we have access to thousands of blogs and photos that show us how other witches are practicing. It can be hard to look at these more experienced witches and not feel discouraged. After all, many of us have been collecting tools, supplies, and books for years! It seems like there’s a list a mile long of things you need or want to practice witchcraft, and many of them come with a hefty price tag.

For lots of new witches, you may not have the extra cash lying around to drop on these items (or maybe you do and just aren’t ready for that much of a commitment!). Whatever your reasons for keeping your practice money-light, witchcraft doesn’t have to be expensive. Here are 15 tools and ingredients that are perfect for the witch on a budget!

1. Bulk spices

Herbs and spices purchased in the bulk section of grocery stores can be dirt cheap. You can get very small amounts of what you need and have it add up to only pennies. Just the other day, I bought three bay leaves for a spell. The price tag? $0.04. Talk about budget-friendly.

Stick to the cheaper options to keep the price down. Cinnamon, bay leaves, basil, coriander, ginger, and red pepper are good options. In a very well-stocked bulk section, you may even be able to find lavender, rose-hips, and jasmine over with the bulk tea.

2. Sticks

It may seem silly to suggest sticks as a tool, but a good stick can be a lovely addition to your witchy toolkit. Sticks can be turned into wands or wall hangings. They can have spells carved into them and be burned or hung over doorways. Sticks can even be made into brooms! A good stick has a multitude of uses and is completely free. All you have to do is go for a nature walk and see what you can find.

3. Leaves and flowers

Much like sticks, leaves and flowers can be used in many ways and they are entirely free. I would suggest either cutting (not picking, this can kill the plant!) fresh leaves and flowers to use immediately or collecting leaves and flowers to press so that they will keep and can be used regardless of the season.

Drying the petals of any flowers you receive as gifts is also a great option! Rose petals are used in many spells and can last for a very long time if stored properly. The only caveat with this method is that these flowers are often sprayed with pesticides and chemicals to keep them fresh, so they should not be used for any topical or internal use. This means no teas, no baths, and no oils to be placed on the body.

4. Hand-me-downs

Hand-me-down items can be great for witchcraft! Even if you’re not in love with the item itself, with a bit of altering many used items can be super useful in the craft. Old dishes? Paint them and use them as altar pieces. Old clothes? Use the fabric to make spell bags, tarot card wraps, and altar cloths.

And if you don’t typically get hand-me-downs, don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to take advantage of used items. Hold a clothing swap with your friends, or check out yard sales, thrift stores, and flea markets.

5. Recycled jars

Ahh, jars. It’s no wonder that witches are always joking about how much we all love jars. It seems like I’ve never got enough of them lying around. They’re amazing for everything from storing ingredients to casting spells and when you reuse jars instead of buying new ones, it’s good for the planet too!

Just remove the labels (a good soak in hot soapy water and a stiff-bristled brush helps) and paint the lid if you like and you’re good to go! One of my favorite ways to prep my jars is painting the lid with chalkboard paint. It makes labeling jars a snap!

6. Odds and ends from the craft drawer

Your craft drawer is a treasure trove. Pretty much everything in your craft drawer can be used for witchcraft. Fabric can be made into spell bags, pouches, tarot wraps, altar cloths, ritual clothing, and more. Yarn, thread, and twine can all be used for knot spells and tying off spell bags. Needles are useful for banishing and baneful magic. Thimbles can be used for protection. Clay can be made into amulets, talismans, poppets, and containers. Pretty scraps of paper can be used for sigils and written spells. The possibilities are endless. Crack open that craft drawer and see what kinds of ideas you can come up with!

7. Dirt

Dirt may not be the most exciting ingredient for your craft, but it has about a million uses. My witchcraft kit is never without a jar of dirt. Dirt can be used in spells ranging from protection to healing to prosperity and baneful magic. If you think about it, it makes total sense! That’s a bit of the earth that you can incorporate right into your magic. A tiny amount of dirt is teeming with living organisms that have the capacity to both spark the life that keeps our planet functioning and decay those things which are no longer living. If that’s not powerful magic, then I don’t know what is.

8. Dollar store candles

Dollar store candles are a lifesaver. I’ve almost always got a box of emergency candles, colored birthday candles, and white pillar candles in glass jars lying around because they’re just so damn cheap. Instead of spending a lot of money on candles, I can get away with only spending a few bucks for a ton of them, and then I’m set for candles for a month.

To keep costs down, I typically stick to white candles. Colored candles are fun, but keeping a bunch of colors around is more expensive and, to be honest, I don’t notice much of an effect on my spell casting. If you really want to use a colored candle, that’s where the birthday candles come in. They give a little pop of color when you really want something other than white to work with.

9. Moon water

Moon water (and really any charged water) is a budget witch’s dream. You can make it with plain old drinking water and a glass jar. If you take the moon phase into account, you can make charged waters for each phase of the moon to boost your magic when you need a spell but don’t have the time to wait for the right moon phase.

Not into lunar magic? There are TONS of other options for charged waters like solar water, color-infused water (just put the water in colored glass bottles!), water charged with herbs, rainwater, and snow water. The possibilities are endless and the supplies are easy to come by.

10. Grow your own herbs

Growing your own herbs is an easy way to connect with the earth and save a little money in the long run on supplies. Often, you can root cuttings from fresh culinary herbs to plant and have your own supply growing in a windowsill year-round. Herbs typically don’t require much space, so they can be grown in recycled jars and tea tins.

My favorite herbs to keep on hand for my craft are mint, sage, bay leaves, and rosemary. Check and see if any of your friends or family members are growing herbs already! You may be able to snag cuttings for your own garden from them.

Do you struggle with getting results from your herbal magic? You’ve probably used herbs in your craft dozens of times, almost every spell involves herbs, but for a lot of witches, herbal magic just seems to fall flat. Or maybe your spells work ok but it still feels like something is missing. You’ve been told that plants and herbs can be incredibly powerful magic but you just never seem to be able to experience that for yourself. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone and my Magical Herbalism class is designed to help you to uncover the secrets of magical herbalism with ease. The truth is, you’re missing crucial pieces of information! If you’re ready to start feeling confident and getting results from your herbal magic, click here to learn more about my Magical Herbalism course.

11. Salt

What witchy supply kit is complete without salt? Salt is useful for all manner of magic, including cleansing and banishing. It’s also typically quite cheap. While it may be more aesthetically appealing to go for the Himalayan pink salt, regular table salt is far more readily available and works just as well, I promise. Salt is another item that may be available for much cheaper in the bulk section of your local store, but if you don’t have bulk goods available near you, you can often find a box of salt for just a few dollars.

12. Your makeup drawer

Your makeup can do double duty and serve as a perfect way to expand your craft. Enchant your lipsticks to sweeten your words, your eyeliner to help you see the truth, and your foundation to help you appear more favorably to other people. You won’t have to spend any extra money to incorporate makeup magic into your current routine, and it’s a lovely way to add a little more magic into your day-to-day life.

13. Loose change

I used to hate having loose change. It seemed to sneak into everything, my pockets, my purse, on my counters, between the couch cushions, under car seats. These days I look a little more favorably on my change. Anytime I find a coin, I pick it up and take it to my prosperity bowl. This bowl sits near the entrance to my house and is enchanted so that every time I drop change into it, it attracts more money to my household. It also charges the coins so that when I need a little financial boost, I can take them and use them to buy something, releasing a little burst of wealth-attracting magic.

14. Dollar store journal

Dollar store journals may not be fancy, but you can often get them in a variety of sizes for a dollar or less apiece, meaning you can get one for home and one to carry with you. These notebooks can be decorated and personalized however you like and then used to record your witchy doings. The thing I really love about using cheap journals is that I don’t have to be concerned about messing them up. I can write and rewrite spells, make notes in margins, spill potions on the pages, and rip pages out without feeling bad. Use these journals as a catch-all for information and when you’re ready to create a more carefully made grimoire later, you’ll have all the information you need at your fingertips.

15. DIY Pendulum

Do you have a necklace with a pendant that you wear a lot? Congratulations, it’s now a pendulum. Any object, pendant, or stone on a chain or string can serve as a divination tool in a pinch. Fancy crystal pendulums might be nice, but you may find that a necklace you wear close to your heart all the time speaks truer and is more readily available when you need a quick answer.

So there you have it! It’s entirely possible to have a wide array of witchy supplies available without having to spend a lot of money. You just have to get a little creative and work with what’s easily available to you.

Remember, while having tools and ingredients is great, they’re not necessary to practice witchcraft. It’s entirely possible to be a witch and never use a single herb, or crystal, or altar. I frequently do magic without any accompaniments and it works just as well as magic that I do with a full altar and all the spices in my cabinet. The important thing is that your craft works for you.

https://averyhart.co/blog/2018/1/2/15-of-the-best-tools-and-ingredients-for-the-broke-witch

[teamhook]

Always, Always a Bridesmaid :: 27 Dresses Birthday Fic

Hello all! Here we have an update for @ultraluckycatnd  birthday fic. I hope you like it. 

Betaed by @demisexualemmaswan

AO3

FFN

Emma was waiting at the airport. She kept looking for her sister until a giggle caught her attention. Kathryn was walking towards her while flirting with some guy. Typical Kathryn, Emma thought, shaking her head.

Kathryn finally noticed her sister waiting for her. She coyly dismissed her admirer.

"Emma! How are you? I missed you!" Kathryn hugged her sister.

Emma squeezed Kathryn tight. “I’ve missed you!”

Kathryn’s eyes were still on the departing stranger.

Emma followed her gaze and shook her head as they headed out of the airport.

Emma and Kathryn arrived at her place.  

Kathryn took in the apartment. “Emma, this place is so cute!! I love it.” She walked to a comfortable couch and put her luggage next to her as she plopped down.

“Hey, so I have a work thing to go to. Do you want to come with me?” Emma asked as she walked back from her room wearing a fresh blouse.

Kathryn kicked off her shoes. “It’s nice to be home.”

"Hey, what happened with your boyfriend, what was his name?" Emma asked.

Kathryn rolled her eyes. "He wanted to come with me but I told him I needed some space." She sighed and turned to Emma and got up as she spotted a photo of their parents on their wedding day. She smiled as she approached the picture. "Mom was my age," Kathryn said.

Emma smiles fondly. "It was the perfect wedding. The Boathouse, the big band, ceremony at sunset."

Kathryn scrunched her nose. "Except for that dress. Emma the synthetic lace and the inverted box pleats were horrible."

"I thought it was beautiful," Emma said.

Kathryn shakes her head and turns to a pile of newspaper clippings. "What are these?" she said with a teasing smirk.

Emma rushes to cover them, "Oh nothing important. Just a few old wedding announcements. I was going to recycle it."

"Emma, these are more than a few. Were you going to recycle them into wallpaper?"

"Okay, there's this writer, James Rogers, he writes the best ones. I only keep his. I just love the stories and the crazy proposals. Nevermind. It’s not your thing." She organized the clippings.

Kathryn was trying to muffle her giggles.

"How long are you staying for?" Emma asked.

"Just two weeks. The fall fashion shows are done, so I don't have work," Kathryn replied.

"Okay, hey, you never answered if you wanted to come to my work thing."

"I'll pass, I'm going to have dinner with some friends from Milan."

"Oh, okay. If you change your mind we will be at the new place Wonderland at St. Marks and A."

“Okay,” Kathryn said.

"St. Marks and A," Killian said as he clicked the seatbelt in place.

"Yes, sir," the taxi driver answered and promptly signaled and began heading to the given destination. n.

Killian relaxed on the backseat of the car as he glanced at the planner on his lap. He sighed as his fingertip traced the edge repeatedly.  

Emma was laughing with Ruby.

Graham walked up to them.

"Emma, what did I get, Tamara? She was just thanking me." Graham asked, puzzled.

Emma smiled. "A nice bottle of Cristal, and some champagne glasses."

He scratched his trimmed beard. "I'm surprised she believed the present was from me."

Emma laughed, "Oh, don't worry. It wasn't my best gift wrapping job."

Graham scoffed, "I could do a decent job at gift wrapping."

Emma's brows raised in disbelief.

Ruby was silently watching the exchange. "Hey, Emma. Do you want a drink? I'm going to the bar."

Graham cleared his throat. "I could grab you, ladies, some drinks. Maybe some liquid courage?"

Ruby nodded. "I'll take a Cosmo."

Graham turned to Emma.

Emma shook her head. "I'm not drinking tonight. Thanks."

He smiled and walked towards the bar.

Emma turned to find a scowling Ruby. "You should have smiled and said I'll have a Bay Breeze. Followed by some intense flirting, interoffice sex... accidental pregnancy,

a shotgun wedding, and a happy ending. How many times do I have to tell you the plan?" Ruby sputtered out.

"Wait, why a Bay Breeze? Ruby, you don't get it. I don't want him to think I'm irresponsible." Emma glared at her friend.

Ruby sighed, "Okay, to answer your question, party pooper: a Bay Breeze because drinking a good-sized glass of pineapple juice a couple of hours before doing the deed can help make your bodily fluids taste and even smell better for his pleasure. So he can enjoy his time down there."

Ruby finished her explanation with a wolfish smirk.

Emma scrunched her face. "Rubes, you are wrong. Graham appreciates the way I am."

"I don't think there's enough appreciation going on if no one is getting naked," Ruby said with a sly smirk.

Graham came back carrying Ruby's drink and handing it to her.

"Emma, did you get that thing I left on your desk this morning?" he asked with slight nervousness.

Emma's heart started racing could it be true that he sent the flowers? "On my desk?"

"Was that okay? I mean we've never had that kind of relationship before," Graham said.

"It was great," Emma answered quickly.

"Good... I wanted to make sure you were okay with it.

I'm sorry, I should have asked before assuming," Graham confessed as his name was called out by the bar. "I'm sorry I'll be right back."

"Ruby, oh my God!! It was him. He gave me flowers!!" Emma squealed.

"Emma, stop it! This is real life, not a fairy tale. Now it's the time. You go up to him and tell him how you feel. Go NOW!"

Emma walked toward Graham with anxious energy. She couldn't believe it, he felt the same way. Graham was at the bar chatting up with one of the guys from shipping the closer she got the more excited she was getting until she noticed something caught his eye.

Emma followed his gaze and her heart stopped. No, please, no, no, no. Emma tried walking faster but she wasn't the only one that had sped up. Graham and Kathryn were seconds away from shattering her dreams. Still, she begged whoever would listen to be wrong.

Kathryn and Graham had locked eyes and nothing seemed to distract them.

Graham smiled. "Hello."

Kathryn returned the smile and with a breathy tone replied, "Hi."

Emma stood in front of them with her heart sinking.

"Oh, hey, Emma," Kathryn said as she looked away from Graham for a second.

Graham's eyes followed and smiled fondly at Emma.

Emma knew she had to introduce them but it was the hardest thing she had ever done. "Oh, sorry, Kathryn this is my Graham, I mean my boss, Graham. Graham, this is my sister, Kathryn."

"Emma, you never said your sister was in town or how lovely she is," Graham said.

Kathryn turned to Emma, "I can see why you love your job so much. I would be a workaholic too."

Graham blushed "Emma is a great assistant. I could never survive without her. As if I don't take enough advantage of her already... I dropped my dry cleaning slip off on her desk today."

Emma whispered, “Of course it was his dry cleaning slip...I’m such an idiot.”

She tried smiling as she watched the man she loved escort her sister to the bar for drinks while making plans to go out dancing later.

An accented voice in her ear startles her. "Love, were the flowers too much?"

Emma gasped as she turned to face him. Recognition quickly set in: "They're from you. The angry marriage-hater."

"Yes, love. Did you like them? Or was it too much?" Killian asked.

“Please, excuse me for a second.” Emma said and made her way to the emergency exit.

Once outside she screamed out a slew of profanities that would make a sailor blush.

...then, she noticed she wasn’t alone.

There was an anniversary celebration happening.

could this day get any worse?

She apologized for her outburst and went back inside.

Killian had stared at her in amusement. She was a puzzle for him to solve.

Emma walked back to him. “I'm sorry. You were saying.”

“Lass, I just asked if you received my flowers? I mean your flowers. Oh, and I have something for you,” He smiled as he took out something from his satchel. “I’m here to deliver this.”

“Oh, my God. Thank God. I have been looking for it everywhere,” Emma said, relieved.

“You left it in the cab the other night and it was either the engagement party tonight or Thursday's bikini wax.” He gave her a once over, “I thought my presence at the waxing would be unwelcomed.”

“You read it?” she asked with disbelief, upset at the invasion of privacy.

“Aye,  I tried to read it. How else would I find where to return it? It was very difficult with the little cramped handwriting. You know, they do have these computer date books now that take care of everything for you.”

“I don't need to be taken care of,” she growled at him.

“Would you like to have a drink with me?” he asked, ignoring her tone.

But it was a semi-nice gesture, Emma reasoned. “Thank you for returning my Filofax. That was...very nice,” she replied.

He could tell by the tone of her voice that there was a dismissal coming. “Lass, it's a drink, not a week in Oahu. Come on. Just one drink.”

“I'm sorry. I'm really not great company right now,” she sighed as her eyes returned to Graham and Kathryn.

“All right, I got it. Perhaps I'll bump into you on Thursday?” The scowl on her face quickly gave away her feelings on the matter. . “Maybe not. I'll see you around,” he said and walked away.

“Who was that and where can I get one?” Ruby asked as she kept her eyes on Killian’s retreating body.

Emma was happy Ruby had such a short attention span. Her eyes drifted to one of the guys from the shipping who was waving her over and she darted in that direction.

Emma's attention returned to her sister and Graham. How could this happen to her?

Why? Why??

Growing up with Kathryn had been difficult for Emma since she had to be Kathryn’s mother more than a sister.

She had seen her sister make a play for guys that had girlfriends, but this time it had happened to her.

Sure, Kathryn didn't know about her feelings for Graham but would it have even mattered?

Emma hated the obvious flirting happening between them as she made her way to them. Graham and Kathryn were laughing and enjoying each other's conversation.

Graham was the first one to notice her."Emma, do you want to come with us?"

Emma's eyes turned to Kathryn, who discreetly shook her head ���no’. "No, thank you. But Kathryn, aren't you tired?"

"Nah, I'm good. I can go all night long." Kathryn said, maintaining eye contact with Graham. "Let's go! Oh and Emma don't wait up! Love you!"

Kathryn grabbed Graham by the hand and dragged him out.

Kathryn had finally returned at 3 A.M. with a smile on her face. "Emma, why are you still awake?"

"I couldn't sleep so I decided to do some light cleaning. Harnessing my chi," Emma answered as she finished wiping the kitchen counter. She would never confess that she kept peeking through the peephole hoping the night of dancing ended because Graham wouldn't stop talking about her all night. She tried to pass the time doing all sorts of things from work to exercise. Cleaning her apartment had become her preferred form of distraction. Her place had never been as spotless as it was at this moment.

So she put on her bravest face possible to mask the sinking feeling she felt as her sister's smiling face greeted her.

"Emma, I had the best night of my life," Kathryn sighed. "Was that weird for you?"

"Why would it be weird?" Emma said defensively.

"Oh, good because we are meeting for lunch tomorrow. Tell me about Graham," Kathryn said with a gleam in her eyes.

Emma took a deep breath, "Uh, he dropped out of college then climbed every major peak in the world. Then he started Everest from his one-bedroom apartment. He turned it into one of the most eco-friendly philanthropic businesses in the world all before he was 30."

Kathryn smiled. "Wow."

"Yeah, and that's just his resume. Everybody loves him. He is an amazing boss. He loves his dog, Hunter, more than anyone. He would rather spend his time outside than anywhere else."

"He sounds amazing," Kathryn said dreamily.

"Yeah, but he isn't perfect," Emma added quickly.

"What do you mean?" Kathryn asked.

"Well, he hates apples, sometimes he wears sneakers without laces, and --" Emma started before Kathryn cut her off.

"Emma, those aren't exactly turn-offs," Kathryn stated.

"Kathryn, nothing happened between you two tonight, did it?" Emma asked with the last shred of hope she had.

Kathryn bit her bottom lip, "Well..."

"Oh," Emma said as her heart shattered completely. The only ray of hope she had was for Kathryn to lose interest like it was her habit or for things to fizzle out before her inevitable departure.

The next day Emma and Kathryn went to visit their dad to surprise him with the younger girl’s presence.

The familiar bell rang  as they walked in and a voice from the back called out, "Thank you for choosing Gilded General Store, how can I help you today?"

"Dad, it’s just me," Emma said.

The man finally appeared with a wide smile."Oh Emma, sweetie. How are you?"

Before Emma can answer, Kathryn, interrupted."Surprise! I missed you, Dad!" Kathryn ran to hug her father.

"I didn't know you were in town. Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I would have picked you up from the airport!”

"Well, it was a surprise visit," Kathryn said.

"My two girls together. Is it my birthday?" he asked.

"Oh, Dad. Don't be silly! My gosh, this place looks exactly the same since the last time I visited."

"Kathryn, that's not true. I just stripped and re-varnished all the woodwork. Look at the new cash register. Digital."

"Yeah, I can't believe I didn't notice such improvements."

"Come on let's go upstairs, girls."

Kathryn and Emma talked idly as they set the table.

"There we go," Dad said as he presented their favorite pancakes in the shape of Mickey Mouse.

"Dad, aren't we a little too old for these?" Kathryn asked.

"No. You two will always be my little girls," he said warmly.

"Good, 'cause I love them! So delicious!" Kathryn said as Emma served herself quietly.

"So, Kathryn honey, how long are you here for?” he asked as he took a sip from his coffee.

"Two weeks, right?" Emma asked as she took a bite of her pancakes. "That's what you said."

"It depends on how some things pan out." Kathryn said with a smile.

Emma stared at her sister. "What things?"

Kathryn jumped up and ran to her purse when she heard her phone ring. "Hello? Hi!"

"Some new guy is chasing after her?"

"Dad, I wouldn't call it ‘chasing’,” Emma answered.

"Oh, Graham!  I would love to!" Kathryn said.

"Emma?"

"Hmm, I’m sorry, did you say something?" Emma stared at her Dad.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" he asked, concerned.

"Oh, just great. Everything's fine."

Killian walked with Victor to work.

"She's gonna call me. I guarantee it. I got a way with the ladies, trust me," Killian said with a wink.

"Sure, Jones," Victor said, rolling his eyes.

At work, Emma noticed some pages missing from her Filofax and Killian's name written in big bold letters with his number. "Oh, God! I’m going to kill him!" she seethed as she dialed his number.

"Hello?" a very happy voice answered.

"You idiot, you ripped a week out of my planner. Are you insane?" she hissed.

"Oh, that? Just a little experiment to see how you do without every second of your life mapped out. Lass,  your life is bloody insane. Tell me what do you do besides work and helping people get married?"

Emma sighed, annoyed. "You know what that's not your business."

That comment didn’t deter Killian. "How do you afford these weddings? It must get extremely expensive, the dresses, the airfares, the wine of the month club?"

"Hey, people love that gift, and I'm a frequent member. So sometimes they throw in a free Gewurztraminer."

"Wow. I’m truly sorry, that is terribly sad. Ah. Well, I would love to make it up to you. Okay? How about a new datebook or maybe just a date?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah. Sure. Let me just pencil you in. Except, you already did every Saturday for the rest of the year.  Can you please, please find someone else to be creepy with?"

"I’m sorry I cannot. Tell you what, anytime you want to be around someone who doesn't need you to take them to a fitting or a cake-tasting or a coed mojito and burrito rehearsal dinner, just give me a call. You have my number," He said.

"Yeah. Not gonna happen," Emma said as she hung up.

Emma was filing away some documents when a young voice called out.

"Hey! Emma!" the young voice said.

"Hey! Are you getting too old for hugs?" Emma asked.

"No," The boy said with a big smile.

"Thank you. How are you, Henry?" Emma said as she squeezed him tight.

"I'm good. I'm meeting Graham," Henry said as he hugged her back.

"There he is!" Graham said.

"Hey, what's up?" Henry rushed to hug Graham.

“Henry, there’s someone I want you to meet. This is Kathryn, Emma's sister. Henry is my little brother," Graham said fondly. "From the Big Brother Program at the Y."

"Oh. Hewwo," Kathryn said as if talking to a toddler.  

Graham and Henry shared a look.

"Emma, Kathryn, and I are gonna take Henry to his baseball game. Would you like to join us?" Graham asked.

Henry jumped up and down. “Yeah, you should come!” the boy said excitedly.

"Sorry, kid, I've got so much work to do. I should stay here," Emma answered.

"Are you kidding me, Emma? Look, your boss is a jerk.  I don't wanna have to fire you. Come on, let’s go," Graham said.

"Okay. Only if you’re sure." Emma said.

Kathryn, Emma, and Graham headed to the concession stand together. Once they were in line,  Graham started ordering for them. "Let me get three Diet Pepsis, three fries and--?" He turned to the ladies for their choice in food.

"Kathryn, I don't think they have tofu dogs with meatless chili. Maybe you can have--" Emma said as she looked at the menu for an alternative for her sister.

"I want a chili dog," Kathryn said.

"I'm sorry. What?" Emma asked.

"What? It was too much of a hassle. Besides I need some good protein for when I go hiking," Kathryn said mischievously.

"You like to go hiking?" Graham asked, "No offense but you hardly seem like the type of girl who enjoys hiking. Especially in those shoes."

"I can see why you would think that, but I love all that outdoorsy stuff. Hiking, biking, and climbing. But, to be honest, I haven't been hiking since my dog died. See, Emma and I had this adorable dog growing up, Tory. I just loved him. We would go on nature hikes and climbing adventures. Not a day goes by that I don't think about that bag of fleas. Good ol' Tory."

"Emma, how come you never mentioned Tory?" Graham asked.

"Oh, I don't know. I must have repressed the memory of Toby," Emma answered.

"Yeah. His name was Toby, but I called him Tory because I had a lisp," Kathryn responded.

"A lisp that turned your ‘B's’ to ‘R's’?” Emma asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't feel bad. When I was a kid, I had a stutter," Graham said soothingly.

"We have so much in common," Kathryn said as she grabbed his hand.

"I'm going to leave you two for now. I'm gonna go out and shag some flies with Henry," Graham said as he squeezed Kathryn's hand. He got up to go out to the field.

"Ooh! I'm jealous. It sounds like so much fun. What are ‘shagging flies’?" Kathryn yelled after him.  

"What are you doing?" Emma asked.

"What? Kathryn scoffed.

"You hate dogs and meat and being outside," Emma said.

"No. I like yachts. I like flowers. I like...you know... tanning," Kathryn insisted.

"You hated Toby. The only animals you’ve ever cared about are dead ones with sleeves. You're just saying all this stuff because Graham is so handsome. Or some people think he is," Emma said.

"I did not hate that dog! I just hated it when he drooled on me. And I could like hiking if I tried it... maybe," Kathryn said.

"Hey, Kathryn? What do you say you come out here and show me what you've got," Graham called out.

"Ooh. Sounds like fun. Are we gonna shag now?" Kathryn asked as she made her way to him.

The courtship between Kathryn and Graham progressed quickly between dates to family meals with Mr. Goldman.

It quickly became obvious to Emma that things between her sister and Graham were not going to end anytime soon. She had lost count on how many times she had walked in on them in a compromising position.

One day at work, Emma got called into Graham's office in a panic.

"Emma! Which one sucks less?!?" he asked as he showed her two ties.

"I like this one better," she said with a smile. Things might be a little different but he still valued her opinion.

"Good. Do you mind helping me with the tie?" he asked, handing it to her.

"No problem. I do it for my dad all the time," she said with a smile and added, "Are you okay? You seem nervous." She asked, concerned.

"I'm good. How does it look?" he asked.

"You look great, very handsome," she said.

"Thank you, Emma. I don't know what I would do without you," he said sincerely.

An hour later as she was about to leave the office, Emma noticed Graham had forgotten his wallet.

She rushed to find him at the restaurant the reservation was for. As she entered romantic music started playing by the band and a banner was released with the words Marry Me.

"Guys, guys! Hold it. She's not the one. She's not the one," Graham said.

When she heard that, her heart shattered beyond repair. It was final, he had chosen her sister as his life's companion. There was nothing she could do to show him she was the right one for him. There were no amount of breakfast burritos she could buy him because she wanted to make sure he had eaten or going beyond her job duties to show him she was irreplaceable that no one knew him better than her.

"I'm so sorry. I should've called, you forgot your wallet," she said lowly.

"Oh. Thanks. You didn't need to go out of your way to bring it," he said.

"Oh, I'm sorry I'm late," Kathryn said as she ran inside.

Graham yelled out, "Guys, now! Now!"

"Emma, what's going on?" Kathryn asked, confused.

"Come here, boy," Graham whistled and called out for Hunter.  The dog came into view while holding a bag with his muzzle and approached his owner with a wagging tail as if he knew there was a cause for celebration.

"Will you please sit down a second?" Graham asked as he carefully took out a small black box from the bag.

"Sure,” Kathryn said as she took a seat.

"I've been waiting my whole life for the right girl. Maybe I've been too busy trying to make something of myself but, I think I missed some of those moments. Kathryn, the second that I saw you..." he said and was interrupted.

"Yes!!" Kathryn said quickly.

Graham smiled, "I knew we would be great together. Kathryn, will you marry me?" he said.

"Yes, of course, I will. Graham, I love you!" Kathryn said and they shared a kiss, sealing their commitment to each other.

Emma now knew she was not the one for him. The only problem is how do you mend a heart that has been pining for the same person for years? She would have to find a way. A new reason to wake up in the morning.

Taglist:

@itsfabianadocarmo  @xsajx @hookedonapirate  @kmomof4 @searchingwardrobes @seriouslyhooked @let-it-raines @revanmeetra87 @snowbellewells @hollyethecurious @kymbersmith-90 @branlovestowrite @thejollyroger-writer @shireness-says @ilovemesomekillianjones @thisonesatellite @thesschesthair @winterbythesea @stahlop @resident-of-storybrooke @superchocovian @lfh1226-linda @artistic-writer @thislassishooked @shardminds @winterbaby89 @xhookswenchx @gingerchangeling @laschatzi @wellhellotragic @xemmaloveskillianx @courtorderedcake @pirateherokillian @optomisticgirl @darkcolinodonorgasm @andiirivera  @djlbg  @nikkiemms @jennjenn615  @scientificapricot @officerrogers @imlaxdris71 @therealstartraveller776 @kday426 @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713   @donteattheappleshook @spacekrulesbians @lassluna @carpedzem @captainodonoghue @killian-will-do @jarienn972 @tehgreeneyes @demisexualemmaswan @queen-serena88 @swanslieutenant @tiganasummertree @whimsicallyenchantedrose @bethacaciakay @ohmakemeahercules @jrob64 @klynn-stormz @mariakov81 @sals86 @elizabeethan @brooke-to-broch @hookedonhiddles @onceratheart18 @the-darkdragonfly​ @veryverynotgoodwrites​ @jonesfandomfanatic​ @wefoundloveunderthelight​ @cocohook38​  @karlyfr13s​ @beckettj​  @chasedancer17​ @lonelyspectator12​ @batana54​ @gingerpolyglot​  @zaharadessert​

[tabbycasto]

Nail Tech Talk : Top Tips For Setting Up In An Unconventional Space

Setting up can be a little daunting when you first start out, but it doesn’t take long to start building your collection & creating a space that you're happy with. When I started to set up my treatment room, I began by creating a mood board to figure out the aesthetics & practicality of the room. I love to use Pinterest to get my visual ideas out and have mood boards for things like Storage Ideas, Pedicure Set Up and design inspo.

Once you’ve figured out the style you're after you can start to figure out how to make it come to life. Everything takes time and you’ll find sometimes it’s not until you’ve actively worked in a space that you can truly see what you need to change & adjust to make the space really work best for you. It's a work in progress that grows with you as you develop new skills. Don't feel that everything has to be done at once.

My Treatment Room aesthetic is kitsch, plant adorned & bright. I try to keep things fun, but tidy and cozy for clients. I’m not a "normal salon space", but that’s one of the reasons my clients like to come to me. I don’t try to make the room do something it can’t do, I just work with what I can.

Storage

Storage is really important, especially as it can actually save you time if you keep yourself well organized. I really love easy access storage so that I can grab things quickly and not waste time looking around for products.

Nail Polish/ Gel Polish Storage 

I originally started out with both the long and short Ikea Alex drawers. These are great if you are just starting out and don't have too much product as they provide a lot of storage space, but if you are like me and tend to have a lot of product (I do makeup as well as nails), I’d recommend going for better quality drawers with more side supports than Ikea. My Alex drawers lasted about 3 years before I had to replace them with a similar Tallboy Style Drawer which I found on sale at La Redoute. My advice would be to spend a little extra on furniture if you can so that you don't have to replace it in future.

Ikea Picture Shelves are also a great way to display polish/gel colours on your walls, but they will need dusting regularly which is why I prefer to use the tallboy style drawers. I tend to use the Picture Shelves to create a "gallery wall" where I display framed art and photos, but these would be great for displaying certifications and awards as well.

Glitter/Diamonte/Dried Flower Storage

I invested some time decanting all my glitters, diamantés and dried nail art flowers into clear acrylic lidded jars which sit in clear boxes (labelled on the bottom) so I can showcase colours more easily to clients rather than rummaging through boxes. Clear Acrylic storage is great as you can see when things are running low and need topping up. I tend to separate these into colour sections keeping like colours together. Ebay, Amazon, Hobby Craft & Muji are great for finding these kind of clear acrylic storage solutions.

Wire Storage

I keep wires under control with a wire tidy box also from Ikea to reduce tripping hazards and keep the room looking tidy. As I do a lot of filming in the room, I do have quite a few different wires for various things, anything that doesn't fit into the Ikea Wire Tidy, when not in use, gets stored in Ikea Rattan/Wicker Storage Boxes and slotted away in my Ikea Kallax. I label the different plugs with a Dymo Label Machine so I don't get things confused. 

How To Display Your Nail Art Professionally

I love nail art and have a lot of nail tips left over from content creating and old Pop Up Nail Bar menus. I was looking for a way to showcase these to clients and discovered a really cool Nail Art Display Box on Ebay which looks very professional. You can change the display every season or theme each clear pull out frame to your liking. With so many ideas and options available this is a great way to break it down visually for customers. Here is a break down on how to start yours (links to where to find it are in the description box) :

https://youtu.be/F5Yzousncqg

Pedicure Set Up

I recently started offering pedicures again and needed to create a cozy pedicure space that could easily be put away when not in use.  As I don’t have laminate flooring, I had a custom size floor matte made to protect my rug and carpet area from splashes and mess  by https://www.floormats.co.uk . When not in use, this slots away under a sofa and easily pulls out when I need it again. It's also easy to wipe down and keep disinfected.

Instead of using a storage trolly to display Pedicure Products (as my room is carpeted which wouldn’t be practical), I keep my bottles and sprays on trays on top of a wooden stool. I have 2 different trays which I alternate with the two systems I use, Footlogix & Famous Names Releaf. * Nail techs use my discount code TABBY10 for 10% off these brands and more on the Louella Belle site.

I purchased  my concrete pink/white tray to display my Footlogix products from Etsy Seller JustSoDesignbyRachel (https://etsy.me/37c1csl ) who had to adapt when first lockdown hit & set up a shop selling hand made beautiful concrete items. Where I can, I love to shop with and support smaller businesses & fellow nail artists.

To display my Famous Names Releaf I went for a more rustic looking tray from Dunelm which suits the natural ethos of the system : https://www.dunelm.com/product/wooden-tray-craftland-1000167605?defaultSkuId=30696657

For a leg rest/foot rest, I use a foldable stool from Amazon with customised vinyl material that can be disinfected. I found out about the stool from a fellow nail tech on the Footlogix Facebook Group ! The vinyl I reupholstered the stool with came from Etsy Shop HomeTexStudio (https://etsy.me/2JJlRsb). The height is just right for my set up, not for everyone I’m sure , but for the space I work with it’s perfect. Here’s a video of the DIY stool transformation :

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CHGFgx6D6EY/?utm_medium=copy_link

I use Belava Pedi Bowls with recyclable disposable liners for my pedicures as I love glitter & they really go with my room's aesthetic! I think customers also feel much better knowing each time they visit they get a fresh pedi liner. The Belava Glitter bowls do come with a disinfectable insert, but I prefer to use the disposables as I feel it reassures customers that my hygiene standards go above and beyond, especially in these times.

I use an IKEA rattan stool to sit on when doing pedicures and my clients sit on a large sofa chair which allows them to really relax and decompress. After each client, I disinfected the soft furnishing with Sursol Fabric Disinfecting Spray as removing all soft furnishings was not an option for me.

Retail Items

As my set up has less surface space than a traditional salon space, I show off the products I retail on my shorter Ikea Alex Drawers & Ikea Kallax shelves. I try to keep displays and clutter to a minimum as every surface gets wiped down and disinfected before/after each client. In keeping with the aesthetics of my room, I display my products in small wooden boxes and clear acrylic shelves.

The Work Table

My work table is the area of my room that gets the most use. I use it as a work space for not just my nail clients, but also to film and create nail tutorials and content. Unlike many techs, my work table is a little wider than usual which is not for everyone, but works well for me. I have the Ikea Nordan Gateleg Table which has 6 storage drawers down the middle and two sides which can fold down. I use the Clear Ikea Skvallra Desk Protector to keep it free of any accidents and spills. To add a little personality to the space I alternate Paperchase Wrapping Paper which I find very fun and colourful under the Desk Protector, these make great backdrops for nail art photos as well. To get the best out of my nail art photos I use the Ikea Tertial Lamp with a Day Light bulb which I find works well as a work lamp and for photography purposes.

I keep my tools tidy with a custom made Jesmonite tray which I had commissioned by a fellow nail tech ( @bylaurajayne_jesmonitedesigns). It matches my room aesthetic and keeps things nice and tidy when I'm working. I tend to sterilize my tools in my Enbio Auto Clave and then place them on my tray ready for use! If you haven't seen her trays do check them out ! They are the perfect size for nail techs as she makes both rectangle long trays and smaller square trays so there is plenty of room for everything. I think displaying nail tools on the work table like this also gives the tools a bit of respect and helps you to look after them, after all they are probably your most used items and I think it's nice to look after them well so it's just fitting to display them proudly and with a bit of care and thought!

I recently purchased a new hand rest from @gb.wrist.rests. This has been a real game changer as it definitely improves the posture for both myself and my clients when working. Previous to this I had been using an Ikea Wooden laptop holder, which worked well for a couple of years, but over time the disinfectant began to wear down the varnish and I felt it was time to invest in something better. It was also great to support another fellow nail tech who started the GB Wrist Rests business up with her partner during lockdown.

Dust Control

To control dust, I have the Zephyros Dust Collection from Tafs. I find this works really well for keeping the space tidy and protecting mine and my clients lungs. I tend to work more with soak off systems and don't currently e-file so this works well for me. I would recommend getting a more powerful Air Purifier for busier salons working more regularly with enhancements.

Sterilisation

In the corner of my room I store my Enbio S Auto Clave which is used to sterilize tools after they have been washed, then disinfected. I store this on an Ikea Alex Cupboard which doubles up as a storage space for all my cleaning products and spare nail files etc. The Auto Claves are not cheap, but one of the best investments in my Treatment Room. I think customers feel more reassured and I certainly feel better using one. Nail techs can use my code TABBY to get money off their purchases at https://www.enbio.com/uk/

My greatest advice for anyone new to the industry or just starting to set up would be take it a bit at a time. We all have to work within budgets and as you gain clients and get busier you will be able to afford to work your way up towards a space that suits you. I spent many years working as a mobile freelancer before building up a client base that comes to me. It's also worth noting that your own health and client health is so important. Consider the comfort of both of you when creating your space - make sure you are looking after skin and lungs. Protect your hands with gloves when you work to avoid over exposure and make sure you  protecting your lungs from dust particles, but most of all have fun creating a space that suits you!