#so I started baking. I started crocheting. I started learning how to write creatively

[cattysapien]

this might be a hard pill to swallow. but coming from someone who just went on a really long hiatus from drawing and had a several years-long journey of rediscovering my love for art… I think some of u online artists need to just take a break.

like— the amount of times I see people stressing about everything they post and beating themselves up for not being creative as they wish they were is insane. mama! you are burnt out! your mind and body are begging for a break. that’s why it feels taxing to create. that’s why validation isn’t cutting it anymore. that’s why you’re feeling doomed. the more you avoid taking a break and keep pushing yourself, the tougher the recovery process will be.

take. a. break!!!!!!!!!

[cherrystaineddoll]

𝓽hings to do instead of scrolling ౨ৎ

summer is here, school is over and you have way too much free time on your hands. so unless you want to spend your whole days with your eyes locked on a screen, here's an in- depth guide on what to do this summer, or whenever!!

learn a new language - trust me, speaking more than one language is a skill that everyone should have, and it always comes in handy. you can watch tv shows, movies or youtube videos in your target language, read beginner books, use apps (not duolingo though.. ) and even just listen to music!! just expose yourself to the language as much as you can, even better if you know anyone you can have conversations with. you could also learn sign language!!

journal or scrapbook - writing down your feelings really helps understanding your own self more. you can try doing shadow work to really dive deep, or just write whatever you feel in that moment. it doesn't have to become a chore, and remember, write for yourself and not as if someone else was going to read!! as for scrapbooking, just print out some nice photos and decorate the pages with stickers, drawings, fun colored paper.. whatever you want, just be creative!!

make art - it doesn't have to look perfect, remember that all art is beautiful in its own way. even if you think you're not good at it, just create, it will help you feel better & you'll also get better with time!! you can draw, paint, sculpt, do pottery, etc. you don't have to follow any guidelines, just buy a random sketchbook, bring out your inner child and do whatever you feel like doing

learn how to play an instrument - this can be a bit expensive, but if you have any instrument in your house that you've never used, it might be a great time to start learning it!! you don't necessarily need to take classes, you can easily find tutorials on youtube, even though it might be harder to learn by yourself. but making music is a really fun activity & good for the soul

reading and writing - i will never recommend reading enough !! everyone should read. it helps you learn new things, understand different perspectives, expand your vocabulary, and so much more. i know books can be expensive, but you can always try to buy them at flea markets, or ask a friend/family member to lend you some. and just in case, there are always some sites where you can read books online for free, like zlibrary!! you can read before going to bed instead of staying on your phone (which is sooo bad for your sleep), at the beach while tanning or outside while getting some fresh air. and if reading books inspires you, you can try to write something!! i'm not saying you have to write a 600 page book, but you can try to write small stories, or poetry, and who knows, someday you might actually write a book! if you want to get published, there are some small literary magazines you can find on social media that publish the works of small writers, it can be a great way to start. you can also always post your works here on tumblr, substack, or any social media platform!! you could also try to write the story for a movie and start screenwriting, if you're into cinematography

research interesting topics - now that school isn't forcing you to study things that maybe you don't care about, you can study whatever you want !! remember, knowledge is power, and with the internet, you basically have the world in your hands. you can watch a youtube video, read a book, or simply research on websites (make sure they're reliable though). you can also take online courses!! i might make a post on ideas for what to research??

start a new hobby - your life can't only be made of school/work, sleep, and a screen. you need hobbies that you actually like and that make you feel good. some of these can be: baking and cooking, crocheting, knitting, embroidery, jewelry making, nail art, makeup, photography, editing, blogging/vlogging, coloring, candle making, soap making, perfume making, modeling, origami, sewing, making diy stuff, chess, puzzles, acting, singing, flower arranging, meditating, lego building, trying new hairstyles or outfits, doing animations, discovering new music, sudoku, the things i previously wrote, and probably a million other activities i can't think of right now

stay active - moving you body is good for both your physical and mental health, i'm sure we all know that. you can go on walks or runs in the nature with your headpones on, or do any sport that you like- some ideas: swimming, dancing (ballet, hip hop, modern, ecc) , tennis, martial arts (judo, karate, taekwondo, ecc), volleyball, basketball, athletics, gymnastics, football, archery, fencing, table tennis, boxing, surfing, rowing, hockey, horseback riding, softball, golf, biking, figure skating, rollerblading, skating.. you don't need to do it competitively (unless you want to), as long as you're having fun and moving your body. you can also do workouts, like yoga or pilates, at home or outdoors, or go hiking.

watch movies, tv shows, or documentaries - it can always be a good learning experience, or just something fun and relaxing that isn't mindlessly scrolling. a bonus: after you've watched something, write a very long, detailed and in-depth review in your journal. you can also post it wherever you want (like letterboxd, to fight all the one liners)

hang out - with friends, family, or even by yourself !! (i know, i know, it can be scary). you can do anything, as long as you're with the right people everything is fun, but here's some ideas: have a picnic, go to the beach, go to a water park, have a baking contest, do temporary tattoos, go to a concert, go out to eat, do a one day trip, go on a road trip, take a walk in the nature, go hiking, go to a trampoline park, go to an amusement park, visit a museum, go thrifting or shopping, have a board games night, try out a new cute cafe or bakery, do an escape room, have a karaoke night, have a movie marathon, and so much more!!

i hope this helped!! ♡

[messyoungie]

hobbies to consider for 2025

・゜゜・．⋆｡°✩ ⋆⁺｡��⋆˙‧₊✩₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆ ✩°｡⋆.𖥔. ᗢ₊˚✧ ﾟ.

painting

gouache, watercolor, acrylic… there’s so many things for you to try and it’s super easy to get started!

clay

sculpt rlly cute charms, dishes, and whatever else!!

scrapbooking

great way to look back on memories and lets you get rlly creative with it

journaling

my personal favorite ♡. so many different ways to go about it. you can have a bullet journal, book journal, cooking journal, movie journal. or, simply a diary to write about your thoughts and days. you can decorate your spreads with stickers and washi tape or keep it simple.

crocheting

there are so many things you could make, from tops to plushies. there are a lot of cute tutorials and free designs available online!

baking

this one may or may not be as easy as the other ones I’ve mentioned depending on the recipe but learning how to cook or bake makes for a great New Year’s resolution!

puzzles

there are a ton of different puzzles out there ranging from different skill level, so you can challenge your brain as much as you’d like!

sewing

whether you want to learn how to hand sew or use a sewing machine, to tailor clothes you already have or make your own pieces, sewing can be a fun and impressive skill to have.

playing an instrument

guitar, violin, piano, clarinet, drums— there are a ton of options for you to choose from and plenty of online resources :)

reading

reading can be a great way to learn more or be a better form of entertainment compared to social media and television. whether you want to educate yourself on different topics, discover a new genre of novels, or are interested in comics— reading is one of those hobbies where there’s something in it for everyone, regardless of what they’re looking for.

jewelry making

bracelets or necklaces, whatever it is you want to make the materials are easy to find, as well as tutorials and references.

bicycling

having an outside hobby is very important imo, and bicycling is one of those hobbies that lets you be as relaxed or intense as you’d like.

yoga

I think this is a great one, with yoga the focus doesn’t have to be looking a certain way or going super hard— it’s just about relaxing. there’s no pressure.

[sunshinereddie]

maybe this is unnecessary but since i am returning to this acc after a while and getting some new traction on here. i thought about doing an intro post because now that i think about it i don't think i've ever actually done an intro post i kinda just spawned one day and started spewing out reddie hcs and since i have some new friends on here as well i thought why not do one. so here are some fun facts about me -->

hello i am tumblr user sunshinereddie and i go by either sunny or moony! truly i do not mind either name feel free to call me whatever calls to your heart

i have been in the IT fandom since 2020, but i created this account in 2021 because not having a place to share my headcanons and ideas was driving me crazyyyyyyy and im so glad i ended up making this blog!

i actually first read IT back in 2017 because i was interested in the movie but wanted to read the book first. it took me about 5 months to read it and then i watched the movie and i enjoyed both but then promptly forgot about them. i didn't feel the Fandom Urge until i watched ch2 a few years later and well the rest is history

i've been writing fanfic since about 2012! the first fandom i ever wrote fanfic for was percy jackson- and all my old pjo fanfics are still up on wattpad, including one that got surprisingly popular back in the day lmao. i kept writing but stopped posting fanfic probably around 2015, and didn't post anything again until i started writing my first IT fic in 2020! so i guess we all have IT to thanks for giving me the inspo to start posting my work online again

aside from writing, some of my other hobbies include reading, crocheting, journaling (junk journal/reading journal/journal spreads based on characters/etc), learning about mushrooms and fungi, baking

other than IT, some of my other fav pieces of media are: all for the game, five nights at freddy's, percy jackson, squid game (i am currently very active in the squid game fandom and run a squid game fanblog too), supernatural, haikyuu (one of my fav animes of all time), the magnus archives

i am canadian 🇨🇦

i love music and some of my favourite artists are gorillaz, fall out boy, my chemical romance, bigbang (ot4), bts, one direction, bloodwitch, mitski, the cure, pale waves and pretty much every time i listen to music i am thinking about how i can make every song about The Characters

im currently a university student which is why i disappear every so often because i don't do well under pressure

likes: coffee and tea (don't make me choose), dogs and cats (DONT MAKE ME CHOOSE), being creative in whichever way i can be, winter/cold weather/rainy days/storms, watching anime, making friends in fandom, collectibles and buying blind boxes (i have a growing smiski collection), horror movies that are cunty and fun and not too scary

dislikes: crowded/loud places, hot weather, heights, the ocean, mean people, cilantro, super scary or gory horror movies, phone calls, replying to emails

even though i would love to be a professional fanfic writer and scroll tumblr all day every day, i am working towards a career in the medical field (wow)

i love receiving hc prompt or ficlet prompt requests so if there's anything reddie or IT (or any of the other fandoms i listed...) related things you wanna see me write about my asks are always open :)

ANYWAYS so yeah that's all there is to know about sunshinereddie nice to meet you all :] like i said my asks are always open and i always love receiving messages and questions from u guys whether it's IT related or not and i love the little community i get to be a part of with this blog. SO YEAH NICE TO MEET YOU AND WELCOME TO MY PAGE (or thanks for sticking around if you've been here) and have a lovely day

[usamamoweek]

Meet the Creators - RiverLethe

What username(s) and platform(s) can folx find you on? (Please include links!)

@riverlethe - I am on Tumblr and Ao3!

(Fun Fact) What is your favorite kind of potato?

Yes. If it is a potato, I will eat it (except for mayo-based potato salads - no thanks), and my preference absolutely depends on mood, but if I had to pick one.... Have you ever tried Chef John's Potatoes Romanoff? If the answer is no, go fix that right now! (add in crisped up pancetta before baking - you're welcome)

How long have you been creating works in fandom spaces? How long have you been active in the SM fandom?

If reading fanfic counts as being active in the fandom, I've been active, on and off, for a little over 20 years, but I didn't actually start writing fanfic until 2 years ago.

What type(s) of creative works do you usually make? (fanfics, digital art, cosplay)

Fanfics are my #1 contribution, but I also crochet. I made @linlamont's Sailor Rex plush based on her amazing artwork for her adorable story "Treasures", and I am currently working on a custom Sailor Rex for my 6 yo daughter. There are plans for a Tuxedo Rex and Tuxedo Kamen

What do you enjoy about creating for the SM fandom?

I love the sense of community and making friends within the fandom. Discussing and theorizing all things Sailor Moon is one of my favorite things! Plus, there is just so much to explore, both in canon and fanon

Are you strictly UsaMamo or do you create for other pairings as well?

I wrote a Kunz/Venus fic for Heavenly Pearl's/@kaleidodreams' first ever Rare Pair week, but I otherwise exclusively write for UsaMamo. Who knows, maybe I'll be inspired to create for another ship in the future. Never say never!

What inspires you to create works for Usagi and Mamoru?

The emotions! Everything these kids go through is dark, scary, intense, etc etc, and I love to explore how it affected them, how they're feeling in the moment, and how Usagi and Mamoru support each other through it.

Do you tend to work on multiple projects (WIPs) simultaneously or try to finish one at a time?

Ideally, I would work on one WIP at a time, but with my ongoing story Once More, with Feeling!, I always have multiple going on. While I normally don't mind putting OMwF aside for a OS or two, I haven't updated it in almost a year, which I feel really bad about, so I am trying to put any new ideas on hold right now so I can get Chapter 13 done. OMwF will eventually update, I promise!

Do you prefer large projects (chaptered fics, webtoons/zines, highly detailed art) or small projects (one-shots or simple art)?

I love how much of a story can be explored and fleshed out in a chaptered fic, but, for fans, they can be daunting to start reading if you aren't there from the very beginning (depending on length), and there is always that ever present nemesis: time. As a writer, I like the regular engagement with the community that posting new chapters allows, but writing as I go can be very stressful, especially when motivation just isn't striking. For OSs, I love that ability to focus on one small part of the characters' lives without needing to generate a lot of backstory or lore. Will I do another Chaptered fic once OMwF is finished? Probably, I do want to continue into R, but I will hopefully take everything I've learned working on OMwF (it's my very first ever fanfic!) into the sequel so I'm a little more prepared.

Are there any common themes, situations, tropes, or mediums in your work?

Angst and Romance are probably the most common as I love the emotional impact the angst imparts and how Usagi and Mamoru support each other through it. Honestly, I find the original anime (and the manga to a lesser extent) a bit emotionally stunted, so I absolutely love fics that elicit emotions, in me, either happy, sad or anything in between!, and I strive to do that for my readers. With any luck, I succeeded!

Is there anything you haven’t explored artistically and would like to try?

If I could draw, I would totally do art. I am in awe of what artists can create through their medium and would love to be able to visually see what so many of us use words to describe, but, alas, I'll stick to crocheted dinosaurs with odangos! Regarding writing, I have more OSs in mind for stories and ideas I haven't explored yet, and maybe I'll actually learn some restraint and create chaptered fics that aren't 12+ chapters long at 5k-12k words each. Anything is possible! (Except for me and art. Not gonna happen)

[young-dumb-rocks]

countdown to launch: intro 2 - the people [bri]

We’ll be posting a new “countdown” on Mondays and Fridays. This will lead up to Friday 10/22/21 when we’ll release our first real post. While we continue prepping for the official launch, we hope you’ll enjoy these small insights into our concept and who we are as people!

Who runs this blog?

There are two of us working on young-dumb-rocks! Our names are Bri and Cat. We met in college and have continued to cause chaos together post-grad. Cat was the one to first propose working together on some sort of internet project, and from there we have worked together to set up this blog (and our tiktok which will be announced at a later time).

This week: Say hello to Bri!

Hey! My name is Bri, and I don’t really know what I’m doing with my life. But! I’m learning to just take the vibes as they come. When I’m not chasing dogs or doom-scrolling on tiktok, you can usually find me baking, gaming, or reading. I’ve been on tumblr since 2013 and, at this rate, will never escape.

As for why I’m here: I’m the kind of person who loves to have some sort of “project” going on. Whether it’s trying out new recipes, writing stories, learning how to crochet in a covid-fueled haze, or starting a blog about early 20s chaos – I love messing around and seeing what I can do. I don’t know where this project will go, but I’m really excited to have this space to be creative online!

*On a more technical note, I handle the behind the scenes work on the tumblr side of things, so if you notice any issues please let me know!

Cat and I are both open to talking about just about anything, but if you’d like to get a better idea of where my personal interests lie, here are some things I especially enjoy discussing: cooking/baking, videogames (Yakuza, Mass Effect, Stardew Valley, + many more), kpop, my monthly spotify playlists, anime, YA/NA books, writing, learning Korean, arts & crafts (drawing, painting, knitting, crochet), digital culture, behavioral economics, why the DSM is problematic, the evolution of “hysteria” and its relation to burnout, why Adobe is annoying, and candles.

And, if you want the typical profile stuff:

I’m 23 years old, a Cancer sun and Aquarius moon (I don’t know much more than that), and an INFP. I graduated with a bachelor’s in psychology and a minor in science, technology, and society. I’m currently looking for a full-time job (yay) so in the meantime I act as a full-time babysitter for my family’s two dogs and generally spend my days trying out hobbies and avoiding too much existential dread.

My representative quote these days is: “The goal is to get, let it roll.”

That’s about it for me! If you’ve read this far, thanks for stopping by and I hope you’ll look forward to our actual content (which is coming very soon)!!

[twopoppies]

Gina, this is so random but I just started my first 9-5 job and I can figure out what to do with my spare time in the evenings. I haven’t had a hobby in a while because I was too busy going to school and working full time. I’m really pressed about this so any help or suggestions would be super appreciated. Thanks in advance for helping this baby adult. 🖤

Aw, I love this question. First of all, congratulations in the job! That’s amazing. As for what to do in your spare time... wow. The possibilities are really endless. And I don’t know what you’re into, or how physically/mentally tired you are after work, so it’s a little hard. But here are a few ideas,,,

Read a book/join a book club

Take a class in something that’s just for fun (painting, art history, creative writing...)

Exercise/take up something new like yoga or Pilates

Learn to cook/bake

Learn a new language

Learn to play an instrument

Many museums/theater companies/opera houses have online programs for you to be able to tour/watch while the world is still in quarantine.

Volunteer (animal shelter, old age home, homeless shelter etc etc)

Pick up some crafting hobby like knitting, crochet, quilting etc

Make a list of old films you’ve never seen and always wanted to... work your way through them

Write (fic, short stories, family history, poetry, a journal...)

Mediate. Enjoy the fact that you have some empty hours in your day and just... be.

Sending you love. Hope you find a nice way to fill the days. 💜

[stars-and-branches]

Cottagecore emoji asks. All of them. Or just pick the ones you want to answer :p.

Alrighty then, answers below the cut.

🌿 Herb: What is a scent you find relaxing?

I love patchouli forest incense. It reminds me of sabbat rituals spent at a friend’s house (you know who you are).

🌱 Seedling: What is something you want to begin learning?

I want to learn more about permaculture. Even though it’s not really in my field I find it really fascinating!

🥛 Milk: What is a food you find comforting when you are sad?

Hot chocolate is the only thing I can think of that I really eat for comfort.

🍯 Honey: What is one thing you like about yourself?

I like my eyes. They’re blue but there’s a ring of gold around my pupils and a ring of darker blue around my irises.

🍄 Mushroom: What is a quote you find comfort in?

“If I am worth anything later, I am worth something now. For wheat is wheat, even if people think it is a grass in the beginning.” - Van Gogh

I find myself coming back to this one a lot.

☕ Tea: How do you take your tea?

It depends on the tea! I usually have tea black with a little bit of honey, though there is one exception. My grandmother always makes Barry’s Black Irish Tea and I have that with cream and sugar. It reminds me of home.

🐄 Cow: What is one other tumblr blog you really appreciate?

Honestly? All of my mutuals. I like the weird pseudo social relationship we have. A notable mention is breelandwalker who I still can’t believe follows me back on here.

🌳 Tree: What is one thing in your future you are looking foward towards?

I’m looking forward to making a home for myself where I feel safe and at peace. I like living life simply, extravagance just feels frivolous to me. I want to be happy and content.

I keep fantasizing about selling things in a farmer’s market booth. (Occult stuff, produce, plant starts, baked goods, etc)

🍑 Peach: What is a color that makes you smile?

Green! It reminds me of plants. Lavender is a close second, it reminds me of my mom.

🌻 Sunflower: What is one thing that brightened your day today?

I made cranberry orange muffins that turned out really nicely, I’d attach a photo but almost all of them have been eaten already. (This recipe, modified for what I had on hand.)

🐓 Chicken: What is a comfort movie/show for you?

As far as movies go, any ghibli flick will hit the spot. My comfort show is Avatar The Last Airbender.

🧵 Thread: What is a recent creative project that you are proud of?

I really enjoy writing, I’m happy that it’s been giving me something to focus on.

🐈 Cat: Do you have any pets? Are there some pets you really want?

I have a tabby cat and a golden retriever.

🍅 Tomato: Have you ever gardened, and if so, what is your favorite thing to grow?

Yep! We had a vegetable garden last year. Unfortunately, since I live in what is essentially desert, they all withered and died within a few months because we have a relatively short growing season. There’s a flower garden in my front yard, of which my favorite plant is lavender.

🍃 Leaf: What is a plant you find beautiful?

Yes.

🐝 Bee: What is a video game that you find comforting?

Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, and Undertale.

🍞 Bread: Do you know how to bake bread? If so, what is something you’ve baked recently?

Yes, most recently I tried (and failed) to make honey bread. It tasted good but wasn’t quite what it should have been.

🐇 Bunny: What’s a song that you really like?

Anything on this playlist.

🌲  Pine: Do you prefer the cold, or the heat?

The cold! I like bundling up in layers of clothes and blankets. (This answer may be surprising to anyone who knows me since I’m essentially a reptile and curl up next to any heat source I can get my grubby little hands on.)

🧶 Yarn: Knitting or Crocheting?

Crochet, one of the last presents my mom gave me was a crochet kit and it’s something all the women in my family do. I still have yet to learn since I need to get ahold of yarn.

🐑 Sheep: What is a comfort item you own?

I have a stuffed monkey that I’ve had since I was an infant. A year or so ago I bought a super soft cactus pillow that I cuddle up with in flares.

🍓 Strawberry: Do you own any pink clothing?

Not really, no. Most of my clothes are earth-tone or black.

🥞 Pancake: What is your favorite breakfast food?

Oatmeal drowned in toppings (fresh fruit and peanut butter).

⛰️ Mountains: Would you rather live in the mountains, city, beach, or the forest?

I’d rather live in the forest, my energy signature really really interacts well with that biome.  

🧸 Teddy Bear: Do you ever want to raise kids someday?

Yes, but I want to adopt and do so when I’m older and have had the chance to live my life the way I want to.

🕯️ Candle: What is something you can’t go to bed without?

A pillow to prop up my legs.

[boredinterview]

Libby Jansing on self-care, snickerdoodles, and divinity.

H: what are you wearing?

L: I’m wearing a striped rainbow sweater and this corduroy jumper thing my aunt got me for Christmas like two years ago. it was hers when she was younger and she gave it to me. she’s like “I saw it and I thought of you!” she’s my godmother.

H: my nanny texted me this morning when I was at cece’s, this picture of these overalls she saw on a facebook ad. she was like “these look like you”, they had like flowers all up and down.

L: that’s so sweet, I love that! I call my grandma nanny too.

H: oh yeah! I feel like we’ve talked about that before.

L: yeah, I love when other people call their grandma, nanny. It’s so sweet. my grandpa who I didn’t really know—he died when I was little—but we called him poppy.

H: dude! I call my grandpa pops, but then on my other side of my family, my dads mom is called grandy. which, she chose that name for herself. she started enforcing it when I was in the womb. and my grandpa, he died when I was little too, but we called him pawpaw.

L: that’s really sweet, I love that. my catholic grandparents were just grandma and grandpa which is like such catholic shit.

H: basic, straightforward, down to business. No frills whatsoever.

L: exactly!

H: so, describe your idea of self-care.

L: I think for me it shifts and changes depending on how I’m feeling. I’ve been really focusing on astrology lately and I think the transits really effect how I interact and take care of myself. It’s been a lot of trying to start new things which I think is because of aries season. starting new things—not even necessarily finishing them—but just starting them is making me feel good. and honestly still just like taking baths every day.

H: yeah, that’s so nice. what kind of new things have you been starting? like creative projects?

L: I’ve started a few things. I’m still working on five commissions that I have left which are projects I need to prioritize since you know they’re for people. I’ve been paid for them so I have to finish them, but I’m getting close on all of them which is good. I purchased a printer so I can print off the shipping labels.

H: hell yeah, that’s great!

L: also my friend Kelly and I are starting a podcast!

H: (excited gasp)

L: it’s an astrology podcast. we also talk about politics, we just have the best interactive mercury signs with one another. I have a gemini mercury and hers is in aries so we just talk talk talk and can’t stop. I’m always thinking constantly but I don’t always take note, I’m better at communicating my ideas out loud rather than writing them out so I’m excited to be communicating on a level like that.

H: yes! that’s so good.

L: yeah, so that’s been fun. I’ve been baking a lot too which I don’t really do usually.

H: amazing. what have you made?

L: I made snickerdoodles the other day just because I had those ingredients in the apartment and like.. they were so good! I felt like I did a really good job.

H: I love snickerdoodle ice cream.

L: snickerdoodles I think are my favorite cookies. I love cinnamon.

H: same! what is something that brings you joy lately?

L: I watch the British baking show a lot, and that brings me joy.

H: I love that show. I need to catch up on it, I know they switched out some of the hosts right? Like Mary Berry isn’t on it anymore.

L: I don’t think anyone’s the same. I haven’t watched the new seasons at all. like the two hosts—I don’t know anyone’s name on it at all—they’re introduced like every episode and I can never remember any names except for Mary Berry. her name is so easy. I know most of them are gone now though.

H: the old ones are nostalgic.

L: it totally does feel like that.

H: okay, what do you miss?

L: I miss thrifting honestly. going to antique stores and just looking at things. I don’t miss buying things, I miss browsing. also I really miss my friends.

H: I feel you. I miss both of those things a lot too.

L: yeah! I miss flea markets.

H: I’ve been so tired of all my clothes too which is so inconvenient! I’m trying to think what I can do at home to alter my clothes.

L: same! I don’t want to online shop for anything that isn’t essential either cause I just feel like that’s shitty.

H: I know. I feel like it’s a little bit irresponsible in a lot of cases.

L: yeah same. I’m also excited to get back in the studio. tommy and I are sharing that studio in Brighton.

H: yeah! the space looks great!

L: it’s part of sew valley. it isn’t really working right now, like their production isn’t going right now. I’m just excited to make clothes but I think I’m going to start crocheting clothes as well.

H: yeah that’s awesome you can just make new shit! It’s a good skill.

what do you not miss?

L: I do not miss working at all. honestly I’ve needed to go to therapy less during this time.

H: (laughing)

L: it’s fucked up. literally that’s how bad capitalism is. like, it’s shitty both ways because I’m not making any money right now and unemployment is really hard to get for whatever reason, but I’m so happy to not be at a restaurant every day. Honestly I think I’ve decided to go to a state school and get my masters in something. I’m thinking about going back to school—that’s what this time is giving me.

H: that’s awesome!

L: yeah.

H: the restaurant industry is so crazy sometimes because it feels like every single day just piles on and you don’t really have time to consider shit like that.

L: not at all.

H: you’re just so spent all the time.

L: yeah I was constantly tired. It was really hard to make things during that time too, I found myself very mentally exhausted all the time. I don’t have the temperament or personality to be a host. I can fake being sweet in that position but it’s hard to be on all the time.

H: yeah, I think that’s the hardest part about it. If you’re having an off day talking to the people who don’t care about you and don’t show you respect is really difficult.

L: yes. that’s exactly it. there’s always people that you meet who are nice, but even people who are kind to you and nice—it can still be exhausting after a while.

H: yeah it’s just so high volume.

L: yes!

H: what is something beautiful you’ve seen lately?

L: there’s a german sheperd that lives above me and this dog is so beautiful. sometimes it sounds like there’s a horse above me (laughing) but this dog is so pretty. I love seeing him every day.

H: that’s beautiful, I love that. that’s a great answer to that question.

describe your concept of divinity.

L: that is such an intense question but I love it. I had a super religious upbringing, going to a catholic school all my life and like even my preschool was Christian. I think I went to one year of public school when I was five. it was a young fives program and it was like… fucking amazing. the public school systems are amazing, we were like planting things in the ground. I think because of that it really engrained in me a need for ritual. catholics are very ritualistic. It’s a very clear stepping stone to me to get into my own spirituality. when I realized, you know—christianity isn’t it. It’s not great. It’s not for me and I don’t think it’s like, net good for the world. I always felt spiritual and connected whether it’s like to other people or the divinity in each other. I feel like everyone has divinity within themselves and it’s just about accessing it and respecting it. I feel like I more so practice it than I know what it is. you know what I mean?

H: totally, it’s a feeling.

L: yeah absolutely. I don’t know what it is. astrology is super important to my spiritual practice and tarot. I don’t know how it works, but it works you know? I don’t understand how these things happen. I love mystery and the mystical. I would be so bummed if I didn’t have that in my life. things that you can’t explain—I think that to me is what divinity is. I see it around me all the time.

H: thank you so much, that was awesome to hear.

L: I love that question. what is it for you, harris?

H: oh man! now I’m being interviewed. I am coming from a similar mind as you. I was not raised religious. I have people in my family like my grandparents are christians but even then we only went to church when I was really little so it didn’t have like a lasting effect on me. in terms of religion I was afraid that it might be real just because of hell, and then I rejected that pretty early once I started to like feel …gay. I was like “this doesn’t add up.”

L: yeah! harris, when I was little and I was like “oh… girls are pretty” probably around eight or something—my reaction was like “I’m going to be a nun when I’m older so I don’t have to think about sex” genuinely! That was my reaction.

H: wow!

L: I feel like I didn’t reject it, I went extreme. that’s like the guilt that comes especially with catholicism, it’s a religion built on guilt. it’s like even if you are worthy of god you’re still a sinner, it’s all built on guilt and like how shit you are as a person. it’s not great, you know? but you started to reject it after you were feeling gay?

H: yeah I stopped putting any stock into religion at all. but I have always been very spiritual as well. I’ve always felt like similar to you, a feeling of connection with my surroundings and things I can’t see or explain. I love astrology because it’s this weird cosmic thing that is just so fun to talk and learn about and somehow rings true. I don’t understand how it’s so accurate but it is. I love the moon (laughing) I love—not to get all over here with it—

L: get over there with it!

H: (laughing) I think poetry is a part of it for me as well, just conjuring things up that feel like they come from somewhere else. there are things that are impossible to understand which is crazy and cool.

L: yeah, I love that. that’s beautiful. thank you harris.

H: yes, thank you!

the next question, what’s your favorite body part?

L: oh my god my favorite body part. I feel like hands are my favorite utility. I’m so grateful for my hands, I think about it all the time. the cutest part for me though is definitely noses. everyone has a good nose.

H: I agree, I agree.

L: it’s such a fixation for people, like an insecurity but I literally see everyone’s nose and I’m like “that’s a cute nose.”

H: yeah! there’s no such thing as a bad nose.

L: no, noses are amazing, I love them. and I feel like smell is such an interesting sense too. it’s so connected with taste. do you remember that chef’s table episode where the chef has cancer on his tongue and he loses the ability to taste and smell the food?

H: yeah!

L: I think about that a lot. smell and taste is so important especially if your life is devoted to it. it does bring a different aspect of joy to life. the external part of it but its function too.

H: yeah, its amazing that he was able to continue and find new ways of creating with food.

L: yeah, so cool!

H: tell me something stupid.

L: (laughing) I could say so many things. because I’m in this new space, this new apartment, my body hasn’t figured out how to be in it yet. I live very much from the shoulders up.

H: YES!

L: and like, from shoulders down we don’t really know what’s happening. it’s a mind of its own. I’m very clumsy. my dad used to call me a bull in a china shop when I was growing up, and that rings true! I’m genuinely not aware of my body. I feel like that’s the gemini stellium, I’m very in the brain and not where the body is. I keep hitting this part of my leg in the same spot every single day and I have this giant bruise. It’s getting bigger because I keep hitting it. It’s in the bathroom, the toilet is just in this location that my body hasn’t gotten adjusted to. it’s the outside of my knee.

H: fuck. you’re body just isn’t with it yet.

L: it usually isn’t with it and in this moment it just has no idea.

H: I hope you start adjusting soon!

L: me too Harris! I think I will. tommy said it’s probably just a matter of time.

H: (laughing) I don’t love that for you but I love it.

L: it’s one of those things I’ll cry in frustration about and then laugh over how silly that is.

H: do you have any confessions to make?

L: (laughing) forgive me harris for I have sinned! confessions, oh my god. I’m transported. probably, you know! I hear my neighbor groaning and moaning a lot and I feel like I’m being too hard on him, you know what I mean? I feel like he’s just a person but my brain is taking me to this place. I feel like he’s an incel that’s going to kill me, and I know that’s irrational. he’s probably just living his life. I have to be careful for myself. I feel like I judge people too hard from a safety standpoint sometimes but I think that’s also without a basis.

Madison: I feel like you’re really good at meeting people though and then changing it. you’re good at not letting your initial judgements cloud when you meet someone.

L: thank you so much Madison, that makes me feel a lot better. I feel like my scorpio rising energy makes me not trust people right away but I try to not let that influence too much. sometimes you have to listen to your intuition but I don’t want it to get in the way of me treating people like people.

H: totally! I also feel like that instinct comes from a place of being a person in the world who is vulnerable. the hesitation is understandable. it’s not necessarily bad.

L: I’m okay having it and I should listen to myself when I’m really feeling something but I don’t want it to get in the way of treating people with humanity, that’s my fear with it. I want to be actively aware of that portion in my brain that jumps there immediately.

H: that’s a practice everybody should be doing definitely.

L: yes, in multiple ways.

H: to bring it to a close I’m going to ask you a series of one word questions.

wanting?

L: food. I’m hungry.

H: wishing?

L: I’m always wishing. fantasy, that’s me. I’m always a little bit in the clouds sometimes.

H: advice?

L: If you have any I’ll take it.

H: I’ll get back to you on that.

L: anyone who feels like they have advice to give me, I’m open. I’m usually not for unsolicited advice but I’m asking for it right now.

H: allowing?

L: myself and others to make more mistakes and not punish them for it. holding people accountable but allowing people to grow and make mistakes.

H: doing?

L: doing crafts! yeah. that’s my answer.

[kriss-the-writing-nerd]

11/11/11 tag game

Answer 11 questions, make 11 new questions, tag 11 persons!

I was tagged by @waterfallwritings for this! Thank you, your questions were really interesting and fun to answer! o(^▽^)o

(Sorry if I got a bit lengthy, it was just so nice to do something not university related after exams!)

1. How do you come up with ideas for your WIPs?

The heavy artillery from the get go, eh? *cracks knuckles* Okay, to be honest, I'm not sure. I've never really thought of it, they're just there, clamoring for attention (plot bunnies are my best ally and worst enemy). I definitely have bouts of very intense inspiration and days when I just,, can't. Even if I know where the scene is going, how it's going, and why, the words aren't there. Or they're all wrong. (This is when I default to writing ugly-crying emotional breakdowns or sex. Likely both.)

Working out a story is a game of association laced with concepts and core elements for me. Like this: dragons (core element) + mountains (association) + tribe/clan (concept) + shapeshifting (association/concept) + relocation/settlers (core element). And that's basically my dragon wip.

Eld's story is based on a Doctor Who quote "demons run when a good man goes to war". Ren and Kuro grew up with me; at some point they just started acting on their own - I just throw shit at them and sees what shakes loose at this point. (They have five kids! How???? did that?? happen???)

(I'm a sucker for prompts. My brain can see a single word and just, run of with it hollering in glee.)

2. How do you get past gaps in the plot?

Urrrrgh, I have to get past them??

I struggle, is what I do. Typically I let it sit, soundly on the back-burner in my mind, until I've mulled through my story to the point where the hole is gone. (This takes months, and with my sci-fi wip I ended up rewriting the dang thing completely at the third draft after eight years of working on it. Scrapping it was painful.)

Or I try a different angle. Sometimes it works.

3. What motivates you to keep writing?

I love writing. There's really no more significant reason than that. Writing allows me to express myself, create and explore worlds and characters who wouldn't exist otherwise. And it lets me just exist without any layers. When I've been hurting, writing has helped me get the pain out with no more than tears.

And I love words and languages; the way we have about 10 different words to say "snow" (partly because Swedish mesh several words into one but still) and maybe 2 (3?) for heat. That there are groups of languages with the same ancestors that are so close; how absolutely amazingly different they can be (I just learned "y" is not considered a vowel in English and I'm???? Completely blown. What. What do you mean it's not a vowel. Are you sure???). And languages with different alphabets and ones that use pictures to represent ideas instead of sounds! And sign languages!!

And idioms! It's so cool how idioms can carry words of wisdom, caution and reassurance, and rarely can be translated (classical examples from Swedish "There's no danger on the roof" and "The rain is standing like sticks in the ground") because they lose their connections to the cultures they are used in.

The universes in my head are as full of life as the real world and not nearly as anxiety-inducing. I have stories to tell. And you know that feeling when you’re in the zone and everything is flowing and you’re writing 10′000 words in a go? That.

4. Do you do any other kind of creative writing?

I dabble in poetry? Like, very sporadically and with mixed results. I have a friend into slam poetry who opened my eyes to it, too.

(Would fanfiction go here too?)

5. Do you have any other creative hobbies besides writing?

Urngh, yeah, too many. If I’m not reading, my hands need to be moving or I’m an unhappy bean. Though, writing is the only thing I never put down. Ever.

Okay, so, I draw (badly), both on paper and digitally. Mostly landscapes. I also try to make house sketches/plans. And I paint (a bit better than I draw), prefer oils or acrylics over water colors. My partner and I also paint miniature models when there is time.

I also crochet and knit, and I love origami. I roleplay (Dungeons & Dragons, whenever the DMs have time), and I play the violin (and piano) and write simple music for myself.

I garden if there's time in the spring and during summer, and I absolutely love these little fairy-gardens that have been popping up everywhere. On that note, I have more houseplants than I have space for.

I'm also thinking to start up a little thing making bracelets and bead strings for fidgeting. I needed some kind of stim toy to be able to focus and I wanted something silent with many different sensations to keep me entertained. I hunted around a bit but eventually made my own and they turned out pretty nice!

(I also like to bake, especially pies and breads.)

6. What do you do when you’re stuck on a scene and don’t know how to get it out / write it?

I slam the key words in. And then I ignore it until it stops fighting back so much.

Or I backtrack. Sometimes I've written myself into a corner unknowingly.

Sometimes I drop a wip that's giving me grief and work on another, or I use word/idea prompts to get me started.

7. How do you decide how to end your WIP?

God, please tell me because I don't hecking know. Should I do an epilogue? Should I leave it open/ambiguous? Should I just cut it off and leave the next step to the reader? Should there be a "true" ending, with goodbyes (actual or metaphorical)?

Urrrrrrrrgh. Good Lord, endings.

8. When in the process of writing do you decide how its going to end? Or do you kind of just wait til you get there?

Either I know from the start, before I write the first words, or I wait. Which tends to mean frustrating the hell out of myself. I have started to go through my wips (whether original or fanfiction) and give them all bare-bones outlines, because not having endings is a big problem for me.

9. Why did you decide to join writeblr?

Basically when I decided I had had enough of the "join to see more" button or the "sensitive material" warning. And when I realized there was a really nice writing community here I could maybe become a part of. (A major reason was actually @concerningwolves advice posts.)

10. What’s your favourite food?

(CW: Maybe skip if you’re vegetarian/vegan/you’d rather not read about meat.)

Chinese deep-fried chicken with sweet-and-sour sauce (not the spicy chili kind, the actual pineapple and tomato juice based kind) with rice. No question about it.

Mom's "blodbröd med fläsk" is a close runner up though, but we only eat it once a year, at the midwinter solstice. It's homemade Swedish tunnbröd (hard thin-bread) with blood instead of water in it that you dip in boiling water to make it soft, with white sauce, and fried, thoroughly salted pork.

(Believe me, some country-side Swedes in the northern parts are still pretty pagan about the sun coming back, me included. It's a big deal when you go between no night/darkness and then very little/no sun.)

11. If you had to kill off a character in your WIP, who would it be and why?

People are dying right and left in most of them already, since three include large-scale wars, so there's no shortage there.

But if I had to choose a main-character or a directly supporting character? (MY BABIES! NO.)

I think Ren, from the sci-fi wip, because he would be free from both responsibility and physical and mental pain. (My boi is a wreck.) It wouldn't be unlikely either. But at this point it would destroy my story! 😂 Less story-destroying would be their foster-guardian Sandra. It would still force me to write a completely new arc, but it would be do-able.

Although, regarding the fantasy wip Firestorm, Kebarock dying in their war would crush Sunling. That could be done without losing the plot entirely. Hmmm.

Puh, that was a lot of thinking! Okay, I'll be tagging.. @concerningwolves @weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables @adorhauer @focusdumbass @sleepy-and-anxious @els-writes @meteorwrites @sebastian-writer @telvivere @thescribesloft and @aceymichaelis No obligation to do this of course! <3 (And if I tagged you and you’d rather not be tagged in games, I apologize, please let me know)

And here are your questions if you want to:

1. What about your wip makes you smile?

2. What's the hardest decision you've had to make in regards to a wip?

3. What text font do you prefer writing in? Or do you write by hand?

4. Are there pets in your wip? If not, what pet might your character(s) keep?

5. What AU would you love to see/write for your wip?

6. Is there any type of music/a song in particular that you associate with your wip?

7. Are you a night owl or an early bird/When do you write?

8. Favorite beverage?

9. Where do you prefer to write? At home? In a library? On the bus/train?

10. What are your first 3 to 5 associations with the word 'writing'? Why those?

11. What do you do when you're bored?

Hope you enjoy! o(^◇^)o

[girls-and-honey]

1, 3, 33, 40 ✨💗

here we gooo

1: what are 3 things you’d say shaped you into who you are?

1. hmm okay definitely my parents (not always in a positive way but hey they ran my whole life as a child so it's hard not to be shaped by that) 2. creative hobbies, especially writing and music. they allowed me room to feel and explore and express and just have somewhere private that I didn't need to worry about messing up in an irredeemable way while I worked through my thoughts 3. tbh I have to credit tumblr as hilarious as I find this for two opposing reasons: this is where I started to see people's life experiences that weren't the same as mine and understand how varied the human experience is, AND where I found people's life experiences that were similar to mine that I could find community a feeling of belonging with

3: 3 films you could watch for the rest of your life and not get bored of?

I don't tend to watch movies that much but rewatch shows allll the time. this list is highly subject to change depending on the day but let's go with: 1. what happened to monday 2. 20,000 leagues under the sea 3. coherence

33: any hobbies?

oh so many hobbies, let me count the ways... but for real I need hobbies to survive and I love learning new things. so some of these I've gotten into for a few weeks before moving on and others have been (and will continue to be) life-long adventures. I'm just going to start listing: music!! I've played piano, a variety of mallet and auxiliary percussion, recorder (lol), violin, trumpet, and flute. I still play the piano every day but won't be able to starting next week bc I'm moving, so I decided I want to learn to play the harp next and I'm super excited for it!!! wow that reads more like a paragraph than a list oops, anyway other hobbies include sewing, writing, crochet, painting, I tried vector art for a bit, gardening (harder in an apartment), plant parenting (easier in an apartment), baking, and home canning. those are the ones that come to mind anyway!

40: any bad habits?

probably a lot that I don’t realize (who’s going to tell me) but off the top of my head I’m bad at doing dishes right away. I’m a little better with hand-wash dishes but dishwasher stuff... yeah idk why but it’s just not! that easy! even though it should be! I do make an effort to not let them get gross though, I’ll at least rinse something if it’s messy. I also crack my knuckles and my spine which some people say is a bad habit but I don’t think it’s a big deal. and like all creators of any kind I do sometimes lose interest in projects partway through and delay them or abandon them completely. but I think that’s less of a bad habit and more of the ~creative process~ so... yeah let’s stick with that 😅

questions I think it would be fun to be asked

[kayliemusing]

27: cottagecore

🌿 Herb: What is a scent you find relaxing? - Lilac, vanilla, jasmine

🌱 Seedling: What is something you want to begin learning? - I think linguistics or the origins of words. I find that really interesting. On a more personal note, I want to learn how to give up control and lean into my calling/my passions without fearing not being good enough or being afraid to fail.

🥛 Milk: What is a food you find comforting when you are sad? - French fries from McDonalds or Hot Chocolate (even though that's a beverage haha. But Hot Chocolate is my go-to when I'm sad or lonely.)

🍯 Honey: What is one thing you like about yourself? - I think I love how I'm intrinsically kind. Like I don't force kindness or have to remind myself to be kind, it's just who I am.

🍄 Mushroom: What is a quote you find comfort in? - I find most Bible verses really comforting and right now I'm taking a lot of comfort in the verse, "Why would I fear the future ? For your goodness and love pursue me all the days of my life." Psalm 23:6 (Passion Translation)

☕ Tea: How do you take your tea? - I don't drink tea, but if I did, I imagine I would drink it really sweet.

🐄 Cow: What is one other tumblr blog you really appreciate? - I really like a blog called heartcountry because they post lots of great quotes and literature-related things, which I always find sets my heart on fire.

🌳 Tree: What is one thing in your future you are looking foward towards? - I feel like I'm looking most towards the day when I figure it out. When things start falling into place one by one and I don't stress about it anymore.

🍑 Peach: What is a color that makes you smile? - I've always found the colour yellow really happy.

🌻 Sunflower: What is one thing that brightened your day today? - I saw a video of a duck zooming through a lake lol

🐓 Chicken: What is a comfort movie/show for you? - Literally any Disney/Pixar animation. To name a few, Onward, Coco, Toy Story movies, Tangled, Soul, Brother Bear, etc.

🧵 Thread: What is a recent creative project that you are proud of? - I'm in the middle of writing a little narrative essay that I'm finding really therapeutic. I started it last night and I'm just in the process of seeing where it goes, because I didn't really outline it, I'm just taking an idea and running with it for now.

🐈 Cat: Do you have any pets? Are there some pets you really want? - I have two cats right now, but I would love to have a turtle and a Samoyed.

🍅 Tomato: Have you ever gardened, and if so, what is your favorite thing to grow? - I haven't gardened before but my mom I are planning on gardening this summer! We're hoping to grow tomatoes, peas, and carrots.

🍃 Leaf: What is a plant you find beautiful? - Palm trees, vines, as well as ivy and of course flowers such as sunflowers and rose bushes.

🐝 Bee: What is a video game that you find comforting? - Detroit Become Human is one of my all-time favourite games, because I love the story telling and I just get really lost in it when I play. But I find Animal Crossing a really cute and comforting game when you want something that's really simple.

🍞 Bread: Do you know how to bake bread? If so, what is something you’ve baked recently? - I've never baked bread actually, but I would really like to make a lemon loaf sometime. (if that counts.)

🐇 Bunny: What’s a song that you really like? - There's so many. I think my favourite song of the year (since 2020 tbh) is Exile by Taylor Swift feat Bon Iver, and I think it might actually be in my top 5 favourite songs of all time.

🌲 Pine: Do you prefer the cold, or the heat? - I kind of like the in-between, but I prefer cooler temperatures because then you can stay in your house and get cozy with blankets, candles, baking, and hot chocolate.

🧶 Yarn: Knitting or Crocheting? - Crocheting which is something I want to learn.

🐑 Sheep: What is a comfort item you own? - Black sweatpants, but also my Folklore cardigan.

🍓 Strawberry: Do you own any pink clothing? - Yes, a few.

🥞 Pancake: What is your favorite breakfast food? - French toast, I think or crepes.

⛰️ Mountains: Would you rather live in the mountains, city, beach, or the forest? - Either the city or a forest, or alternatively, I would love to live where there's a wide open field that gets misty in the morning.

🧸 Teddy Bear: Do you ever want to raise kids someday? - Maybe. I can see myself with two or three kids, but who knows.

🕯️ Candle: What is something you can’t go to bed without? - My phone so that I can read until I'm sleepy.

[elliot-orion]

Writeblr Re-Intro

I’ve seen quite a few people do this in the past couple weeks so i figure i probably should too considering how stinking long its been. so. hi there! I’m Elliot, and I use they/them pronouns! I’m a college kid majoring in creative writing and anthropology and regret doing both. I have a 9 year old emotional support cat, Van Gogh, who enjoys snoring, getting fur in my mouth, and chewing on my headphones. In addition to writing, I crochet amigurumis, play flight rising, bake like mad, obsess over dragons and stuffed animals, and spend way too much time thinking about superheroes. 

I mostly write LGBT+ Young Adult/New Adult fiction, and recently published my first novel, “Sparks Fly.” You can see a tumblr summary of it here. “Sparks Fly” and the majority of my stories take place in the expansive Dark Heart Universe full of not so heroic Super Heroes and Super Villains with questionable but not necessarily bad morals. But I like to dabble all over and have WIPs including a horror duology, a scifi roadtrip story, and about 800 other WIPs that are going nowhere because I’m a pantser and that’s how i roll. Expect to see me name drop some characters or a story, tag it in one ask game, and then never mention it again rather frequently. I apologize in advance. The main stories you will actually see me mentioning a bunch are below the cut. 

I technically have a website, and I technically have a twitter, but the former is a mess because I can’t program or remember to regularly blog and the latter i never use because social media scares me. Think there’s like 10 tweets on it and all of them are niche shitposts about my stories so... yea. I do have a Pinterest though, where you can find boards for most of my stories as well as a few of the name dropped once stories. so that’s fun. This intro is a mess.... Anyways, below the cut are some quick summaries of my main WIPs. If you want to learn more about the world that half of these are a part of (the DHU), look through this tag because my only summary series of it is way out of date. 

Woodsmoke

A DHU novel. Woodsmoke is a Hero who 100% should not be going to the worst Villain in town, Stardust, for help, but fuck it he doesnt have any other option. In return for helping Woodsmoke save a whole bunch of school kids, Stardust demands Woodsmoke owes him a favor - he has to help Stardust and his gang get rid of the Director of the city’s Supers Association branch. The only probably is, the Director control everything, and Woodsmoke is utterly terrified of him. But, he owes a favor, and he’s even more afraid of what Stardust could do to civilians than he is of what the Director could do to him. When it all goes wrong, maybe its time for him to give up being a Hero and stop being Woodsmoke. Maybe it’s time to just be Vincent again, and finally heal from the damage the SA has done. This is on its fourth draft and still needs about 2 or so more (guessing here), but will hopefully be the next DHU book released (dont quote me on that im winging this)

Nightmare at the Lily Pad Inn 

A DHU novel. Ben, who’s technically a Villain but really just can’t control their powers for shit and their powers are like, really scary so its bad, is on the run from their sociopathic asshole brother. They wind up at the Lily Pad Inn, a safe haven for Villains no matter what they’ve done, run by the cinnamon roll sweetheart Matty and their husband, Blue. While there, Ben meets Oliver, another not-technically-bad Super who can’t control his powers, and meets up with Morty, their best friend. Shit happens i guess idk i’ve not written a real summary for this one yet leave me alone. It’s on the first draft and its not even finished and i have no idea what the ending is because im a pantser go away.

Novella Collection

A DHU collection i guess. I’m not quite sure what else to call this because it’s made of three or so different novellas that I intend to fit together into a collection of novellas. The three novellas includes: the Empath, about Charlie who may just be the worlds most powerful empath and his partners who are very not happy with their area’s Director wanting Charlie to do something that could 100% kill him; Hell in High Heels, a historical DHU story about the Terra (Kitty), the Earth Elemental of the time, and Fer-De-Lance (Hattie), the Poison Elemental, and how they get married sorta unwillingly (thanks SA), break a shit ton of stereotypes, and help win World War 2.; and finally Wildfire, about the current day Fire Elemental and the Villain he really shouldn’t be so attracted to but 100% is and them chilling and being gay and idk this one needs a lot of work. All of these novellas have only had 1 draft and are still needing a lot of work. 

And now for some not dhu stories... 

The Other Beings / The Doll Maker

This is that horror duology I mentioned earlier. The Other Beings follow Nathan. He got sucked into the terrifying world of the Other Beings (well, 5 worlds actually),  when he was 7 years old because of a brother he’s never quite forgiven for making him and his pseudo-sister Hazel hunt minor Beings for his whole childhood and fucking Nate up massively. He managed to leave the horror of the Other Beings for all of seven years before he was sucked back in by the Doll Maker, an Other Being with a penchant for turning pretty children and people into ball-jointed dolls. Turns out a horde of Other Beings is coming after him because of his dad which is a Bad and now he’s having to run as a human macguffin and trust me - he’s not happy about it. Only the Other Beings draft 1 has been written because it’s a dark story and with covid i have not have the mental energy to work on it more, but it’s super fun and i adore it. The Doll Maker, the second book, is solely about Doll Maker and his shit. 

Paper Stars 

Paper Stars is the scifi I mentioned, and just might be one of my favorite things I’ve ever written, even though its only had one draft because it’s hella depressing (literally, the mc River is seriously suicidal) and with all the shit in my life rn i haven’t had the strength to work on it more. but i adore the story. Basically, River’s life has gone to hell since his Grandpa died and the only thing making him hold on is really his alien best friend, Keio. When his depression gets even worse, he finally asks Keio to take him away from Earth and to space to escape his problems. This works, kinda, i mean he falls in love and shit (yes River falls in love with a seal furry alien, please go through the tag its great), but eventually he knows he has to face his problems and get help because this is a realistic story about depression and love doesnt cure all and you cant run from mental illness. It’s great. 

That’s kinda all the main stories i mention a lot, all the others are little things i start and stop or that i write a self indulgent first draft but never intend to take it any further. all of these i fully intend to publish one day tho. So... yea. Welcome to my blog, its chaos but we have a good time. 

[tumblethemuse]

Monthly Create 2018 – Introduction

The year 2017 has been a roller coaster for all of us at Inspire the Muse. Specifically, for me, it came with the epiphany that I spent so much time talking and writing about creativity, that I hadn’t produced anything of my own. I want to change that for 2018, so I’ve dedicated each month to start a project from scratch (or as close as possible) and spend the month learning about and practicing that creative endeavor.

I don’t expect to be a master at the end of 30 days, or even “good.” What I want to do is showcase what it is like starting from zero, and chronicle my journey as someone completely new to the process. I will be talking about items purchased and online references used. I will be discussing my progress, how much time I was able to dedicate, and if it will be something that I will keep doing. If you have been following me on Twitter, you will see I am already well on my way for January’s project.

Below this paragraph I have listed the projects for 2018. I encourage you to join me, follow along, and even do your own projects. Take three months per project if you want to! Remember to use the hashtag #create2018 on whatever social media platform you use. Spread the inspiration with us as we drive creativity forward. May we all be creative and productive in 2018 and beyond!

January: Watercolor Painting

I will be starting the year off with an old favorite of mine. I’ve dabbled in watercolor in the past but nothing more than a painting or two here and there. I have not held a paintbrush in the last 15 years, so I might as well be starting from scratch. This project is also the most likely to extend beyond its month. I’m sure I’ll be checking in on this one quite frequently.

February: Instrument Playing

I have attempted to play many instruments over the years, but I have not taken it very seriously. My goal will be to get into a rigorous habit of practice. I will be choosing the piano for this month because I want to train my brain to be able to better multitask. This will also help in one of the projects later this year: Music Production. I suspect a large chunk of the month will be spent learning how to read sheet music, and I’m okay with this.

March: Leather Crafting

This month’s idea spawned from a shelved project idea. The original project was to hand craft a journal (both the paper, and the binding). I wanted to focus on one creative project at a time, so I decided on leather crafting. There are a few things I would like to make out of leather. I’m not sure I will have enough time, or skill, during the month to create a wallet, but perhaps I can pick up enough knowledge to pursue that project in the future.

April: Video Game Programming

I haven’t decided what I’m going to do for this month. I’m leaning toward modding an existing game to learn the ins and outs, instead of programming a game from whole cloth. I want to focus more on game design (the more creative part) than the actual programming itself. I’m very interested in discovering how far I can push this topic in a month’s time.

May: Manual Photography

I have an old DSLR I purchased many years ago and have used it frequently – in auto-mode. Every time I switch to manual and change the ISO or shutter speed I just take all-white or all-black pictures. It’s about time I learn how to use this thing. I have several sources I can look to for helping build my skillset. Learning more about lighting management will help me take better composited pictures that require less correction in post.

June: Amigurumi Crocheting

This is the project that spawned the entire monthly #create2018 idea. Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures. I purchased a book and some yarn in a kit to be used to create cute crochet succulents, to be made during a 12-hour train ride. Once on the train I looked through the book and realized it was NOT a beginner’s book. The book even said that if I had never done crochet before I should go watch some tutorial videos. The entire book is written in shorthand, and I did not bring any tutorial videos with me on the train. I opted out and will be returning to it for June’s project.

July: Digital Painting

I have been infatuated with the concept-art style of digital painting. I’m not as much interested in the fine details. I like to see the sketches of large swatches of future cities and barren dystopian wastelands. I have an ancient Bamboo pen and tablet I might finally try to use. I’ve recently been in a Twitter hole of checking out other artists, so the inspiration flows freely. Waiting until July might be the hardest part of this project.

August: Metal Forging

While on a recent trip I went to a souvenir store. One of the items there was a kit to forge a ring or a medallion out of a hunk of metal. I then remembered that my friend’s wife did some metal forging over the summer, so I’m going to have to ask her where she went for training. I don’t have enough space for a forge, but I might be able to come up with a pseudoforge, or just stick with hammering on some metal for a while.

September: Music Production

I’m lucky enough to have a few friends in my network that do regular freelance music production work. I’m sure I will take advantage of their knowledge as I plow through my first, and likely insufferable, composition. I will also be utilizing a 30-day free trial of some pricey music production software. Hopefully February’s project pays off and I’ll be able to take some of that knowledge forward.

October: Gundam Modelling

Eight years ago, I purchased a lot of Gundam models, and never took the time to actually build any. I gave up at the stage of needing to glue everything together. I later found out that most of the sets I bought might have glue-less designs, so maybe hope is not all lost after all. I also have a strong network of other Gundam modelers, so I can get a lot of tips along the way.

November: Woodworking

I have worked with wood on several occasions, but it has all been at a scale so large that fine motor skills are not a requirement. Framing a house doesn’t take the same level of precision as dovetailing a music box frame. I’m terrified of putting a knife through my hand while carving, so I may stay away, or I may just learn how to do it properly. If there is one thing I know: the tools better be sharp.

December: Confectionery Baking

Just in time for the holidays! I’ve done plenty of cooking and have baked cookies on occasion, but I have never made a cake or a cupcake or any sort of pastry. It’s time to stretch my muscles even further and make some winter-themed treats. The best part is: I won’t have to eat everything by myself! I haven’t decided exactly what I want to make but I know I want to try my hand at making dough as well. Luckily, I have a whole year to think about it.

from Monthly Create 2018 – Introduction

[themarydragon]

what's your husband and your secret to staying so happy together after all these years? do you have any other creative outlets other than writing? how are you so amazing at it?? (ok, that last ones a joke, but still!)

(a) We want each other to be happy. Secondarily, we want to be happy together. We have two things we say to each other when shit gets hard. (1) “I love you and I want you to be happy,” which is VERY important when we’re making hard decisions, like taking/leaving jobs or dealing with family members. (2) “If something I say can be taken two ways, and one of them makes you sad or angry, I mean it the other way,” which has saved us so many arguments you don’t even know, holy shit. Having the basic underlying assumption that s/he doesn’t actually mean to hurt me or piss me off or fuck us over really helps cut to the chase in disputes. The other thing that I see us do that seems abnormal is encourage separate interests. He’s downstairs playing 40K right and I’m doing the kitchen-karaoke-cooking thing and when he comes upstairs for dinner I’m going to send them all right back down to their games. I don’t play. I don’t have any desire to play. But we went to Warhammer World as his graduation present (the week we spent in London back in May) and I know what game stores he goes to and who the dudes are that he plays with and I get him the right rule books and paints and such because I hover on the periphery because it’s important to him. We play different games and like different movies but we bring our interests to each other and we share and we make an effort to keep track of the things that are important. He’s not very good about reading my fics, but he knows who comments and what I’m writing and what’s happening in my story because he’s proud of me and he likes the things that make me happy. And I could keep going because he’s just the best thing ever but yeah. 

(b) I write more than anything else right now, but that’s because I have *always* written. I started my first novel when I was 17 but I wrote continuously before that and it’s just something I have to do, like breathe and drink water. I love to cook. I also love baking, but Brian is really temperature sensitive and having the oven on chases him out of the house and that makes me sad so I try to limit my culinary creations. Feeding someone is my go-to statement of love.Also! I knit and crochet and I really would like to learn piano (I used to play woodwinds and percussion, way back when) but it just doesn’t seem to happen.My profession is pretty draining, so my energy for creative endeavors is pretty limited, and I sink a lot of time into the sweet sweet escapism of video games. :)

[adventureswithmisslola-blog]

The Power of Creativity

Hello, my fellow dreamers! "Life is a great big canvas. Throw all the paint on it you can."  —Danny Kaye Have you ever had those days when you felt stuck in the same old same old and wondered how to get me a pick-me-up? When did you wish you had more passion and purpose in life, or maybe just a jolt of joy to shake things up a little? There is something that is always on your fingertips. Something we all have to instantaneously make us happy at this moment. That, my friend, is called creativity! It's the process of having original ideas that have value. Creativity is not just for artists. Creativity is LIFE IN THE MAKING! It’s anything that invigorates us, or offers us simple, everyday pleasure and joy. For myself, I love to write, craft, bake, and crochet while watching my favorite TV show. I like the excitement I get when I try a new recipe and it turns out awesome or the feeling I get when I dance to Body Groove with Misty Tripoli. All of us have something that we enjoy doing, and ALL of us have a creative side. Sometimes this can get lost in our daily lives and we don’t make time for the things that bring us that sense of excitement. But the things we enjoy are far more important than we could ever realize and make a significant impact on our lives. If we are doing the things we love, we relish in the moment. Being present with myself turns up my knob of attention and wakes me up. Creativity stimulates us to be more mindfully in tune with our overall lives and the universe that surrounds us. I know I speak of the universe a lot, but I'm so in tune with nature, and the 4 seasons, how they change and how they make me feel. It allows me to tap into my creative side more and it gives me much inspiration. Simply put, when we are doing something we enjoy, we are connecting to our inner self. The more we connect to ourselves, the more we're able to connect with others and deepen our relationships. Because we are more fulfilled, the less we need others to fulfill us. Our happiness is our own and it expands. As children, we could create anything with our imagination and have fun with it without worrying about what other people thought. We could sing out loud in the car or let our stuffed animals have a tea party. As children, we are all free in one way or another without barriers. Creativity returns us to the innocence of our childhood. It gives us a break from the pressures of our adult responsibilities. Think of your creativity as the current of the river trying to find the sea. It always leads to bigger waters. Even the smallest creative project might open up to bigger possibilities. We never know where it may lead. Several years ago I decided to research and create my own line of organic skin care products. What started out to be nothing more than Christmas gifts, soon turned into a small home business. I'm still making and selling these products today. But for me, it's the pure excitement and joy I get when someone tells me they love my products and that their skin feels amazing! Creativity is also wonderful for lifting depression. If we are doing something we love without the self-judgments we put on ourselves, our mood lifts because we are doing it out of pure delight and joy.  It's giving ourselves the PERMISSION to do what we love and the more we engage, the more our spirits fly. That's how I feel every time I write a great blog. Just knowing that my words can somehow inspire others. My mood always lifts when I'm creating something just for my own gratification. I see my sister, Resi, do this every year. She lives for planting season! I've watched her transform her yard into a beautiful paradise. And I've watched her grow and harvest her vegetable garden to help feed her family the best life has to offer. Each time we begin on fresh, new territory, we are traveling on a new journey. And creativity has an awesome way of changing things up! Even the mundane things like cooking or learning a new crochet stitch bring a new experience — a new perspective on life and what you can achieve. Creativity gets you "out of your head". When we are doing something we enjoy, we are focused on the ACT OF BEING CREATIVE. You will be amazed at your intuition. Listen to that voice whispering in your ear. That's the beauty of creativity. It might be telling us to try a new recipe, sign up for an art class, or maybe a creative writing class. When we listen to ourselves it will add some sparkle in your life and make you feel alive. Creativity also builds character and we feel better about ourselves. This very simple act of "showing up" builds our confidence and makes us into stronger individuals. The more we make pleasurable, creative acts a priority, the more we strengthen and grow. Teach your children that it's important to be creative! You can be creative together. Every time I sit down to write, I feel proud that the ink is flowing through my fingers and meeting my blank page head on. To sit and write inspiring words to share with the world is my greater sense of gratitude. The more we cultivate what we love, the more LOVE we accumulate. Our cups will overflow! There are going to be days when we show up to do the things that we love and things go wrong. The paint spills, your cookies burn because you forgot to set the timer, or your words just don't flow onto the paper. We don't need to worry about how it's going to turn out — we simply do it for the wonder, the excitement, and the discovery. Your heart will expand and your love will abound to the people around you, and this spreads out into your entire life. Remember, creativity is a way of living life that embraces originality and uniqueness. It's about living life as a JOURNEY into seeing and communicating the extraordinariness of the simplest, most everyday acts. Use your prowess and your talents and see where it takes you. You might just be surprised! "Passion is one great force that unleashes creativity because if you're passionate about something, then you're more willing to take risks." —Yo-Yo-Ma Have you read my article about The Stubborn Heart and the Impossible Dream? Read the full article