#First time trying to use some cheap color pencils i bought from the store near my house

[ewiscanon]

Isaac and Edward as bubblegum and marceline (genderbend). I was chilling with this song then i suddenly noticed how similar they are. (song link if any of you interested!)

[pettyprocrastination]

Rip Out Our Seams and Stitch Us Together

Maxwell Lord x Valerie Lord x Black!Reader

Chapter Three

Word Count: 2.3k

Warnings: Straight up smut first thing in the fic, we startin’ off with a bang folks. Profanity, they stare at ur booty ;). Ur patience is TESTED by these rich idiots. 

Chapter Summary: The great Maxwell lord is having trouble focusing lately, You have your first consultation with the famed Lord couple and realize their clashing styles and all around personalities may cause an issue (or cause you to kill somebody). 

Tag List: @ithinkhesgaybutwesavedmufasa​ @zeldasayer​ @readsalot73​ @captainsamwlsn​

Chapters: 1/2/3

(I will not stop using marilyn gifs for val she’s just so beautiful you guys hhhhh)

Max felt distracted. Muddled. He wasn’t sure what it was lately that had him in such a rut. 

“Maxwell!” His secretary whimpered beneath him, his hand moved from gripping her hair to slapping over her mouth to try and silence her nails-on-a-chalkboard like voice. He wasn’t sure if anybody outside his office heard her, and if they did he couldn't care less. They knew by now to ignore any suspicious moans or groans and keep doing their job unless they wanted to lose it. 

What she should have known by now is to never call him by his first name.  

The company was doing good, it was doing great in fact. He and Valerie weren’t spending time together, which was usual, and Alastair was home for the summer. Nothing was out of place, so why did he feel off?

Maybe it was you. 

That ridiculous seamstress with the even more ridiculous nickname and ridiculous outfits. I mean Stitches? What were you, a fucking dog? 

Delilah, the secretary currently moaning beneath him like a cheap whore, tried to grip at his jacket with trembling hands as he pulled her closer and closer to her climax with each thrust. He slapped her hands away without even looking down at her, eyes squeezed shut as he chased his own release instead of attending to hers. 

Valerie insisted he go to the “design consultation” with her today, which meant leaving his office in the middle of a goddamn work day to hear her prattle on about what color makes her feel the prettiest. Usually he’d stand his ground and refuse, but lately a break from work didn’t seem all that bad. 

All because of his goddamn secretary. 

The woman in question grabbed onto his wrist and cried against his hand, even muffled he could still hear her grating moans. Lately she’d been cuddly with him after each screw, trying to nuzzle his shoulder and ask for things like he was some pathetic sob paying for a sugar baby instead of her fucking boss. 

He’d have to fire her soon, if her whiny voice didn’t do her in, the piss poor work ethic would. 

But for a moment, when he looked down at her, with her back arched and eyes shut as she fluttered around his cock, he was reminded of that ridiculous seamstress, the little noise of surprise you made when he clamped a hand over your mouth, and just how soft your skin felt under his palm. 

Maxwell would never admit this to anybody. But that image alone made him cum on the spot. 

Maxwell Lord was a man who learned how to compartmentalize at a young age and never stopped doing so. He pulled out of the boneless woman beneath him, before cleaning himself up and tucking himself into his trousers while she laid against his desk, panting like a dog in the heat. 

Not like she fucking did anything. 

His ringed hand landed a stinging slap to her thigh that shocked her out of her blissful haze. “I’ll be out for the rest of the day, take my calls and let them know I won’t be back in until tomorrow.”

She blinked, watching owlishly as he grabbed his briefcase from his desk before walking out of his office. “Where are you going?” The way she sounded so disappointed and shaky as if he had broken a promise to her made him feel nauseous. 

He didn’t bother giving her a response. 

----

The moment his driver parked outside of the store, he saw a convertible drive up to the curb before stopping, he knew the cherry red color better than anyone, as it’s the same shade of the car he gifted Valerie for their five year anniversary. 

She stepped out, avoiding the jump in the curb as she adjusted her hair and dress before her eyes landed on his car and flashed him a condescending smile. 

Maxwell knew even though he was only two seconds later than she was, Valerie would still hold it over his head like a treat. He stepped out of the car, mindful of any gutter water around him this time and walked to his wife. 

“I wish I could say you're fashionably late at least but-” Her blue eyes ran down his suit, brand name and costly before smirking. “-you didn’t even bring that to the table.”

He let out a short humorless laugh before taking the handle of the door. 

“Oh? No witty remark about my outfit?” The woman feigned surprise as her husband raked his eyes down the baby blue dress that stopped just above her knees and fit her curves like a glove.

Valerie Lord held a doctorate and multiple books studying the human mind and the effects shaping childhood, she was an intelligent woman. Which meant she knew damn well just how good she looked. 

She just wanted to hear him admit it. 

“It looks good.” He said plainly, not hiding the way his eyes clung to the supple form of her thighs that she teased under a white sundress just last week. 

The curve in her red lips was the closest he’d gotten to an honest smile from her in ages. “You should know. You bought it for me after all.”

“I’m a man of refined tastes.” Max answered simply before giving her an almost playful swat on the ass and opening the door for her. 

The moment they entered the girl at the register from before, young and anxious, looked at them with wide eyes. A textbook laid open on the counter in front of her. 

She gaped for a moment before Valerie smiled at her. 

“Hello sweetheart.” His wife cooed, “We’re here for a consultation with the bosslady, mind letting her know for me?”

The girl pointed to an open door against the back wall. “She takes her consultations in that room.”

Valerie gave the young girl a quick pat on the cheek before walking into the room and calling out “Thank you dear!” over her shoulder. 

“Did you have to talk to the kid?” Maxwell mumbled under his breath to his wife, who scoffed in reply. 

“Well I wasn’t about to stand there in silence and scare the poor girl half to death like you were.” 

Maxwell looked at her incredulously. “I was not scar-”

His denials were cut off upon entering the room, which was laid with multiple chairs surrounding a table, covered in books displaying different types of dress and suit styles, a few fabric swatches were spread out as well. But the main focus of the Lords was on you, currently bent over, digging through a large container in the corner of the room as you grumbled and huffed, hips swaying and ass raised high in the air as if presented to them like a gift. 

One they admired greatly and for much too long to be deemed socially acceptable. 

Valerie tilted her head to the side with a little hum, enjoying the view before her just as Maxwell did, before he eventually coughed into his fist to make themselves known. 

You jumped up at an angle from surprise, accidentally thumping your head against the wall. A shouted curse left your lips as you rubbed your head. 

“Hard at work or hardly working?” Maxwell droned. 

“You're late.”

His wife smiled. “And you're exceptionally perky.”

“What?”

His elbow dug into her side. “What she meant to say was that we live busy lives. But we're here now so let’s get this over with.”

The three of you took seats at the table in the middle of the room, you handed each of them a design booklet before flipping open a blank notebook for yourself. 

“Any initial idea’s the pair of you have?” You twirled the pencil between your fingers as you spoke. “Or at least any automatic no’s?”

“Nothing too loud.” Maxwell told you. 

“Or too dull.” His wife added.

“No floral.”

“But don’t be afraid to use patterns.”

“No sparkles.”

“No tweed.”

“And absolutely no plaid.” They finished together. You stared at the list on your paper before blowing out a long breath. 

“Alright. So you don’t want anything dull, but also not loud, but no patterns, but use patterns, nothing with sparkles, or tweed and-”

“No plaid.” They reminded you in unison. 

“Uh, right. No plaid.” You didn’t enjoy them as separate people but somehow they were even worse together. “So is there anything the two of you can agree on wanting?”

“Color coordination.” Max told you. Your shoulders dropped with relief. Fucking finally. 

“Okay. Okay that I can work with.” A steady stream of ideas began in your head. The accent colors of Maxwell’s suit would match the main color of Valerie’s dress. 

“We’d have to match Alastair as well.” 

Your pencil froze on the page. “Who?”

Maxwell’s brows cinched together. He seemed offended by the fact you didn’t know who was the poor bastard who got stuck with that ridiculous name. 

“Our son.” He answered. “But don’t worry about making anything for him. He won’t be accompanying us anyways.”

“And why not?” His wife countered. She had turned in her chair to face her husband with an angry look. With each passing minute this started to feel more like couples counseling than a consultation to make them some fucking clothes. 

“Because the gala is in September, dear.” His voice was so sickly sweet you could practically feel the patronization dripping off of it. “He’ll be back at the boarding school by then.”

Of course this kid goes to boarding school. Eventually you just zoned out their argument and began to draw up ideas. It’s probably better the kid is away from these two though. God forbid you meet what type of monster they made.

“For how much money you pay that damn school it’s a miracle you don’t know their schedule. He has a two week break in September at the same time of the gala.” “For what?” Max damn near shouted. At this point you abandoned your notebook and pencil in favor of rubbing your temples. 

“I don’t know. Some dead president, I'm not on the school board!”

“Well maybe you-”

“ALRIGHT!”

The pair stopped arguing and shot back to you, eyes wide at the sheer audacity you had to shout at them. 

Nobody shouted at them. 

“I’ll make a suit for the kid, okay?” You explained weakly. “Could we please, just, get to the actual goddamn design you two want?”

Valerie stared at you, before looking at her husband who had the same “Well I’ll be damned” look on his face as her. She tilted her head to the side and he shrugged in response. 

The heavy use of non-verbal communication they had just made you feel like even more of an outsider.

“Well I don’t see why not.” Maxwell sighed, grabbing one of the books in front and flipped through the suits in it. “I blocked out the rest of my day for this anyways.” 

The pair spent the next hour and a half flipping through design books and pointing out to you what they liked and what they hated. 

They seemed to hate a lot.

But you still learned enough about them to cross out some ideas and begin finalizing others. While Maxwell could wear a solid colored dark suit, he didn’t box himself in that way. He enjoyed a notch lapel type with pinstripes, and seemed quite partial to robin egg blue given how often he pointed out the color on other designs.

Valerie enjoyed solid color dresses rather than those with patterns on them, and while she often wore clothes made to hug her figure, each gown she pointed out flared out at the waist, reminiscent of a princess at a ball. 

Their son, well you had no idea what the kid liked. But given he was a child, he probably hated most suits, as certain brands were just as scratchy as they were expensive, so you made note to find something especially soft to make it out for their child, who’s suit would most likely mirror his father’s.  

Eventually you pushed away from the table, four pages full of notes and concepts as you rubbed your eyes. “I think that will be enough for today.”

“Poor thing.” Maxwell simpered with pursed lips. “Are we tiring the baby?”

Valerie slapped her husband’s shoulder. “Maxwell don’t be rude. Of course the poor girl is exhausted. Just look at the bags beneath her eyes!”

You spared a glance up at them to place a hand over your heart. “It truly is a blessing to be working with you both. A gift if I’m being honest.”

Valerie stood up from the table and set a hand on your shoulder as you walked them out. When she walked close enough you were surrounded with the citrus perfume she wore the last time she came over. “Oh we’re just kidding. You show a lot of promise Stitches, don’t disappoint and we might just keep you around.” She bumped her hip against yours with a coy smile, you did your best to ignore the funny flips your stomach did at the suggestion of them liking you so much they return for your work again and again and again.

“Which wouldn't be that hard.” Maxwell smirked at you and waved a blase hand through the air while the other opened the door for his wife. “The standards aren’t set very high given the fact that your own sense of style has you dressing like a hippie liberal arts teacher.”

The door slowly closed behind them as they walked to their cars, but before it could shut completely you poked your head out to say. “Those are some mighty big words coming from the guy dressed like a car salesmen with a secret latex fetish.”

Even with the door shut you could hear his wife’s shrieking laughter. 

Authors note: Slooooowwww burrrrrnnn babey.Now that they consultation is done we can move on to these assholes just bursting into your store to “see your progress” and then TENSION WHILE GETTING THEIR MEASUREMENTS. Also Maxwell lord is so starved of actual chemistry and love that the mere thought of a woman he may be actually attracted to he BUSTS that second lmao. Alastair will be included in the fic!! Wrote headcanons for him last night n i got all soft and emotional. But no joke writing this fic and doing headcanons for it is honestly so fun and relaxing for me so if you want to be tagges or talk hcs PLEASE send them my way I love this ot3 of power bisexuals. 

[houseofvans]

ART SCHOOL | Q&A with DETH P. SUN

Influenced by the works of Richard Scarry, Charles Schultz, and the likes of Tove Jannson, artist Deth P. Sun’s interest in art and zines started early on–from drawing everything in an encyclopedia to creating his first zine in high school. From that point on, Deth has been a prolific painter, zine maker, and doodler, focused on making his art on his own terms. With his central hero– a genderless cat – Deth explores various  natural and strange worlds through a subtle narrative, created by his brushwork, ambiguity, and color palettes. 

Find out more about Deth’s art, his wordless storytelling, and what inspires him by taking the leap below. 

Photographs courtesy of the artist.

Introduce yourself?   My name is Deth P. Sun, I’m an artist living in a tiny coastal town in Northern California, but most of my adult life was spent in the Bay Area, primarily in Oakland and Berkeley. I tell people I’m Cambodian, which is mostly true.

When did you begin having an interest in art and painting? How or why do you think you gravitated towards this profession? I’ve always enjoyed drawing, I think I kind of like getting better at it and learning about new things that are centered around that. It’s one of the cheaper hobbies to get started in as a kid. It’s not really a thing I think about too much these days. Mostly I wonder how my life was set by my 17 year old self.

How do you describe your work to people who maybe unfamiliar with it? Until I moved to this town I live in now, I kind of never had to. Mostly because I don’t meet new people outside of my circle. I just tell people I’m a graphic artist. If they want more info I just stare at them blankly because I think it’s kind of rude to ask strangers what they do for a living.

There are various aspects to your paintings from being narrative and storytelling to those that feature various painted objects and natural things. Can you tell us a little bit about the narrative elements of your works and how that came about? Yeah, I just like suggesting that there’s a narrative with my work, which isn’t that hard as long as you don’t stray too much from your pallette or reuse images to find in each painting. I kind of like seeing a whole set of paintings, that’s when you sense that there is a story.

When did you protagonist character start to take shape? How did that evolve and come-about? I’ve just always drew a character like that. Probably in high school. It’s been so long I don’t really remember. It probably came from my sketchbook. Most of my sketchbooks are kind of boring because it was just me repeatedly drawing the same stuff until I got better at it. I think I was trying to draw a cat and I drew something else that I liked.

In some of your other works, you paint collections of items from food, mushrooms, crystals to swords and old style cell phones. How did these paintings originate for you? Were you finding yourself sketching certain things that you read about or were you just obsessed with a certain object that week? My parents taught themselves English using Richard Scarry books so they were the first books I had my hands on. It’s just pages and pages of him drawing things with words describing what they were underneath. When I was younger I had this project where I’d take an encyclopedia and try drawing everything in it. I think I only got to M. Also when I was kid while drawing in my sketchbook I would just run out of stuff to draw so I’d go room to room drawing everything in each room.

It was just a thing to kill time.

How has where you live and its landscape influenced the work you create?  What’s your favorite thing about residing there? I guess it does a little, but I think I drew the stuff and then when I got here, I liked it a lot, so I ended up on this tiny coastal town on the bluffs. I started drawing weird epic landscapes after watching a bunch of Swedish films a few years ago.

What was your last adventure or walk through your neighborhood that showed up in one of your work, thematically or just visually? One time a friend invited me to a barbeque. They lived near the train tracks a couple of miles from me, so I walked up the tracks passed the cemetery and over a few tressel bridges. It was really nice walk. Met a turtle. They had to come down and get me because I didn’t know the path to their house, and it was getting dark.

What IS your favorite thing to draw or paint? Do you have an UNfavorite thing to draw or paint? I like drawing pineapples. I hate when strangers ask me to draw them. I want to punch them in the face.

When did you start picking up the paint brush and taking your works to the canvas? What do you enjoy about painting vs. drawing? The first time I painted was in my high school art class, I think like most other Americans. I was using tempera, so it sucked. But I started buying acrylic soon after. I think painting and drawing is kind of the same thing, or least I just paint like I’m drawing. I don’t think it was a strange transition.

What’s a typical day like for you at home and in the studio? What’s your process like? I fill out internet orders sometimes, or a wholesale order. Sometimes I draw. Mostly I get up and look at my email and go, “I have a lot of stuff to do and this is gonna suck”. I don’t really multitask, so it’s usually me filling out orders for 8 hours and trying to get to the post office before 4:30 while watching dumb shit on the internet, or me helping a friend screen print in my garage, or if I have a show just ignoring everything else in life and painting for two months.

A few years ago I kind of got burnt out of making a living with just painting. So I was like maybe I should make more t-shirts and prints. So I ended up moving to Fort Bragg and screenprinting more stuff and making more drawings toward that. But now my days are filled with me screen printing and filling out small orders or hanging out on my computer photoshopping all day. So now I’m in some other kind of hell.

What are your go-to art tools? A Pilot Hi-Tec C (They’re called G-Tec 4s in other places) pen. I use the .4, but should probably switch to .5. You have to have a light touch with them or else they’ll jam. 

Right now I enjoy using Mitsubishi pencils, but the cheap Mirado Black Warrior pencil you can get at most stationary store is just as good.

Been filling a sketchbook using Opaque markers. Posca’s are pretty good, but the color choices are limited, so I started buying Molotow. The Molotow’s can be refilled so they might end up being a better value.

Lately I’ve been painting with cheap $2 craft paints mostly because I don’t like mixing colors. Just bought a few of the Martha Stewart’s at Michaels. I still buy Golden and Liquitex, but it’s nice to mix in other stuff.

Not only do you draw and paint, you are always printing and creating zines of your works. Do you remember your very first zine you made? Are you working on a new zine? The first zine I made was pretty horrible. It was staple at the top corner, and I gave it out to my friends when I was in high school. I put everything precious in a box before I left for college and when I came back my dad had threw it out. At the time I was pretty bummed, but now I’m glad I don’t have to deal with that. I’m always working on something. Sometimes things take a really long time. I drew everything I ate while in England and Scotland several years ago and just now getting it all together. I’ve gotten rejected from a bunch of zine fairs, so there really isn’t a urgency to get it finished. I’m thinking of making one for the tiny town I’m in, and other that’s like a newspaper, but filled with just my gibberish drawing of words.

Do you have a favorite zine maker out there you’d like to share with folks? I’m pretty excited to  be tabling at Comics Art Brooklyn. Last year  I sat nearby Evan Cohen (http://www.evanmcohen.com) who I had just bought zines online from a few weeks before so that was kind of unexpected. He makes rad work. There was a few other artists there whose work I enjoyed. I came home with a lot of nice prints which I never really get from strangers. Stuff from Natalie Andrewson, Tiny Splendor, most everything Peow Studios publishes, and Jen Tong. I like this zine called Terror House by Sammy Harkham that I’d buy a few to give out to friends and the zines my friend, Evah Fan makes.

What are you constantly inspired by? And who are some of your early and current art influences? I think what keeps me going is random problem solving with how I paint. Or maybe the natural world. I don’t really know if I’m being totally honest.   I grew up reading Peanuts. It has it’s good moments. I think I became comfortable with not always having to be in the up. I really like Tove Jannson’s work.. I’m not a fan Tintin, but I like the way Hergé uses color and lines. I was lucky enough to come to the Bay Area while the Mission School was around and Yoshitoma Nara had a few shows, so it made it okay for me to make paintings the way I do.

What do you do when you are not painting, drawing or making zines? How do you find yourself unwinding? I watch a lot of dumb shit on youtube and take long walks. Each week I go to a game night where I do board games (Catan, Ticket to Ride, Dixit, Pirates Cove are in the usual rotation). I like to cook and have people over. I actually unwind by drawing and watching a lot of basketball while listening to basketball podcasts.

What advice would you offer to an aspiring artist who might wanna follow in your footsteps? Be nice to everyone you meet ever. Always try to learn. Don’t get caught up in what people think of you or your work. Know that if you keep on doing something you’ll get better at it. Pick up different hobbies. Make friends with other artists. Be open to all opportunities. Get used to rejection.

What’s your best Art School tip that you want to share with folks? Some random wisdom you learned through your personal journey or just while making art? You know I don’t know if I’m the best person to get advice from since I sort of carved out this weird existence. When you’re young, it’s easy to get caught up in weird things and maybe a person should just get caught up in those things. I do meet old school mates who have regrets about how their time in art school was spent, but I don’t think there’s a right or wrong way of doing it. I think there really isn’t any rush, and also if you feel like you “failed” you can always just get back up because no one is really paying attention.

I think I hear a lot from folks who worry that they’re too old to try painting or doing art for a living. And I’d hear this from someone who’s like 25 or 30. But there really isn’t a deadline to any of this stuff and also no one really knows how old anyone is. I think everyone’s trying to get to some sort of finish line, but really just existing and making work is all there is.

What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t an artist? In an alternate universe, what career would Deth find himself doing? I’d probably be working in tech if I’m being honest with myself.

What’s a question you never get asked in an interview that you wanna ask yourself and answer? There really isn’t.

What are your favorite style of VANS? My favorite Vans were the slip ons with a grey herring bone pattern on them. I had 4 or 5 pairs, but I think they switched to a smaller pattern because I couldn’t find them again.

What’s coming up for you the rest of the year or into the next? Comic Arts Brooklyn (http://comicartsbrooklyn.com), a solo show in January at Spoke Art (https://spoke-art.com) in San Francisco. I’ll have stuff at a print fair in Oakland (https://www.oaklandprintfair.com), and an art book fair in Berlin (http://www.friendswithbooks.org/content/about) through Vanilla Studios (http://vanillastud.io).

FOLLOW DETH | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE | SHOP

[ozlemozcrafting]

What I’ve done

(Last Year)

Around September, I was so excited that I will have the luxury to make my crafting dreams come true. But I realized that I’ve forgot to even how to use the brush, so I decided to remind myself how to paint inside the lines, easy as that. I started to draw folk art flowers, so the exercises would not be boring for me. I have drawn as many flowers as I can, then I’ve painted them.

Then I’ve painted more.

I’ve made some repeated patterns of the flowers.

I always wanted to make illustrated calendars, but I never managed to before. This time I decided to make it happen. I created 12 flower characters, designed the pages, and there, I had my calendar. It was just the beginning of 2018, so I decided to take it as a trial and to release it for 2019.

I’ve bought a cheap sketchbook although I’ve got so many at home, so I decided to make a 100 days 100 drawings challenge for myself, but it lasted 6 days. The paper was not suitable for watercolor, so I didn’t like the result.

The page with lemons is not crumbled cause I used colored pencils there, but I’m a girl for watercolor. This has been a short attempt, but it has opened new doors for me.

One of my friends have seen my stories and asked me if I can paint big vegetables for their restaurant. I’ve always painted small sized watercolors, so this was definitely a challenge for me.

As I started working, I didn’t want to waste my precious watercolor papers for the sketches, so I found myself sketching in random papers, which I never thought I could paint on before.

I’ve worked for that project a long time and put all the other self-projects aside. I’m gonna share the details of it in another post. In summary, it was just the motivation I needed to gain the self-discipline I was trying so hard to get.

Meanwhile I was looking for other projects - other than my looong list of projects waiting aside. I’ve heard of Sketchbook Skool in an episode of Your Creative Push (Which is my best friend, and that’s another story.) I’ve read the free book “Start Making Art” there and I got inspired to make a sketchbook of ordinary objects as a daily challenge. That went better, I’ve tried different mediums and different styles. The main point was gaining the habit of drawing every day, even if it’s a little ordinary object. 

It sure helped, but the “every day” part faded fast.

Just around that time, I’ve seen a post about Sketchbook Revival. I needed something fun after working on the same painting for hours, so I followed all the workshop and played along.

I’m so happy that I caught it at the time, cause it was a temporarily free online workshop and just what I was looking for. It helped me revive my childish creativity. I have a lot to tell about it, maybe I will write a detailed post later.

I’ve learned how to bind the sketchbooks I’ll use during the event.

These are the pages from the sketchbook dedicated to the workshop.

Also, while I’m listening the introduction parts, I wanted to start sketching right away so I drew the tutors in an accordion sketchbook that I’ve made.

After it was over, I kept the spirit and went on filling the blank pages of the sketchbook.

I painted some random pages, and some other time I was drawing over them. One day I’ve drawn flowers with white pen on a dark background, and I loved it. So it became a thing.

When Sketchbook Revival was finished, someone in the group posted about 30x30 Direct watercolor challenge. I decided to give it a go. It was suggesting to do all the opposites of what I’m used to do. Don’t mix the colors in the palette, do not draw lines. It was really hard for me and I didn’t fall in love with the results. Whatever, I always liked to expand my comfort zone. I’m pleased that I’m reminded about this style.

I was wondering if there was a drawing group in Istanbul, just in that time I came across Urban Sketchers Istanbul and I joined some of the gatherings. Meeting with people for drawing together is a good idea.

Meanwhile I tried different mediums.

There were many bottles of old fabric paint in our home, left by the puppet artist lived there before, so I tried them on a tank-top, that I love to wear now.

One day I got sick and I didn’t have the energy to sit at my desk, so I laid on the sofa and painted this wood panel while watching movies from my laptop.

I like the feeling of painting on wood. Found this one on the street; for a while I’ve become looking for things to paint everywhere.

Like these plates I painted the same day.

I found out about the porcelain pens by coincidence. There was a workshop while I was looking around my favorite art supply store, they gave me a porcelain cup and I started drawing right away. 

I bought all three pen sets and told everyone that I’m looking for their old ceramic stuff.

I was gonna visit my family for the new year and was in search of a present for everyone. Then I thought something handmade could be nice. Here are some of the presents.

I loved the idea of recycling, so I painted on packages. Empty jars, used shampoo bottles, wine bottles.

Branded cups, stones.

I’m a fan of anything fabric related so I had to get my hands on some embroidery.

Played with air-dry clay.

I love playing with clay, so I tried a DIY recipe I found on Pinterest.

I painted on the dried dough with watercolor or acrylic.

Made a ring holder, photo stand, magnets for my mum, a little ship, and I’m so proud of my little brush rests.

Another DIY material I wanted to try for a long time was papier-mâché, and I couldn’t wait any longer, so I tried it in between my holiday. I’m sure gonna use more of this technique this year.

This summer I noticed the tile pieces tumbled in the waves, hiding beneath the sand and stones on the beach. I couldn’t do it every day because I killed my brand new Artline pen for drawing these, but still it’s a good memory.

Ceramics have always been my secret love. I can’t even get near it because I know I’ll want to give up everything and fall right deep into it. But I came across a chance to try and it was as beautiful as I assumed. These are my first ceramics.

I formed the cups, the plates were gifted by my tutor, then I painted my favorite flowers and my life motto “Create Beauty” on them.

Tried Tilt Brush, painting in 3D with virtual reality. It was an amazing experience, I was happy like a child when I tried it, but then I couldn’t think of anything I can draw properly, cause it’s hard when you are not used to. I should try it again with more persistence.

I tried shrink paper but not satisfied yet. This year I’m gonna work on it.

And of course there are other random drawings and paintings in a habit I already had, if you want to see them you can take a look at ozlemoz.tumblr.com or instagram.com/ozlemoz.art

Sure I’ve done many paintings but I think I could have done better. So this year is gonna be all about it.

I’m gonna do as much as I can!

[lordofthebigtimesupernatural]

Man, it's been so long since I've came here! Here's my new prompt: Shiro and Keith shopping for school supplies(since August is Back to School Month), it can happen anytime like for elementary, middle, high school or college. You decide or choose them all!

Ha. Ha. Ha. So this is like 2 months late but I hope you still enjoy it! This was so cute and fluffy to write. Keith and Shiro are both excited for back to school shopping! Thank you for sending in the sweet prompt! Enjoy!

x.V.x

Four

              “Alright honey, let’s see what we need to get.” Shiro grinned, shifting Keith in one arm. At the moment, he could only single-handedly carry Keith or do his day to day activities. His robotic prosthetic was currently updating and Shiro wouldn’t be allowed to use it until tomorrow. However, he and Keith were doing just fine with three hands total between both of them.

              Keith was perched on his dad’s arm, focused entirely on the pieces of papers in his small hands. He ignored the rest of the crowds around them despite all of the noise and sights happening.

              “Pencils,” Keith said quietly. Shiro used his hip and the stump of his other arm to maneuver the cart through several aisles of people Many of which cooed at Keith and Shiro or got out of the way once they saw Shiro’s arm.

              “Alright. I’m guessing we should get erasers and pens too?” Shiro asked once the two of them had stopped in front of the School Supply aisle.

              It was that time of year. The first of many for Shiro and Keith. School was starting up in just two weeks and this would be the first of many school years for Keith and Shiro. Keith was only just starting daycare at Altea, with Allura but it was still exciting for Shiro to be doing school shopping. Especially when it was just him and Keith.

              Kuro and Shiro’s parents had tried to tag along with them, after learning that Shiro’s prosthetic was out of commission, but Keith had managed to persuade them to leave the two of them alone with big blue eyes.

              “Yes,” Keith nodded before glancing down at the paper. “But only blue pens. No black.”

              “Oh, I’m sure we can get any colored pens,” Shiro chuckled, maneuvering Keith on the handle of the cart so that he could grab several supplies. “We could even get a rainbow of colored pens.”

              “No. Blue pens. It only says blue pens.” Keith said firmly. The little pout on his face made Shiro coo and rub his cheek against Keith’s. However, he grabbed a pack of blue pens and put them in the cart with the rest of the supplies. Keith beamed, satisfied and Shiro felt his heart melting all over again. “Okay. Check!” Keith scribbled a vague-looking checkmark next to the pens, pencils, and erasers on the list. “Hm, daddy what’s this?” Keith shoved the paper into his father’s face quickly. Shiro blinked, trying to crane his neck back so he could clearly see what Keith was pointing at. It took a bit of struggling but eventually, Shiro could see the paper and he smiled.

              “Oh, that says optional. It means we don’t have to buy it and the school will supply it, but we can buy it if we want to.” Shiro explained softly. Eventually, Keith pulled the paper away from Shiro’s face and he frowned thoughtfully. Shiro quickly skimmed the rest of the line and his eyes widened.

              Glue.

              For a second, Shiro’s mind was brought back to a dark memory of a time when Keith had been allowed to use glue for a Father’s day craft project with his family. Shiro had come home to a baby Keith covered in peeling glue. It was on his hands, on his cheeks, and in his hair. Shiro had been forced to cut off several chunks of Keith’s hair, sending Keith into a fit of tears for days.

              Glue is not our friend.

              “I know for a fact that your daycare teacher will be providing you with glue so we don’t have to buy that!” Shiro said quickly, practically sprinting away from the glue in the aisle. Keith blinked somberly before waving at the disappearing glue. Feeling his heart twist at the saddened expression on Keith’s face, Shiro stopped the cart right in front of rows of backpacks.

              “Look! This is the best part of school shopping. You get to pick your very own backpack to wear!” Shiro cheered suddenly and Keith’s entire attention was now on the backpacks. His eyes lit up and a wide smile graced his face. Shiro chuckled, relieved that a crisis had been averted, and set Keith down on the ground when he felt Keith begin to wiggle in his arms. As soon as his light-up sneakers had hit the floor, Keith was running back and forth along the rows of backpacks.

              “Daddy! Daddy! Look, there’s so many!” Keith bounced excitedly, clapping his hands. Shiro chuckled, smiling warmly as Keith ran back and forth between serval different backpacks.

              “Is this his first time going to school?”

              Shiro turned around to see a woman with her own shopping cart behind him. Shiro could see two other kids walking down the aisle, both were probably two or so years older than Keith. He watched them warily as they made their way to the backpacks, where Keith was still looking at backpacks. Keith eyed the two kids warily who were trying to compare backpacks with him, but he wasn’t yelling or running away yet. Instead, he was clutching onto one particular backpack while the other two kids pointed out other backpacks.

              “Yeah. Well, it’s a daycare school because he’s only four but he’s still very excited.” Shiro smiled and the woman beamed.

              “And I bet you’re just as excited as he is. Look at that smile.” She pointed out the grin on Shiro’s face and Shiro couldn’t help but nod.

              “Yeah. I’m anxious to leave him alone. We’ve never really been apart this long.” Shiro admitted softly, watching as Keith grabbed a hold of another backpack that the older girl had given him.

              “It’s hard, especially with the oldest or your only child.” The woman said quietly. “It’s hard to see them growing up, and it feels like it’s going by so fast,” Shiro nodded at this and breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn’t the only parent feeling this. “However, I promise you it’s only going to get more and more exciting after this. Watching them grow up is one of the best feelings in the world, especially when you see the person they’ve become.”

              Shiro thought his face was going to split in half from smiling so much. He nodded at the woman, grateful for her kind words before Keith was sprinting back to him. Quickly, Shiro opened his arms and pulled Keith up into one arm, while holding onto his with the stump of his other arm. Keith’s eyes were sparkling with absolute joy and his cheeks were rosy from excitement.

              Suddenly, Keith shoved a backpack in Shiro’s face. “Look. Look. It’s perfect! It has stars and moons and planets!” Keith babbled excitedly as he proudly showed off the backpack. All the while, Shiro was smiling warmly at Keith, listening with rapt attention.

              Sure, he was excited to watch Keith grow up.

              Especially if there were going to be more moments like this.

x.V.x

              Twenty-three

              “I’m gonna go grab some supplies for school,” Keith said, eyes trained down on his phone. Shiro looked away from the Deli menu where he was deciding if fried chicken was considered a “cheat day” or not. He blinked as Keith walked away and sighed.

              Shopping for school supplies had been fun, for about seven years. However, once Keith had reached seventh grade, supply shopping had just become an ordinary shopping trip and by high school, Keith didn’t need or want Shiro shopping with him like they used to. Keith loved his father, and he always did, but even he had admitted that it was slightly embarrassing to be picking out backpacks like a little kid.

              So ever since then, Keith had done his shopping while Shiro had done other shopping and the two of them met in the middle. Shiro was a bit sad to see the tradition of school shopping had lost its magic. He knew that as Keith grew up some things would change.

              However, his baby was all grown up now. He was home from the military for good and now he was finally starting his very first year of college. Where he was going to be living in the dorms and away from Shiro yet again. Thankfully the campus wasn’t too far and Keith could come home every weekend without hassle but still, Shiro had just gotten used to Keith being around all the time.

              The silence was hard.

              Shiro sighed, going through the motions and deciding that chicken was what he was in the mood for. As he was heading towards the checkout lines, Shiro saw Keith returning with a bag of school supplies around his arms. He wasn’t on his phone any longer and he waved upon seeing Shiro.

              “Got everything you need?” Shiro asked when they arrived near a check-out line.

              “Yeah. I’m not going to overload on supplies until I know what I definitely need.” Keith nodded, helping to load the groceries on the conveyor belt. Shiro smiled at his son. “Besides, I can always get you to do a supply run for me and drop them off at my door. I know you’ll look for any reason to visit.” Keith teased lightly, causing Shiro to snort.

              “Brat.” Shiro swatted at Keith, who playfully ducked away. “What about a backpack? You haven’t had one since high school and I’m pretty sure I got rid of it.”

              “I’ll get a plain black one or something cheap.” Keith shrugged, not upset at all.

              Shiro bit his lip, resisting the urge to sigh. “You don’t want ninja-turtles or stars?”

              “I’m not a kid anymore.” Keith laughed quietly. Shiro felt his heart twinge for a second before he was smiling again. He’s not. The two of them finished paying for everything before loading it all into Shiro’s car. Shiro’s mind wandered to something he had seen in the store and he bit his lip.

              “You finish loading. I forgot something, just wait in the car when you’re done!” Shiro suddenly called over his shoulder as he made his way back into the store. Keith rolled his eyes playfully, but nodded and continued to load up the car.

              It only took Shiro a few minutes to find what he was looking for and another minute of debating whether it would be a good idea to get it. However, he made up his mind and bought the item, hiding it in a bag in the back of his car. Keith asked what it was but Shiro kept his mouth shut and simply smiled.

              It was three weeks later when Keith was unloading the last box in his dorm. His roommate was a good guy, a family friend of Allura’s, and kinda cute. After Shiro had finally left, and Keith had been on his own once again for a few days, the longing for home built in Keith’s chest. He missed Shiro and home again.

              As Keith unloaded the last of his box, he came across a grocery bag at the bottom of the box. Frowning, Keith pulled the bag out as he tried to think of what it could be. He didn’t remember buying any other supplies. However, once Keith had pulled the item out of the bag, he couldn’t help but smile tearfully. Inside the bag, was a galaxy themed backpack, meant for adults. Keith kept the tears at bay but he ran his fingers along the stars stitched into the backpack when a note fell onto the floor.

              Picking it up, Keith felt a large smile gracing his lips and he laughed out loud.        

              No matter how old you think you are, you will always be my Star. Shoot for the moon and back and I know you’ll do great in school. Love you,

Dad

[hellsbellssewingclub]

Sewing 101: Tools

Sewing, as most crafts, requires certain materials and tools to get started. Some of these tools are required, some mostly make your work a little easier or more enjoyable. In this post I would like to go over the tools you need and some you might not need but eventually want.

Sewing machine:

With sewing machines there are as many types as there are brands that sell them. From embroidery machines that basically do the work for you with the right software, to industrial machines that sew through literally everything, a good start is a simple household sewing machine, not the cheapest but also not the most expensive for the start.

A good sewing machine should come with several different foots, a set of needles a few bobbins and the tools required should your machine need some maintenance. I recommend getting one with a few different stitches, straight, zig-zag, maybe a few decorative ones for a creative finish, it's best to collect some information first before making a purchase, since the sewing machine is the heart and soul in the making of any kind of clothing.

Another sewing machine that might be useful once you really get into it is an overlock machine. They are fitted with three or four threads at once as well with a knife close to the needle. They give your seam allowance a nice finish that prevents fraying, although they can also be used for stretchy fabrics that need an elastic stitch.

Scissors:

I'm sure that many have the memory of that one pair of scissors at home that they were never allowed to use. That is because, like the scissors of a hairdresser, fabric scissors can be very expensive and need constant maintenance to stay as sharp as they have to be. Nothing is more frustrating than cutting some fabric and having it shift around because of that one dull spot on the blade. Of course there are also many different kinds of fabric scissors available, some that are cheaper but cannot be sharpened again once dull, then the ones that come from a smith and can be maintained to be used for years and years. For different fabrics there are also different options. A roller cutter, closely resembling a pizza cutter, is very handy for cutting out bigger pieces of fabric, or scissors with micro serration to avoid slippery fabric from moving around while cutting.

And while a good pair of fabric scissors are an investment to consider, in the beginning a cheaper alternative will do, though a replacement might be necessary more often.

Small scissors are also a must. They are very handy for cutting threads or opening up seams if something went wrong.

Needle and thread:

Needles and thread are quite literally what keeps your project from falling apart. Like with most tools, there are also a few options, depending on what you are sewing. With threads it is more sensible to not choose the cheaper alternative. Often you will find sets for a low price with threads and bobbins and while some of them might work well enough, more often than not they are made from a cheap material that will rip under even the slightest bit of tension.

Polyester is the go to material for threads these days, both because of the durability and the wide variety of colors.

Cotton is an alternative, although the color variety is rather limited as well as the elasticity of the thread, making it more prone to break under tension.

Silk is a wonderful material for a decorative thread, due to the beautiful shine as well as the smooth texture that makes hand stitches a lot easier. The thicker thread, much like the polyester alternative, is mostly used for buttonholes.

Stainless steel sewing needles are a good start for a beginner. They can often be bought in a set, with different lengths and thickness, giving many options for different projects. For more advanced tailors there are also options for special fabrics like leather or super stretchy jersey, though for the beginning the simple set is more than enough.

Pins:

Pins are used to hold the pieces of fabric together before they are sown. The biggest difference in pins are their heads. Most pins either have a small flat metal head, making them very handy for pinning something down for ironing without leaving much of a dent, or a plastic/glass head which makes them easier to grip to remove them. A pin cushion, mostly a stuffed ball of fabric or a piece of foam, either to set down on the table or to be worn around the arm, can be used to store pins for easy access. A good alternative is a magnet to collect them, though it cannot be used with needles made of stainless steel.

Rulers and measuring tape:

With sewing, measuring is very important. Whether it be measuring your own body for a perfect fit, measuring seam allowances or the finished size of a product, sturdy rulers and measuring tapes are a must. A set square, a flexible tailors ruler and a measuring tape are the perfect trio for a beginner.

Chalk and pencils:

That is the part where we draw the line. Literally. Before you can cut anything, you have to draw it onto the fabric. For most lines some simple tailors chalk will do, either as a piece of chalk, a pen or a little contraption with a wheel that dispenses chalk dust onto the fabric. Each of them have their pros and cons, a piece of chalk is usually cheaper but with a thicker line, chalk pencils are more precise but expensive and said contraption does not shift the fabric around though the lines are not very precise.

For marks that will not be cut off but remain on the fabric, chemical chalk can be a good alternative to trying to wash or rub the chalk dust off. This alternative reacts with heat, making it vanish once you iron over it or leave it in a warm place like a spot in the sun. This is both very practical but can also be very frustrating if you accidentally leave your project near a heater and watch your drawn marks disappear. It will also cause a slight reaction, causing your nose to itch or your eyes to burn a little. It can be very helpful though many tailors deem the chalk not worth the negatives.

Other tools:

In the beginning, you will have to rip seams more often than you will likely sew them. In that case, a seam ripper will quickly become a handy companion. It is equipped with a sharp blade that can cut through threads easily, as well as a sharp point that makes picking up thread easy without cutting into the fabric. And while it is unlikely that you will cut holes into your project, it can happen if you are not careful. Many tailors swear on using seam rippers, while others avoid them like the plague and prefer small scissors instead.

Thimbles can sometimes save your fingers. They are mostly made of metal or plastic and are put on the tip of your middle finger, or any other finger that feels more comfortable for you, to push a needle through the fabric if you are sewing by hand. An alternative is a finger ring, a broad metal band with dips hammered into it to stop the needle from slipping off. Just like the seam ripper, opinions on thimbles are often split. Some cannot sew without them, while others feel like they get in the way, much like myself.

Paper for clothing patterns is another important tool. You can buy it in fabric stores, or use plotter paper, mostly available in rolls with many meters. It is slightly sheer so you can trace the pattern. When buying paper, do not underestimate the amount you will need, of course you can always cut and glue the paper together but having it in one piece will make your work a lot easier in the long run.

Once you get more used to cutting out fabric pieces, weights might be a good investment to make. They are used to keep the paper patterns on the fabric from slipping around since not all fabrics do well with pins.

Dress form:

This is absolutely optional and mostly interesting for those who start sewing not only for themselves but for others as well. A dress form can be used to test the fit of a garment without needing the client to try them on. Especially in the early stages of making a clothing item, it will need to be fitted again and again and a dress from, especially one that can be adjusted, is a lifesaver. Of course you can make them yourself, and for the start that might be a good alternative, since they can be very expensive.

Nettle cloth:

Nettle cloth is a cheap, unbleached cotton fabric and mostly used to make mock ups of a finished project. You can buy it for a few euros a meter and it is especially handy if you have to make heavy adjustments to a clothing pattern, if your project is very elaborate or if you are more or less experimenting. It might seem like a waste of money at first, but with the prices of some fabrics, it is better to use up one for 2 euros a meter than waste the one for ten times the price that you have been saving up.

Of course there are many other tools that might be useful, but for the start this is what I would recommend. Most of these things can be bought online and with the recent pandemic they should be bought online, though for sewing machines it might be worth getting your information from a local fabric store. They can not only give you useful tips, but they are often also available for maintenance and in case you have issues getting your machine adjusted. Let me know if there is anything I missed or if there is anything you would like to add.

Happy sewing!