#I GOT A DRAWING TABLET :-D It is such a joy to use

[limbolants-art]

And there were two

[empyrealwinter]

I once again present

E t h o

I got a new drawing tablet and it's been such a joy to use :D so take this Ethoslab as an offering

[scribbleshanks]

Hi!! I really love your art, it's a significant source of inspiration for me and a joy to see.

For the artist ask meme: 22 and 26?

Oh hello!! I see you in my notifications often and I always appreciate it! Thank you so much, I'm very honored that my art can inspire you! :D

I went overboard with my answers and might have gone off track for this, and I apologize ^^;

22. Are you confident that you're improving steadily?

To tell the truth, I am not, and I tend to have doubts about my progress very often.

The uncomfortable feeling that goes along the lines of “I’m not as good as I should be” has done it’s rounds, and it will continue to come and go for a very long time, usually when I see mistakes in my art. I imagine that will be the same for many other artists. That feeling will pass, and I understand now that it does not take away from the effort and love I put into improving at this point. 

That being said, just because I’m not confident that I’m improving steadily doesn’t mean I don’t think I’m improving at all. Looking through not only my earlier fanart on this account but my older sketchbooks from 2018-2020, I cannot deny to myself that I really did improve, in big and small ways, and I’m glad that I’ve grown to the point that I be honest with myself about it. Maybe not mindblowingly good or industry level, true, but I worked hard, and I make sure to remind myself of that.

I personally think that I usually make small leaps in improvement as opposed to a steady and even course, which I don’t believe is more effective than the latter, but not necessarily a bad thing (inconsistent, maybe, but that’s fine). Perhaps this is due to the fact that I haven’t taken many art classes in the past and am currently not taking any at the time I’m writing this (whether it be college or online, etc.), so there was and is not that much structure surrounding my progress. That means my art will be stuck in static for long periods of time, since pushing myself to work on the things I struggle with is hard. On occasion I will do just that, and while I may complain about it at first, it still helps to brush up on the technical side of it. I still have a ton of fun sticking to my guns though, for sure, so I guess it’s not all that bad. It can be draining to only think in terms of how to improve. Remembering to draw what you love and are comfortable with as well as to love what it brings out of you can feel great; don’t forget your soul when you make art!

In short, I’m not confident that I’m improving steadily, but every drawing I make is a baby step closer to my next power-up, and that’s okay ^^

(A lot of artists go through that uncomfortable feeling mentioned above, so don’t be discouraged if you’re an artist reading this and you have feelings of doubt often. You are doing a good job, and you are working hard. This stuff ain’t easy. Please remember to be kind to yourself, I promise you deserve it.)

26. For digital artists, what program(s) do you use?

Krita! Krita beloved...

Many years ago when I was given my first tablet, Krita was the first drawing program I turned to because it was free and available for my computer’s model. 

My usage of it then dropped due to the giant learning curve involved with it, and being a largely traditional artist at the time, I couldn’t bring myself to work out the kinks because grrr, computers. But when I became deeply invested in Hollow Knight in the summer of 2020, I began to rely solely on Krita for all of my earliest fanarts. Which turned out to be a very good decision seeing as I’m much more used to how it works now, and am so comfortable with it that I’m very much at ease whenever I open it up. Definitely my immediate default for fanart and drawing, haha.

More so than traditional at this point, which can feel weird :0 I got all sorts of personal brushes and setups on there that I feel naked without it 0_0;;

I hope you have a good day!

[clotpole-art]

Retrospective: Illustrated Merlin Alphabet Challenge

Finally finished the Merlin Alphabet Challenge, so here's the artist notes no one asked for! See below the cut for comments on each piece by order of creation. Be warned folks, it's a long post.

Before we begin: credit to @merlin-gifs for the challenge, which can be found here. It's awesome, go do it.

First thing you should know is I did probably 80-90% of these while on phone calls or in Zoom meetings and that's reflected in the simplicity of most pieces -- the compositions aren't complicated, the lines aren't refined, the coloring is slapdash. If you noticed variation in quality of the pieces, that's why!

Second: I tried to focus on trying something new for each drawing. Didn't always happen, but this challenge did succeed in helping me push me out of my own comfort zone.

Without further ado...

A is for Arthur Pendragon

Textures, baby! Brushed metal of his armor, scratchy linen texture of his shirt, wispy softness of hair and skin. I'd recently gotten my tablet out of storage after a year of figuring out where the hell I was going to live and this was one of the first pieces of digital art I spent time on. Glad it was Arthur kicking us off!

B is for the Beginning of the End (1x08)

Fun fact, I did not draw this with my tablet. I drew it with my work computer's touchscreen. It was awful, would not recommend.

C is for Camelot

I wanted to get used to different brushes, so landscape of the castle it was! There are brushes that help with drawing grass; I did not use said brushes and my wrist hurt afterward. That being said, I really enjoyed working on this and it was one of the few pieces I didn't do while multitasking.

D is for Daegal

Also drawn on my work computer's touchscreen, not my tablet. I didn't learn my lesson from B and the experience was even worse. This is my least favorite piece which sucks because it's Daegal so I'm slated to redo this sometime in the near future. Gotta do our boy justice.

E is for Elyan

Oh, I adored drawing this. Elyan often gets shafted in terms of fandom appreciation so I made sure to choose Elyan for this prompt and to participate in the Elyan fest. Plus, I love a good ghost story and figuring out a way to include the druid spectre was fun. Didn't multitask on this piece because Elyan deserved my full attention.

F is for Freya

Ho boy. This piece. I have such mixed feelings on this drawing. Really really didn't like it after I'd decided it was done and very nearly scrapped the whole thing. I had a vision in my head that I just couldn't render into reality and it frustrated me SO MUCH. Looking back, I like it much better than I did when I first created it.

G is for Gwaine

What can I say, he's pretty when he's cold. I didn't stretch too much with this one -- it's my normal drawing style, I was just trying to find a brush that mimicked the softness of pencil.

H is for Hunith

Another one that didn't stray too far from my comfort zone. I was stupid sick and slammed at work, so a motherly Hunith manifested herself. I blame the bad brush choice on the cold medicine.

I is for Isolde

I woke up and chose violence! Tried to vary my figure drawing style a little in this piece but my brain resisted, resulting in... this. Not mad at it, but not happy with it either. Poor Isolde.

J is for Juggling

Ah, this lovely piece was drawn during a particularly vexing meeting at work. Fun fact, there's another version of this line art that's less about Merlin's stress and more about mine.

K is for Knights of Camelot

Continuing the theme of doodling through bad news and shit meetings. Like I said above, normally meeting doodles aren't complex because I'm concentrating on something else. This one was more involved because I didn't want to concentrate on the meeting. I have a few issues with this from a technical standpoint (perspective, my nemesis) but it's still one of my favorites. Tried some funky coloring technique, didn't hate it.

V is for Vibrant Colors

And here is where we said fuck the rules and started going out of alphabetical order! This one was really fun to do and I loved kicking off Albion Party with this as my first submission. The colors were a challenge (as I hoped they would be) and this is the first time I had to do some color tweaking midway though and after finishing the coloring process. Vibrant Arthur, my beloved. This started as a multitask doodle but took dedicated time to finish.

O is for Old Religion

The concept for this one was buzzing in my head for a bit before a quote-prompt solidified it. I adore the thought of more visible, tangible representations of Merlin as the son of the elements, of "magic itself" -- not just sun-gold eyes, but sea-water hair and sandstone-skin. A complement to the vibrant Arthur portrait.

S is for Sorcerers

When I said I wanted to challenge myself, I wasn't kidding. Ho boy, this was fun but frustrating. I wanted to completely illustrate a gif. So I did. Will I do something like this again? Maybe. A while from now.

M is for Morgause

See above -- same illustrated gif style so at least I was able to reuse some drawings. Poor Morgause ended up looking a little wretched here because I was mentally done with this when I was drawing her. Love the concept of tarot cards + Merlin but others are doing it so I won't continue this series.

Z is for Zzzz

This one was specifically done to test out some custom brushes I made in Krita to make abstract background drawing easier for me. I think they turned out well! Plus who doesn't love bb iridescent Aithusa.

L is for Leon, P is for Percival

Quick, minimal doodles of the boys! Mentally, I was going for a Brady's-style retro ensemble cast TV show credits feel. Not mad at it! Some boys look closer to their actors than others (I think my brain broke drawing Percy, my apologies to Tom Hopper).

T is for Tristan

It wasn't until after I posted this that I realized there was more than one Tristan in Merlin. Could have drawn Isolde's bf but I drew Ygraine's dumb jock undead brother instead. Had some fun with dark greys and blacks here regardless.

Q is for Queen Annis

Best royal in Albion, bar none. I tried a different coloring technique here and I kinda like it! may make it my go-to but we'll see. Old habits are hard to break. Also: our queen deserved more badass clothes.

X is for Arthur X Merlin

Oh, be still my shipper heart. Doodled and colored during a meeting. I had hoped to spend more time on it outside of multitasking but alas, work is a bitch. This one is slated for a rework sometime in the future; I adore the concept too much to let it go without creating another version of this that isn't an utter mess.

U is for Uther's Ward

And here's my attempt at forgoing line art. Not fun, do not like.

Y is for Young Warlock

Channeled some pain into this one. Those are the dead eyes of someone who had been told that he'd succeeded when his friend died. That the destiny he'd been expecting to carry on his shoulders into old age was done and dusted before he turned 30. Grief plus the existential dread of the aimless immortal. Oof. One of my favs.

N is for Nimueh, R is for Rising Sun, W is for Will

And we end on this sorry offering. I was away from home for a while without my tablet and I just got tired of waiting. So, pen doodles at the airport. This was a challenge in its own right because 1. pen only and 2. I wasn't able to pull Netflix up for a reference on the fly. Which is why Will's face is obscured and Nimueh looks.... not like Nimueh lol.

In summary: this was a goddamn joy to do. I finished 26 letter prompts in approximately 21 weeks, which exceeded my own unspoken goal of filling one letter per week. I found a good, happy corner of the Merlin fandom after a years-long hiatus away from being a fandom creator. If you did make it this far with me, thanks for reading my inane comments and giving this little project even a moment of your time -- I'm so grateful.

[heathered-beinn]

BTS American Hustle Life Ep6

Ep 5 recap:

BTS are still in LA learning about hip hop. After their lyric challenge last episode, they had a little party (bbq) with Warren G to celebrate. Over dinner Warren G asked them if they got to spend much time with their friends and family and we learned the heart-breaking truth that they don’t and that it’s been 2 years since some of them have even been home.

The episode’s challenge was to shoot a music video and their task was to find some women to appear in the video. Cue some hilarious and cringeworthy moments as 7 terrified lads combed the streets trying to speak to the opposite sex. The filming was equally – if not more - hilarious to watch.

Onwards and upwards…

So they are still filming and straight away Jungkook is getting himself into some mischief. I laughed when the stylist hurried out yelping to get out of there because he doesn’t have a spare outfit.

Jungkook makes it back to solid ground and starts recording his self-cam again. ROFL at him running away squealing when one of the ladies plays up to his camera.

Now the ladies are in bikinis and sunbathing and the groups have to sit next to them and film. I almost couldn’t breathe from laughing especially when V, Jungkook and Suga walking away pretty swiftly after they’d finished; Jungkook saying he nearly *died* back there. And Suga grinning like he’d just been released from prison and saying he’s relieved it’s over. I really never expected Suga to be so nervous of women! He’s usually so chill.

Lol at the three of them watching Jin and J-Hope filming with the ladies (and acting fairly naturally) and Jungkook wondering how they can have fun like that as he thought his heart was going to explode and he’d die *crying with laughter emoji*

 Ah, it was really no surprise that J-Hope won the challenge. He was the only one who had fun, could get within a foot of a women and not look two seconds from shitting himself LMAO.

His and Jin’s reward for being the winning team was a collectible figurine/model of their choice? Cool!

Next day…

So Jin and J-Hopes next challenge is to find their beat box master but they have to beat box in the street to draw them out? I totally agree J-Hope, it’s utterly embarrassing. Yep, I had a little fast forward through that.

So they find their master, Fraahz and go back to his place where he goes through the basics of beat boxing with them. Their attempts are cute, although I think that microphone may need to be turned upside down to drain the spit ewwwwww looooooooooooooooooool.

Elsewhere, RM and Jimin’s task is to find their dance master – lol at RM’s pained reaction at having to dance again

Oooooh they’re going to learn some bboying! Wow, Jimin picks it up pretty well – I always thought he was a good dancer (since he led the dance class in Carpool Karaoke) that’s why I was surprised that J-Hope was considered the band’s best. RM does a pretty good job too! They really are such a cute duo. It’s quite a unique friendship they have – hard to describe. Bet they’re knackered after that dance session though.

Yep! Well… RM is knackered.

V(?) teasingly trying to wake him up and RM kicking his leg in retaliation. This band really do act like brothers. It’s like they’ve lived together since they were born.

Lol at Jin and J-Hope repeatedly bursting into giggles as they fail time and time again to get through their beat box and meditation practice.

****************************************** 

It’s the next morning  and RM and Jimin meet their dance teacher in the park for a little exercise (although they claim they didn’t know it was for exercise).

AHAHAHAHA RM almost dead after running a couple of laps. To be fair it’s probably scorching outside which won’t help. LMAO, the dance teacher putting the weight jacket on Jimin as the exercise was too easy for him. Poor Jimin and RM look absolutely floored by the end – I hope the walk back to the dorm isn’t too far for those tired little legs.

They’re back in the dance studio later on and poor RM get’s hit in the head by Jimin’s foot – aww. RM gets revenge by slapping a high five to Jimin’s hand/wrist extremely hard *crying with laughter emoji*. I love these lads so much <3 They are such characters.

Jin and J-Hope meet Fraahz again in the park to go over their beatboxing practice. I was impressed that they managed to get through the meditation without bursting into giggles. That part with them turning animal sounds into beats was hilarious.

******************************************** While the others are working with their masters V, Suga, and Jungkook are chilling at the dorm watching basketball and Jungkook is pretending to shoot people with a tablet… Lol, here comes Tony and N to spoil their fun! What are the three of them going to get? RnB!

Wait whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?! Hold the **** phone. Did they just say they’ve never heard of Whoopi Goldberg????!!! I ain’t from the states either man but she is a l-e-g-e-n-d. These three lads need to sit down and watch Sister Act 1 and 2 STAT.

Iris Stevenson, the woman Sister Act 2 is based on, is such an inspiration.

OMG they are going to get to do some gospel singing! *squeal*

Wow, Jungkook, you have such a nice voice <3 What an absolute cutie.

This was a great thing for the 3 of them to do. Not only was Iris’s happy and motherly soul something I think they desperately needed but, from what the lads were saying afterwards, I think musically it was important they learned how to feel love for singing again. The amount of practice they had to do as trainees – and no doubt still have to do - and the type of practice, as well as the stress of trying to ‘make it’ seems to have taken a lot of joy away from their art. And that is a real shame. If you don’t like what you’re doing, if your heart isn’t in it, then how can you possibly be happy? You certainly won’t be the best you can be!

Aww V has a wonderful voice for this kind of music too. But he’s not feeling well :( You need to rest up sweetie.

Iris is such a lovely and amazing woman.

Go V and Suga bragging about how great Iris is <3 Wonderful lads.

Okay, so they are going to each show off what they’ve been learning and then score themselves out of 100 “fairly”. Why do I get the feeling that “fair” will be used very loosely lol.

J-Hope and Jin did well with beat boxing although I think Jimin and RM were a little harsh with giving them a score of 69. Bet that gets reciprocated when it’s their turn. Aaaaaaaaaaaaand I was right lol. RM did really well with the dancing thought, kudos to him.

Next up it’s Suga, V, and Jungkook. Aww sweet Jimin getting up out his seat to hug V and tell him how much he loves his voice <3 <3 And ten seconds later he rigs the scoring so that he and RM are not last *facepalm*. At least he takes it back at the end and honestly gives them a score of 100 points. This means he and RM lose and the punishment is….

The winners get to smash the losers faces into a plate of whipped cream. LMAO. This I have got to see!!!

Oh Jungkook… <3

“Oh delicious”

But Tony’s “Welcome to America” in reply just killed me

Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaha

Look at the happiness on Jungkook’s face *crying with laughter emoji*

*dead*

There are so many crude analogies that I could make here… Jungkook creaming Jimin’s face and them both loving it but I will… refrain.

LMAO RM flinging cream all over the place in retaliation.

So we got to see the music video and it was quite good. I felt it wasn’t very polished though as there was a noticeable difference between the colouring/lighting between the car scenes and the scenes at the mansion that you wouldn’t expect/want in a professional MV. I really like the song though.

Final musings.

Another enjoyable episode. This one was both fun and funny. The boys have got great personalities and can make even silence seem interesting. They are a delight to watch and I’m so glad I’m still at the beginning of the journey <3

Two eps to go: Episode 7 up next…

[ludussy]

Happy 34th birthday Shane Alexander Madej!

long-ass caption:

1. happy bday shane

2. challenge!

1. happy bday shane

This is my first real digital work (made with my trackpad ouch, I’ll get a drawing tablet soon) and of course I dedicate it to the man that has been making me so happy over the past year, and month especially. i don’t know what I’d do without all the amazing Watcher content that’s been brought to us during quarantine. There’s one thing that’s super cliche and super simple that’s made me incredibly happy, and it’s just Shane’s smile. He’s got such a contagious smile lmao. So this is a shot from the first episode of SD&D&D (which I’m still freaking out about, I love dnd so much y’all have made it even more special). Watcher is literally the only company that’s managed to get me to add new shows to my agenda so that I’d be refreshing the watcher YouTube account every time around 7pm to be one of the first to watch. not to forget all the wonderful people I’ve met, that have brought joy to my quarantine! I wouldn’t have met them without Hosea so little shout out to u hun x 
And about Shane himself? i stg I love this man and his sense of humour, creative mind and big-ass vocabulary so much. I’m forever grateful to him and all that he’s done. Thanks for making my life a bit brighter. Bless you, Shane. Bless you. Also ghosts aren’t real.

2. challenge!

For those of you who’ve read all through to here, THERE'S A CHALLENGE HERE !! the ones who find all 33 quotes hidden all over Shane wins a FREE REQUEST!

the first three who get as many as possible correct (quote and location!) will receive a free request! i will make whatever quote you want me to (bfu, watcher or something completely different), and however you want to! be it watercolour, digital or fineliner! winners will be chosen Sunday May 24th! Good luck!

Much love, LUDUSSY

- other versions!

[sweetlydraws]

Painted Lady AU Tomorrow Old meets New.

The final part of the countdown series. To be continued in the next animatic... Hopefully. 

Warnings: Bad Language, Chat Noir Bashing. (He doesn’t show up, but he still an ass in spirt.)

Please Enjoy!

Marinette P.O.V

“MOM! Have you seen my drawing tablet!” I yelled with my arm all the way under the couch. Panic was covering my whole body. My heart was pounding. I need to find a tablet! I’m leaving tomorrow!

“Sweetie you don’t need to yell I’m just over here. Did you check your bags?” Mom said from the kitchen. Pulling my arm out, my hands are shaking.

“I-I did! Sorry... I checked them, check them again, and again.” I stand up and start pacing. Where would it be? I check the bakery, the kitchen, the bathroom, my room, my bags… Where! I run my hand over my face.

“Did you check your balcony?” Mom said not looking up from the dishes she was washing. Freezing, I couldn’t have left it there. I couldn’t! I did, didn’t I. I was up there this morning doodling.

“Do you want me to check sweetie? You look pale.” When my eyes focus, mom is looking at me with concern. I smile. Shaking my head, I turn and head to my room. When I’m out of view, my smile falls. I’m leaving tomorrow, I don’t have time to explain that I’m scared to go on my balcony because of Chat Noir. I quietly climb the ladder. Peaking in I see that Nooroo and co are still asleep. I sneak past them to the ladder. They have been helping me pack and keeping me from panicky.

Opening the trap door quickly.

“Huh?” I see a person. Not Chat Noir. She? He? I can’t tell. They kinda look like their wear a Ladybug inspired costume. Their hood is blocking their face. But I feel their eyes on me. Looking them up and down-

“My tablet!” I said in shocked.

“Oh, so your Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I think you would like this back.” They hand the tablet to me. Getting a good look when I climb all the way up. They’re sitting and grabbing at there side.

“Are you okay? You're holding your side…” I ask as I take my tablet from them. “Who are you?” I thought out loud. Covering my mouth. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to say that. It's just you’re a random person on my balcony and--”

“No, no, no.” They laugh. “It's fine. I’m the Crimson Beetle, Ladybug’s successor. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I would stand to greet you, but a certain alley cat was mad that I was going to give this back to you.” I thought I saw a faint red glow coming from their hood when they mentioned an alley cat. Wait? Alley cat? Chat Noir.

“Alley cat… Chat Noir had my tablet?” My grip tightening. Why? Why would he steal my tablet? Tears threaten to fall. I won’t let them, I wasted too many already.

“Do you know him?” They asked.

“Kinda… He came around and we talked sometimes. Did he hurt you?” I sit in front of them. Guilt filling my stomach. They’re Ladybug successor, no doubt that Chat would not like them.

“He tried to cataclysm me. Luckily the cataclysm doesn’t destroy other heroes. Hurts like a bitch tho. Sorry, language. Any idea why he would steal that from you?”

“I’ve been avoiding him. I was akumatized… I-I-” My vision starts to get blurry.

“No need to explain it to me. Being akumatized is traumatic. I would know. Also if the alley cat was your friend I can only imagine the pressure you must have felt.” They move to sit next to me. The pat my shoulder.

Wiping my eyes. “So your Ladybug replacement?” Why did I say replacement? Maybe I’m still not over her ‘Ladybug, was always better than you. And now this person is too.’ I put a hand over my eye to shake off the thoughts.

“Nah, not a replacement. Successor. I was told that she retired after the last Akuma… I suppose that was you. Did you know her like you know alley cat?” Their voice is kind. At least it seems that Fu chose a nice person.

“Kinda... I helped her interact with the Ladybl-” The words got caught in my throat. “ The ladyblog in the past.” The Beetle tsked. “If you don’t like the blog I don’t blame you.” They pull their arm away.

“I don’t hate it... I don’t hate the idea of it. A blog to help people be aware of akumas could never be a bad thing. But that blog is a gossip blog at worse, at best a uniformed after school project. Also even if you only knew LB a little, the pressure you felt knowing both of Paris heroes must be sickening.” Beetle’s hand disappeared into their hood. ‘Imagine being her.. I guess you do now Beetle. If Tikki is the same with you as she was with me, your going to go mad also.’

“Doesn’t matter now. I’m leaving tomorrow anyway.”

“You're leaving Paris?” Their hood tilted to the side.

“No, kinda. I’m going to be in-”

“Stop. If you want to leave, then you can. You don’t have to explain anything.” Their voice sounded warm. I felt like I could trust them.

We sit in comfortable silence. After a few minutes, Beetle stands up.

“Are you feeling better?” I asked quickly. Standing up with them.

“Yeah, I am. Sorry alley cat stole your tablet. I’ll make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid when you leave. Miss Dupain-Cheng.” They nod to me. They make a cross over their heart, then make a cut-throat motion. I give a small smile.

“It’s not your fault, and thank you. I hope you give him shit if he tries anything.” They laugh.

“Language, Miss.” They pull out their yo-yo.

“Marinette. Call me Marinette”

“Miss Marinette. I hope where ever you go, you're happy.” With that, they swung away. I stand there watching them leave before the chill of the night goes across my neck. Turning I head back inside.

“Nh-what are you da-doing?” Pollen slurred speech startled me.

“Just finishing up. Go back to sleep.” I wave my tablet a little. Pollen seemed happy with the response and fall back into a peaceful slumber. Pollen was sleeping in a potted plant that I was going to bring with me. I put my tablet into my bag, and get changed into pajamas. Tomorrow. I smile at the thought of the future.

 Elsewhere in Paris.

Crimson Beetle P.O.V

 As I swing towards home, my vision becomes blurry. I almost fall in panic. Landing on a rooftop, I pull my hood down. Tears?

“Why am I crying?”

‘I’m sorry that would be me.’ Oh, Tikki.

“Why are you crying.. Oh, I guess in a way you also knew Miss Marinette huh.”

‘I did. I feel as though I failed her.’

“Don’t she seems like a strong lady. Everybody has bad and good days you know.” I shrug. I still remember being akumatized. Sometimes I have nightmares that I’ll wake up and be that monster again. “You and Ladybug could only do so much. Now I’m here to help. Don’t worry Tikki!” I pat my chest in hopes that she feels comfort from my words.

‘Thank you.’ Pulling my hood up. We still have to finish patrolling, then head home. I have a test tomorrow… I HAVE A TEST TOMORROW! I throw my yo-yo in a panic.

 Tomorrow 10:30

At Clover-Bloom Academy

Marinette P.O.V

I stand at the gates of Clover-Bloom. Nooroo, Pollen, and Trixx all in a stir in my bag. Clover-Bloom is less of a school, and more like a whole town. I look down at the map. My things were picked up and dropped off earlier today.

“Honestly I still can’t believe that I’m here.” I giggled with joy.

“I’m so happy Marinette!” Nooroo cheered.

“You worked hard for this Mari. You should be proud to be here.” Trixx grinned.

“Oh! I forgot to tell you,” I looked down at the map. “There is a new Ladybug. They go by the Crimson Beetle. We met last night.”

“A new Ladybug?! Are you okay?” Pollen asked in a hushed tone.

“Of course I’m okay. I have a new role. I need to save Duusu.” A smile formed. I will save Duusu. I know I will.

“HEY! Your the new girl right?” A loud voice screamed. I stopped and turned to the voice. A girl is rushing towards me, with another following behind her. “I’m Aurora!” She holds her hand out. I shake it. “This is Vivienne!” The other girl gives a shy smile.

“I’m Marinette.” I smile still shaking Aurora's hand.

“Where are you heading to?” Vivienne asked.

“I’m not sure.” I laughed. I wiggle the map slightly. “This place is bigger than I thought it would be.”

“We could show you around if you want,” Vivienne said. She pulls Aurora hand away. I give a smile in thanks.

“I would be grateful if you would. My room is building D 6-14. I’m not sure what that means.” Aurora's face seems to start glowing.

“You're my neighbor!” She squealed. “ I’m 6-13!”

“Your building D, sixth floor 14’th room,” Vivienne explains. “I’m D 7-3” I nod. “Would you like to head to your room, or walk around?”

“I’m not ready to unpack yet. So let's walk around then.”

“Oh, we can show you the Green House Cafe!” Aurora grabs both mine and Vivienne hands and starts pulling us. I laugh. I haven’t felt like this in a while. I look over at Vivienne, she mouth I’m sorry. She’s smiling tho. I can’t help but smile back. I think I’m going to do a lot of good here.

 End of Count Down.

[breg21]

My Baby, Your Baby...Our Baby?

This is for @buginetta  

A couple months back she had posted a little snippet where Adrien and Marinette have to take home a baby from school for a project, which leads to a reveal. I asked if I could make a one shot out of it, and here we are!

Sorry, that it took so long! It’s been collecting dust in my google drive for a while.

This takes place shortly after Gladiator. I hope you enjoy!

Ao3 Fanfiction

Being on time for class was a rare oddity that Marinette was hardly blessed with. So she understood Alya's shocked gaze as she took her seat next to her best friend, ten minutes before class.

Alya's eyes were glued to her best friend. "Girl, what happened? How are you actually on time for once?"

Marinette's mind combed through for excuse to give. "Uh... my manman woke me up super early. She really wants me to start coming to school on time, you know?"

The truth was that there had been an early akunma at 6:45 in the morning. By the time she and Chat were finished, she figured it was too late to fall back into bed. The akuma had been a particularly nasty one and took a while to defeat. She was lucky she had made it to school at all. She was so exhausted.

But hey, she'd be able to see Adrien at least. That right there brightened her mood for the day entirely. Slouching back into her seat to relax for a couple minutes before class started, Marinette couldn't help the love sick gaze that crossed over her eyes at the sight of Adrien's head— well, the back of it, but still.

"Alright, class." Ms. Bustier clapped her hands together to draw their attention to her. "Today, we're starting a new project, and I need everyone's undivided attention. We have a lot to cover and it'd be best to jump right in."

Everyone reluctantly turned their eyes to their teachers, causing her to smile wide. "Great. Today, or rather, for this full weekend, you'll be taking home an electric baby to take care of. And yes, before you ask, you will be partnered. I already have everyone paired up."

Everyone groaned in annoyance.

But as her classmates seemed upset by the thought of bringing home a baby, Marinette couldn't help but bounce with joy in her seat at the thought that maybe, just maybe she could be paired with Adrien.

The teacher grabbed her grading tablet, finding the names easily and began to list them off.

"Sabrina and Chloe."

Please.

"Ivan and Mylene."

Oh, please let her have this.

"Alix and Kim."

If she had any of Tikki's luck rubbed off on her, please let it be this.

"Rose and Juleka."

Just, please.

"Nino and Alya."

She only wanted this one thing to go right.

"Adrien and Marinette."

Just as she was about to bolt up out of her seat to shout out in excitement, Alya— being the good friend that she was— wrapped her hands around her waist and mouth, keeping Marinette from embarrassing herself from shouting out in joy.

The rest of Ms. Bustiers words were drowned out by Marinette's imagination running wild. They were gonna have a baby together! Albite— not a real one, but still! This was a step, then maybe they'd start dating and fall in love and get married and have three kids, a dog, maybe a cat and a hamster named-

"Girl!"

Marinette bolted up straight at her nickname. Turning to face Alya, she glared at her best friend's sly smirk. "The teacher said to go move next to your partner." She emphasized the word as her eyes landed on Adrien, who was staring at her with a soft smile.

She blushed at the word partner. They'd be together for an entire weekend. Just her, him, and the baby.

But wait. What would she do if an Akuma attacked? How would she get away? And it wouldn't be fair to Adrien if she just disappeared out of nowhere to be left with the baby.

Oh, no. This was going to be a disaster, disaster, disaster…..

She was suddenly pushed halfway out of the chair by her friend, telling her to "move it, already."

Scowling at Alya, Marinette gathered her bag and bolted from her seat moving to sit next Adrien, excitement flooding her entire being as she tried to contain any quivering her legs wanted to do at that particular moment.

"Hey, Marinette. How're you?" The soft smile he gave her was so adorable and easy. "You excited for the project?"

I'm excited to be by you.

Shaking the thoughts from her mind, she tried to prevent the stumbling of her words, but her tongue wouldn't corporate. "Yesh-yea….yes. I mean, yes. I'm definitely ready for the project."

Oh, this weekend was gonna be hard.

The grin he threw her made the thumping in her heart escalate. "Great. If you don't mind, maybe we should do Friday until Saturday at my place, and then Sunday until Monday at yours? If that works with you, of course."

What was her name again? "Few fure? I-I mean, you s-sure? That me good with...I uh.. Uh." She breathed through her stutter. "Tha-that sounds good to m-me."

That smile was gonna be the death of her. She swore it. "Awesome. I'll make sure that my bodyguard knows." He quickly shot off a text to whom she assumed, was said bodyguard.

Oh, if this was a dream, she didn't ever want to wake up.

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The babies were handed out within minutes. Electrical dolls that look creepily similar to a baby when seen from afar, but up close just looked wrong.

"So, what should we name her?"

She looked up at Adrien, who was holding out the fake birth certificate, ready to write down the name of the unborn child. Would it be weird if she used the name that she planned for their actual child? Worth the risk. "Um… Emma?"

If she hadn't been so close, she would've missed the jolt that ran through his spine at the mention of the name, and she immediately knew why.

It was his mother's name.

In all honesty, that was why she had chosen the name in the first place. She knew how much his mother meant to him, and she thought the name was beautiful all on its own, so why not?

He cleared his throat as he began scribbling the name down. "That's… a nice name. It was my mother's, well, Emilie, actually. But, yeah."

Warning bells started ringing in her head as she realized what a mistake it might've been to go for that name. "I'm sorry! I didn't think.. We d-don't ha-"

He chuckled softly. "Marinette, it's okay. I like it. You're all good."

She sighed internally. "O-okay. Sorry."

He took Emma and started to buckle her up in the car seat. "No worries. Now, let's figure out how to snap her into this. I've actually never used a car seat before."

It was easy enough, thankfully, and soon they were ready to go just as the limo pulled up. Marinette had to remind herself to breathe. That she could do this. When her uncle visited the one time for the competition, she talked to him normally the whole day right before he got akumatized, she could do it now, too.

She could.

-----------------

Maybe she couldn't.

But she was still trying as she left the limo with the baby carrier in hand. Adrien had opened her door— how was he so sweet— and then guided her into his overly large house.

They were soon the in the foyer, meeting his father who stood at the top of the staircase, hands clasped behind his back; Eyes stone cold as he just stared at the two teens. "Nahitle has informed me of your assignment with this pretend baby. I've had her clear your schedule for the duration. But understand that this is a one-time thing, and your schedule will return to normal once this is over."

He left without another word. Marinette felt absolute hallow at the man's presence, but looking to Adrien, she could tell that he was used to his stand-offish behavior and had grown accustomed to such.

That honestly broke a little part of her heart inside. No one deserved that kind of coldness from a parent.

But the smile he forced for his father turned real when he went to look at her. "Sorry about my father. He can be… brash at times."

She offered a sweet grin of her own, wanting to give him reassurance that she wasn't brought down by his father. "I-it's okay, Adrien. I don't scare too easily."

He laughed, and reached for the baby carrier to take into his own hands. "Just around me, right?" He teased and before she could even blink, let alone defend the statement, he shook whatever thoughts had clouded his head and apologized as he realized what he had said. "I mean, uh, actually-"

She blushed, but was quick to wave him off, letting him know that she knew it was all in play and that she didn't mind him one bit teasing her a little. "You're good. Now, come on, we should probably settle Emma down in your room and wait for her to need something."

She felt so alive as she saw the sparks of joy light up and grew into a tame fire within the emeralds of his eyes.

She also felt alive when he grabbed her hand— their hands were touching, actual skin to skin contact, and oh it felt so unbelievably nice— and pulled up the staircase and to his room. His hand was soft and warm, and calmed her heart and made it race at the exact same time with sparks that ignited on her skin at his touch.

She was never gonna wash this hand again.

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The first hour went by pretty smoothly actually. Emma had only wanted to be fed once, which Adrien had insisted he took the first duty. It took some convincing, but she agreed eventually. The baby was quiet within minutes of being fed and having a bottle to its mouth.

Everything went haywire in her mind at how caring he was holding Emma.

Now, hours later, Marinette had changed Emma once, Adrien once, and they both took turns with rocking her every other time when she cried for attention. With night falling over the city, and the baby making soft cooing noises, Adrien and Marinette had put in a movie at random and were sprawled out on the couch as the characters on the screen were mutually pinning over each other while the other didn't have any idea.

"Hey, Marinette?"

She was jolted out of her movie consumed mind to see Adrien watching her with blatant curiosity and weary.

She moved to reach for the remote, pausing the movie and sat upright to give him her full attention, blue locked on green, as she tried to keep herself steady and grounded in her thoughts. Because she just couldn't get lost in those beautiful green eyes when he seemed to need to ask her a serious question.

She just couldn't. Did he know what he did to her?

She'd be lost for hours, with very little way to get back.

Clearing the back of her throat, she asked, "Yeah?"

Adrien seemed to be double thinking his question, as if he was wondering if he should really be asking what he obviously really wanted to. He took a few deep breathes, trying to stay firm in whatever decision he had made. "Why are you so nervous around me?"

Oh.

Oh, her mind breathed, and her heart did a little tight squeeze along with it. Her face burned with heat that started to spread right underneath her skin and colored it fiery red.

But, instead of answering— and in the case that she was wrong as to why he was questioning her— she could only get out, "What?"

He shrugged nonchalantly, his face was anything but. "I'dunno. I just noticed that you sometimes are nervous around me and stutter and everything. I mean, I know we're friends, I don't think you hate me or anything. It's just I worry sometimes that I make you uncomfortable at times, maybe it's because of my dad? I just, I just wanna know if there's anything I could do to make you feel more at ease around me."

Of course, he would think about her like that, because that was just who he was. Her brain started up and running with the thought that this amazing, sweet, caring boy noticed her stutter and nervousness around him and was wondering just what happened that made her be like that around him.

This innocent boy was gonna be the death of her. She was sure of it.

She forced her courage forward as she took her bottom lip between her teeth. "That's not it, Adrien. You're right in the fact that you're my friend, but not for the reason I'm so nervous around you."

He looked confused, and she wanted to run her thumb out the wrinkle that had started to form between his brows to smooth it out. He scootched closer to her, their knees brushing lightly against each other. He took her hands into his and her brain almost exploded. "Then… then what is it? I really wanna know. Maybe I can help in some way?"

Her air decided to leave her then and there. Her body must've thought oxygen and breathing was irrelevant, because it was becoming harder and harder to breathe. What was she supposed to even say to that? How would she even start? Every nerve ending felt like it was on fire and she didn't know how to stop it or how to just-

"I have a crush on you."

Oh,

Oh no,

That was out loud.

Oh, dang. She definitely had not meant to say that out loud.

He jumped back as if he had been slapped by her sudden outburst— not by her actual words, she knew. Adrien would never be that cruel— as shock filled his face, face now turned to look out on the floor in front of him, but not actually looking at anything. "Oh."

She quickly backpedaled, "I'm so`sorry, Adrien. I hadn't meant for that to come out."

He gulped a few times before steadying himself. "It's...it's okay, Marnette. I just didn't know."

She gave a dry laugh. "Trust me, I know." He grimaced and she shot him an apologetic stare. "Sorry, everyone makes fun of how I'm so obvious with it."

He moved closer to her once more, patting her knee. "It's alright. I'm sorry I didn't know." He inhaled, and exhaled. "I should be completely open and honest with you. There's a.. ..girl that I work with that I really have strong feelings for." He swallowed. "And..and I've liked her for a long time now-"

Her smile was sad, but she tried. "Adrien, it's okay. You don't have to explain."

He stopped her, fierceness settled heavily in his tone. "No, I want you to understand, she's beautiful, and strong, and smart, so creative." She felt her heart drop, "But, Marinette, so are you. You're not any less than that. She rejected me recently. And a part of me still wants to try to win her over, but I don't know anymore."

She wanted him to know that she wasn't upset by his words. '"Adrien, I promise-"

"Marinette, please," His eyes were pleading, "Just let me finish what I need to say, okay?"

She nodded.

He seemed to be able to breathe again. "I care about her, I love her, but she's not interested, there's someone else that she likes. I don't think I could really do a relationship right at the moment, especially when my heads up in the air as to if I wanna try one last time, I also wouldn't want you to think you're the rebound girl or second choice. Because you deserve better than that. I need time. And I gotta be honest, even with that, I'll always love her, she'll always have a piece of my heart, I can't stop it, no matter how much I want.

But, I promise you, I'd never cheat on you. If we get together, one day, I'd give you my all, and, I-I'm honestly not sure wha-what that may all be, but you have to understand that a part of my heart does belong to someone else, and might always. And hopefully with time..."

She was the one to take his hands this time with a sincere smile, cutting off his babbling. "Adrien, sometimes honesty and a chance is enough. I'll give you space, well, after this weekend," She looked to the doll in the carrier. "And I'll let you figure out whatever you need to. I just appreciate you being open with me."

He began to rub little circles in the back of her hand. "Thanks, Marinette. It might be a while, and I hope no matter what, that we can remain friends. And for what it's worth, I'm really flattered that you like me. You really are amazing."

She smiled. "Of course we'd remain friends. And thank you."

She was pulled into a hug, and boy did she feel bliss being wrapped in a warm embrace with Adrien Agreste. It was more than any of her dreams could come up with, because it was actually real.

But, of course, as her luck would have it, that was when the baby decided to cry.

-------------------------------------------------

The weekend went by pretty fast after that.

Emma had her fussy times, that was for sure, but from what she heard with Nino and Alya, they didn't have it nearly as bad. Thank goodness. The other blessing was no Akuma attacks. That was the biggest relief.

They were now in her room, she at her desk as she held Emma in her arms and swiveled side to side in her chair to try to keep boredom at bay, while Adrien lounged on the chaise, swiping through his phone at whatever social media platform he was on.

She didn't know a project like this could get so boring.

The first night at his house, she woke them a total of only three times— each taking turns— and it wasn't too hard crawling out of bed to take care of her, she was pretty sure it had been harder on Adrien than her, seeing as she was the night owl between the two.

Speaking of beds, the thought brought a blush to cheeks, Adrien had insisted she take the bed while he took the couch. After several minutes of arguing like a married couple— shut up brain— he relented, and had suggested that they should both just take the bed.

One could only imagine what that did to her. How her heart had pounded in her ears, and her stuttering had gone from fifty to a hundred real fast. It took everything in her just to agree.

And when they woke up cuddling each other, well, that was a whole other situation for later. But what she would say, is that it consisted of two, blushing teens, and trying to apologize a million times to the other.

"Marinette, are you okay?"

She was brought out of her thoughts at the model's voice. She blinked a few times. "Huh, uh, yeah. Sorry, lost in thought."

A warm smile slipped on his lips and melted away the worry that had been wavering in his eyes. "Okay. Do you need me to take Emma?"

She nodded. "Sure." that would give her the time to be able to take a shower, something she hadn't been able to do since getting Emma, seeing as she was too afraid to leave the baby's side. Even though she trusted Adrien with her life, it was still a scary thought. "I really need to take a shower anyways."

Was this how motherhood was always like? If so, she was in for a long haul.

Leaving her chair, she walked the short distance and placed the baby in Adrien's arms, making sure the head was secure before all else.

Once tucked safely into her daddy's arms, Emma continued to make little cooing sounds as if she was the most content baby to ever be. "Thanks, Adrien."

"No problem, she's my responsibility, too."

Marinette quickly ran to grab a towel before going to the bathroom and locking the door behind her as she always did.

-----------------------------------------------

He had Emma lying on his chest when he heard it.

The boom and screams of an akuma.

Of course, just when Adrien had thought they were gonna get a break from the stupid butterflies.

Grabbing Emma, he went to her carseat, and buckled her in, making sure she was secured before going downstairs to the bathroom door and knocking. "Marinette, there's an akuma on the loose, and my father is demanding that I come home."

He heard a soft sigh before she answered, "Okay. Make sure you get there safe."

He breathed in relief. "Thanks, Marinette. I'll make it up to you by covering the whole night shift."

He scurried away before she could say anything else.

He found an alleyway close by to transform, and quickly went into the heat of the battle, hoping that Ladybug would get there soon so he could get back to Marinette and the baby.

It was a weird thought, but definitely not an unpleasant one.

Marinette realized her mistake the moment she stepped out.

She was left alone with the baby. A baby that only she and Adrien could calm with the bracelets that were wrapped around their wrists.

This… this was not good.

"Tikki!"

The little creature fluttered out from her hiding spot, worry etched onto her face. "This isn't good, Marinette."

She moaned as she buried her face in her hands. "I know." She huffed. "I didn't even think. I know how strict his dad can be, so I didn't want to make him wait any longer than he had to. But now what do I do!?"

Tikki sighed. "This isn't an ideal situation, but we have to make do with what we have, Marinette. You're gonna have to suit up and I'll make some modifications and add a baby carrier to the front of your suit. The straps will be connected to the suit, so all you'll have to do is get her tucked in and she'll be safe."

Marinette stared to rub her temples. This was not good, not good at all. "Okay, okay. We gotta do this." Grabbing the baby, she held the doll to her chest. "Spots on."

Once she made sure the baby was secured, she held the yo yo over her head, tossing it to wrap around a nearby building and swung off, in pursuit to find the akuma, and her partner.

She could only hope Chat would understand when she showed up with a fake baby strapped to her chest.

--------------------------------

Chat had been through a lot in his life, from a cold-hearted father, to his mother disappearing, to having a strange creature show up in his room randomly one day and announce that he was gonna be a superhero.

He thought he had seen it all, and was prepared for whatever life was going throw at him next.

But life liked to prove him wrong.

Because not even five minutes after he had begun to battle this akuma alone— heartbreak was its name apparently, his girlfriend had broken up with him for another guy and Chat was pretty sure his akuma was in the necklace he had wrapped around his wrist— Ladybug had come swinging in, but not alone.

Oh, definitely not alone.

Because on her chest, was a fake baby in a portable carrier. A baby from their class. All functions of his brain just ceased to work, nothing was working and everything came to a slow crawl before it completely stopped.

She was from his class. Ladybug was in his school, and she had the same project with him and she breathed the same air that he did, and oh gosh, what was he supposed to be doing?

Oh, right. The akuma.

----------------------

He was gonna have to have a long talk with her later.

With the villain defeated, they landed on a nearby roof, catching their breaths after the tiring fight.

If Ladybug was in his class, he saw her every day, yet he didn't know it, and that gave a punch to his heart, because he wanted her so much, and if he could just finally be with her and with her so close…

But what about Marinette?

He hated his brain. Truly, hated it.

Ladybug doesn't like you. Marinette does. And you know that you could easily fall for the girl if you let yourself. You could.

But would that be really fair to Marinette? To not give her my full heart?

Honesty. That's what she cares about. She's said as much. Give her a chance. You don't have to let Ladybug go to let someone else into your heart. Give all that you can with Marinette. Put your all into her with what you can, it'll be enough, even when your heart is shared with someone else. Trust yourself.

Shoving the thoughts away, he focused on the situation at hand, he needed to talk to Ladybug about this. Feelings aside, they needed to discuss this above all else.

He wasn't sure exactly on how to start this conversation, so bluntly, he pointed to the baby and asked, "What's that?"

Ladybug was startled by his brash question. "W-what?" He watched as she cradled the head, making sure he couldn't see the face of the fake baby.

"That." He pointed more determined. "The baby. From Ms. Bustier's class."

Her mouth fell open as her eyes began to bludge out of her head, the underneath of her left eye twitching just slightly. "H..how do y-you know-"

"Because I was assigned the same project, too, bugaboo."

Her breath hitched at his confirmation at her thoughts. She moved the head closer to her chest, as if to protect it from the truth. From the possibility.

That didn't stop him from moving forward, eyes begging her to let him see. To let him know. The hope that bubbled in his chest was inflating with every step and he just wanted to know, to finally put them both out of this misery.

Her grip on the plastic head loosened as he drew near. He could tell that neither of them were really breathing, but really how could they in this situation?

When his claws were in reach of the doll, he moved the baby just enough to where he could see her face. Where he could see Emma's face.

"Em-ma." He choked out.

Ladybug— Marinette's— ocean blue eyes were glossed over with a fine shean of tears. "How do you know.."

He chuckled with water in his throat. "I think I'd recognized my own fake daughter, Marinette."

Her breath hitched even further. "Guess you would, huh? I feel so stupid."

He blinked as confusion took hold now. Was she… disappointed? "What-what do you mean?"

Emma decided to take that moment to cry, but it was her attention cry, so Marinette began to bounce in her place. "I've been rejecting you for you. I feel….I feel so dumb."

Oh, that was right. Marinette had a crush on Adrien, who was also Chat, and Chat had a crush on Ladybug, who was also Marinette, which meant by default that he had a crush on Marinette.

He had a crush. On Marinette. In love, to be more like, and she returned his feelings in the end. He was the boy she rejected him for. That was irony.

Everything came crashing down around him at once as he realized just what was in front of him, or who was in front of him, and he didn't waste another second before he was cupping her jaw and running his finger along her cheek bone. "Please, Marinette….can I….?"

She nodded at his nonverbal question.

Without hesitation, his lips were on hers and all he could taste, feel and understand, was warmth. Warmth, baked goods, sweet, and just a touch of something that was undoubtedly Marinette. Something that he would image was what home felt like.

And as she tilted her head just a little, he was a goner. Forget the world. Forget the villains. This was just them. Everything else paled in comparison.

It wasn't perfect, but he was quickly getting addicted to it, to her. He didn't want to stop being addicted either.

You could love her.

Oh brain, you've never been more right.

She pulled away, only to rest her forehead against his. "Wow."

He smiled. "Yeah."

That was when she pulled away, grin spread wide on her face. "Can you detransform? I need to do something."

He nodded as he saw her grip Emma tighter and whispered, spots off as he breathed, claws in.

In a flash of light, there stood Marinette, his shy, beautiful classmate, Marinette, and he could never want anyone else.

Her hand went to outstretched in front of her, out for him to take, eyes sparkling with mischief and her smile turning cattish. His heart seemed to like that. "Hi, I'm Marinette Dupain- Cheng. I've been in love with you since you gave me your umbrella. Sorry about stuttering around you all the time. My words just turn to mush with you."

He chuckled and took her hand. "Nice to meet you, Marinette. I'm Adrien Agreste. I've been in love with you since we defeated Stoneheart the second time. Perfect timing, huh?"

She threw her head back and laughed. "Yeah. Guess we're just lucky like that. For what it's worth, I'm glad it's you."

His laugh vibrated in his chest. "Me too."

She paused, but didn't drop his hand. "Maybe we could make up for lost time and go get an ice cream together later?"

With her hand still in his, he pulled her to him and pressed his lips soundly to hers.

"Yes."

------------

The weekend finished out in a blink of an eye and they were back in Ms. Bistiers class, with all the other students sitting at their desks with their project partners.

Marinette and Adrien seemed to be the only ones awake, besides Rose and Juleka, and actually alive. Even Nino and Alya were slumped down on their desk, dead in their seats.

After the babies were given back to the teacher, and they were given their grade, the two teens looked on in excitement at their report, seeing an A- in bold red.

They passed with a high grade. Marinette couldn't help but feel some sort of accomplishment at that.

"Well, class." The teacher began as she stood in front of the room, "While you all seem pretty out of it, I'm proud to say that this was one of the best classes that I've had so far with this assignment. I'm very proud of you. Give your partner a congratulations. I think you've all earned it."

Adrien raised his fist, waiting for her to do the same. She did so, happily knocking her knuckles against his.

"Pound it."

Husband's bonus thoughts:

Ladybug arrives on the scene, baby in tow.

Hawkmoth looks through the eyes of the Akuma victim.

"Is that a baby?"

*Akuma victim slaps Chat*

"An actual baby? My gosh you are an irresponsible parent."

*Akuma victim punches Chat repeatedly into the ground*

"You should be ashamed of yourself."

*Tosses Chat over a building.*

"So shameful."

Husbands thoughts part II:

The two teens look to .

"A Minus! Why Minus, this thing is in perfect condition?!"

A knowing smile coming from their teacher.

"You don't take a baby to fight an Akuma."

In unison.

"How did you?!"

"Even the bad students are never as late as you two, Also you two don't even change your hair in costume."

Adrien and Marinette look at each other

"A MINUS IT IS."

[brokengem]

Sheith, "Whoops"

*cough* Did I say 5 sentences? This kind of got away from me when the idea struck, granted I did only say at least 5 sentences…So 831 words of a first attempt to something Voltron related. Thank you for the prompt! I hope it came out okay and you like it :D

Hope you’re okay with Lance attempting to play match-maker in some way and using female pronouns for Pidge.

Lance was bored. And anyone could tell you how dangerous a bored Lance roaming the halls of the Castle of Lions was. He blamed it on his energy. He couldn’t help it if he had energy to spare and no proper outlet to use it.

There he stood outside Pidge’s room after being kicked out for disturbing her reading, drumming his fingers against his arm for something to do. Hunk had banned him from the castle’s kitchen after a messy attempt to help with dinner. Allura and Coran kindly requested he leave them to their call with Kolivan. The training room was out of the question. He did his training for the day and he wasn’t too keen on another training session. Maybe he could bother the mice. They were taking more of a shine to him nowadays.

Content with his decision the blue paladin pushed off Pidge’s door, pausing as something much more interesting caught his eye. They didn’t seem to notice him or the fact that they were heading towards each other. Both Shiro and Keith seemed too invested into whatever was on their tablets to notice the incoming collision.

A wicked grin crossed Lance’s face as he watched both men make their way towards him, a little idea weaseling its way into his thoughts. He’d be helping them really, giving them that little push he and every other warm-blooded organism in the solar system knew they needed. All he needed was the exact right moment.

He stayed as still as could be to not draw their attention and ruin what he had planned. From what he could see, Shiro would cross in front of him first. That’s when he’d strike. So he waited those few ticks and…

“Whoops,” the word slipped through a wicked grin, before darting out of the way to watch everything unfold.

Shiro’s yelp of surprise was all Keith needed to tear his eyes from the tablet before he found himself with an arm full of their black paladin. The pair stood frozen, their faces dangerously close to one another, tablets forgotten on the floor.

Lance waited for the moment Keith would register him as being the cause and yell at him, but nothing changed. They remained chest to chest, eyes locked on one another. Shiro’s hands remained on Keith’s shoulders to keep himself upright, while Keith’s arms carefully held the older pilot. Not once did they look away, both seeming to have stopped breathing in that moment. Lance was a hundred percent sure if he walked the short distance forward and poked Shiro’s back, he could make them kiss.

It was a tempting thought. Maybe then they’d stopped tip-toeing around each other. Did they really think they were fooling anyone?

Of course, that’s when Pidge decided to ruin the fun. Her door opened and the tiny green paladin peered out, adjusting her glasses. She took in the scene before her, glancing between the pairing only a breath away from each other and an innocent looking Lance.

“What’s going on?”

Shiro cleared his throat first, wide-eyed for a tick before he extracted himself from Keith’s hold. Lance could giggle at the red spreading up from his neck and about to invade his face.

“Nothing. Nothing. I tripped,” he sounded confused by his own words but said them all the same. Keith took the moment to pick up their tablets, hiding behind his long hair. Much to Lance’s entertainment, it did little to cover the pink dusting on his cheeks.

“Shiro, here,” Keith poked the man’s chest with the tablet. Their fearless leader glanced down at the object in confusion.

“Right. Right,” he laughed awkwardly, a hand rubbing at the back of his neck. “I was just looking-. Did you want to see-”

Lance had to cover his mouth to stop the laugh bubbling within. Shiro stammering over his own words would never stop being funny. The older man was usual so composed, but times seemed to be changing.

Keith only nodded, tucking his tablet beneath his arm and falling into step beside Shiro. They walked off without another word, leaving little room between them as Shiro enthusiastically whispered to Keith over whatever he’d been reading.

Pidge frowned as she watched the pair, turning to Lance the second they disappeared down the hall.

“What did you do?”

“Why do you think I did something?”

She adjusted her glasses to glare at him, “you always do something.”

He grinned. She wasn’t wrong. “I just gave them a little push.”

Pidge hummed in response, slamming the door in his face when he made to take a step forward. Lance blinked and laughed, he may have deserved that. That didn’t stop his overwhelming joy or stop him from giving himself a pat on the back. He did his good deed for the day.

With a twist he turned away from the closed door and the love-stuck pair, a pleasant little whistle slipping from his lips. Now to find those mice.

Please send me a pairing + a word or a sentence and I’ll write at least 5 sentences for a mini-fic.

[dorkagedoodles]

Your paintings are beautiful! What made you start working with water color?

Aah, thank you!! :D And honestly? I didn’t really have many other options. Think I was 14 and only really coloured stuff when I was drawing on various Oekakis (anyone remember those???). Which was a) very limiting, and b) hurt my wrists because I only had a mouse. And while I wanted some real art software and a tablet to join my internet buddies who all made digital art, it wasn’t something my family could afford at the time (our shitty ass patchwork of a computer probably wouldn’t have handled either anyway). However, my stepdad went to art school in his younger days and had some old okay-quality water colour sets lying around in the attic. So basically, he dug them up and gave me one. And I discovered the joy of being able to colour without hurting my hands and wrists. x’DI had a break for a couple of years though, when I barely even touched my watercolours for any other purpose than to colour my doodly pokemon comic. Used mostly oils and acrylics for my painting courses. But I picked them up again because I switched from “Painting” to “Illustration” for my MA in Fine Art (about the same time I began to put stuff on this blog) and for some reason they expected illustrators to work with watercolours. Who knows why. The School of Art had lots of ideas and not all of them were good.

Since then, I’ve grown to appreciate watercolours a lot more than I did previously though. Watercolours just have the potential to be so. damn. pretty. When you make a nice, kinda uneven under-painting, then layer another wash on top of that and the colour underneath shines through in just the right places - that’s the BEST! :D 

Also it’s very convenient - easy to pick up and doesn’t make much of a mess. And can be very soothing to work with.Sorry this got very long and maybe got off track sometimes. 

[xaziroot]

A star, in a sea of darkness.

This is going to be a long one so strap in for the ride. It's going to get real too. I was prompted to write this by my psychologist and complied, I've learnt copious amounts in these past few years and this could help anyone in a similar situation. Gender and mental health talks. This is like a letter to myself and some documentation on things I've had happen.

Some background on me:

I'm Alex, 18, and my main condition is 17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency. A condition which impairs sexual development inside and outside the womb. I'm biologically male with XY chromosomes and basically a dick. I'm not trans though before I could have been classed it when not in line with my biological sex. Intersex is what I am. A decision to raise me as female was made and this is the fallout of it all and what I've done after. This is my mental decline and struggling with myself as a human being.

Fights, football and falling out of trees:

I've been going to Great Ormond Street Hospital since the age of 2 and been in psychology since 9. I'm now 18. We're entering the latter part of a decade now, I've had people tell me I'm special but at the same time "a normal kid". But which kid? What was normal? Where did these guidelines come from?

From a young age I knew something was different about me compared to the girls I was lumped into. You oft assume children don't know what they're talking about when it comes to themselves, but I’ve found this to be evidently the wrong mindset. I looked completely different to girls and had a totally different mindset - I was hairier than them, naturally more aggressive and headstrong, liked to do all the stereotypically male stuff; football, fights, falling out of trees the list goes on.

Kids are shit, let's get that out of the way. I remember being taunted with the words gorilla and baboon by family friend’s sons, they pointed at my arms and made remarks like “that's ugly” and “only boys have that”. It did also slightly terrify them so I chased them round with my arms and legs in plain view. I laughed but it really did hurt. This was one of the first times I felt inordinately uncomfortable with my body and myself as a person. I was 5. I continued with laughing at my own pain and not dealing with it for years.

Feelings of not belonging from a young age were ever present and I honestly toiled with my image. I vividly recall in my first psychology session, I was asked what I thought I was. Without hesitation, I stated a boy trapped in a girl’s body. The premise of being a boy completely petrified me however. I was always a tomboy esc child, short hair, loud, wouldn’t mind getting into fights, its goes on. I was certainly a handful and a half.

Condition/Puberty :

My condition means I make zero sex hormone which regulates moods, bone density and one of the most important factors; puberty. A gonadectomy was performed when I was 3 to remove what were my cancerous testes at the time. The fear was if I was to leave these in, when something doesn’t work correctly, it oft turns cancerous. I still think this is horseshit and they should have left them in. (Gonads are what turn into ovaries or testes in every human being when forming inside your mother)

No gonads mean minimal to no sex hormone. I was continually told I needed to take tablets, injections or patches to go through puberty. This onus to medication created this image of I was a freak in my mind. I wasn’t normal and wasn’t a real person. I was but a broken husk of a person. My body nor my mind felt right. To counter this, puberty was induced by a motley of oestrogen based tablets and patches. I absolutely resented these.

Growing up in a conservative east Asian household, I succumbed to the will of my parents and what they wished with no regards or free thoughts of my own wellness. They willed for me to be a girl and that’s what I did. Muted, I got on with life for a few years still feeling horrifically uncomfortable with myself. I scrolled through the internet and browsed through pages upon pages on my condition, further feeling alienated with myself, until I stumbled upon a site which showed, gender wasn’t all black and white.

I scuttled to call my psychologist and let her know the good news. “I IDENTIFY AS A DEMI-GUY!!” She quickly congratulated me and I spoke to her on the spectrum of gender and how it was rather than black and white; a rainbow. Always more masculine and more of an androgynously presented female. Woefully this wasn’t to last. This was around the time I lost a rock in my life; my older brother. I had a younger brother to whom I had always acted like an older brother too, rather than a sister. I also felt I had to step up as the elder male in the family, yet my family considered me nothing of the sort.

They continually told me, stop this mess, you’re a girl get over it. I forcibly resented them and pushed and yelled and fought my way around saying no the fuck I’m not. They tried to make me do typical girl things, wear girl clothes and the like. I had none of it. My sisters, constantly told me, this was but a phase, when I grow up I’ll grow out of this. I’ll be a girl one day. I told them I would rather die. I felt like I would rather die. I had no place in this world.

Boys don’t cry and girls don’t force out their emotions. But, in a family where you’re considered neither, what do you do? How do you cope? I had my mother nor father to speak to, as they said this was all a phase and I was to grow out of it soon. I remember the week before my 15th birthday, I was in the car going to the supermarket with my mum and I yelled, I don’t want to be a girl, I’m not a girl and I want to be a boy. Why am I not normal? Why was I born this way? I don’t want to be alive anymore.

She broke crying saying no one would love me if I did, I wouldn’t be a normal boy and nothing I would do could really work. Well I wasn’t a normal girl so what do I do? I was pushed to the side lines I noticed and my parents focused more of their attention to my younger brother. When I struggled with depression they just pawned it off saying it’s your fault. When my younger brother was diagnosed they rushed to be with him, doing everything for him and stating how I wasn’t a great influence. By 16 I had been diagnosed with chronic depression and anxiety along with borderline personality disorder. This was the real start of my downfall mentally.

College and later:

At college, I still struggled with who I wished to be presented as. I said I wanted to change my name and asked everyone to refer to me as Alex. A typically androgynous name, and could be used to refer to both a female and male. I made who I call my best friends now and got into art. I was extremely aggressive towards myself and others. Destructive behaviour was normal, I broke my hands, ripped my knuckles open, tore my skin open with glass shards, razor blades and anything sharp I could get my hands on. The scars of these still run deep on my skin. I had no idea how to cope with myself and others mentally.

My first best friends, absolute nerds like myself. One drew, the others played D&D and got me into it. We wasted hours on end, playing our characters. My character, a weretiger dwarf with god like strength. I had never had so much fun or felt like I was part of something. For some reason, I ended up hating this when it was pointed out, I immediately felt sick and distraught and panicked at hearing it.

By this point I had been off hormone for a few years which was really starting to take its toll on me. I had violent mood swings swinging from angry to happy to sadness within the frame of a few minutes. I hated everything and everyone, feeling as if the world was against me and nothing good was forecast for me.

It was around this time I decided I needed an outlet to pool all my energy into. My psychologist suggested the gym but ultimately, I went for art and drawing. I started seriously drawing in January of 2016. It was the end of my first year in college, summer was here and I decided to really knuckle down on art and get serious. I scrolled through my Instagram and the limited artists I followed. I found a drawing by an artist which left me dumbfounded. It was the coolest thing I had seen ever. I started to speak to this artist who we’ll name Manny for the time. Manny was the kindest, most accepting human being I’d ever met to that point and still, to this day, I hold as the biggest influence in my life.

Manny had been through a lot themselves, neither of our lives, exactly peachy. But they were obviously doing better than myself, something I couldn’t see. Years of mental neglect and struggle flooded out of the gates and I put more pressure on Manny than thought. I had no idea how to cope, I pawned everything bad onto others whom I spoke to, blamed myself for everything and was a glowing disorder of negativity and hatred. Come to the end of the year and Manny had ended up becoming my first S/O. This time, though plagued with issues, was easily the happiest and simplest time of my life. Friends, someone who loved me, a job and a roof over my head, I was on track to be in the worst place mentally ever.

Manny was unrelenting in saying how much I meant to them. This was the first time I had ever felt wanted and needed in my life. The feeling of belonging and genuine appreciation for my existence was something I had never had before. This lasted for a few months until they called it off. I understood but didn’t at the same time. But I accepted it and let it happen. I was sick for a week after this. Lovesickness is a thing and so is heartbreak. Coupled with my brutal mood swings, I grappled and competed with myself and further chipped away at the little self-worth I had. Oddly this affected me for months to come.

Now looking back, neither of us was in a place to be together but I’m glad I did it. I had no idea the sheer joy someone can bring you, the feeling of wanting to be better for them and everything about them. You love their little mannerisms, their little jokes absolutely everything. Nothing feels wrong and you feel nothing can bring you down. Though I had no clue how to cope at the time, this gave me my first taste of what affection is like. You learn what you can cope with and what you can’t.

It was around this time, I was coming to final talks on who I wanted to be.

I had enough. Years of feeling neglected, and feeling chipped away at had taken their toll. It’s odd, you think the small things don’t hurt as much but they really hurt the most. Being called she dozens of times a day, I pawned off but this ultimately hurt me the most. I still struggled with seeing my worth as a human being, still feeling broken. You would be surprised at how much having minimal sexual hormone really does affect you. I couldn’t see the worth in living often and blocked myself in my room and wanted to wither away. I tried overdosing, bleed outs and trying to starve myself into a coma. I once didn’t eat for 2 weeks.

Family constantly still said, get out of your phase now, it’s not real you’ll not be a real boy. But I started Testosterone in December of 2016 against everyone’s wishes. Within a few months, my voice had broken, I was far more muscular, acne to shit and loads more which arrives with the wheel of puberty. I felt a feeling of belonging in my body which I didn’t previously. I still didn’t feel right for months to come until now, November of 2017.

I did a 180 and really started to work on myself. I started going to gym, losing weight, growing my hair out and spoke to my psychologist more on how I could accept myself. It’s tough, when you feel everything is on a fundamental level, wrong. One thing I was told to do was go to a mirror, look at myself and tell myself I love you. The first time I did this, I looked at myself, became so enraged and punched the mirror. I went to work at a networking company 9 - 5 and separated from my college friends, 15 miles away in a different town. I slowly moved away from my friends and Manny themselves said they didn’t want to speak to me anymore. Spending time in hospital with skin issues was more a blessing than a curse.

You’d think losing my best friends, would rip me apart but I felt nothing. I spoke to my psychologist and asked her, was I broken? Why did I struggle to feel anything? Even today, I still toil with my emotions. I don’t have the fix for this now man, but work at it. Gain your friends respect back. Not their approval. You value them as people and not the need to be wanted.

But I’ve come to accept myself more. Now, this may be extremely trivial but I like my face. I think I’m cute. I look fucking beautiful with long hair. Me this time last year, was 180 the other direction, hating myself so much I was tearing my skin apart and wanting to be dead. But I’m happy I’ve lived through it. Bro you’re bomb af and I’m so proud of you. You’re not 100% right now but holy fuck you’re cute.

I’ve learnt a lot in the past few years, but if I went back in time to speak to myself, I would say:

Don’t underestimate yourself.

I’ve had experiences and emotions many people don’t feel during any time in their life. This was something I was told for 4 straight years, month after month. My psychologist continually spoke about how monumental the things I’ve had to deal with are, continually putting others before myself and never caring about how I felt.

Don’t neglect yourself, mentally nor physically.

You might not see it now, but fuck you’re amazing man. You’ve soldiered through shit keeping everything else on top of your shoulders. Your body might not be perfect, but you can work on it. Don’t keep taking it out on yourself. It’s ok. You need to yell, scream, should, punch, kick? Go for it. Cope, don’t feel bad for being by yourself a lot and just wondering round.

Don’t pressure your friends.

A difficult one I will admit since you have no idea how to cope yourself. But in time, you learn. Things you shouldn’t do, things you can do. Friends are friends man! Not psychologists. Love them, appreciate them, don’t be afraid to tell them you love them. They’re there for you and oft family. Don’t offload to them constantly and scare them off. If you struggle, they struggle.

Love yourself.

You’re more than good enough to be alive. Your legs may hurt, your insides might not work perfectly and there’s no more of you but you’re breathing, competent and can love. It’s okay dude! I love you now. I’m what’s basically your older brother, with all experiences. Your dark chocolate eyes, soft flowing brunette hair and pale skin is all good! Your spider hands are cool af and you sound like a 36-year-old man. I’m proud of you kid. So are friends. People who stuck up for you in secondary school are proud you’re becoming the person you’ve wanted to be.

Life is a rollercoaster.

It’s never always going to be sunshine and daisies. It’s a ride with a set number of seats. People come and go but if you think people are worth keeping, you strive to improve yourself. Earn their respect and make sure they’re people whose respect means something to you. Take heed of friend’s words, they have experiences you don’t and may know about something better.

Real family isn’t perfect no matter what you’ve come to believe.

At times, they care when they need something and could toss you aside when they don’t. But don’t worry. Don’t take what Dad or Mum say to heart. They care, in the crudest sense possible. Your sisters, are still a grey area. They’ll still refuse to call you by your name but take it in your stride and like water off a duck’s back. Don’t panic it will pan out in time. They’re just scared for you but show them, you’ve got it down. Don’t rush to gain their approval it’s honestly not worth jack.

You won’t improve your character overnight.

As heart breaking as it is and how you want to see progress there and then, chip away at it. Do little bits and do what you can and change does happen. You’re not perfect and people may suggest things, you’ll not get it right first time, second nor the third. But keep at it. You might go completely the wrong way but attempt it.

You cannot help everyone.

Often its better to remain quiet man.

We all cope in different ways.

Pain is relative. Do not compare yourself to others. You might be able to be hit by a car but a gash is worse for the other person. Nothing is a competition. You may be hit constantly with bad news but take it as it comes and deal with it. Don’t go comparing your pain to others, it’s bad news.

Illness isn’t the end of the world.

Don’t panic or come to believe it’s the end of it all. Won’t lie, you have potential osteoporosis on the way and your nerve damage gets worse but take it as it comes. You’re still ok. You find methods to cope with it.

Finally man, you're growing up and smashing norms within our culture. You've even been called a pretty boy twice. Life moves in mysterious big guy.

Anyone wants to speak to me about anything, transitioning, changes, coping anything, send me a message. I’m not perfect but I'll really try and help you.

[procreate-brushes]

Brush Reviews & Customer Feedback

Please feel free to follow me and share your feedback in the Procreate Forum. Thanks for your great support. You're awesome! :D

joe12south: George, thank you SO much for these amazing brushes! I was very disappointed in the ink brushes included with Procreate, and was dreading the hours that I would have to spend to create suitable inking brushes, when I discovered your set. Not only did you save me untold hours, but the quality is almost certainly better than I would have achieved on my own. The combination of the Apple Pencil + Procreate + your brushes yields an amazingly natural drawing experience. I've used every drawing tablet ever made since the Koala Pad (1984) and this is the first time I don't feel like I'm losing something by not using pencil/pen and paper. ... I've been using Georg's brushes for my morning warm-up sketches all week. Tons of fun. I've also fell in LOVE with the Dupa pencil brush. Previously, I really liked the 6B included with Procreate, but I find the Dupa brush superior in every way. My guess is most people buy this pack for the ink brushes, and may have overlooked this gem. For the first time, I feel like I could throw away my black and white Prismacolor pencils and never look back! ... Savage Interactive needs to seriously consider working a deal with Georg to include these brushes. I love Procreate, but the base included ink brushes are not "inky" at all. ... Lest you think Georg's brushes are only for cartooning, here's a portrait commission I did this morning using only the upcoming "BRISTLY" brush.

Wizard of Zog: Thanks so much again for making such awesome brushes. I hope the folks at Procreate send you all kinds of free stuff because your brushes are what truly makes that app sing for me.

Kazart: Thanks Georg for your work, i already found my favourites brushes wich allow me to draw like my traditionnal style. Here is a sample, a space assassin! Thanks again. 

kewlpack: Georg - Thanks for continuing to make the MegaPack an INCREDIBLE value with these updates. Fantastic customer service right there.

dftaylor: Just a quick note, since I've already harassed Georg on Twitter, that these brushes are wonderful. I've used nearly every art app out there, and between Georg's brushes for Procreate and Frenden's brushes for Manga Ex, I can work on my comics on my iPad Pro and my Surface Pro seamlessly. They're just brilliant tools - my favourites are the Penciler, the DUPA pencil, the Eisner, the Watterson, and the Underzo (both the texture brush and the lettering brush). I've used them on everything I've drawn since I got them. Great work and amazing value for money. Here's my most recent piece.

jollyrein: I LOVE LOVE LOVE The COPICESQUE set! Absolutely magical :D It's exactly what I was look for! Thank you so much Georg.

Vezinho: Hi Georg ! Just wanted to say that i bought your megapack and i find your brushes fantastically natural to use, very precise !  ... Fantastic Georg You ROCK The link appeared… A lot to play with !! These are all fantastic Top quality And the watercolor serie already seems a joy to use It will take a bit of time to get the feeling of everyone Once again thanks a lot ! I will post some portraits soon. By the way i exclusively use your brushes for now!

Finch: Beautiful brushes. Thank you for making these!

monarobot: I just got the G-pen and woooow it's the o my brush I've found that is anywhere close the feel of the clip studio version, awesome job!

pixelsnplay: You had so many great brushes for free too that I went ahead and bought your MegaPack. Thanks for sharing :)

dankelby: Hi Georg, just wanted to drop in and say that I love all of your inkers, great job! I just purchased them and can't wait to work with them. Cheers!

Bos: Just tried the ELDER, and immediately bought the Megapack. Wonderful. I like how you inclined the shape of the brushes (a thing I had planned but not had the time to try) and played with pressure AND velocity together. I've redrawn a panel of mine to try, and love the Watterson, the Peyo and the Uderzo especially (but haven't had the time to ding into them all, yet). Very flowing, very natural, with and without the textures.

FranklinKendrick: I just purchased the mega pack as well and am blown away at how natural the brushes are. Haven't tried the pencil yet (I should have time later) but, now you really make me want to play around with it! I stayed up way too late doodling with some of the inks. These are so much better than the ones included by default in Procreate - and well worth the money. I originally got into Procreate because I wanted to do some detailed ink work and just never had the tools to do it digitally. Now, with my iPad Pro, I feel like I have the tablet I always dreamed of having ever since I learned that digital drawing was a possibility. Thank-you Georg vW! I am so excited to try drawing cartoons again with these brushes.

Philip R: I really love the brushes, Georg! Thanks for all the hard work! My main favorites are The PEYO, The BREUGAL, and The FURBALL. I can finally create digital art the way I imagine. I mainly use the brushes for cartoon illustrations.

bem69: Bought your MegaPack too, and enjoying all of the brushes. Awesome! ... I love your ink brushes. So much potential and so fun to use. Totally recommended for those who are still considering.  ... CAN'T WAIT FOR THE UPDATE! 

Batsquatch: yo georg, when are we getting the update- your brushes have CHANGED MY DIGITAL CARTOONING LIFE! I'm jonesin' for the new brushes! -Phil

kawoody: Hey Georg! I'm totally about to buy all these brushes. They look amazing! Just what I've been wanting!

Bas0411: Hi Georg, your brushes are great! My favourites at this moment are the Bruegel, the Watterson and the Yellow Kid, all of which I use daily. 

tmp2209: Thanks so much for the option Georg the brushes are spectacular, I picked them up last night and have been very happy with the results and look forward to your future brushes. Thanks again!

Klaas: I have been testing your brushes, George! They are great!

Caricature Shop: Truly enjoy these brushes!  ... Really appreciate the MegaPack addition! I was eagerly anticipating the DAVIS, but have to say that my new favorite is the STRATMORE. It's feel, flow and responsiveness makes it a notch above, in my experience. Thanks George!

DougHardy: Oh my god these are AMAZING

sajishtr: Installed cartoons Brush set. Installation was smooth as I used AirDrop to transfer .brush file from mac to ipad. (Pls. include this instruction in your website). I tried Watterson first, to my surprise I was able to achieve a lot in the very first attempt itself. Pls. find the sketch with the original on the side. THANKS A LOT!!

Kris_Lap: Hi, Done a Crumb copy from blue layer. Always with excellent Mort Drucker Brush. Better traditional feeling using those brushes / Procreate than with Manga Studio. (...) Keep up your genius work ! ... A MANGA STUDIO Robert Crumb Copy with Astropad Please compare previous post with Procreate copy and Georg vW Mort Drucker Brush, above. The Procreate app / Georg vW brushes combo is a far superior inking tool. I would tell it to the world (if i was famous)... 

Patman: Impressive brushes! 

Ripples: These are wonderful, Georg, and thank you very much again; an honour that you used the names, and I love the other names and set too. Looking forward to doing a painting over the next couple of days, and will post it up! Thanks so much for making these.

Anne R. Cutler: This is a crazy good deal… thank you! The Air-Drop method worked perfectly. 

nylontoast: I just bought your MegaPack, fantastic! wonderful work, can't wait to use all the brushes! 

Silpi: Thank´s GEORG wonderful work Hug

Jennifer Bannink: Exactly what I was looking for! Thank you so much, it's an amazing brush :)!! 

timskirven: Hi Georg - these brushes are fantastic!! Thanks for all your hard work.

Doomsayer: Thanks mate - love the set / have been playing with it all morning while my Christmas presents gather dust :) I did a bunch of alterations to the G-pen and it is really solid / I made it so that it can get a very scratchy, scetchy feel - first 2 panels are my old brushes / 2nd two is the new ones. Love the tone brushes btw!

Brush Feedback via Twitter

[thebuckblogimo]

Ten things I remember from kindergarten when I was a five-year-old at Lowrey.

January 15, 2017

There’s a new movie out that I saw the other day called “Lion,” based on the book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierly (with Larry Buttrose). It’s the real-life story about a young Saroo, who as a poor, five-year-old boy from a small village in India, goes out one day with his older brother to scavenge coal, gets separated from him, hops a train, falls asleep…and wakes up 900 miles later in Calcutta where the people speak a different language.

Knowing his mother only as “Mum,” and the first initial of the name of the town where he came from, Saroo spends several harrowing weeks alone in the streets before an adult rescues him and takes him to an orphanage.  Eventually he gets adopted by a loving, affluent Australian couple and lives a happy life with them for 20 years in Tasmania…until he becomes obsessed with the idea of researching his identity and finding his birth mother.

Relying on foggy memories of his village, as well as Google Earth to search for images of it, he painstakingly conducts his investigation and is finally reunited with his mother. A review in the New York Daily News calls “Lion” a “10-hanky film.”

After seeing Saroo Brierley interviewed on 60 Minutes, I was intrigued by the random things he could visualize as a five-year-old to find his village and family two decades later. I was five when I started kindergarten in the fall of 1952 at Lowrey School in Dearborn, and Brierly’s story caused me to recall some of the things that I can remember from that time in my life. Here are ten of them:

I’m not sure how my mother connected with the Massaro family who lived two-and-half blocks away from our house, but Mrs. Massaro and my Mom took turns walking Freddy Massaro and me to kindergarten each morning, until our moms were comfortable with the two of us making the 1.3-mile trip together on our own. I remember that there were both morning and afternoon sessions at Lowrey. I also remember being disappointed that my friend Butchie, whose house I passed on the way to school every day, attended the afternoon session, not the morning one with me.

There were two kindergarten classrooms for each session. Miss Grumman taught my class; Miss Vincent taught the other. The rooms were separated by a “cloakroom” or “clothes press.” One classroom had a piano where Miss Grumman played the “alphabet song” to teach us our ABCs. When I first heard it I recall asking Freddy, “What’s an ‘alamenno pea’?”

There was a specially equipped classroom down the hall where the “crippled kids,” as we called them in those days, went to learn. Every day I saw children who couldn’t control their body movements and kids whose legs were in braces. I remember feeling really sorry for them.

At the south end of my room, the biggest of the two kindergarten rooms, there was a playhouse. At Christmas time, a tree was decorated near it for which we made cords of garland by linking colorful pieces of construction paper. I remember standing on risers in front of the tree where we sang “Up on the Housetop.” We hit rhythm sticks every time we came to the part that goes, “…click, cIick, click.” I recall being surprised that most of the other kids seemed to know the words to the song, while I didn’t. I thought I knew all the Christmas songs: “Jingle Bells,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and “Silent Night.” I never did learn the words. I still don’t know them today.

At mid-year, after semester break, Freddy and I began to attend the afternoon kindergarten session. That’s when a new kid by the name of Noel was introduced to our class. After a few days it was discovered that he could read and write. So he was quickly transferred to first grade down the hall. The following year Noel entered the first grade at St. Alphonsus. He remains a good friend of mine today and is a successful attorney.

Every time it was someone’s birthday, he or she would be seated at a special table at the front of the class. A parent would usually deliver treats, such as cupcakes, and everyone would sing “Happy Birthday.” I remember feeling so proud because my Dad picked up candy bars–big boxes of full-sized Mounds Bars and Almond Joys–at my Uncle Frank’s “filling station.” Also, you were to select someone of the opposite sex to sit with at the head table. I picked a girl by the name of Donna, who, in my opinion, was the prettiest girl in the class. But I was really, really shy. I don’t recall ever talking to her again.

Random names I recall: Besides Freddy and Noel, I have the strongest image of a kid named Leeroy. Hearing his name made me think of a cowboy. Hearing his raspy voice made me think of sandpaper. Leeroy had buck teeth with wide gaps. He often wore white shirts. He was always sucking up to Miss Grumman. I suspect he turned out to be a “sid” who probably carried his books in a school bag when he started first grade. I also remember the names of Nancy, Joyce and Jackie. I don’t remember any last names. Random things I recall: tricycles we could ride on the wooden floor; old-fashioned stereoscopes (forerunners to View-Masters) with 3-D images of faraway places; closets with dark wooden doors where we stored our rugs for “rest period;” Miss Grumman’s desk at the entrance to our room; and, finally, Big Chief tablets for writing and drawing.

My mother didn’t drive. So occasionally she would arrange for Mrs. Phillips, our next-door neighbor, to pick me up from school. I remember that the Phillips owned a 1949 or ‘50 or ‘51 Ford. I think it was a “two-door sedan.” Navy blue. With black walls. It was a “three-speed,” with the shifter on the column. I remember that the clutch made a deep, bellowing “clump” every time Mrs. Phillips changed gears. The Phillips owned one car. I wonder how Mr. Phillips got to work on days that Mrs. Phillips picked me up.

I was sitting at a table in the back of the room the first time I figured out how to write “Lenny” on a piece of paper with a crayon. I remember getting excited and getting up out of my chair to show Miss Grumman. She smiled, but I remember feeling disappointed that she didn’t get all excited like me.

There was a recess every day so we could go outside to play. I remember how the kids would rush out of the room to the south door of the school which opened up to the playground. It bugged me the way they would all push and shove. I never did that. It didn’t seem right. Then, when the door opened, the kids would race to be the first one to the swings. I remember thinking that if I chose to rush the door and run to the swings there was no way that anyone could beat me. I tried it once. And I was right.

A few years ago a good friend gave me the 1980s book of essays called All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum. Striking me at the time as preachy, sugarcoated, I never finished it. And yet, I’ve long thought that there’s validity to its central thesis: that the world would be a better place if adults were nice to each other, shared things, cleaned up after their own messes, etc. Just as we were taught at Lowrey.

[180brg]

Luke 1

Introduction

1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song

46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord 47    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful    of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49    for the Mighty One has done great things for me—    holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,    from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones    but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things    but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel,    remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,    just as he promised our ancestors.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

Zechariah’s Song

67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,    because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn[c] of salvation for us    in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies    and from the hand of all who hate us— 72 to show mercy to our ancestors    and to remember his holy covenant, 73    the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,    and to enable us to serve him without fear 75    in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;    for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation    through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God,    by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness    and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit[d]; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Footnotes:

Luke 1:1 Or been surely believed

Luke 1:35 Or So the child to be born will be called holy,

Luke 1:69 Horn here symbolizes a strong king.

Luke 1:80 Or in the Spirit

[theuniversitychallengereview]

UC 49.15 - Sheffield vs Jesus, Oxford

The clocks went back two weeks ago, giving us the ample time to really get our teeth stuck into the darkness that will be all-pervading for the next three months. That glorious quarter of the year where somehow, despite the Earth continuing to rotate on its axis, the sun evades us. Where have you gone, oh, lightbringer? 

I usually limit myself to two or three coffees per day, with a strict coffee curfew of four o’clock, but sometimes there comes a tiredness that so extreme, and a prior engagement so un-cancellable that an evening brew is required. On these occasions, invariably, it comes to midnight, or probably one in the morning, and I lie awake, with no idea why I can’t get my snooze on. I figure it out eventually, of course, but it takes me a while.

I’m the same with the winter darkness. I’ll go a few weeks with scant daylight and a plentiful supply of cold and rain, and feel crap, drained of all zest and joy, but with no idea why. And then I’ll realise its probably the fact that I’ve been getting up and going home on the wrong side of the sun’s parabola. Its difficult, but I’ve got to make sure I rail some Vitamin D tablets and make the most of the daytime when I can find it. 

There are some things which are better at this time of year though, that help me through too. Hot chocolate, wearing three jumpers, hats, getting the train... Okay, those are mostly just ways of keeping warm, but there are other things as well. University Challenge for one.

Each series starts in the Summer, so has been going for quite a while by the time the lights go out, but there’s something extra special about watching with the curtains drawn and a blanket round your shoulders. Its more cosy, and it starts to feel more like you’re in the room with the contestants. You have to hold on closer to the things which bring you pleasure in the Dark Months, so it becomes even more of a highlight too. 

And the first round is coming to a close as well, so the quality takes a step change upwards. Pop the kettle on and snuggle up, here’s your first Starter for Ten.

Last week Paxman left us hanging on the edge of a cliff with regards to who would be making it to the high-scoring loser play-offs. Sheffield were already confirmed, but their opponents tonight, Jesus College, Oxford, made it through at the expense of Downing, Cambridge, for reasons that are about as clear as the line they draw on the screen to show you whether someone was offside during a VAR review (something to do with having got their score having answered the fewest questions, a phrase with multiple interpretations)

Sheffield had the lead for much of their loss to Wolfson, Oxford, and Newhouse picked up a dropped buzz from opposite number Cook to take it again. A quickfire double from pink-haired Clarke stole it back for Jesus, and Cashman extended it with an early buzz of Verdi. 

The Yorkshire quartet got back in the game with the picture starter, Kelly quickly identifying comic sans, the Meme Lord of the Fonts (sidenote about fonts; I once set about reviewing every single font in Word, but didn’t even make it to the ones starting with D because there are so. many. damn. fonts). Bonuses follow on papyrus, brushscript and the 2012 Olympics typeface, which is oddly recognisable out of context. They take two to close within 20 points.

Clarke takes her third starter of the night, but Sheffield returned fire with two of their own, and earned a set of bonuses on Sir Alex Ferguson, which were especially easy if you grew up in Aberdeen, like I did, but probably quite tricky if you didn’t. 

Like the City of Sheffield, this was a match of many ups and downs for both teams (because there’s a lot of hills in Sheffield, get it?). Jesus were in front after the music round, but Sheffield overtook them on the question after. Another for Clarke dragged Jesus back up, and another for Cashman on the second picture starter put them in a healthy position with only a few minutes to go. 

But the Steel City four would not lie down, and they clawed at the forty point lead with one, two, three starters in a row, flipping the match on its head once again. It was fifteen points the other way now. Cashman struck to bring that down to five, but Jesus couldn’t swing it back on the bonuses. One starter left. Buzzer takes all. 

Sheffield had lost their first match on a tiebreak, and this one effectively came down to the same thing, even if it was pre-gong. Paxman recites an ode by John Keats, and its Cashman, yet again, who knows that its about the Grecian Urn, consigning Sheffield to a second consecutive loss in injury time from a winning position. On the bright side maybe Unai Emery will hire them to shore up his back line (that was a joke about how bad Arsenal are at the moment. I could have taken it out, but I have to vent my frustrations somewhere).

Final Score: Sheffield 165 - 170 Jesus, Oxford

Very unlucky there, Sheffield. No many teams go home having lost twice with an average score of 167.5. But well done to Jesus, who performed when it mattered most. And well done to Clarke, for a well-executed dab at the gong.

I’d also like to thank my Patrons, Tough Soles and Carl Lange, for their support! I’m a bit flabbergasted, to be honest. Cheers.

If you want to join these intrepid souls and find your name featured alongside the word flabbergasted then you can do so here: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16447756

[businessthreesixfive-blog]

17 Top Women Entrepreneurs Share Their Start in Business

Tara Gentile, Sophia Amoruso and More Females Entrepreneurs Share How They Got Going

by Mary Fernandez Every successful business owner began someplace.

There's no "magic tablet" that easily launches you out of your cubicle confinement and into the complimentary world of entrepreneurship. For some, the dream to be your own manager grows for a long period of time, even years, before it finally concerns fruition. The truth is, great success in company grows from just one, small seed. We asked a few of our preferred women entrepreneurs to share how they got their start in business. Their answers revealed the deep incentives and personal qualities that drove them to make their concept a truth.

By checking out how they grew their businesses over the years, our goal is that you'll identify a comparable entrepreneurial seed, within yourself.

Here's what these females had to share about getting their start as business owners.

"My path to self work seemed to me, a natural evolution."

"However, it wasn't based upon a fantastic desire to develop a service. Rather, it was borne out of need. After 13 years mastering my craft, I was still an employee and I just had reached a ceiling of how much cash I could make in my profession.""After the initial fear and hurdles, the finding out curve is so fantastic I came very close to failure. Rather of offering up, I began to establish a deep sense of passion for inspiring and educating myself to reach greater heights in company and earnings. It ended up being an obstacle for me, and I don't understand any other method now. After 13 years of self-employment, I still challenge myself to create on a larger and bigger scale every year."

"My desire to develop, develop, and find out, surpasses my worry. Every obstacle I'm faced with now, ends up being a greater experience of learning my true power."Now, Sue's partnered with Tiffany Angeles to break down their biggest organisation lessons, and teach a class on how to Make More Cash and Discover Your Worth. 2. Sophia Amoruso"Do not quit, do not take anything personally, and do not take

no for an answer,"Sophia advises. Considering that establishing Nasty Gal as an eBay shop in 2006, selling classic clothes, Sophia has transformed business into a multi-million dollar empire with their own clothes line that was called the "Fastest Growing Merchant" in 2012. Recently, the New York City Times Bestseller of #GIRLBOSS has stepped out of her role as the CEO of Nasty Gal, to end up being the Executive Chairman and shift her focus to supervising simply the creative and brand marketing functions of the service.

With no fashion or organisation experience prior to starting Nasty Gal, Sophia credits much of her hard-earned success to her failure to accept failure as an alternative. "Individuals who informed me no, were individuals who ultimately told me yes," she includes.

3. Pamela Slim" In addition to working full-time as a worker for ten years, I had actually likewise been the volunteer executive director for a non-profit martial arts school in San Francisco."

"My common day had to do with 15 hours straight. Work, get on the metro over to the studio, train capoeira for 3-4 hours, then do administrative work before bed. Weekends were filled with classes, performances, and setting up fliers around the city to draw in brand-new trainees to the school."

"The tipping point came right before my 30th birthday. I got pneumonia from the non-stop difficult speed, and recognized I required to make a career move. Contrary to how I encourage my clients, I leapt with no strategy, simply the desire to get off the merry-go-round and discover a more sustainable course."

"After a couple of months of recovery and half-hearted task search, I called my old supervisor who had actually relocated to Hewlett-Packard and asked her if she needed a little assistance. I started working as a consultant, and I felt like a big fire was lit inside of me. I enjoyed being an expert. My problem had never had to do with the work, it was more about the ideal work mode."

"I understood that the ten years I had actually volunteered as an executive director had prepared me for entrepreneurial life. I understood how to develop and money big programs. I knew how to develop a network and activate people to a cause. I knew how to sell and market. Now that I had my own shingle out, I took off and built a successful and satisfying practice."

"This year, I celebrate 20 years in service for myself. It hasn't always been easy, however it continues to bring me great joy and complete satisfaction."

4. Tara Gentile"I chose to become an organisation owner after I was examined for a promo while 9 months pregnant.""6 months after my daughter was born, I began a little niche website and neighborhood. I then bought an existing blog service, and nearly over night, began making more cash than I had in my previous job."

"My company has actually developed substantially ever since, however I'm so grateful for the way I started!"

Tara, one of our most successful business instructors here at CreativeLive, has actually effectively gone from offering her services, to packaging them into digital items for her clients. It's helped here significantly scale her company, and now she teaches a class about how to

turn your services into a product. Inspired by these females? Wish to construct your own business? Join Tara Gentile for more information from one of our resident specialists. 5. Melissa Galt" The year following my graduation from Cornell, my mother dropped dead of a brain aneurysm. It took me the taking place 5 years to comprehend the lesson in her passing. Life is too brief to do something you don't like. She had actually been a maverick in her field, an Oscar winning actress who understood at age 7 what

she wanted. It took me a bit longer. "" I chose to pursue my imagine interior design, and went back to school full-time, while selecting up full-time work in the field. However, I was still frustrated that I was not in charge of my day and my choices."

"Eventually, my reckless nature was both my undoing and my brand-new start ..."

"I 'd planned to introduce my startup in September 1994. When I asked my manager for time off, she said I didn't have it. I said I did, and dug my heels in. Arguing with your supervisor when you need your task is never ever sensible. I went out."

"I was out of work, in debt, and 6 months premature to my prepared launch. I released instantly while using up sideline monitoring a catering cooking area and teaching hectic specialists (aka prospective clients for my interior style practice) throughout evening education programs."

"It was that magical location you find out about where worry satisfies breath and ends up being unstoppable exhilaration. I worked 15 hour days, 6 days a week, because I wished to. I couldn't wait to get up, and hated to go to bed during the night. I was absolutely on fire. I went from $70K in financial obligation to rocking 6 figures and debt complimentary in 18 months and that doubled every year for 5 years. Today, I create both home and business environments, while likewise advising business and way of lives that go on within them."

"My guidance is to discover what lights you up, and do whatever it takes to make it happen. You will consult with unforeseen success."

6. Beate Chelette"Remember those big posters of stunning places that decorated kid's rooms in the 80s? When I was young, I wanted them but could not afford them. I realized, if I ordered them for my pals and ended up being a supplier, I could get mine for free. At the age of 12, I began a poster circulation service out of my bed room."

"Later in life, I operated at Elle Magazine as a picture editor. I had a lot of freedom to reveal my concepts(after all, concepts are what a publication prospers on). However still ... something was always missing out on. Upon more examination, I showed up at 3 realities:

1. I wanted to be the employer.

2. I had a lot of ideas, and my employers didn't always concur.

3. I wanted to change the world.

And here I am today! I have actually been an entrepreneur practically my entire professional profession. You need to conquer the fear, and it's a lot of work, however the benefits are fantastic."

"My very first entrepreneurial endeavor was selling my hand-painted barrettes at recess in elementary school, despite the fact that I was not expected to be."

"My papa owned a car part shop and typically brought home design paint that I would utilize to paint enjoyable, colorful, preppy styles on hairpin."

"The enthusiasm I had for art and painting turned into a nice side hustle, and eventually gave me the self-confidence and validation to do what I loved at a very young age."

8. Tiffany Angeles "I felt dead inside working at my business job however

was too frightened to leave." "I was looking for a service I could start on nights and weekends. After exploring various businesses, I really won an electronic camera, so that sealed the deal for a photography service. I developed that organisation by moonlighting for a few years up until the earnings exceeded my corporate task and then went full-time."

"That service gave me the liberty and versatility to pursue my dream of speaking and mentor individuals how to be successful with loan. Despite the fact that it hurt to leave my corporate security, I am permanently grateful that I did, due to the fact that it caused a life and service I enjoy!"Now, Tiffany has actually joined forces with Sue Bryce to teach an incredible class on how to Make More Money and Discover Your Worth. 9. Yasmine Khater"After an effective business career in a Fortune 500 company, losing my daddy to cancer led me to redefine life and the impact I wish to produce. I knew that I didn't desire my boss's job, any of the other senior management functions, or to work more 12 -14 hour days. I also understood I didn't want to sacrifice my lifestyle, and remorse not living."

"That's when I decided to start my service. I brainstormed which skills I might build on, and what individuals needed. At the time, my buddies were searching for more profession direction, so I provided 30-minute profession clearness sessions. I booked 4 sessions and got my very first 3 clients."

"I realized soon thereafter, that I didn't actually wish to help people with their careers. Rather, I wished to leverage my business experience to help small company owner build their sales procedures, and develop winning sales systems that might stand the test of time."

10. Mayi Carles "Wait a second! Kids can just sell lemonade on the front porch and people give them loan? WOW!!! I was blown away."

"Soon enough, I had set up my own front yard kiosk, other than that rather of selling lemonade, I crafted little masterpieces made with a little paint spinner toy thingy. The line of kids reached completion of the block. Not to boast, however I was a ROCKSTAR."

"Right then and there, I knew I was born to do this."

"As it turns out, the reason my art pieces were offering like hot tamales for 50 cents a pop was because they featured a bag of Hershey's kisses. Mayita, my mother smiled as she made the infamous confession, the chocolates were a dollar at the store."

"Dang!"

"Alright, perhaps my very first service concept wasn't successful, however I learned the art of putting myself out there with a sense of self-worth at an extremely young age. That pillar has actually contributed in building my present imaginative empire."

11. Mei Pak"One day in school, we were permitted to establish a little table to sell whatever we desired throughout recess. I brought a zip lock bag of numerous tiny semi valuable stone chips that I had actually gotten from my mama's favorite jewelry store for less than $10. I understood the other kids would love them and offered 5 little stones for $2.00."

"In retrospect, I'm not amazed the principle of buy low, sell high came so naturally to me. This kind of things is what I was indicated to do!"

12. Courtney Johnston"I was never ever an entrepreneurial kid, however I was

always a dreamer and a guideline breaker."" After finishing college with a French degree in 2009 during the middle of the economic crisis, I quickly understood that I was 'unemployable' and chose to begin discovering ways to earn money for myself. A couple of service concepts later on, I began my copywriting business, and have actually never ever recalled."

13. Kimra Luna"I got my very first taste of entrepreneurship when I started my own reservation firm when I was 18 years. I started reserving performances for fun, and it turned into a full-time

gig. "14. Jenn Scalia"Entrepreneurship was something I was constantly predestined for. However until a couple of years earlier, I had always stuck to the status quo of having a 'genuine' task."

"After 2 layoffs in 2 years, I got a gentle push from deep space that I required to develop my own destiny and my own monetary security. While staying home as a full-time mother, I started looking for chances where I might use my abilities to generate income. That's when I found that I might be an online coach, and decided to dive in head first."

15. Barbara Findlay Schenck"Like many others, my dive into entrepreneurship was prompted by opportunity and need."

"My husband and I had simply returned from a stint in the Peace Corps, and-- although previous employers in Honolulu invited us back to the positions we 'd left two years earlier-- we wished to settle down in Oregon. So, we took a raincheck on the generous task deals, and began browsing for positions in Bend, Oregon that matched our journalism, public relations, and marketing backgrounds."

"With couple of such openings and no advertising or marketing company to reach out to, entrepreneurial instinct took control of and we seized the minute. We set out prepare for starting our own agency, registered a service name, prepared a list of possible customers, provided an office (hardly), put a sign on the door, and started a six-month sprint to success."

"Why six months? That's precisely for how long we figured our money reserves would last. When I tell business organizers to understand their funding runway, I speak from experience."

"With the clock ticking, we beat the six-month deadline, grew the agency to among the leading 15 in the Northwest, built up more customers, pals, and stories than we might count, and 15 years later offered it to new owners who made it the platform for introducing their own entrepreneurial journey."

16. Phoebe Mroczek"To be truthful, I have actually been a business owner for as long as I can remember. From the stationery stand in my driveway and my fifth-grade scrunchie service, to the dual-level marketing company I signed up with in college, it's truly not simply a passion. It's a way of life."

"While I dipped my toe into the corporate world in Asia, behind the scenes I 'd began an events company and shortly later on, a travel blog to document a 15-country bike trip."

"As I constructed my online network, I bumped into some web marketing resources that altered the course of my course up till that point. The most influential person I found was James Wedmore, whose mentorship offered me the self-confidence and clarity to establish my company. This was the begin the pants I needed to specify and bend my entrepreneurial muscles."

"Within twelve months, I 'd made 6 figures and more importantly, built an organisation that helped female entrepreneurs all around the world. I guess you could state I got my start as an entrepreneur a couple years back once I made the decision to go for it. With a little coaching and a Great Deal Of fear, I went all out and the rest is history!"

17. Amy Schmittauer"How did I get my start as an entrepreneur?

Tough freakin'work. ""When I realized at my 9-5 that I wished to work for myself, it was a year and a half prior to I actually delegated make it take place. During that time, I was getting any and all experience I might in my field, on the side of my full-time job. I invested getaway time and additional money on conferences, networking, and working for anyone who would let me assist. For complimentary and then for low-cost, till I had self-confidence in my portfolio and made the leap to concentrate on my business alone."

"Everybody desires the choice to be easy or fantastic timing, however it never ever will be. Do the work. Prove you're going to keep doing the work when you're the just one in your corner. And after that make it happen."

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