#Material Management for beginners

[copia]

first item for lite gonst cosplay has been purchased lets gooo

[haplogamingchef]

First Descendant: The Ultimate 1-Hour Daily Farming Routine

Daily Farming Tips: Get Gold, Components, and Crystallization Catalyst in First Descendant

Playing First Descendant efficiently means having a solid, reliable farming routine. If you’re looking to maximize your daily material gain, gold income, and prep for upcoming updates, here’s a simple one-hour plan you can follow every day. Let’s dive into the exact steps I use daily to farm everything I need for upgrades and new builds.

Start with Crystallization Catalyst Research

The first thing to knock out each day is starting research for the Crystallization Catalyst. Here's how to stay on top of it:

Start one Crystallization Catalyst research session right after the daily reset.

Log back in later during the day to kick off another research session.

Mixed Energy Residue and Advanced Neural Circuits are the only tricky materials. To farm these:

Use Enzo in Agna Desert for Mixed Energy Residue.

Run the "Borderline of Truth" mission in White Knight Gulch for Advanced Neural Circuits.

Running Void Vessel missions also supplies plenty of needed materials.

✅ Tip: Always keep farming daily because when big updates hit, materials can disappear fast as you build new weapons and Descendants.

Daily Invasions for Easy Gold

Next, focus on daily invasion missions. Why? It’s a reliable, fast way to get gold — and lots of it.

Complete all four invasion missions each day.

Each mission grants about 1.25 million gold.

If you use a Gold Boost, you’ll snag an extra 30%, earning an extra 375k gold per mission.

Today’s example:

Quarantine Zone and Haven invasions are active.

With a Gold Boost, you easily grab around 1.6 million per set.

✅ Tip: Always pop a Gold Boost before you start for maximum gains!

Sigma Sector Runs for RK XP

After the invasion missions, head over to the Sigma Sector for daily RK XP farming.

Each Sigma map gives a 4,000 RK XP bonus plus 1,500 XP per normal run.

Choose a Descendant whose AR tree needs upgrading. (Right now, I’m using Walby.)

Running both maps nets you about 11,000 XP — easy upgrades without grinding.

✅ Tip: This takes only about 10 minutes and drastically speeds up leveling your Descendants.

Stockpiling Key Components: Focus on Reactors and Implants

Now, it’s time to farm for those high-demand upgrade materials:

Precise Ion Accelerators

Dimension Analyzers

These are absolutely essential for reactor enhancements and weapon implants.

You’ll need:

140 Dimension Analyzers per full reactor enhancement.

2,000 Precise Ion Accelerators and 200 Dimension Analyzers per weapon implant.

✅ Tip: Aim to stockpile enough for 4-5 reactors in advance. I personally target 750 Dimension Analyzers and 20,000 Precise Ion Accelerators to stay ready for new releases.

Farming the Tormentor Efficiently

The Tormentor Boss is your best bet for farming Quantum Crystals and Void Metal Fragments.

Drops include:

Materials needed for Precise Ion Accelerators.

Materials used for Dimension Analyzers.

Core Particle Disruptors and Core Binders for weapon unlocking.

✅ Tip: Farming the Tormentor 20–30 minutes daily can fully restock you for upcoming patches.

Void Abyss and Core Farming

If you still need Cores to unlock weapons:

Run Void Abyss Purges at Stage 30.

Now it’s easier than ever; soloing is manageable with skill-based Descendants.

Group runs take 2-3 minutes max.

✅ Tip: Prioritize chill-based skills because most enemies are now weak to chill effects.

Optional: Farming External Components

While doing Sigma and other missions, don’t forget to collect external components:

I’m currently working on the Enlightened Mage set.

Always try to complete full sets to be ready when you need a specific buff or loadout.

✅ Tip: Build up sets slowly; no need to rush unless a build demands it.

Blueprint Farming for Crystallization Catalyst

If you need blueprints for crafting Crystallization Catalysts:

Farm 400% dungeons with Fina.

Collect at least 5-6 amorphous materials.

Stop once you’ve banked enough, preventing burnout.

Summary of the 1-Hour Farming Routine

Total Time: About 60 minutes.

Here’s a breakdown:TaskTimeNotesInvasion Missions10-12 minsGold Boost activeSigma Sector5-10 minsXP Boost for AR treesTormentor Farm20-30 minsQuantum Crystals & Void MetalCatalyst Farming5-10 minsOnly if blueprints neededOptional Core Farming10 minsVoid Abyss Purge if needed

✅ Result:

Plenty of Gold

Crystallization Catalyst Research Progress

Stockpile of Key Components

XP Growth for Descendants

Prepped External Components

Final Thoughts: Stick to the Routine, Stay Ahead

If you want to stay ready for First Descendant updates without stressing about missing materials, having a simple, repeatable farming routine is the way to go. By logging in for about an hour daily, you’ll stack up everything you need — gold, crystallization catalysts, key upgrade materials, and XP for your Descendants.

Here’s the quick reminder:

Start Catalyst Research daily.

Run Invasions for fast gold.

Clear Sigma Sector for AR XP.

Farm the Tormentor for core materials.

Pick up Blueprints and External Components when needed.

Stick with it, and you’ll always be prepared for new content drops without having to grind for hours later. Plus, it keeps the game feeling fresh and fun instead of turning into a long, boring grind.

Thanks for checking out the guide! See you in the next farming session — and happy grinding!

🎮 Meet Haplo Gaming Chef 🍳

Level 99 Kitchen Warrior here! I'm on a quest to transform your gaming sessions into epic culinary adventures. When I'm not farming rare ingredients in MMOs, I'm crafting real-world recipes inspired by your favorite video games.

Specializing in: • Game-inspired recipe creation • Cooking quest guides • Power-up snacks for gaming sessions • Achievement-worthy meal prep

Join my party as we explore the delicious intersection of pixels and plates. Whether you're a casual foodie or a hardcore gamer, there's always room at my crafting table! #Gaming #GamingGuides #GamingChef #HaploGamingChef For More Visit: https://haplogamingchef.blogspot.com/

[purenonsens]

Hi! I put together an introduction post to block printing on fabric, based on my experience so far. Some basic info on printmaking blocks, ink types and the like. Enjoy!

First off - I have a background in fashion, but fabric block printing is purely a leisure activity for me. This info is intended mostly for other hobbyists and people who want to try their hand at this and don't know where to start. HERE are some examples of works I've done so far. I'll be really glad if this post will help or inspire someone to try<3

(please note that all the materials are what I could get here in Poland - this would obviously differ from country to country)

INK TYPES

SPEEDBALL Fabric Block Printing Ink

Probably the most popular fabric printing ink. Oil-based, water-washable. It has nice viscosity and spreads evenly. Available in many colors, a really nice opaque white among them. Works best with a soft rubber brayer from the same producer (although could be used with a more common, hard rubber brayer as well). Doesn't need heat setting, just a few days to dry properly. It mantains a soft hand after, although it is slightly noticeable. Can be used on both natural and synthetic fibers. Durable: with a test t-shirt I didn't notice much changes after a few washes.

ESSDEE Fabric Block Printing Ink

Water-based, water- washable ink. As in all water-based inks, the viscosity is average - works ONLY with a dedicated brayer from the same producer. Basic colors available, they mix well. Semi-opaque. Needs to be heat-set - the print mantains a really soft hand after, impercteptible by touch alone. Can be used on natural fibers only. Durability is fine, although the first two machine washes of the test t-shirt shown a slight washout on the design (this might also mean I'm shit at heat setting though lol). Good price to quality ratio; much more efficient compared to the Speedball ink.

PRINTMAKING BLOCKS TYPES

SPEEDBALL SPEEDY-CARVE and SPEEDY-CUT EASY BLOCKS

Both are soft blocks and carve really well. Neither needs a press to print on fabric - a pressure by hand or a clean brayer will suffice. Speedy Carve is suitable for all kinds of block-printing ink, Speedy-Cut Easy for water soluble-inks only (oil-based ones might break the surface and wear it out much faster). Personally I prefer Speedy Carve, as the other one is a bit crumbly, which hinders the carving process.

ESSDEE MASTERCUT and SOFTCUT BLOCKS

Both are great! MasterCut blocks are softer and suitable for water-based inks only, while SoftCut can be used for all kind of block-printing inks. First one is 4mm, the other 3mm thick, so you need to get used to carve a thinner surface. As with the Speedball ones, you just need to push the design into the fabric to print it by hand or better - roll a clean brayer over the back of it.

MILAN VINYL CARVING BLOCKS

Very good for fabric printing - smooth, soft, carve easily, print very well. Suitable for all kinds of inks, although they often leave an annoying residue on the surface that needs more cleaning that the other ones. Again - print by pressing with your hand or with a brayer.

BUDGET OPTION - PVC STRIP CURTAIN!

This is a great option for the beginners and people who are fine with carving a transparent plate. Price to quality ratio is AMAZING. I managed to buy two single strips of different thickness (3mm and 4mm if I recall) and both carve and print very well. However, I personally have trouble with carving transparent plates and I find the smell of these pvc curtains absolutely repulsive (might be just my luck tho).

OTHER CARVING/ PRINTMAKING BLOCKS

Stuff you can get from certain sites and find in different hobby sets. Usually have no info on them regarding what they're made of or what inks to use them with. It's always a hit or miss. Although I have to say that the synthetic carving blocks I got a few years ago in Stamp-making set at Flying Tiger Copehagen and similar one at Action recently were both pretty decent. They are often stinky cheap too, so worth trying!

CLASSIC LINO / HARD PVC BLOCKS

Not recommended. You can possibly get good results with classic, grey linoleum if you're presistent enough, but it doesn't have a give that the previous ones have, that is necessary to make a fine print on fabric. You'd also possibly need a press for it, to add more pressure. It's much easier with softer blocks. The hard blocks are out of the question.

RUBBER BLOCKS Not recommended! They crumble and carve unevenly.

DIFFERENT MATERIALS One of the best carving materials I own is some yellow lino flooring scraps sent by my dear friend! I used some of it to made these prints. Search locally for possible solutions, you never know what you'll find.

CARVING TOOLS

HANDLE WITH INTERCHANGEABLE CUTTERS - CAUTION!!!

If you're a beginner and want to buy your first carving tools, DO NOT buy these (the two sets on the picture are ones that I have myself and base this info upon). They are cheap and look handy, but! The cutters are not pre-sharpened and you will try in vain to carve anything with these straight out of the box. Sharpening the u- and v-shaped blades is a thing you might want to learn only when you commit to block printing, trust me. It's good to buy 2-3 tools that are more expensive, but ready to use. There are many good, different brands worldwide, I encourage also to search locally!

PFEIL is a brand I can personally attest to. EXCELLENT quality.

EWA MARCINKOWSKA - for my homies from Poland! I use their tools for 20 years now, good stuff.

PROCESS

To be frank, I assume most of the people who want to try block printing on fabric, might've already tried block printing (on paper) in the past. I won't give you a step by step here. If you're a newbie though, the process of making a linocut is pretty straightforward and easy to research. Here are two videos for starters with some helpful info on the topic:

That's the gist of it. I hope at least some of this info will help you to get into fabric printing <3 Let me know if you have any questions. ALSO - if any of you know different ink brands, materials and helpful tips for fabric printing you're willing to share, please comment on this post or reblog with sources! Thanks!!

[hotchscoffeecup]

tied up in knots

pairing: emily prentiss x fem!reader

rating: m (mdni 18+)

word count: 3.6

summary: after dropping a less than subtle hint (a book on shibari bondage) into your go-bag, prentiss suggests a new and exciting sexual endeavor for you to explore together as a couple. after solving the case, she sneaks into your hotel room to bring this vision to life and you’re more than happy to play into the fantasy.

tags: shibari bondage, vaginal fingering, strap on sex

“Are you alright?” Spencer asks, eyeing you curiously.

You blink out of your momentary stupor and look at your boots before glancing back up at the jet. “What?” You feign a laugh. “Sorry, just wondering what’s taking the stairs so long to descend.”

“I’m just asking because you’re holding onto your bag there like it’s going to grow legs and run away” Reid inclines his head towards arms, which are currently cradling (okay, clutching) the tote bag you usually let hang casually off your shoulder. He snorts a short laugh, “Which is of course impossible.”

You force a chuckle and thank God when the jet doors hiss and the stairs descend. The rest of the team arrives and you don’t miss the intense look Emily levels at you from beneath her long lashes as she silently passes you to ascend the steps onto the jet. Her vanilla almond body wash envelops you and it alone is enough to bring a furious heat to your cheeks.

Or maybe it’s the fact that she’d slipped a book on shibari bondage into your bag in passing in the bullpen like it was a totally normal thing to do. You felt its weight like a stone and worried that everyone around you knew what haughty material you were hiding.

Emily had said nothing when she’d dropped the book into your bag. In fact, you’d not even realized what she’d done until your personal phone buzzed, which was odd. You almost never received any texts or calls while at work that didn’t go directly to your work cell. Prentiss’ name had flashed on screen and you’d wondered momentarily if she’d meant to text your work phone.

I got you a present.

Brow furrowed, you’d bent down to check your bag and found a small book with a black and white cover titled: Shibari 101: A Beginner’s Guide to the Art of Japanese Bondage and immediately panicked, allowing the magnetic snaps of your tote to snap back together and hide it from sight. You’d managed to smack your head against the bottom of your desk and yelped in pain, drawing the eyes of all of your coworkers.

Derek had arched a brow and leaned back in his desk chair to investigate the source of distress.

“Everything ok over there?”

You’d nodded and rubbed at the back of your head, cracking a smile and shrugging. “Clearly, I just need another cup of coffee.”

Derek smiled and returned to his work. “You and me both.”

You swallow nervously and relinquish your grip on your bag, allowing it to swing by your side and remind yourself that none of your teammates have xray vision.

After securing your go bag into the overhead bin, you slump down into the nearest seat and tuck your tote back behind your legs.

Hotch wastes no time passing out Manila folders to everyone. As the plane kicks up speed and soars into the air, he briefs the team on the case they’re heading to in Cheyanne, Wyoming to investigate. While his balanced tenor drones on about what they know so far, you feel your phone buzz in your lap. You carefully click the home button to wake up your screen and read the message from Emily.

I’ve got big plans for you. Check page 102 for a sneak peek.

You gulp nervously and nearly jump out of your skin when Hotch says your name.

You drop your phone back into your lap and look up, eyes searching and landing on Hotch, who looks less than pleased. “Anything you’d like to share?”

Emily snickers softly across the way and bites at her cuticles before pretending to read over the case file.

You shake your head. “No sir, sorry.”

He presses his lips together and nods. As he returns to what he was saying, you shoot Emily a dangerous look and she only smirks in response.

“Thanks everyone,” Hotch says in dismissal and everyone breaks up to return to their preferred in-flight activities.

Reid cracks open a well worn Chaucer novel, Morgan slips on his favorite pair of Beats headphones, and JJ and Rossi join Hotch towards the front of the plane to continue coordinating what will happen when they touch down in Wyoming.

You abruptly rise to your feet and shuffle towards the back of the plane where the coffee pot light blinks warm and invitingly. The coffee mugs clink as you pull one down from the locked cupboard overhead and pour yourself a fresh cup.

Emily sneaks up behind you and passes a subtle hand across the small of your back.

“Have I ever told you how good you look in blue?” She asks smoothly.

You cut her a sideways glance and ignore her as you tear open a packet of Splenda and pour it into your coffee.

“Oh c’mon,” she croons with a playful jab at your ribs. “I gotta be honest, I’m hot just thinking about it.”

Your eyes fly open and you take one step into her personal space, so close that you can feel her breath on your lips.

“Jesus, Emily!” you hiss. You glance over your shoulder and no one is looking in your direction. You grab her by the wrist and abandon your coffee on the counter to drag her further away towards the restroom. “You can’t just drop bondage books into my purse while we’re at work!”

Emily looks down the slope of her nose at you and licks her lips daringly. “Adds a little something to it though. Makes it all a little bit more naughty.”

A furious heat blazes across your cheeks as her tongue pops on the last syllable of the word naughty.

“There it is,” she says, lowering her voice. Her words are all feline as she speaks. “That basal instinct that comes with sex and the urge to explore the more clandestine parts of our hedonistic needs.”

You swallow, feeling her words slide over your skin and elicit goosebumps across your arms.

“Page 102,” she whispers in your ear before stealing your cup of coffee and sashaying back down the aisle towards her seat.

Blowing a strand of hair out of your face, you brace your hands against the counter and wonder what the hell you’ve gotten yourself into. Are you wholly and utterly enamored by Emily? Yes. Have these last six months of secretly dating been the most exhilarating (and somewhat stressful hiding it from the team) experience ever? Also yes. She was brilliant and daring with a beautiful mind and body to match. Sometimes you just felt…inexperienced, but you loved exploring your sexuality with Emily. She introduced you to such fun and tantalizing behaviors in the bedroom. Hell, you’d never known pleasure like the kind Prentiss delivered. Just thinking about it sends a rush of heat through your core and you have to bite back the smile spreading across your lips.

“You look happy.”

You startle, smile fading instantly as you clutch your chest. “Christ, Morgan.”

He chuckled and reached over you to get a coffee mug. “Lost in a daydream, huh?”

You glance over his shoulder and see Emily taking a sip from your coffee and a small smile returns to your face. “Yeah,” you answer, letting your mind wander to whatever might be awaiting you on page 102. “Something like that.”

•

You heave a sigh of relief as you step out of the bathroom, a fluffy white towel wrapped around your body while you towel dry your hair with another.

This case had been a whirlwind, but at the end of the day the team had managed to save two women and brought the man responsible for their kidnapping to justice. It wasn’t often you got to see victims return home to their families. It was a victory unlike any other in your field of work.

On top of the win, you’d been able to spend more time working with Emily. Hotch had paired the two of you together to interview the families of the two young women who had been kidnapped. You’d learned a lot from watching Emily and Derek work together and Emily and JJ. Sympathizing without becoming overly attached, knowing what to say to avoid making someone angry, knowing what to do when someone inevitably gets angry because the situation is out of control and you’re the only one that can help bring them a modicum of peace. This was something Emily does with ease, likely the result of growing up under the tutelage of an ambassador.

You don’t even realize the smile curving at your lips as you think about Emily and the way the baby blue scoop neck she’d been wearing clung to the curve of her body.

A knock at the door causes you to jump and you stumble to the bed where the contents of your go bag are haphazardly strewn about.

“Just a second!” You call out as you search for something to throw on.

“It’s Emily!” Her voice is muffled behind the door.

You relax a little and stop frantically throwing your clothes about. Holding your towel tight to your chest, you cross the room and unlock the door.

When you open it, Emily flashes you a smile; her teeth white against her berry lipstick. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail, the dark fringe framing the delicate arches of her cheekbones. You look down either side of the hall for signs of the team before pulling her into the room.

Emily chuckles as you close the door to the hotel room and lock it. She inclines her head to kiss you and you let her steal a quick kiss before you step back and point a finger at her.

“You have been extra flirty this week, what gives!”

Emily arches an eyebrow and huffs, though a smile still plays about her lips. “Damn, I knew I should’ve been insulting you instead of complimenting you!” She snaps her fingers and shakes her head. “That’s how you win the girl!”

You roll your eyes and smile. “Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s the sweetest. I guess I’m just not used to so much affection being directed my way. It’s—” You take a step towards her and reach for her hand to intertwine your fingers with hers. “It’s nice.”

You press a kiss to her lips and glance up at her dark eyes from beneath your lashes. “I like it when you’re nice.”

“Yeah?” Emily asks. Her lips brush against yours as she speaks, “And what if I wasn’t so nice?”

Your brow furrows at the question and when you meet her gaze again it’s filled with lust as her eyes study your body.

Your pulse quickens as your mind flits back to just before you showered. As you’d pulled out your toiletries kit from your go-bag, the evocative book Prentiss had subtly gifted you had fallen out onto the floor. You’d forgotten you’d hidden it beneath all of your clothes deep inside your go bag the minute you’d keyed into your hotel room. It hadn’t been until you noticed the steam rolling out into the bedroom that you'd forgotten you’d already turned on the shower. You’d just gotten so absorbed in the outrageously complicated positions and knottings of ropes around limbs and wondering where she’d stumbled upon it.

A thud pulls you back to the present and your gaze drops down to your bare feet where Emily dropped her go-bag.

“Do you want to know what I packed?” She asks, her voice taking on a feline quality.

You swallow as you stare down at the bag and images of page 102 flash across your mind’s eye. Biting the inside of your lip, you nod and feel heat pool inside your belly as Emily smiles at you wickedly.

You gasp into Emily’s mouth as she steps forward and captures your lips with hers. Her hands clasp either side of your face as she pulls you in closer and your hands instinctively wrap around her waist.

You taste her vanilla chapstick as your tongue slips between her lips and she chuckles against your mouth as she walks you back towards the bed. When your legs bump up against the mattress, you allow yourself to fall back onto the bedspread; sliding your legs up and around Emily’s ass to pull her down on top of you. Her lips find the corners of your mouth before trailing down the column of your throat before pausing to suckle the top of your breast. Your right leg stays hooked around her waist and you pull her in closer as she pulls aside the towel and sucks your nipple into her mouth.

You moan as she teases the taut peak while her hand moves to palm and tweak the other between her slender fingers.

“Were you thinking about me?” She asks, voice husky as she releases your aching nipple. “In the shower?”

She rubs the pad of her thumb over the swollen area in slow, teasing circles and you whimper out a stilted, “Yes.”

Emily hums satisfactorily as she presses her lips against the soft flesh of your breast. She leans back and pulls the towel away from your body, exposing the rest of your bare skin now pebbled with goosebumps. Her dark hair falls over her shoulder as she tilts her head to admire the curves of your body and when her gaze drops to your core, you can’t help but feel the steady pulse deep inside of you drum harder and she hasn’t even touched you yet. You bite your lip and rock your pelvis back into the mattress to try and assuage the ache, but it only makes you that much more aware.

“You’re glistening for me,” she says, her lips curving into a sinful smile.

“And what are you going to do about it?” You challenge, though it’s extremely hard to keep your composure.

Emily arches a perfectly manicured brow and you know there’s no escaping whatever she has planned for you as she turns to scoop her bag off the floor.

You lick your lips as she reaches into the bag and your eyes widen as she withdraws several coils of black satin cords.

“Page 102?” You ask.

She smirks in turn, “If you’re still game.”

You nod, feeling excitement stir in your belly. “I am.”

“Then just lie back,” she says, “and relax.”

With soft, knowing hands she guides you into a kneeling position with your legs spread wide. The air is cool against your slick heat and you stir impatiently as she weaves the cords in and around your calves and thighs, binding them together so you’ve no choice but to sit back on your heels.

“Where did you learn how to do this?” You ask breathily, your chest already heaving with want.

Emily doesn’t lose focus as she threads the cord around your wrist and tethers it to each ankle, but her berry colored lips curve into a smile. “Would you believe me if I said the internet?”

The laugh you breathe out ebbs into a moan as Emily pulls the knot tight, drawing your wrists down and forcing your chest out. Your breasts ache to be felt by her and a needy whimper eks past your lips as she takes a measured step back to admire her handiwork.

You ought to feel vulnerable, spread out and exposed like this; but you only feel wanted and desired. That isn’t hunger in Emily’s eyes as the deep brown of her gaze admires your figure. No, it’s more than that, an all consuming reverence and you know that she’s about to worship at the altar of your body.

You rock back on your heels and whimper as the bonds tighten around your legs, sending a shiver of need up the length of your spine.

“Are you just going to stand there? Or are you going to come fuck me breathless.”

A daring challenge enters Emily’s eyes. Without breaking eye contact with you, her hands tug at the belted waist of her trench coat. As the garment comes loose and falls about her ankles, a throbbing pulse beats deep in your pussy.

A black lace teddy hugs her figure, accentuating the muscular curve of her waist. The ribbed framing pushes her tits up and all you want is to press your lips against the soft skin of her breast and taste her, but that’s not what surprises you most of all.

You swallow and feel your breathing increase as Emily’s elegant fingers trace the leather straps of a harness down to where a thick, purple strap-on is fastened against her pubic bone. She curves her fingers around the shaft and pumps it gently.

“I think you’ll be more than breathless when I’m done with you.”

She kneels on the bed and crawls slowly towards you. You squirm beneath the binds and watch a devilish grin form upon her face as she presses herself up to kiss you. Your mouth automatically opens for her and as she presses her lips against yours, you naturally fall back into the pillows stacked against the headboard. You feel the heat of your desire slick down your inner thigh and you simper against her mouth as you feel your arousal mounting without her even laying a hand on you.

Emily’s lashes flutter as she glances from you to your slick cunt. “Are we ready?”

You bite your lip and nod resolutely, a needy, “Yes,” gliding off your tongue.

Emily slides one finger into your core and you grind against the movement. Slowly, she pushes in a second and then a third. You take a sharp inhale of breath as you adjust to her fingers stretching you, but there’s very little resistance from how wet you already are.

“God, you’re incredible,” she whispers as she slowly begins to glide her fingers in and out of your core, making sure to curve just right against the soft spongy cleft within you. Each pump of her fingers against that sensitive spot sends electricity through your veins and you can’t fight the moans she easily elicits from you. The pace is wickedly torturous and you need more. You crave more. You rock against her hand, though your movement is restricted by the binds she so expertly wove.

When her thumb begins to circle your clit, your brain dissolves into nothing more than TV static as your body becomes a live wire under her electric touch.

You feel your pleasure mounting, a wave cresting higher and higher beneath her undulating hand. A furious heat blossoms in your chest and tears through your entire being as your heart pounds against your ribcage. You try to stifle the moans erupting from your throat, but it’s hard to control any part of your body as your muscles go rigid and your orgasm rips through you. The cords stretch as you pull against the power of your climax and before you can even catch your breath, she takes to one knee, positions herself up against your core, and slams the strap into you.

You rear forward and bite into the flesh of her breast to keep from screaming out as the strap fills and stretches you. Stars dot the corners of your vision as she grabs the headboard behind you and uses it to propel her hips forward, driving it in deeper with each thrust. Before you know it, you’re climaxing again, but she doesn’t relent. It isn’t until she wrenches a third orgasm from you, that she finally slips out and catches you as your spent body falls forward against her.

Her thumbs splay across your cheeks as she praises you for taking her so well. She presses tender kisses all over your face as she loops her arms around your waist to undo the ties binding your wrists. As soon as they’re free, you reach up and pull her face to yours, kissing her fervently.

You stop and rest your forehead against hers. “So that was—?”

She nods, smiling. “Page 102, yeah.”

You lick your lips and nod, confirming the information. “And how many pages are in that book?”

“About 200.”

“Let’s keep reading it.”

She flashes you a grin. “Yeah?”

You kiss her again. “Definitely.”

She helps untie the remaining cords and slowly helps you stretch out your sore and aching limbs. She massages lotion scented with jasmine deep into your muscles and you groan languidly as she digs into knots you didn’t even know you had.

After wiping you down, she calls for fresh sheets from housekeeping and helps you dress in your favorite pair of sweatpants and borrowed FBI academy sweatshirt. You’d stolen it long ago and she’d never asked for it back.

You sit in the lounger in the corner of the room and watch as she changes into her own comfortable clothing and hides away the evidence of what you’d just done away in to her go bag; the strap already washed and dried. When housekeeping comes, she strips the sheets and remakes the bed and you just watch with a lazy smile plastered to your face.

“I can feel your eyes on me,” she says teasingly.

“I like watching you,” you respond easily.

“Well, why don’t you come crawl in between these sheets and choose something to watch on Netflix.” She pulls your laptop out of your backpack and places it on the bed. “I’m going to go brush my teeth.”

And so you stand up and crawl into bed. You power on your laptop and choose an early 2000s rom-com and as Emily clambers into bed beside you and wraps an arm around your waist to pull you in to nestle against the crook of her body, you know there isn’t anywhere else you’d rather be than in this bed, sharing these moments with her…even if you were on a case.

But you’d worry about that later.

[knit-me-a-blanket]

A Beginner's Guide to the Different Types of Knitting Needles

If you’re just getting started with knitting, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the array of knitting needles out there. A couple of months ago, I went through my "stash" of needles because I realized I had a box of a random assortment, and it wasn't useful. From straight to circular, bamboo to metal, and everything in between, the options were endless.

In my time as a knitter, I'm sure of one thing: each type of knitting needle serves a purpose, and once you understand the basics, you’ll feel more confident choosing the right tools for your project and your style. Let’s break it down.

1. Straight Needles

Best for: Flat projects like scarves, dishcloths, and panels for sweaters.

These are the classic needles most people picture when they think of knitting—two long sticks with a stopper on one end and a point on the other. They’re great for beginners because they’re easy to handle and ideal for simple, flat pieces.

Pros: Easy to find, beginner-friendly, great for straightforward patterns.

Cons: Can feel bulky for large projects and limit the number of stitches you can comfortably work with.

But I will be honest here, don't buy that many. As you grow in your projects, you'll likely find yourself reaching for circular needles more often than not, and this is for a couple of reasons.

Heavy garments can bend straight needles, especially plastic or metal needles.

Heavy garments aren't well distributed on straight needles either, so it can put more stress on your hands while working.

2. Circular Needles

Best for: Everything from hats to blankets to sweaters—both flat and in-the-round projects.

Circular needles consist of two shorter needle tips connected by a flexible cable. Don’t be fooled by the name—you can use them for flat knitting (going back and forth) or circular knitting (working in the round).

Pros: Distribute weight better (great for heavy projects), versatile, easier on the wrists.

Cons: Cable length matters—you may need multiple sizes for different projects.

There's also something called the magic loop method, which lets you use long circular needles to knit small circumferences like socks or sleeves! I'll have a post about this method in a couple of weeks. It's something that I swear by!

3. Double-Pointed Needles (DPNs)

Best for: Small, round projects like socks, mittens, sleeves, and hats.

DPNs come in sets of four or five and have points on both ends, letting you knit in the round when your project is too small for circular needles. They’re a bit fiddly at first, but many knitters love them for precision and control.

Pros: Great for detailed circular work, no seams.

Cons: Can be tricky to manage all the needles at once, especially for beginners.

DPNs are great for a lot of things, but for the most part, everything you can do with a DPN you can also do with a circular needle. It's nice to have options!

4. Interchangeable Needles

Best for: Knitters who work on a variety of projects and want flexibility.

Interchangeable sets allow you to switch out needle tips and cables, essentially giving you many needle combinations in one. They're an investment, but often more cost-effective in the long run.

Pros: Customizable, space-saving, convenient for travel and diverse projects.

Cons: Can be pricey, and quality varies by brand.

5. Cable (Flexible) Needles

Best for: Creating cable patterns and twists.

These small needles aren’t for general knitting but are essential tools for cable knitting. They hold stitches temporarily while you twist and knit them out of order.

Pros: Useful for intricate textures and cable patterns.

Cons: Limited to specific use cases.

In my opinion, cable needles are a hit or miss. Oftentimes, when I'm making my cables, I find myself reaching for a DPN rather than a cable needle. This is because they are a bit sturdier, and I'm more comfortable working with them.

Needle Materials: What They’re Made Of Matters

Bamboo or Wood: Warm to the touch, slightly grippy—great for beginners or slippery yarns.

Metal (Aluminum, Steel): Smooth, fast, and durable—ideal for speed knitters.

Plastic or Acrylic: Lightweight and affordable—somewhere in between bamboo and metal in terms of grip.

When it comes to needles, metal needles are my favorite. Choosing the right knitting needle depends on your project, your yarn, and your personal preference. I always find myself snapping plastic needles, so I try to stay as far away from those as possible. As you gain experience, you’ll develop a feel for what types of needles work best for you.

The most important thing? Find tools that make the process feel enjoyable. Knitting should bring you peace, not frustration—so grab those needles and let your creativity flow, one stitch at a time.

[froidefille]

I made a thing! As a slightly late 1 year anniversary of the greatest album of all time release, I present you with

The Tortured Poets Department lyrics book

📋 typeset by the lovely @sayornispress 📖 bind by me (I still can't believe I did it!!!!) 👩🏻‍🏫 technical binding info and inspo from @phoenixortheflame, @wisewitchbindery and memoru (the last one is a Polish resource!)

This is a fanbind of the TTPD lyrics by Taylor Swift, made for personal use only. The typeset is made to mirror the official lyrics videos which is SO.COOL!

It will be a gift to a friend who introduced me to Taylor's music 🤍

My rambling about it under the cut below!

oh

my

god, I'm so excited!!!!! This is a very first bind that I share with an audience of more than 1 internet person so please be gentle with me haha

I only found out about what binding is and how AWESOME it is by fanfic binders here on tumblr. I do plan on ficbinding in the future so watch that space!! Honestly, having those beloved words on paper rather than your phone screen is just SO PRECIOUS.

It's actually my second bind. The first one is honestly still just so close to my heart I haven't shared it with the Internet yet, maybe in some time :') As I am just a beginner this bind has maaaany flaws - I didin't get the format right, trimming my text block with an old photo trimmer was a Bad Idea™, I printed the photo on the wrong end of the canvas so I had to just glue it on :D And so on and so on, but I'm gonna learn from these mistakes when creating the next one!!! For the things that did work out: I wanted the theme colours to be the colours of TTPD on the Eras Tour so white, black and gold. I used the plainest cream canvas available, with just a white and black photo on the cover, gold lettering on the spie and a lil sticker on the back. For endpapers I printed my favourite quotes from the songs and then foiled it. AND I managed to sew with a non-wax thread without crying too!

I had the ambition of starting from the very beginning - so making a typeset myself. And then I lost my patience about half an hour in and decided to stick to ready typesets first :D

Now, for the Taylor contents! I absolutely love the concept of lyrics videos, they just make the words really hit you, you know? So when I saw Phoebe very kindly sharing the Taylor typesets they made - I may have screamed a little :D And I absolutely knew that it will be a gift to a fellow Swiftie - a friend whose fault it is I am in this Taylor Swift-shaped madness since last year!

My Swiftie story is pretty new really - I liked Taylor, sure, I liked how kind she was, I liked her mainstream songs, absolutely loved how she DEVASTATED me with Safe and Sound back in my The Hunger Games era. But I didn't really know her other songs or much about her. And then Ela took me to the cinema to see The Eras Tour and well. Here we go, some months later and I am still going on and on about the brilliance of it. I got to see it life in Warsaw, which was a life-altering experience and couldn't get it out of my head ever since.

Hence, the literal studies of the lyrics :D

It really is a special moment for me because I dreamed of learning how to bind your own book. And it really is a full-circle kind of situation. Why? Well, because going to see the Eras Tour life made me believe dreams do come true - so chase them! So I went to bookbinding workshop, bought the materials and here we are!

[academicfever]

My retired dad teaches foreign language to elderly folks (his friends) but since he was a lifelong teacher he is very organized and meticulous about it. I asked him to give me some of his materials cuz i wanna learn again ( I need to pass a course in uni lol) . He taught me for few months after hs and that’s it. I was like dad give me all the materials I can do it! He literally gave me the beginner guide and told me to update him if I manage to get through this 🤣🤣

Now I gotta prove I can do it 🤧

The reverse psychology thing is working dad!

[haxyr3]

My Spanish Experiment

In the spirit of "practice what you preach," I've embarked on an experiment to learn Spanish through watching TV shows. I won't reveal the show's name (to save myself from judgement), but trust me, it's packed with humour, cynicism, and perfect aesthetics that I absolutely adore.

I am a very early beginner in Spanish. My theory? By immersing myself in an engaging TV show, I could grasp conversational Spanish more naturally than through traditional learning materials.

I started with the first episode of the first season. With the help of contextual clues, I managed to follow along surprisingly well. Although I only caught about 20% of the spoken words, the narrative flow and humour were accessible. Here is what's important:

Context Matters: Words in context are easier to understand and remember.

Pronunciation Revelations: Reading the subtitles showed me where my pronunciation guesses were off, providing a quick lesson in Spanish phonetics.

Rewatch Value: I plan to rewatch the episode soon to see how much more I can pick up after having seen the subtitles.

Despite being a beginner, the experience was not only educational but also enjoyable. The episode, at just 30 minutes, is the perfect length for focused learning sessions.

My Advice to You:

Why not pick a TV show you think you'll enjoy and give this method a try? You might be surprised at how much you can understand from the get-go, and how much you'll naturally retain. Remember, your primary goal should be to have fun! The subtitles can serve as your learning tool later.

Stay tuned for more updates on my Spanish journey. I'm excited to see where this experiment leads, and I hope you'll join me or start your own language adventure!

[haplogamingchef]

Dune Awakening Base Building 101: Step-By-Step Guide

New to Dune Awakening? Here’s How to Build Your First Safe Base

If you’re jumping into Dune Awakening and feeling a little overwhelmed by the endless desert, don’t worry — setting up your first base doesn’t have to be complicated. In this Dune Awakening guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to get your first home up and running. This way, you’ll stay safe, store your loot, and survive the harsh conditions of Arrakis like a pro.

Why Build a Base in Dune Awakening?

Before we dive into the "how," let’s talk about the "why."

Here’s why having a base is essential:

Shelter: Protection from sandstorms and the brutal desert heat.

Storage: Keep your resources safe and organized.

Crafting: Access to crafting stations for building gear and vehicles.

Water Production: Purify blood into drinkable water (yeah, it’s wild).

Convenience: Cut down on the time spent traveling between quests.

A solid base is the difference between thriving and just barely surviving in Dune Awakening.

Step 1: Picking the Perfect Spot

First things first, location matters. When you’re picking where to drop your base:

Stay Near Important Areas: Close to trade centers, quest hubs, or mining spots.

Flat Ground: Building on even terrain makes everything easier.

Safe Distance from Enemies: Don't plop your house right next to high-level enemies or dangerous wildlife.

Resource Access: Make sure you have easy access to granite, metal, and salvageable parts.

Pro Tip: Have a second base ready if you’re traveling long distances. It saves a ton of walking (and running from worms).

Step 2: Gather Your Materials

You can’t build if you don’t have the goods. Here’s what you’ll need:

Granite Stone: For walls, floors, and general structure.

Salvaged Metal: Essential for generators and crafting stations.

Fuel Cells: To keep your generator running.

Blood Samples: For water purification (gross but necessary).

Spend some time farming these before you start construction. Trust me, it’s way easier when you’re prepared.

Step 3: Placing Your Sub-Thief

Now that you’ve got your stuff, it’s time to actually start building.

Equip your Construction Tool.

Find a Build Zone that’s clear and flat.

Place your Sub-Thief Structure — it acts as the foundation for your new base.

This step officially marks your territory. Congrats, you're one step closer to surviving Dune Awakening!

Step 4: Build the Basic Structure

Next up: walls, doors, and a roof.

Walls: Surround your base to protect against storms and wandering enemies.

Doors: Make sure you leave a spot to get in and out.

Roof: Shade is life on Arrakis. Don't skip this.

Heads up: You’ll need a lot of granite for this part. If you run out, go mine more before continuing.

Step 5: Install Power

Your base won’t be much good without energy.

Place a Generator inside or nearby your base.

Insert Fuel Cells to keep everything running.

Check Fuel Levels Often. Running out of power mid-sandstorm is not a vibe.

Having power keeps your crafting stations and purifiers online — absolute essentials for surviving Dune Awakening.

Step 6: Set Up a Water Purifier

You’ll get real thirsty real fast on Arrakis.

Place a Blood Purifier inside your base.

Deposit Blood Samples into the machine.

Harvest Water over time.

Water is everything here, so get this up and running ASAP.

Step 7: Crafting Station Time

Once you have shelter and water, you’ll want to start crafting better gear.

Build a Crafting Station with salvaged metal.

Use it to craft weapons, armor, and vehicles.

Soon you’ll be making things like sandbikes that help you cross the desert way faster.

Step 8: Expand with a Refinery

If you really want to step up your game:

Place a Small Ore Refinery at your base.

Use it to refine raw resources like copper into ingots.

Stockpile materials for bigger, better gear.

While optional for a first base, having a refinery speeds up progression massively.

Step 9: Upgrade and Maintain

Building a base is just the start. Keeping it running is just as important.

Here are a few maintenance tips:

Always have spare fuel cells.

Top off water supplies regularly.

Repair any damage after storms.

Expand storage when you run out of room.

Think of it like keeping your car tuned up — regular care saves headaches later.

Step 10: Plan for Multiple Bases

Once you get the hang of it, don’t limit yourself to just one home.

Build secondary bases near new quest zones.

Set up safe houses along trade routes.

Abandon old bases if they’re no longer useful.

More bases = more flexibility and more survival options in Dune Awakening.

Key Takeaways

Pick smart locations for building.

Gather plenty of granite and salvaged metal.

Always have a functioning generator and blood purifier.

Keep crafting stations handy for upgrades.

Never stop farming for fuel cells and metal.

Think about building multiple bases as you progress.

Mastering base building early gives you a huge edge over the harsh environment and unpredictable threats on Arrakis.

Conclusion: Your First Step to Thriving on Arrakis

Learning how to build a base in Dune Awakening is the foundation for everything else you’ll do in the game. With a safe, functional home, you’ll be better equipped to tackle quests, survive storms, and outlast the desert's many dangers.

Set up your first base following these Dune Awakening tips, and you'll be way ahead of other beginners trying to figure it all out the hard way. Good luck out there — and don’t let the sandworms bite!

🎮 Level 99 Kitchen Conjurer | Crafting epic culinary quests where every dish is a legendary drop. Wielding spatulas and controllers with equal mastery, I'm here to guide you through recipes that give +10 to flavor and +5 to happiness. Join my party as we raid the kitchen and unlock achievement-worthy meals! 🍳✨ #Gaming #Haplo Gaming Cook #Gaming Chef #Gaming Cook

For Enhanced Guides Visit Us: https://haplogamingchef.blogspot.com

[127luvr]

Hi can i ask for a male reader x doyoung, where they're both in school and they have an assignment to sing a duet, but doyoung just really chose m!r so that they can spend more time together. Then they kiss?

kiss ♫⋆｡♪ ₊

kim doyoung x male reader

doyoung had never questioned his life in music. he knew from a young age where he was headed--what path in life he wanted to pursue. he breathed music like it was his lifeline. it was the one thing in his life he never second-guessed. he knew he was good at it. at singing--at reading music--at conducting his class for an assignment--at teaching it when he became a student-teacher.

he was born for this.

you weren't as lucky.

the passion for music came from watching a performance of your school choir by chance. you were convinced that you were destined to pass by the auditorium at that very moment--destined to hear the way the ensemble blended their voices together so seamlessly--as if it was a body of water collectively sending waves to shore.

it was too late in the year to join the ensemble you heard, but you managed to squeeze in to one of the beginner classes. it was one of the things in life that you took seriously. staying after school for any extra help from upperclassmen. staying behind to see the rigorous practices that the advanced classes had. while you were graced with a natural talent for music, you still had so much to learn.

which is why you were the most excited when they assigned duets. the only strict rule being that it had to be someone that was in the choir program.

doyoung had taken a liking to you. watching you from the corner of his eye when you sat in one of their after-school practices. he watched the way your pencil followed along the sheet music as they sang, circling the dynamics on top--and underneath--the staff. he watched as your body followed the conductor's baton--watched as you sang along subconsciously to your voice part in the song. he knew without a doubt that he had to choose you for a duet.

he just wasn't entirely sure if it was for his own selfish reasons or for your raw talent.

"(y/n)?" you feel a light tap on your shoulder, the sudden sensation startling you. your binder slips out of your hands when you turn to doyoung, his nearness surprising you further. you can't help but gawk at him, ignoring the way your sheet music spills out of the binder on the floor. doyoung's eyes fall to the floor, his lips twitching slightly as he goes to pick it up for you. you are still watching him as he bends down, his long fingers quick with gathering your materials. you manage to look away as he straightens his posture again, holding his hands out to hand you your binder. "i know we aren't really familiar with each other, but did you want to team up for the duet assignment?"

he was one of the upperclassmen. one of the singers that stood out to you when you watched them practice. the critiques he received from directors were nitpick-y. always something about rounding out his vowels--looking more expressive. it was clear that they only picked on him for small things because they weren't able to find anything he was bad at. he didn't need to improve--but he did need to be pushed just like his classmates.

"yeah!"

you quickly realize that doyoung isn't in it for the music. he knows the song inside and out from the get-go. leaving you to scramble and learn the song even when you're not practicing together. this only makes you wonder what he was in it for. why he chose you of all people?

your practices were usually done in the school practice rooms. preferably one with an old piano in it--sometimes you weren't as lucky. but you watched as doyoung's eyes moved faster than his fingers, reading the music as he played the black and white piano keys. you were almost jealous of his talents. envious of his ability to multitask so effortlessly but he interprets your gaze differently. patting the space on the bench next to him so you could sit--instead of standing with your back to the wall, stiff.

"i like to learn the notes by playing them and then singing them. makes it easier to correct. do you want to try?" your hands hover over the keys, scared to play any of them incorrectly. if you were being honest, you only knew the name of the notes on your phone, where the keys were labeled. "here, i'll show you."

you don't expect doyoung to put his hands on top of yours, guiding them to where he was previously playing. but the piano is the last thing on your mind. instead, thoughts of doyoung's soft skin and dainty fingers replace any and all rational thoughts from your brain.

"the note in between these black keys is d. if you look at the piano you will notice that the pattern repeats over and over again, so the notes only go a, b, c, d, e, f and g. and then back to a. the black keys are semitones--flat or sharp. it just depends on what key we're in, you know?" doyoung finally takes note of your flushed face, his hands immediately clammy on top of yours as he watches you chew your bottom lip anxiously. "(y/n)? did you get any of that?"

"uh-"

"is there a way for me to keep you concentrated?" your gaze drops down to his pouty lips, subconsciously licking your own as you stare them down. this doesn't go unnoticed by doyoung--who has been yearning for your affection since your practices together started. "kissing you?"

for a moment you thought you had shared your thoughts out loud--only to find that your lips were still shut. doyoung was the first to bring up a kiss. that could only mean that he wanted to. that it crossed his mind before it crossed yours. he leans in, with his hands still on top of yours. you're aware of his nearness. the way his cool breath hits your cupid's bow. the way he smells like baby powder--and a little bit like sweat from being in this room for so long. your eyes finally meet again which causes him to tilt his head, raising his eyebrows as if to ask you for a second time.

"here?" but you're the first one to close the gap, the first to meet your lips together. completely disregarding the glass door. completely disregarding that someone might walk by. but none of it matters--not when doyoung's lips feel heavenly. and he's drinking you up like you're a glass of iced tea on a hot summer day. you almost don't want to pull away. wanting to stay in his warmth even if the positioning was awkward. "we can practice at my place next time."

[loganrestarts]

My DIY Art Degree

Some people think there’s an arbitrary marker where you’re finally a self-taught artist, that you eventually reach a point where you’re done with your art education. But I think we spend our whole lives learning, so my goal for my 37th year on earth is to start being a committed self-teaching artist. 

I have so many interests I want to improve and learn that I can’t predict what my progress or end result will look like, but some of the things I want to explore are:

Sketching and drawing

Coloring techniques and color theory

Painting with watercolor and gouache

Painting on the Procreate app

Creative Journaling

Handwriting, hand lettering, and calligraphy

So I dug up a bunch of books and videos to make up a curriculum and planned out my own DIY art degree to start learning them all! 

Each month has its own focus:

Learning About Learning Art 

Mark-making, Sketching, & Basic Shapes 

Perspective

Figure Drawing & Anatomy 

Gesture Drawing 

Character Design

Color & Light 

Composition 

Landscapes & Environmental Design

Using Markers & Colored Pencils 

Painting with Gouache & Watercolor 

Digital Art

I don’t have a syllabus for the full year planned out yet, but here’s a rough draft of the materials and activities I want to try out for Quarter 1:

❄️ January ❄️

✨January Focus: Learning About Learning Art✨

📚 January Materials 📚

Drawabox.com: Lesson 0

[Book] Art & Fear by David Bayles

[Book] Debt Free Art Degree. Foundations in Drawing by Marco Bucci: Chapters: 1

[Book] Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards

[Book] How to Keep a Sketch Journal by Marisa Lewis

[Book] Sketching from the Imagination: An Insight into Creative Drawing by 3DTotal Publishing

[Book] Art Fundamentals: Theory in Practice by 3DTotal Publishing. Chapters: Fundamentals & Critical Thinking

[YouTube] Veritasium: The 4 Things it Takes to Be an Expert

[YouTube] Ian Roberts: 5 Principles to Master Anything

[YouTube] Proko: Getting Better Faster - Painting with 80/20 Rule

[YouTube] Proko: How to Hold and Control Your Pencil

[YouTube] Sycra: Iterative Drawing

[YouTube] Love Life Drawing: 10 Stages of Learning Any Art Skill

[YouTube] Love Life Drawing: Practice Like a Pro - How Steve Rude Improves

[YouTube] Sinix: Art Theory Tutorials Playlist

[YouTube] Sinix: Art Warm Up & Exercises

[YouTube] belartsy: the “right” way to start learning how to draw

[YouTube] Paintable: Sketching For Beginners

[YouTube] Marc Brunet: How to Draw Anything - The 7 Fundamentals

[YouTube] Marc Brunet: How to Draw Good Lineart

[YouTube] Marc Brunet: Stop Learning to Draw the Wrong Way

[YouTube] Marc Brunet: The Most Important Art Skill

[LinkedIn Learning] Drawing Foundations: Fundamentals

[Gumroad] moderndayjames: Intro to Dynamic Sketching ($8)

[Reddit] r/ArtistLounge: How to get better at observing the world around me?

✍️ January Activities ✍️

Set a baseline by making whatever I want

(I know January has already passed; I'll post an update with what I actually managed to get through.)

💝 February 💝

✨ February Focus: Mark-making, Sketching, & Basic Shapes ✨

📚 February Materials 📚

[Book] How to Draw and Think Like a True Artist by Warren Martin. Days 1-5

[Book] Drawing for the Absolute Beginner by Mark and Mary Willenbrink. Chapters 1-2

[Book] You Can Draw in 30 Days by Mark Kistler. Lessons 1-7; 10-13; 15; 19

[Book] Perspective Made Easy by Ernest Norling. Chapters 1-8

[Book] Art Fundamentals 2nd Edition by 3DTotal Publishing. Chapter: Perspective & Depth

[Book] Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards

[Book] Debt Free Art Degree: Foundations in Drawing by Marco Bucci. Chapters: 1, 3

[Book] How to Draw by Scott Robertson. Chapters 1-2

[Reference Pictures] Fundamentals: Shiny Forms

[Reference Pictures] Fundamentals: Basic Forms

[YouTube] Uncomfortable: Drawabox Videos Playlist (Lesson 1)

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Perspective 1

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Perspective 2

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Perspective 6

[YouTube] The Art of Nemo: The ONLY Box Rotation Exercise That’s ACTUALLY Useful

[LinkedIn Learning] Drawing 2-Point Perspective

✍️ February Activities ✍️

drawabox.com 

Lesson 1 & Homework

250 Box Challenge

🍀 March 🍀

✨March Focus: Perspective ✨

📚 March Materials 📚

[Book] Perspective Made Easy by Ernest Norling. Chapters 9-18

[Book] Drawing for the Absolute Beginner by Mark and Mary Willenbrink. Chapters 2; 5

[Book] You Can Draw in 30 Days by Mark Kistler. Lessons 22-27

[Book] How to Draw and Think like a True Artist by Warren Martin. Days 6-14

[Book] How to Draw by Scott Robertson. Chapters 2-7

[Book] Art Fundamentals 2nd Edition by 3DTotal Publishing. Chapters: Perspective & Depth

[Book] Framed Perspective I - Marco Mateu-Mestre. Chapter: 1

[Book] Debt Free Art Degree: Foundations in Drawing by Marco Bucci. Chapters: 3

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Perspective 3

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Perspective 4

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Perspective 5

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Visual Library I 

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Visual Library II 

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Visual Library III

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Vehicle Sketching I 

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Vehicle Sketching II

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Vehicle Sketching III

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Vehicle Sketching IV

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Sketching Figures in Extreme Perspective

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Emulating Even Amundsen Series

[YouTube] moderndayjames: Becoming a Gi Series

✍️ March Activities ✍️

drawabox.com: Lesson 2 & Homework, 250 Cylinder Challenge, Begin 25 Texture Challenge

100 Rotated Objects - based on moderndayjames Visual Library videos

100 Unique Studies (machinery, vehicles, plants, animals)

🖌️ Some Ongoing Activities 🖌️

50/50 Rule: 50% studying, 50% funsies

[Book] 30 Days of Creativity by Johanna Basford

[Book] 2025 Johanna Basford Wall Calendar

[Book] The Lost Art of Handwriting by Brenna Jordan

[Book] Spencerian Handwriting: The Complete Collection of Theory and Practical Workbooks for Perfect Cursive and Hand Lettering by Platts Roger Spencer

[Workbook] New Spencerian Compendium Plate 2 Practice Sheets (Found on PDF Drive)

Hand lettering worksheets I made in Canva

This is by no means a comprehensive education, but I feel like I came up with a good introduction to the things I’m interested in. I’m not going to learn everything about all of these topics in just a year, and I know I'm not going to get through all the resources I found.

I also want to make this process as cheap as possible, so I’m using a lot of free stuff from YouTube and my local libraries. Many of the resources came from radiorunner’s Curriculum for the Solo Artist and suggestions I found through the almighty social media algorithms. 

If your libraries can’t get the books on order or Inter-Library Loan, or if you’d rather just buy them to keep, I’m including Amazon affiliate links. (Many can be found as PDFs through other free methods but I definitely don’t recommend looking for the books on Demonoid, Mobilism, or PDF Drive.)

What do you think I'm missing? What do you think is too extra?

Learning is a life-long process, so even though I gave myself a year to restart, it’s just that: my restart. 

[lia404]

(tl;dr: this is just a long ramble, me trying to convince myself that I need to stop feeling so shy and inaccurate about my bookbinding and that sharing my photos and talking about my projects is valid.)

As I'm preparing Binderary, I've contacted authors of my favourite fanfics to make sure they didn't mind me adding their stories to my bookshelf, posting photos And, if they're interested, to send them a copy (if funds allow; being on the verge of becoming a redundancy does put a question mark to it. It's still something I very much want to make a part of my ethics.)

I tried to build a script for when I contact said authors (and maybe you noticed already, if I've contacted you): a comment in which I desperately try to explain my approach and show I'm a reliable and passionate fanbinder. I swear I'm a writer, but I cringe every time I try to put words on this. I have this huge feeling of illegitimacy, of someone who needs to apologise before I even started the process of binding. I feel like I have to justify everything, in a "don't be afraid, this is a nice project I swear, look here are a billion references that make my message all the more overwhelming" kind of way. I also feel like I'm getting everyone's hopes up, because so many fanbinded books I've seen are gorgeous, while mine are terrible. There's glue everywhere; the pages are printed sideways; the ink bled; the hinges and squares are uneven. Everything is a "prototype" because I don't dare call it a book.

I am immensely grateful for the kindness of the authors I contacted, who were all so accepting, encouraging, and even enthusiastic (although this last one makes me nervous, because as mentioned above: expectations, oh no.)

Now that I have completed some personal projects, I know from experience that photos should not always be trusted, that gorgeous projects have their flaws too, and as such, that mine have a right to be wonky and uneven.

An example: the very first notebook I binded.

I took an old notebook I didn't like the cover of, destroyed it, re-sewed the signatures, added these "Flower Power" pages from a decorated pad I bought for something else completely, and then fought for my life against glue and the paper I picked for the cover.

It does not look awful, if you see the photo from afar. I know multiple people around me said it was nice.

The truth of it:

My cover tore, and I had to add a ribbon to vaguely hide it. Except I didn't have a ribbon that fit. So I added a torn ribbon over a torn cover, adding glue everywhere.

It's even worse on the other side, where you also see that my book case is completely crooked and the squares are so uneven it's almost funny. There's one centimeter of difference here.

As the case would not stick, I added glue and ended up wrapping the endpages INSIDE the cover, rather than glueing them above. The paper tore. Beginner's mistakes.

But hey, the glue makes it shiny, and wrapping looks like I wrapped a present! How fancy.

And yet, when you don't know about it, with the right light and the right untrained eye, it actually looks somewhat nice.

I'm not exactly proud of the result of this first attempt, although I'm really proud I managed to complete the first attempt itself. But I didn't learn from these first mistakes, no. I kept making them again and again, so much so that I gave up doing it by myself only and ended up attending a short bookbinding workshop. (Possibly my best decision of 2024.)

Having access to actually good material with a trained teacher definitely helped. The results look better—and yet.

Look, this one I did last year is so pretty:

The paper cover is gorgeous, and so are the endpapers.

And it's a rounded spine, too, so that's quite fancy. I've had so many people compliment it, and yet...

...yeah. Even with my teacher supervising me in the workshop, it seems like squares are not my friends. It's a good half centimeter here, which on such a small format of notebook actually makes a noticeable difference—that no one notices when they stick to the first photos, the ones that made people go "oooh" and "aaah" and received compliments.

Bottom line: I am an amateur, I am legitimate and not inaccurate as such, and I need to stop feeling shy about sharing my bookbinding photos here. (I do need to learn to take photos, though.)

I've been binding more and more notebooks lately, and made "prototypes", and learnt a lot. And now, I have received the approval of many writers who are eager to see their stories turned into physical books (and I'm eager too) so I know I can proceed with my experiments. Maybe they even won't feel (too) robbed when they see the result.

I'm still looking for a nice/funny/fitting name for my press. Once I have it, I'll likely do a separate blog specifically for my experiments and actual bindings. I am hopeful that having a blog serving as a portfolio will help in feeling more legitimate when I end up contacting more creators, because there are TONS of stories I want on my bookshelves. I've been trying to handmake books since I was five (there was a lot of adhesive tape involved back then), experimenting a lot along the way, until over 25 years later when I stumbled upon Renegade Bindery and reached the "anyone can make books!" mindset.

A few years later, let's be real: NOT anyone can make books. Why is this hobby so expensive in money, time, energy and room? My apartment is small, my bank account will likely not enjoy the job redundancy, and god knows my time and energy were already quite scarce before this.

But I proved myself that I can make books, and people don't seem to hate it? And maybe I can give back to authors who spent hours and hours and hours writing story that kept me going through all these years. Even if my squares are uneven, my pages are cut sideways and my my glue stains are impossible to hide.

So here we are. This was my first post about bookbinding, and most of all fanbinding. Now, onto finding a nice name for my press, before I can finally share photos of my lovely mess.

[ekgfiction]

Hi, I'm back?

...Hello everyone ! This is a very much needed update after a long time of not posting... sorry.

First of all, thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who sent me a kind message, you are angels and I'm so sorry it took me this long to answer your questions.

For those who don't wish to read a long text that looks too much like a page from my diary, here is the summary. I'm officially back working on OLYMPUS. I don't promise you much, but one update a month for now (not necessarily a game update, but an update on me working on the game...yay?).

My 4 goals for January are a lot of ground:

Finish the character pages

Relearning twine

Update the outdated info on Tumblr / itch.io

Fix prologue (because of changes in the outline)

And for those who are nosy like me and want to understand what I was doing until now, buckle up !

I started this blog in the summer of 2021 and posted the demo for OLYMPUS exactly three years ago, in 2022. At the time, I was living alone in the US, with no life outside of work and this project, which was very dear to me. It was my first "real" creative project I wanted to be serious about. I was also very depressed, being alone and away from friends and family sucked.

When I came back to France in the summer of 2022, I was determined to work on the game again. But then, real adult life happened ! My health issues, that I didn’t understand yet, started to really affect me. I lost two dear family members, saw my best friend become a mother and discovered that being a teacher is a fucking hard job. I was an intern teacher and had a final exam at the end of the school year to be a "real" teacher. So I focused on that, and it was a success. A couple of days after that, I decided to go back to OLYMPUS, and that’s when my laptop broke.

The one I had since I was 18 years old. Which contained not only all my class materials from my first year as a teacher, but also my essays and memories of my college years, and all my writing. And I mean, all my writing. From my very first bad fan fiction on Amour Sucré (or My Candy Love in English) that I wrote when I was a teenager and that I managed to save on my laptop, to all my documents on OLYMPUS, a project which had 5 years at this point. I was devastated.

Moving to the Paris suburbs for work didn’t help. I was finally back living somewhere close to my friends and family, when my job made me move far away again, to one of the most expensive and yet hardest place to work as a teacher in France. Because of the very high rent, I was first in a shared apartment, which was not the greatest. Work was even harder to manage. At the end of 2023, I felt stuck, watching life around me move forward while I barely kept up.

In 2024, things began to shift. I let go of some things and people, but made new friends, joined a DnD group, traveled, and even saw Dimension20 live in London (how crazy is that !). I moved out of my shared apartment into a cozy studio, traveled around France to see my loved ones, and finally got a diagnosis for my autoimmune disease, which helped me understand and manage my health. I also bought a new computer and started writing again !

Not on OLYMPUS though, no. Not at first.

The thought of returning to it felt overwhelming. The asks in my inbox, the followers, and the questions on itch.io made it feel like an impossible task. I convinced myself it was too ambitious of a project for a beginner like me. That no one cared anymore—not even me. It’s better if it stays a a silly little daydream I think about on my way to work.

Then, someone left me a kind comment asking if I was still working on the game. It wasn’t the first time someone asked me that, but something clicked. I thought of the me that posted the demo in 2022, how she felt and how I feel now. Maybe, if I started again now, it would be alright? I feel better, healthier. Instead of seeing the project as a burden, something I didn’t accomplish, a very public failure, I wanted to give it another shot. And if I failed again, so what? At least I'd tried. I don't to give up on this story.

I had to start from scratch of course, because everything but the demo on itch.io was lost. Rewrote the world building and the outline. I haven’t finished everything, but I finally feel like I am at a good place to start working on it again. Like, actually working, writing it. Not just my world building, or the outline. I am sure I made a lot of changes from plans I had before, and will probably change it again at some point. But that’s fine. You're pretty much having the first draft of the game anyway, and it'll be easier to rework things than to start anew every time.

This time, I’m being realistic: I’ve set aside four hours a week to write, balancing work, hobbies, friends, family, and my health. It doesn’t sound like much, but to me it sounds manageable, and adaptable to my work and my health. It means I could update you once a month on things I plan to do and have done.

So, for January ! The plan is to finish the character pages, which should take a week. Then, I want to spend some time on twine to relearn how to use it and eventually redo the prologue to fit the new outline. I also have to update itch.io and tumblr as well. Basically, a lot of ground work to let me start the final week of January with the first work path of chapter 1.

Anyway, if you read everything and reached this far, omg thank you so much and sorry I know it was way too long.

Really, thank you. I can't explain how much you, and all of this means to me. Your likes, comments, asks kept this project alive when I didn't believe in it nor in myself.

Love, Elena

[indigostudies]

25.03.2025 // spring break

not much serious grammar studying today, mostly just flashcards—i had a busy day and didn’t have the mental space for much more. but the more vocab i memorise properly, the more confident i feel. i’ve also gotten to a place in the LT german series where i feel like it’s just challenging enough to give me room to improve, but not so challenging it discourages me from trying.

got my syntax grades for the quarter back as well, and i managed a solid 82% overall for the class? honestly (pleasantly!) surprising, it’s my worst area in linguistics. i feel like it war partially to do with the lecturer being more engaging, and the classes not being at 8:30am…

i’m still waiting to hear back about funding for the summer, but i got into the qazaq programme! and while i’m still planning on finishing my entire textbook before then, i feel like i’m at a decentish mid beginner level—though my comprehension is still way better than my actual speaking skills haha.

tomorrow’s plans are to finish another chapter in my qazaq textbook, add all the new vocab to my deck, study some thai, and look for some reading material in german, energy levels permitting. also planning to look into podcasts for korean, since i could use the audio input! there’s ttmik but the structure doesn’t really speak to me…

[tu-es-gegg]

rtgame playing Minecraft proper for the first time since 12? Ish years ago was really eye opening for at least gauging the actual game design of Minecraft because on his own, Daniel figured out basically the intended ways of beating the different bosses. Like most Minecraft players become so jaded and pre-aware of all the hacks and tips and tricks but he just discovers all this on his own, like figuring out the mechanics of the warden and sculk sensors, problem solving the ocean monument, etc. he's a goddamn gamer and he managed to figure most of it out on his own (plus twitch chat helping) being able to explain it's mechanics in a natural and discoverable way is great game design

Of course the game doesn't hold your hand all the way and some things are painful to progress, for example having to unlock recipes means slow means to goals, the rationale I understand but when some recipes that are essential like shields isn't easily found despite having almost all the materials the player is still at disadvantage. Another thing is just basic features being a bit hard to actually guess just as is in the game. For example villager tables, how are people supposed to know the tables are meant villager jobs when they are hidden in houses and the villagers just roam outside clueless. Only reason Dan found out is through twitch chat

And even so Dan already has knowledge of Minecraft from since horses update. Beginner players who've never even heard of a Minecraft have issue because things are not easily explained. I think an issue Is how underutilised the advancements and achievements are because they give you hints when you accomplish something. In fact in the deep dark, Dan sneaked near the sculk sensors and got the Sneak 100 achievement, which hinted towards the sound mechanics and informed him sneaking doesn't produce noises.

It's just an inch resting thought as I rewatch the Minecraft let's play

[oharapussy]

“lyla, what does miguel want for his birthday?”

another spiderdads x reader fic, this time miguel’s birthday 🙏🏼🙏🏼

as always minors dni!

“lyla, what does miguel want for his birthday?” you asked, her tiny frame facing her back to you.

peter had sent you on this mission weeks before, knowing you wouldn’t crack miguel so easily. he was a private person: he wouldn’t like a party, or any big show of it. each time you asked him, he shrugged you off, as if there wasn’t time to entertain such a question. lyla was perhaps the only one who would know, and as she was constantly, silently, conspiring against him, she took great pleasure in what you had asked.

“miguel was very intentional in how i was programmed,” she pouted. “i’m not supposed to entertain those kinds of questions.”

“come on,” you pressed, curious. she rolled her eyes, screens instantly materializing around her.

“i’ll cross-reference his search history on his downtime with his online shopping carts,” she said, tapping away. “he doesn’t keep these private from m-“

oh.

you both instantly froze at what appeared on the screens, both video and text.

“guy pegged with strap-on”

“girl and guy tagteam friend”

“brunette top fucks bear stupid”

“best vibrators for beginner anal play”

oh my fucking god.

“well… there you go,” lyla said, flickering away in an instant, leaving you in the darkness of your office.

you weren’t sure what to tell peter.

—

miguel came back from the gym late at night, beads of sweat still trickling at his hairline. discarding his things at the kitchen counter, he made his way to his bedroom. a mix of curiosity and lust bubbled in his stomach: you both had been dropping hints at him all day. it had started with a pair of panties lazily hanging against his desk, building up to the new, state-of-the-art vibrator now lying on his bed, still in its packaging.

taking him by surprise, you wrapped your arms around his waist, kissing his neck. peter followed, holding his jaw and pulling him into a kiss, full and long. he whined softly against the attack, almost melting against the touch.

“happy birthday, migi,” peter said, smiling into the kiss. in a swift move, he pushed miguel against the bed, his cock already hard and twitching in his sweats. “now take your fucking pants off.”

with your help, his dick burst from his pants within a few seconds, his tip wet, desperate to fuck something.

“god, you’re pathetic, already so fucking hard for us, baby,” you teased. he twitched at the insult, hips grinding against nothing. “well, what do you say? want us to fuck you dumb, honey?”

“please,” he whined. the poor thing had been in charge for so long, he hardly knew how to be so submissive.

peter sat with his back against the bed’s headboard, legs wide to accommodate miguel’s broad shoulders. he let out soft moans as miguel reached ever-closer to the base of his cock, gasping against the new pressure in his throat. peter’s hands were in the tangle of his hair, calling him pretty names all the while. from behind, you had finally worked the strap around your hips.

“how bad do you want this dick?” you bullied, grinding it into his thigh. reaching in front, you circled the tip of his dick with his fingers, really getting him going.

“just fuck me already, mamí, please,” he cried out, pulling his mouth from peter. he bucked his hips backward, almost trying to catch your tip.

steadying his hips with your hands, you pushed into his hole, causing him to cry out with such an intensity, you feared you would wake his neighbors. kissing his wide back, you rubbed his stomach, helping him accommodate the size, before beginning to pump it inside him.

the rutting motion caused him to sink deeper onto peter, making both the men gasp and whine in a way that you had never seen before. why hadn’t you done this sooner?

“good boy, honey,” peter managed, looking at how close he was, highly-evident in his face.

blissed out of his mind, he came some moments later, cock weeping and grinding into the sheets for relief. pushing him past it, you began to hit that sweet spot inside him even harder. you didn’t think it was possible for someone to cum so much. by the end, he was a complete whimpering mess, only capable of begging to be fucked.