#also this is an example of a piece where you blend the mistake into the art

[always-elias]

The Magnus Protocol Episodes have a downright uncanny talent to match up with what is happening to me while I listen to them.

Once, I was out on an evening walk, and decided to go a bit off-track. I don't do evening walks often, but the weather was quite nice and I wanted to listen to the new episode. However, it got far too darker in the forest than I'd have expected, so I was feeling rather uneasy. I descended down to the creek, walking by it. Just hoping I don't stumble into any creepy murder-guy. Well. Guess what episode I was listening to? Certainly not the one with the needle-covered creepy murder-guy?

It was quite terrifying, but I was doing well enough and I was intrigued, so I kept listening. However, at the very moment when he started to doxx the call operator, something splashed in that fucking creek. Needles to say (ha! See what I did there?) I got spooked to all hells and back, and to this day I have mixed feelings about the episode.

The other time, I, having learnt from my mistakes, headed on another evening walk. This time, into the city, y'know, where there are lights on and everything is fine. I headed out to explore one part of the town that I don't know well, and only have been there a handful of times before. It was quiet, and completely deserted. But the lamps lit the way, so it was fine. It would be fine, right?

It felt weird. It just felt weird, and I headed into one of the streets. The lamps started to be sparse. One of the houses was shrouded in darkness, and it's fence looked so weird in the dark. There was a strange shape, maybe a shed, leaning on the house. There was a couple of weak, colourful lights on in the garden of that house, and it seemed like they swayed ever so slightly. My dear friends, I was listening to Running On Empty, y'know. The Lonely liminal place episode? With the darkened place, and strange lights surrounding the piece of architecture? I noped the fuck out of that street so fast.

And of course, the most recent case fo this. I live in a country with a lot of public transport, and when you take your local bus several times everyday, you reach a certain level of familiarity with the bus drivers. Some even let me board without showing my ticket, and I have memorised all of their faces and demeanors. We often smalltalk a bit, it's fun, and it's routine. I've been commuting for years, so I can for example recognize the type of the incoming train in the dark, based on shape of the approaching lights alone. I can, also, recognize all of the buses on my line home, even without seeing their actual numbers. I know them. Sometimes a new driver comes on the line, or an old one leaves, and even if they add a new bus, it tends to be of a certain model or general vibe.

One night I was waiting for my bus home, listening to the episode Driven, y'know, with the people-eating coach that looks just similar enough to blend in, if the passersby don't pay close attention?

It was dark, and cold, and there was only like three other people waiting for the bus, which is unusually little.

A new bus came. The ones on this line are white and red, with shiny paint, the corners are smooth and round and sometimes there's ads on the walls, depending on the bus. This one was yellow and blue, the paint matte, and it just looked a bit too blocky compared to the others. The bus driver was also unknown to me.

Boy did I fucking hesitate to get on that one. I did, in the end, and it's probably still me writing these lines.

I'm just so intrigued, this never happened to me with any of the TMA cases... Did anyone have something like this happen to them with any of the statements?

[littlehornedoak]

happy thanksgiving!

[polychromatiica]

i love ur art sm!! ur such an inspiration 💌💌how do you choose your palettes? the colors you use have always catched my eye

thank you so much!!!

For the colours, I don't know what to suggest if you do traditional art as I'm not very skilled in that but if you're a fellow digital artist I can try!!

pretty long post coming up, btw I do need to preface I'm just a student and not a professional, so take this all with a grain of salt especially if i get technical at all

TL;DR (too long didnt read): i use a green and or orange multiply layer, i try to give everything a dark green-orange undertone, focus on how certain colours look when next to each other and how they can appear completely different

also also its late and im tired so i apologise for any mistakes

i usually start by doing colours that generally match the character im drawing, then i just kinda go wild with altering them, ive learnt to pick them on my own through practice but a lot of the time and starting out i simply mess around with "blending modes". It'd be difficult to explain all of them and they may differ from software to software but my favourite one is "Multiply" (which should be on most softwares, hopefully!)

now, what you do with these depends on what sort of vibe youre going for, I like warm colours, I don't really know how to describe my art, but I like it to be saturated yet dark.. if that makes any sense lmao

gonna use this random doodle of emma to explain what i mean. on my phone rn so its not,, very good but itll do haha

so, i started by getting roughly similar colours to what she has. colourpicking from official art is always an option too, if youre drawing an oc then just figure out the general "local colour" (flat colours unaffected by lighting) you want the character to have and put them down, my art switches from being desaturated and saturated a lot depending on the vibe im goung for, for the more saturated art I'm gonna add a clipping layer of this solid bright yellowy green olivey colour in this example (the colour you use changes the atmosphere of it a lot, i usually use green or orange because i really like the look it gives, i love dark and warm tones)

clipping is a feature a lot of art softwares should have, for this im using ibis paint x, i usually use clip studio paint, others will have it and blending modes too, it lets you create a new layer and "clip" it to the one below, anything you draw on the clipped layer will only show up on space that has been drawn on the layer below (but you can hide/delete anything on this layer and it won't effect the original layer!)

next im gonna use the multiply feature,

"keeps only the darker colors of the blend layer and makes light colors less opaque. The resulting color is always darker, except for where it's pure white" (taken from a website called sketch) dunno how much the specifics of its affects change between different softwares, but the way I view it is always "makes base colours darker, and adds a tint of whatever colour you selected"

the result from doing that is this! this gives a sorta green tone, you can play with the opacity to change the intensity. this is a really simple trick to get cool looking colours, and the more I've used it and paid attention to what specific colours i get from doing it. for these saturated pieces ive noticed that depending on how much I tinted the piece any colours that would for example be white (like the hair frederick has in this drawing) is actually straight up yellow/orange

i have some art thats a little less saturated/a bit darker than this though, but its a pretty similar process! you can see the white of their shirts are actually again a dark desaturated yellow/orange, now you may notice it looks a little green at first, that is another thing to keep in mind

colours can trick your eyes a lot! and you can use this to your advantage very well, I'm not well versed enough in colour theory to explain the exact specifics on how this happens, but basically depending on the colours surrounding it, certain colours can appear completely different

another example is normans waistcoat in this drawing, you probably see that and think "thats blue" but nope, somehow, its actually a very very desaturated yellow! grey can appear as blue a lot ive noticed

if we isolated that grey/yellow colour you can see it is in fact grey, but it looks blue in the whole drawing!

whilst obviously theres nothing wrong with making a drawing of a character where things like blue actually are blue or a white/grey is actually white/grey, in the style of art I do i personally enjoy limiting the amount of colours used and using certain tricks to make it look like theres more variation in hues than there actually is, i like how cohesive it makes the artwork look :)

heres another example of what multiply can do with a few different colours, its best to learn to colour without it, i see multiply (and other blending modes! theres a lot of them) like training wheels, its not cheating to use them, its just a little boost to help you start out, and you can go a lot further in developing your understanding of colour if you try and learn to colour without it :D

[aeridanus]

Anonym hat gefragt:

that map you made is stunning! do you have any tips/programs on how to properly make one? i really love looking at these but i never know how to make them myself

Hello there, happy to help! :)

So if you’re interested in making a map, you have several ways of doing that. Ask yourself some questions first:

What is the purpose of the map? Do you want/need a scientific representation of a region or planet (example: Satellite map of the Earth), or is it a highly stylized storytelling tool (example: Map of Middle Earth)? Something in between? Think about what you want to communicate with your map and decide on its setup. As you asked about the map I uploaded, I’ll talk about my approach to satellite/physical maps :)

My personal approach to those maps is pretty scientific because I like hard worldbuilding with a lot of logical thought behind it. The satellite map from yesterday functions both as a physical map for the setup of the planet, but it’s also a base for other maps. For example, the climate chart I worked out uses the physical map as its foundation.

There are some pitfalls when it comes to map projections because we’re dealing with the problem of unwrapping a 3D globe onto a flat, 2D surface. With the standard maps we’re seeing today, areas closer to the poles get increasingly distorted. Just look at how huge Greenland appears on world maps - in real life, it’s pretty small. This is important to consider and I didn’t catch my own mistake until yesterday. If you want to be 100% sure, the best way to do it is to use a 3D program and paint your map directly onto the globe. Unwrapping the texture later gives you the correct distortions. If this is a concern for you, I’m happy to elaborate more, but I’ll stick to the visual side for now :) It’s all done in Photoshop, nothing else required. Screenshots are in German, but I added explanations.

The start of it all is a rough sketch of land and sea areas. It doesn’t need to be perfect or final at this point, just draw shapes you like. You can also add a bit of thought to it - maybe a landmass broke in several parts not too long ago and you still see the puzzle-piece shapes, but that’s another story entirely :) If it’s just about making a nice-looking map, go with what pleases you.

For surface details, I used satellite images and photobashed them onto my surfaces. I had worked out plate tectonics to have an explanation for the location of mountains and plains, but that’s also another story. If you want a mountain range somewhere just because, then put it there :) Collect aerial images which fit what you have in mind. Leave vegetation out for now, it’s just about highs and lows.

Then, roughly lay them over your landmass. I recommend keeping the landmasses on their own layer, separate from the sea, because you can “clip” the satellite image to the landmass layer by hovering your cursor between the layers and pressing alt:

Do this with plains and mountains (no vegation just yet), mix and match and blend until you get a setup you like. Also take a look at satellite images of coastlines so you can use them as a reference for your own. Give your landmass layer a mask on which you can draw to refine your coastline. To add a mask to your layer, select it and then press the button which has a rectangle with a circle on it. Drawing with black subtracts from your image, drawing with white adds to your image. You don’t destroy your base layer by using masks, and if you want to deactivate or delete that mask, right-click it for its context menu.

So now we landed on something similar to this. If you’re having trouble with coastlines, also search for aerial images and use them as references for your own. Where are flat beaches, rugged coastlines, fjords, islands? You can go with science (example: Fjords are valleys of former glaciers, so they’re unlikely to form in warm climates. Rugged coasts in warm areas probably have a different origin) or just do your thing.

I added the seafloor, basically the borders of continental plates, and a soft edge glow to the continents to simulate shallow water around them.

Now, placing vegetation can be a nightmare or ridiculously easy. For a first pass which you can modify later on by using layer masks again, do the following: Duplicate your landmass layer and switch off the layer style if you have one. Now, go to Image > Corrections > Replace color. Use the picker to select a color you want to replace with green. In my case here, I want to have vegetation closer to the mountains, so I pick a slightly darkened brown from my map.

It’s time for the magic :) Now use the three sliders at the bottom of the window to change the picked color to your target color, green in my example. Ho-lee sheeet! :D Use the tolerance slider at the top to narrow or widen the picker’s range, and just go with what you like.

Now you can play around with your vegetation layer as you wish. Add or substract from your layer and/or overlay it with some color variance. Do a second vegetation layer and pick a different color base, maybe the lighter deserts or the darker mountains. Set a different tolerance and color to it... and that’s basically it! Play around with those methods and have fun making maps! :)

[rayvvens]

First pup is done

There are a few mistakes here and there so I'll have to alter the pattern some more. I think for a prototype/practice project tho he's pretty cute.

On another note I am very happy with the fur! I believe I mentioned previously I would do a little review of the shop if I liked the material so here we go.

I ordered from the etsy shop TeddySuppliesHK.

Two things to note if you do decide to purchase from them is that

1. They are from Hong Kong so the shipping can take a while. It took a few weeks for my package to arrive. Which absolutely is not the fault of the shop itself. Just something to note so you aren't purchasing material and expecting it to arrive in a few days.

2. Check the sizes of the materials. Once again this is not the fault of the shop. They specialize in miniatures and doll making supplies. Some of what I ordered was smaller than I thought because I am an idiot and did not read the sizes. If you need a specific size (dolls eyes for example) definitely check it. But you guys are smarter than me so I know you all know that already 👍

Moving on!

They have a great selection of faux furs for dolls. There's many different colors as well as textures. The furs I purchased also aren't very long meaning minimal trimming is required if you're sewing lil plushes. (At least for the kind I am making)

They also, at the time of writing, have those long fuzzy pipe cleaners. They're the ones some popular videos were made of. You can make little animals out of em. I ordered a few as well and made one dog so far. They also seem to be good quality. I was able to bend them easily, add colors with markers, and they somewhat blend together if that makes sense? Since they are fluffy you don't see where they are twisted together so much.

Back to the fabric. I would def recommend it if you're making tiny plushes. As previously mentioned the fabric pieces aren't very large. But they're also priced at $3-5 (the ones I got) which seems fair to me. They also don't have the shine some faux furs have. They are matt and also come in more natural colors. Which for me has been difficult to find when in stores.

Minor note which idk if anyone cares about but, I didn't notice any smell when I received the fabric. Which is a good thing. As someone who works in a fabric store some of it stinks real bad. (The minky at my store reeks! People who go to joann is this universal or just my store?)

That about wraps up I think just about all my thoughts. I'm not sure if anyone will find this at all interesting. But I'd partly like to keep notes on material I like. As well as have materials I use just listed on here for anyone who may stumble upon my page and be curious. Sometimes it seems like people are a bit secretive about where they get materials for certain crafts so I'd rather just mention shops or stuff I like.

[a-d-nox]

Hi there, have a question in mind : How do you think the accuracy of the interpretation of Asteroid astrology?

Eg asteroid in houses / signs / the meaning of asteroid based on the Greek goddess stories

second ask:

i was a literature major in college / at uni. does that make me 100% correct with astrology *shrug* probably not because astrology and literature is open to many interpretations (critical reading requires people to interpret written forms in many ways). but mythology has been around a very long time, it's the very origin of astrology. during ancient great antiquity, it was the documented method for predicting shifts in the seasonal cycles. if the stars and planetary/luminary shifts could predict changes, of course, one would deem them representatives of the gods.

asteroids have stories as i emphasize here. mythology has its roots in oral traditions, so it is often that older cultural groups may know a different story. often there are pieces of literature written to make claims of what the masses believed (click here for examples - because i do reference sources that predate all of us here by centuries). sometimes the translations of the piece differ - because we as humans do make mistakes. i am not without my flaws, but i do correct myself when i do make mistakes. when i entered the community, about a year ago now, i didn't know what the term "closed practice" was nor what it included and tried to share what i had been taught by a college i attended regarding an aboriginal myth and a hebrew myth. both communities corrected me, and i made a public statement about each as to where and why i was wrong (because the versions i had access to were appropriated and groomed by christian point of view). the aboriginal one was strictly oral in tradition, thus no accurate and publicly agreed upon source had been made like i was lead to believe. and the hebrew one was catholic propaganda, which i had been feed at a young age through only small fault of my own. but i never faught that i was correct and they were wrong because i went back and looked at my sources for each post and saw they were weak.

the posts that are not blacklisted on my blog i know are strong because they come from centuries old literature that are widely accepted. if there is conflict, it is because of historical or interpretational differences, but that is why i provide a story with my posts so everyone has a chance to see something different that maybe i didn't see. that's also why i never just list one interpretation with an asteroid because from a literary perspective, i have been taught to see what i read from multiple angles.

haha, i will never forget when i walked to my modernism class and i was ready to hear about "the rocking horse winner" being about the great depression and classism, but my professor talking about oedipal complexes and sexuality for multiple class periods regrading this short piece of fiction.

that's just it as well, mythologies fall into the realm of fiction, so it is up to the reader to decide if they believe it is possible or not. if it holds up and means anything to the topic at hand. but in astrology, i find it good practice to use the mythical resources regarding who/what the asteroid is named after/for.

as for sign, degree, house, and aspects - it is mostly extrapolation on my part. i blend what i know about the myths and about the preexisting planetary/luminary symbolism to produce my opinion on what they may mean. i never claimed that what say for interpretation, regarding any placements, is fact - it's too bold to claim that. but i do believe that if there is common evidence that supports my argument that it does hold some accuracy. for example: someone who claims that pluto is about how fast someone speaks is just wrong there are plenty of people in the community and plenty of books that will prove them wrong. but if i hypothesize that mercury in the 3h likely makes someone a fast talker - i could argue why. and i can do that with every one of my posts, which is why at the end, and sometimes the beginning, i state that people can forward their questions to me.

as long as you can support (your source better be good though - not another blog with no sources) what you say, you can say it, as my professors say.

thus, i am always open to hearing what others have to say if the conversation remains respectful and open to new ideas and interpretations (i will mirror the energy). but everyone should remember: i will block you if you begin bullying anyone - i do not tolerate bullying (click me for example) or the disrespect of others.

hope this cleared some things up.

a.d.

[casagear-home]

Top Tips for Buying Living Room Furniture Online by Casagear

Shopping for living room furniture online offers an unparalleled level of convenience and variety. With countless styles, materials, and sizes available at your fingertips, you can find exactly what you need without leaving the comfort of your home. However, it’s important to approach online furniture shopping with a plan. The right choices can elevate your living room, while the wrong ones can lead to costly mistakes. Here are some top tips to help you make informed decisions when buying important home decor staples.

Know Your Space and Measurements

Before you start browsing, it’s crucial to understand the layout and size of your space. Knowing the exact dimensions of your room will save you from ordering pieces that are either too large or too small. Measure the area where the furniture will go, including the length, width, and height of the available space. Also, consider the flow of the room—how people will move around the pieces and whether there’s enough room for doors to open fully.

One helpful tip is to create a floor plan so that you can better visualize your home decor changes. This will give you a better sense of how different pieces will look in the space, helping you avoid buying living room furniture that crowds the room or feels disproportionate. Remember that your furniture should complement your room’s layout– not overwhelm it.

Check Material and Durability

Once you’ve identified the right size, the next step is to focus on material quality and durability. The materials you choose for your home accessories can have a big impact on both their longevity and how well they match your lifestyle. For example, if you have children or pets, a durable, stain-resistant fabric like microfiber or leather may be a better choice than a more delicate material like velvet.

When it comes to sofas and chairs, pay attention to the frame material. Solid hardwood frames are often more durable and long-lasting than particleboard or metal frames. If you're looking at wood furniture like coffee tables or shelving units, consider the type of wood. Hardwood options like oak, walnut, or teak are typically sturdier and more resistant to wear and tear.

Also, consider the style and fabric of your furniture. If your living room gets a lot of sunlight, fabrics like linen and cotton are more breathable, but they may fade over time, while synthetic blends tend to be more durable. Always read customer reviews to check for any comments on how the piece holds up over time, particularly regarding fabric quality, comfort, and build.

Conclusion

When buying living room furniture online, taking the time to carefully measure your space and research materials will save you from potential disappointments. Understanding your room’s dimensions and layout, as well as choosing high-quality, durable furniture, ensures you’ll make smart investments that enhance the comfort and style of your home. With thoughtful planning and a bit of patience, online shopping can be an enjoyable and rewarding way to furnish your living room.

[ellementso3mdm-blog]

Guidelines for Selecting Outdoor Furniture That Compliments Your Space

Choosing the right outdoor furniture is crucial for creating a space that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Whether you’re designing a patio, a garden, or a balcony, the right furniture can transform your outdoor area into a perfect retreat. Here’s a guide to help you select the best outdoor seating that complements your space:

Consider the Purpose of Your Space

Before you start shopping, think about how you intend to use your outdoor space. Will it be a place for family gatherings, quiet reading, or entertaining guests? Your intended use will influence the type of outdoor seating or patio furniture you need. For example, if you love hosting parties, a large outdoor sofa set with ample seating might be ideal.

Measure Your Space

Always measure your outdoor area before purchasing furniture. Knowing the dimensions helps you avoid the common mistake of buying pieces that are too big or too small for your space. This is especially important for patios or balconies where space can be limited. A well-sized outdoor sofa will fit perfectly without overcrowding the area.

Choose Durable Materials

Outdoor furniture is exposed to the elements, so durability is key. Materials like WPC (Wood-Plastic Composite), aluminum, or treated wood are excellent choices. They are resistant to moisture, UV rays, and temperature changes, ensuring your furniture lasts for years. Additionally, cushions and fabrics should be weather-resistant, preventing mold and fading.

Comfort is Key

Comfort should never be compromised when choosing outdoor seating. Look for furniture with plush, supportive cushions that invite you to relax. Consider ergonomic designs that support your body, making long hours of sitting comfortable. If possible, test the furniture in person to ensure it meets your comfort standards.

Blend with Your Outdoor Environment

Your outdoor furniture should complement the natural surroundings and the architecture of your home. For instance, if your garden has a lot of greenery, earthy tones or natural wood finishes can blend beautifully. On the other hand, sleek, modern designs with neutral colors might suit a contemporary patio.

Opt for Versatility

Versatile furniture pieces can be rearranged or repurposed to suit different occasions. Modular outdoor sofas, for instance, can be configured in various ways to accommodate more guests or create a cozy nook. Multi-functional furniture like storage benches or tables with built-in coolers can enhance the utility of your space.

Easy Maintenance

Select outdoor furniture that is easy to maintain. Look for materials that require minimal upkeep—WPC and aluminum, for example, can be cleaned with just soap and water. Removable and washable cushion covers are also a practical choice, keeping your outdoor space looking fresh with minimal effort.

Stick to a Budget

While it’s tempting to splurge on luxury outdoor furniture, it’s important to set a budget and stick to it. High-quality furniture doesn’t always mean the most expensive. Look for brands that offer durability, comfort, and style at a reasonable price.

In conclusion, selecting the right outdoor furniture involves a balance of practicality, comfort, and style. By considering the purpose of your space, measuring accurately, choosing durable materials, and focusing on comfort and aesthetics, you can create an outdoor oasis that you’ll enjoy for years to come.

Referal Link: https://ellements.in/guidelines-for-selecting-outdoor-furniture/

[alt-ctrl]

The Quiet Revolution: Understated Elegance Makes a Comeback

In a world where louder often seems better, a whisper can sometimes be more powerful than a shout. This paradox is playing out in the fashion world, where understated elegance is staging a quiet revolution against the cacophony of modern excess. It's as if Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly have stepped out of their black-and-white films and into our technicolor world, reminding us that true style speaks volumes without raising its voice.

The Art of Sartorial Subtlety

Imagine, if you will, a red carpet event where celebrities arrive dressed as their favorite kitchen appliances. While the toaster dress and blender suit might grab headlines, they'd hardly be remembered as timeless classics. Yet, this isn't far from the reality of many modern award shows, where outfits seem to scream, "Look at me!" louder than a car alarm at 3 AM.

Enter the understated elegance movement, sashaying in like a breath of fresh air in a room full of air fresheners. It's not about blending into the wallpaper; it's about standing out by not trying so hard to stand out. Think of it as the fashion equivalent of the cool kid in high school who never needed to announce their coolness – they just were.

The Paradox of Less is More

Here's a brain-teaser for you: How can wearing less make you more noticeable? It's not about showing more skin, but rather about showing more skill in your style choices. The classic little black dress, popularized by our style guru Audrey Hepburn, is the perfect example. It's the sartorial equivalent of a Swiss Army knife – versatile, reliable, and always in style.

But don't mistake simplicity for simplistic. Creating an understated yet elegant look is like trying to write a haiku about quantum physics – it requires precision, depth, and a whole lot of thought. It's about curating a wardrobe where each piece plays well with others, like a well-orchestrated symphony rather than a freestyle jazz improvisation gone wrong.

The Taste Test

Good taste in fashion is like good taste in wine – it's subjective, but there are some generally agreed-upon principles. And just as a sommelier can discern notes of oak and hints of blackberry in a glass of red, a fashion connoisseur can appreciate the subtle details of a well-crafted garment.

Take Grace Kelly's wedding dress, for instance. It wasn't adorned with LED lights or made from recycled soda cans. Instead, it was a masterpiece of intricate lace detailing and modest design. It's the kind of dress that makes you say "Wow" in a reverent whisper rather than a loud exclamation.

The Sustainable Style Revolution

Here's where things get really interesting. This return to classic style isn't just about looking good – it's also about doing good. In a world where fast fashion is filling landfills faster than you can say "last season's trends," embracing timeless pieces is like giving Mother Earth a stylish hug.

Think about it: If you invest in a classic trench coat that you'll wear for years rather than a trendy jacket that'll be passé by next Tuesday, you're not just saving money in the long run – you're also reducing your fashion footprint. It's like the capsule wardrobe is the new capsule hotel – compact, efficient, and surprisingly satisfying.

The Simplicity Paradox

Now, let's address the elephant in the room (hopefully not wearing a tutu): Isn't simplicity, well, boring? Au contraire, mon frère! Simplicity in fashion is like a blank canvas – it allows your personality to shine through without competing for attention.

Imagine trying to have a deep conversation with someone wearing a hat that doubles as a working ferris wheel. The hat might be impressive, but it's hardly conducive to meaningful interaction. Similarly, when your outfit isn't shouting for attention, people are more likely to notice you – your smile, your wit, your charming habit of snorting when you laugh.

The Challenge of Understated Elegance

Here's a challenge for you: Try dressing in a way that makes people remember you, not your clothes. It's harder than it sounds, isn't it? It requires a keen understanding of cut, fabric, and fit. It demands an eye for subtle details and an appreciation for quality over quantity.

But the rewards are worth it. When you embrace understated elegance, you're not just following a trend – you're embracing a lifestyle. It's about valuing longevity over novelty, quality over quantity, and personal style over fleeting fashions.

In conclusion, as we navigate the noisy landscape of modern fashion, perhaps it's time to turn down the volume and tune into the quiet power of understated elegance. After all, in a world where everyone is trying to make a statement, sometimes the most powerful statement is one that doesn't need to be shouted. So here's to the quiet revolutionaries of style – may your whispers of elegance echo louder than any fashion scream.

[bakingpleasures]

Tried & Tested Tips to Make the Perfect Baby Shower Cupcakes

Are you ready to bake tasty and beautiful baby shower cupcakes? This is where you can expect lots of fun! These little bundles of joy are not just desserts they are sweets that create a smile on everyone’s face. No matter how much experience you have baking or how experienced you are in the kitchen, it is very easy and fulfilling to make attractive cupcakes for a baby shower. In this blog, we will be discussing few tested methods that can be followed to make cupcakes of your choice.

Choose the Right Flavors

Choosing the correct type of baby shower cupcakes is the most important factor. You want something that will be generally acceptable.

Both the plain vanilla and chocolate are favourites with the audience. But why not add a twist? Go for lemon to give it a citrus flavor or strawberry for that fruit flavor.

Try to recall that there are may be pregnant woman among the guests. Do not use products with a pronounced taste, such as coffee or alcohol. Thus, it is better to select relatively bland and soothing flavors.

Consider the season too. For spring and summer showers light fruity flavors would be ideal. For example, for fall and winter it will be appropriate to use spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg.

Perfect Your Batter

To achieve the best cupcakes it is recommended to start with the batter. Here's how to nail it:

Use room temperature ingredients. This assists in creating a homogenized paste where all the ingredients are well combined. Ensure that your eggs and butter are taken out of the fridge one hour before baking.

Don't overmix! Mix only until the dry and wet ingredients are blended together. The fault of overmixing is the formation of a dense structure and, as a result, tough cupcakes.

For equal portioning scoop the batter with an ice cream scoop for even baking. This makes sure that all your cupcakes to be of equal size.

Master the Frosting

A good buttercream icing can make a good cupcake become an amazing cupcake. Here are some tips:

Start with softened butter. Blend it to a paste before incorporating sugar. This prevents lumps.

Sift your powdered sugar. It contributes to easier frosting.

If your frosting is too stiff, add more milk. Too thin? Add more sugar.

Decorate with Style

But let us not forget the exciting part – the part when we get to put on the icing on the cake! Here's how to make your cupcakes shine:

You should spend some money on getting good piping tips. They are crucial in coming up with beautiful designs on the products.

It is recommended to first warm up on a plate before doing it on cupcakes to avoid mistakes. It assists you in getting a feel of the amount of pressure required.

Use the use of sprinkles or edible glitter in order to add a little bit of glitz to the cake. It is best for using during the holidays as it gives a festive feel.

If you want to create something simpler, you can attempt to make shapes such as candies in the form of hearts or stars using candy melts. They make great toppers.

Add Personal Touches

Make your cupcakes extra special with these personal touches:

For the cupcake toppers, there should be baby related designs. You can get cute ones or even sew your own.

The color of frosting must also correspond to the overall theme of the shower that is being thrown for the baby. Soft, pastel colors never seem to go out of style.

One should also consider placing something in the box – be it an object or a note – to make the giving and receiving more exciting. A small portion of jam or a piece of chocolate chip in the middle is something very pleasant.

Oh yes the cupcake wrapper – this is the final aspect that needs to be considered. Cupcake liners are mostly used and can really enhance the appearance of the cupcakes.

Conclusion

Using these effective strategies, you are on the right track to making the best baby shower cupcakes. The point to be noted is that it is in the details such as the type of cupcake liners used to the use of sprinkles. Looking for cake decorating supplies? Baking Pleasures store is the perfect place to get all your supplies. They sell all the products that you need, ranging from cake decorating supplies Brisbane to baking supplies online.

[steamexperts]

Benefits of Carpet Repairs Sydney

Carpets are a beautiful flooring option for both homes and businesses. However, they can suffer from damage and require regular maintenance to extend their lifespan. Fortunately, there are many benefits to hiring professional carpet repairs sydney.

Damaged or ripped carpets are not just unsightly; they can also pose health hazards. For example, rips in business carpets can be dangerous for employees and lead to Occupational Health and Safety issues.

Extend the Life of Your Carpets

Carpets are expensive investments that need to be properly cared for. Regular repair services help extend the life of your carpets by repairing burns, stains, indentations and more. Professionals are trained to fix these issues with ease and efficiency. They also have access to advanced tools that can make the job a whole lot faster than trying to do it yourself.

A common repair is restretching, which stretches the carpet like a facelift to eliminate wrinkles that can lead to wear and tear. It can also prolong the life of your carpets by eliminating tripping hazards caused by loose and uneven carpeting.

Patch repairs are also done by professionals to restore the appearance of your carpets. To do this, they create a paper template slightly bigger than the damaged area and cut a spare piece of matching carpet from an unnoticeable corner or another room in your home. This is then hot-glued into place in the damaged area.

Restore the Aesthetics of Your Space

Carpets are a major home investment, and they add a touch of beauty to any interior. But over time, they can experience damage and need repair. A professional repair service can restore the look of your floors and help you save money by avoiding replacement.

Professional carpet repairs nsw address a variety of issues, including rips and tears, burn marks, fuzzing, furniture indentations, and more. They can also help you avoid expensive mistakes by repairing the problem right the first time.

Carpets are a natural air filter, trapping dust, allergens, and other harmful particles that circulate in the air. Over time, however, damage to the fibers can disrupt this filtration process, releasing harmful pollutants back into the air. Professional carpet repair can help you extend the lifespan of your carpets and improve indoor air quality.

Reduce Waste

Professional carpet repair services reduce waste by mending damaged areas rather than replacing them entirely. This reduces the demand for new carpeting materials and encourages sustainable growth.

Carpet burns can be caused by cigarette smoke, hot iron, hair straightening rods,

and fireplaces. They leave discolored patches of the carpet that can make it look ugly and unsightly. A carpet burn repair service can restore your carpets to their original state, removing the burned patch and blending the remaining fibers with the rest of the carpet.

A professional can remove tough stains from your carpet, such as pet stains, grease, blood, and other liquids. They use non-toxic cleaning solutions and efficient repair methods, ensuring your carpet looks beautiful and hygienic. They also eliminate places where dirt and allergens hide, reducing health hazards. They can also restretch your carpet, extending its lifespan and saving you money on a replacement.

Save Money

Carpet repairs are a significant investment in any home, and they can be very expensive to replace. Getting your damaged carpets repaired by a professional will help you to extend their lifespan and save money in the long run.

Shedding is a normal occurrence, especially in loop pile carpets. It’s not a manufacturing defect and can be easily fixed by vacuuming the affected area. Sprouts are longer tufts that occur in some carpets due to heavy foot traffic. The best thing to do is not pull them as it can damage the fibers and leave a hole in the carpet. Instead, it’s advisable to trim them neatly with scissors.

If your carpet is burned by a cigarette butt or has been damaged by heat, then you can use carpet patching techniques to fix it. The process involves making a paper template, cutting out the damaged section of the carpet and glueing in a spare piece that matches it.

[idigitizellp21]

Digital Marketing Guide For B2b

What is B2B Digital Marketing?

B2B (also known as business-to-business) marketing refers to various marketing strategies that are tailored towards a business or an organization. Any company that sells products/services or does business with other businesses or organizations typically fall in the B2B segment.

Difference between B2B and B2C digital marketing

Both B2B and B2C (business-to-consumer) are two different business segments with different target audiences and how your sales pitch is crafted also differs. B2C is when your marketing strategies are targeted directly to the end consumer. Below is a distinguishing table that answers some questions keeping in mind B2B and B2C businesses. You will be astonished by the contrasting answers.

As much as they differ, B2B and B2C also have some joint elements. You may have come across companies that serve/sell to both organizations and well as individuals. For example, if a Digitial marketing agency serves companies by satisfying their digital marketing needs and also delivers similar services to individuals. Hence, a blend of both B2C and B2B digital marketing strategies (Hybrid Digital marketing strategies) needs to be adopted by such organizations.

Digital marketing techniques for B2B:

Let’s look at some effective digital marketing techniques for B2B businesses, which aids businesses to reach their targeted audience.

1. Email Marketing for B2B: Did you know, 93% of B2B marketers use email for lead generation purposes? Are you one of them? After reading this statistic don’t you think you should be one of them?. Emails foster engagement which is responsible to make a subscriber into a lead and then eventually your customer. Email Marketing is a tried and tested medium to reach not only business customers but also individual customers. The difference between a B2C and B2B mail would be what is communicated. For example, a B2C Email will focus on entertainment and emotions whereas, a B2B Email shall focus on value and logic. With the continuous inflow of email, you as a brand must ensure your Email stands out and communicates its products and services efficiently. Below are a few B2B email writing best practices you can consider while drafting your B2B Email content. a. Craft a catchy headline: Think about your email subject lines as a trailer of any movie— If a trailer didn’t manage to hook you, you will not but tickets for that film. if you can’t hook your audience in the very first Email line, don’t expect them to open the mail. We suggest spending maximum time crafting a catchy headline to your Email. b. Restrict yourself to one Call-to-action (CTA) per Email: Have you ever been in a situation where you have 2 many options and hence land up doing absolutely nothing in this confusion? As an Email Marketer, we recommend you avoid this mistake where the reader will be confused about which button to click first and finally they will delete your Email. With one CTA the reader is completed to focus on a specific piece of content and ultimately one CTA button. c. Target your Emails to the most relevant audience segment: Your buyers may be at various buying stages and hence you must consider having an updated list of each buyer and where he is currently on the buyer’s map. Imagine an Email: 50% off on our new machine is shot to a customer who already purchased the product yesterday at full price. To avoid such blunders, make customer segments and craft different emails to each segment. This mail should ideally reach the customer who probably is at the consideration stage on the buying map. This offer will influence his decision for good. d. Ensure your Email are Mobile, Tablet and Desktop friendly (responsive): In the current mobile situation, most of the customers tend to access their email over the mobile phone. If your Email isn’t responsive to various screen sizes, your email is going to be trashed. e. Be comfortable with cold emailing: As uncomfortable it sounds, it is known to impact lead generation numbers for good.

What we believe: In case you’re wondering about how to grow your email list, you can start simply by opt-in forms on your website’s home, blog or contact us page. If you do not have a website yet, try exploring other platforms where your business is active.

2. Digital Marketing for B2B: The universe is swiftly changing to online dependency for most of its requirements and hence, advertising/marketing online is vital. People now spend more time on their mobile phones, tablets or laptops than ever before! The youth has grown up in the heavy digital era bagged with the skill to use modern devices with ease. Embracing digital marketing at a much faster pace! Shall bring you positive business results. We recommend you have an online presence, you being in the B2B or B2C segment. Let’s take you through a handful of strategies that can reinforce your B2B digital marketing plans. a. Define Target audience: Why waste your ads on an audience who is not even looking for your service or products. We suggest you must ponder upon this vital element before moving ahead. However brilliant your digital marketing plan/strategy is, if it ain’t reaching the right audience, it all goes in vain. You must spend the maximum time defining your target audience for a higher probability of conversion. Targeting it to the right audience will ensure it reaches the eyes and ears of the right people. b. Create a website: The second point is, a Digital Marketing plan cannot take a leap if you do not share information. Information on your brand, products, services, values, etc. needs to be communicated. The best place to host this kind of information is your website. Did you know? More than 80% of prospective buyers prefer to visit the company’s website before making a purchase decision. Moreover, as mentioned above in the distinction, the B2B sales cycle often involves many key players (such as gatekeepers, decision-makers, and other folks who have to buy into a purchase), websites are easy, straightforward ways for influencers to share information about your product or service. c. Optimize Digital Presence with SEO: Just having a website and the target audience in place has only got you halfway through. SEO also known as Search Engine Marketing, is a tool used by most B2B brands to boost their business online presence, you can use Off-page as well as on-page SEO tactics to fulfill this need. In off-page SEO you can consider building backlinks through relevant other business. In on-page SEO you should start with key-word search and then incorporate them seamlessly into your website content, social media post content, blog, etc. You must have a look at some SEO myths and Facts before you take a leap towards getting your SEO in place. d. Run PPC advertising campaigns: You will join all the loose dots in your digital marketing plan by running some PPC campaigns for your brand. This not only allows you to get your content and brand information visible to new audiences via search engines but also gets you an edge over your competitors. The optimum way to calculate an ROI from your paid ads is by incorporating your buyer persona data and boosting content that they can relate to. For example, it’s highly unlikely a brand new consumer who’s never heard of you is searching for your exact product. They may be searching for a location-based solution or specific product feature. To reach a higher number of potential customers, pay your search engine to target relevant search queries towards your brand website.

3. Online Content Marketing for B2B: Earlier in this blog, we have mentioned how B2B customers are fascinated with expertise-driven knowledge and logic. B2B content is the only marketing tool you can nurture to satisfy these needs of your clients. A content marketing strategy aims to add valuable information and informs the consumer, which is exactly what B2B customers are urging for. Content marketing not only informs your customers with product information but also is the backbone for your SEO efforts. This involves anticipating what your audience is searching for, helping them find your website with respect to their requirement and lastly converting them to customers. Did you know, 80% of business decision-makers choose to get information from an article than an advertisement? Knowing this fact, we recommend you should be putting in more resources and efforts into your content marketing team compared to traditional advertising strategies. The B2B buyer’s journey is quite different than the B2C buyer’s journey the content you develop for your B2B content marketing strategy is an amalgamation of aesthetic graphics along with information. Refer to the illustration below which distinct the Buyer’s journey between a B2B and a B2C business.

Before you start creating your B2B content, we recommend creating a business blog. Your blog page or blog platform will house all the content you create and serve as a one-stop read for readers to visit and subscribe.

4. B2B – Social Media Marketing: Are you aware that 75% of B2B buyers and 84% of executives use social media before making a purchase decision? Social media marketing isn’t just for brands that target individual consumers but also for other businesses. Many B2B companies today are struggling with their social media marketing strategy. It can be a tedious job to arrive at a conversion via social media marketing because there’s typically a lengthier sales cycle and longer chain of command. Bluntly putting it, B2B social media marketing is not meant for direct conversions but as seen in the buyer’s journey illustration above, you can get the customer till the consideration stage. Social media has been a proven robust tool for building brand awareness, bestowing your company an online personality, and portraying a brand personality. These are all very vital factors that a digital marketing person needs to keep in mind when it comes to marketing and connecting with potential customers. Similar to email marketing, social media is a highly effective medium for sharing information.

What we believe: Content shared by your company employees generates over eight times more engagement than content shared by brands. So, we recommend you involve your employees in your B2B social media marketing strategy. Motivate them to create their own social media channels and share about life at your company.

Marketing isn’t fruitful without keeping in mind your target audience and no other audience is as volatile as business customers. Your Digital marketing strategy must focus on communicating how your business can solutionize their problems/challenges. If it doesn’t, you may have to reconsider your strategy, ideally, you may not be marketing at all. Ponder on the above-mentioned tips and strategies to understand your B2B audience and effectively put into action B2B marketing strategies that reach them. Invest in B2B Marketing and Reach Your Business Customers.

[mercurytrinemoon]

House meanings in astrology part I, including a long explanation of the role of the ascendant

After posting my piece on *not* associating houses with signs, I think it's only fitting to make a proper post on house meanings. Because, apparently, you can never have enough of astrology 101. 

1ST HOUSE: the self, physical body and appearance, character

It's how we present ourselves into the world & the lens which we look at it; how we approach things. It's the most immediate & visible part of our chart. Anything touching our 1st house (whether it's a natal placement or transit), has a direct influence on us. One of the problems of some astrology sources is that they state that our ascendant is the mask we put on as if it was something that's fake about us or only showing when someone doesn't know us well. That's not the case. Tell me Sagittarius risings only seem to be funny storytellers or Gemini risings only faking that they're witty & full of restless energy or ever-changing ideas. Or that Taurus risings only pretend that they seek stability. No, the ascendant very much describes one's personality traits.

1st house also represents our physical body. It's our energy levels + combined with the state of 1st house ruler, it can partially show the nature of our health and our weak spots. Look-wise, it's important to know that no one looks 100% just like their rising sign. It's always a mix of the chart's influence but there are certain characteristics that may be present in one's appearance. That includes the way we carry ourselves; it's our mannerisms & body language. And the way we interact with people, especially those we don't know well yet. Like fire risings tend to be more expressive and their lively spirit takes up more space, so to speak; they usually fill up the room. Earth risings seem to be very grounded, composed and with a calm disposition, good listeners. Water risings have the tendency be more withdrawn and may blend in with their surroundings or be more sensitive to what is going on around them. Then air risings may seem like the friendly cool cats of the company while being more impersonal in their approach.

I said the 1st is how we present ourselves - but it's not necessary about our looks. Remember, your ascendant line and 1st house is literally the beginning of your chart; it sets the rest of your houses. This means whatever happens to you throughout your life is going to have that ascendant’s sign tint to it. It’s like the theme color of your life’s path. So, as an example, a Scorpio rising may be a bubbly, colourful person (a complete opposite of the stereotype), but their life might be full of deeply transformative or even shocking, sudden (just like the ruler, Mars) events; they may posess a scorpionic persistence and sensitivity that they carry in everything they do.

Something that's not often talked about is that the 1st also relates to our mind. It's different than the 12th where our subconscious lays & different than the 3rd, which is our direct communication and intake of information (more on that later). That's why it very much portrays layers of our full personality and our attitude towards the surroundings.

I want to touch on few of the things here. One being, the 1st house is important in grasping the nature of other houses by their mutual correspondence. It's important to understand the core technical basics of astrology (something people tend to skip, which is a big mistake) in order to fully get the idea of how and why. I will probably be mentioning this while I explain each house, but let's quickly take an example of the 12th house. Why is it the malefic, "untangible" house? People would say because it's ruled by Neptune so it's foggy and blah blah. But forget about this for a second and think of the structure of the chart itself. Remember, astrology is all about the geomery - even the planet-sign associations were originally based on geometry, not on archetypical meanings. So. 12th house cannot be seen from the perspective of the 1st (just like the 2nd, 6th and 8th) - aka it doesn't make any major aspect from the ascendant (so-called aversion but keep in mind this method is mainly used in a whole sign system). It is literally behind our back.

Another thing I wanted to mention is having planets in the 1st house. They color our ascendant, yes. But it's important to notice that sometimes it can be a lot to, for example, have a stellium in the 1st. I've said the 12th house is behind our back. Well imagine then having all those planets on your back - it can be overwhleming, it can be burdensome; it means taking all that junk on yourself - what junk it is, depends on the nature of the planets and what houses do these planets rule. Let's say you have your MC ruler in the 1st - that can be potentially good, because it may suggest that you're just known for being you. But this also can mean your carreer is very much tied to your persona or even physical body - so those two can affect each other, for better of worse. Having 7th house ruler in the 1st can mean you're basing your own worth on the relationships you're in. All that means people with 1st house planets tend to be very sensitive and take things very personally. On top of that, it can also indicate having health issues - because these planets sit, well, physically on your body. This of course depends on the nature of the planet(s) - are they benefics or malefics, or neutral (Mercury); what’s their dignity; again, what houses they rule.

The placement of your ascendant ruler is one of the most important things in the chart. Something that have stuck with me was Austin Coppock saying how your ascendant is the ship and the ascendant ruler is the steersman. The state of the chart ruler can tell you where and how you put your energy. It can tell you about the state of your body and self; whether you're going to have it easy in life or not; sometimes even your life's circumstances; what you need in life; what you're driven by and what affects you. No matter the planet that is your ascendant ruler (again, I would advice looking at classic rulership in the first place), everything that touches it, is going to directly infuence you. It can be by natal aspect, transit or even synastry aspect - having someone's planets on your ascendant ruler is like a backup for having them on your ascendant/in the 1st house. Transits can affect you physically, even if that planet's Saturn or Mercury or whatever.

2ND HOUSE: our posessions, money, things material, everything we own physically, what we find valuable

I see the 2nd house as one of the most straightforward houses (also the most boring one but that's just me being the least materialistic person you'll know). Now, people say it's the house of money - because that's the world we live in & everyone is chasing that check. But it's also the things that we find valuable in general - yes, the material ones, because values as in beliefs are a 9th house matter. So it's everything we own - money, clothes, collectibles, your car, you name it. It shows how we earn and handle money & what's our attitude towards the material things. It's also food because that's something you need to first own in order to consume. All these attributes indicate the state of our self-worth & self-esteem, because, again, we live in a world where you're nothing without material goods.

This is the first succendent house - it serves to support the 1st house. Just like the 12th house, it aspects the 1st with a semi-sextile (which means it doesn't make a major aspect), which indicates that it's one of the malefic houses, although it's important to note that it's seen as the least bad of them (because it aspects the 10th with a trine, which helps things out; this also connects money matters with carreer matters). Let's say then that it's somewhat a neutral house.

3RD HOUSE: communication, primary education, siblings, all day-to-day things, short-distance travel, our immediate surroundings

It's all day-to-day things & everything we do on a regular basis. It's basically our routines. Things like running errands, having our post delivered by the postman, picking up our favourite newspaper (like, I know no one does that anymore but still) or, alternatively, getting that newsletter every week; checking on your favourite websites every morning. Even though it's the 11th house that rules internet and social groups, in some ways, the 3rd backs up the aspect of communicating through social media (but not belonging to social media groups). The repeatedness and familiarity of the 3rd also ties to our immediate surroundings. So it's our neighbourhood & neighbours; it's also things like running errands; short-distance travel & day-to-day travel that you’re doing routinely (like to school or work). It can also show you in what environment you live.

3rd says about our siblings and cousins. It can be literal, if you have Pisces in your 3rd house, your siblings or cousins can have heavy Pisces energy. But it also talks about your relationship with them. It also shows what was your experience in primary school & your school life: how were you perceived; were you popular or picked on; were you top of the class etc. Also, how is your intake of information like; did you like to study, was there any obstacles during your education. It's because the 3rd shows how we process things mentally; what's in our head; our ideas & communication style.

It's the first cadent house, closing the first quadrant of the chart. It serves to help us analyze the things that happened in the succedent 2nd house and prepares us to move to the second quadrant. The energy of the 3rd house is very flowing as it aspect the ascendant with a sextile and the descendant with a trine - so the communication aspect really connects the person (1st) with the people (7th house).

4TH HOUSE: family, parents, roots, home, the most private part of the chart

It's the second angular house, so it's one of the four most sensitive parts of the chart but it's also the most hidden. It shows our family matters and roots. People these days usually connect it to the mother specifically but it actually used to be the father (and mother being in the 10th). I personally always leaned more towards it being connected to the father (maybe because usually he's seen as the head of the family); it's just every time I see, for example, a malefic planet in the 4th, there's always something about the father figure being off or troublesome in the person's life, not the mother. But, I mean, to each their own. But it does represent family and parents especially in general. For example, having Jupiter in the 4th can mean having a big family or, alternatively, having foreign roots.

3rd was the environment and neighbourhood we live in, 4th can literally represent our home. How it looks, the conditions we live in, our perception of comfort & how we achieve it in our home. Continuing with the Jupiter example, if you'd to move a few times in your life, each next house you live in can be bigger and bigger. 

4th is also our private life; things we may not want to show to the public (as opposed to the MC and the 10th house); things close to our heart & things that bring us comfort or things that we grew up on.

Now, with quadrant house systems, your IC-MC line will always represent the beginning of 4th and 10th houses. Using whole sign or sometimes equal, those two angles can actually fall in different houses. This is actually pretty significant and can give you an additional information: so think about it like transfering the IC matters into a different house. So for example, having IC in the 3rd house underlines its importance. Maybe your home/family situation wasn’t fitting for you (for many different reasons) so it was your neighbourhood that raised you, maybe you really soaked up its influence rather than your family’s. Or maybe your siblings had a major influence on you & it’s them that raised you. On the other hand, if your IC falls into the 5th, you could live in your own little creative bubble as a kid & it’s what brings you ease and comfort.

5TH HOUSE: children, creativity, romance & sex, fun and pleasure

I’ve described this in my infamous (lol) post on houses, house rulerships & how ya’ll should stop associating them with signs + a rant on the meaning of the 8th house, but I’m going to do this one more time. Here’s how it goes. Children are represented by the 5th house because it’s about procreation. So you literally create kids - that’s why it’s about creativity overall. And that is why it’s also about sex and pleasure. I’m really not diggin the idea of 8th being associated with sex “because it comes after the 7th house union of two people and that’s the right order”. No it’s not.

So yes, for those asking why topics associated with the 5th are so random: they’re not, they make a lot of sense actually. It’s just the house of FUN, all these things are FUN (well maybe except for when you have Mars in the 5th and you actually don’t like kids and are too impatient for them... or, alternatively, with either of the malefics, had issues getting pregnant/carrying a pregnancy so you have some mental scars from it. Then yea, not fun).

You can also look at the 5th house (along with the state of its ruler and your Moon) to see how fertile you are. Or how your pregnancy is going to be. But that’s a topic in itself. Obviously what your attitude towards children is and how your potential kid is going to be like (some say the 5th only talks about your first-born tho; then it’s the 7th, 9th etc; also adopted children are said to be represented by your 11th house).

It's the house of romance, sex and all things nice. Literally with the traditional joy scheme, it's the Venus that rejoices in here. It's the house of creativity. Now, I've noticed people who have a planet or even a stellium in the 5th house aren't necessary artistic nor they are masters of creative thinking (unfortunately saw examples of that). Let's remember if that's the case, it's their kids that can have artistic and creative abilities. It happens that people with Sun or Moon in the 5th may a bit obsessively see their kid(s) as the light of their life, focusing their whole attention to them. Add the creative aspect to that, you know those parents that are pushing their children to attend as many art/music classes as possible just because? Mhm. And if it's not their own kids that they pay all their attention to, then they may somehow work with children.

Besides that, 5th house people may like partying, gambling, pleasures in general. Sometimes the 5th also stands for entrepreneurship.

6TH HOUSE: health, service, work, employees, pets

Ahh, the first problematic house. You overwork yourself, get sick and then you die. Lol jk.

Now it's not as bad, the 6th is configured with a trine to the 10th house, that's why it's partially connected to work matters. The difference is, you may work somewhere but you're not going to make a career out of it. That's why it also talks about service work - your job may not be the "prettiest" or most rewarding in the context of feeling on top of the world, but it's kind of like "someone's gotta do it".

Now let's say your 10th house looks good and you do make a career, then the 6th shows your employees. It's because it's the house that's below the 7th, it's moving away from it. So if the 7th is your partnerships and people that are on equal terms with you, then the 6th are people that are literally below you in some sense: your employees, your staff, the gardener that takes care of your plants, that person who cleans your house once a week or the babysitter that’s taking care of your kids.

6th rules physical health (mental health is linked with 12th), injuries and accidents. So whatever planets sit in there and whatever sign occupies it, can point to possible problems. As always, look at the ruler of the house as well. But not to be all grim, 6th does talk about you taking care of your body through physical stuff just because you want it and you want to be proactive and not necessary because you need it per se - so either excercise or medication/supplements (not meditation, cause, again, that's a 12th house thing).

It's usually said that the 6th is about routine but for me it's more about responsibility: you do things because you have to do them, otherwise things can go bad: you do your work, your duties; if you're suffering from any illnesses, you need to consistently take care of it etc. 

Then there’s a connection between the service and health aspect of the house so it can point to working in a health service. And finally, out of nicer things, 6th house rules pets. Smaller pets, to be exact.

[korasonata]

Joe and Cleo model streams extended cut Part 2! (Streams 3 and 4)

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STREAM 3

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Cleo (reading chat): “Be careful with that thing” Im very careful with knives. Except for that time when I wasn’t.

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Cleo (in response to chat asking about her friend Corpse): Corpse is not my husband. Ok? And they wouldn’t be anyway. Because they.

—

Cleo: I’m very confused Joe. I don’t know how to feel.

—

Cleo: Ok. I can do that. We can do that chat! I believe in you and myself…I- I don’t. I’m not gonna lie, I don’t.

Joe: That’s why you got me here to believe in you!

Cleo: Awww, thanks Joe!

Joe: You’re welcome Cleo!

—

Cleo (reading chat): “Black beer or clear beer?” No beer! I don’t believe in beer, it’s fictional. That’s just how it goes.

Joe: Yeah. Some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you.

—

Joe: One of my viewers asks “are you and Cleo real life childhood friends?” Yes, obviously as you can tell from our accents—

Both: We grew up—

Joe: On the same block—

Cleo: Yeah.

Joe: Uh, along the Thames there—

Cleo: Yes.

Joe: You know, we took different paths in life. Cleo obviously went to university and perused geology and teaching, whereas I ended up with an asbo and a bunch of weird telekinetic powers and things just kind of went wild from there.

Cleo: Yeah.

Joe: But now we’re back together again.

Cleo: Yeah! I mean— I mean after you saved the world a few times. It’s, ah…it’s necessary it— it felt right. To come back together.

Joe: Yep. It’s just— it’s just…it was time.

Cleo (reading chat): You thought Joe Hills was from Glasgow? Oh no no no no no no. No no, same— it’s a cockney accent, can’t you tell?

Joe: Yeah, that’s why I’m so good at rhyming.

Cleo: *snickering* I don’t think they believe us.

—

Joe: What is the British equivalent of a coffee shop?

Cleo: Umm…a coffee shop.

—

Joe: It looks like piece 3/4 will make sense at some point in the future.

Cleo: But today is not that day. And to be honest, tomorrow’s not looking great either.

—

Cleo (reading chat): *laughing* Joe thinks everyone is as well adjusted as he is!

Joe: Oh, I’m terribly adjusted! Do not adjust your Joes! It won’t help, we’ve tried!

—

Joe (reading chat): “You all heard Cleo say Joe would look good in shorts right?”

Cleo: *heavy sigh*

Joe: I mean, I’m gonna say, I’m not getting as much exercise as I used to, so it’s- don’t get your hopes up Cleo.

Cleo: I- I-…I mean, there’s only one person I wanna see in shorts and it’s not you, so we’re all good.

—

Joe (in British accent): Spot on.

Cleo: Better. You’re getting better at that you know. You’re not great, but you’re getting better.

Joe: Yeah. Well the thing is I need to be able to blend when I’m there. You know I don’t wanna call attention to myself in my accent.

Cleo: …Joe?

Joe: Yeah?

Cleo: Nothing you ever do is blendable.

Joe: …That explains why I’m so bad at painting. And making margaritas. Just kidding, I’m great at making margaritas. The secret is to get real Cointreau.

Cleo: I…Don’t— I’ve never really had a margarita.

Joe: WHAAAAAAAAAT??!!?!

—

STREAM 4

—

Joe: So, I’ve got to cut up the last couple pieces from my fourth page out of 17.

Cleo: Is this where I tell you I’ve got about 6 pages left on the dot?

Joe: Out of how many, though?

Cleo: Out of about…14?

Joe: Wow, so you’re like, halfway there.

Cleo: Well, literally the instructions say I’m halfway there. Although—

Joe: Oh really? They congratulate you on that?

Cleo: W—no, they—they—……thanks Joe…

—

Joe: I bet whoever makes those models, now that you and I are getting them back in vogue, it’s like “oh no! If only I hadn’t sold the last one to Cleo, I could sell 1000 of these today.”

Cleo: I mean, I don’t think anybody in the stream is going to go out and buy one when they’ve seen what it’s done to us. And our souls. Or lack thereof.

—

Joe (reading chat): “If Joe is Jar Jar and Cleo is Padme, who’s Bail Organa?” …I dunno, VintageBeef.

Cleo: *laughing* Just—Just VintageBeef.

Joe: Just VintageBeef.

Cleo: It just is! You and I both know that, so you guys need to know it.

Joe: Yeah, cause like I don’t think Bail Organa had any kids.

Cleo: Yeah he did, he had Leia.

Joe: Well, but he adopted Leia.

Cleo: Ok.

Joe: And VintageBeef seems like, of all the Hermits, the one to most likely actually have the capacity to take on that sort of responsibility? I don’t know…

Cleo: No no, I can— I’m just running through the Hermits in my head, and I’m just like yeah that—that reads. That reads pretty well.

—

Joe (Dude bro voice): Has your heart even been weighed by Anubis, bro?

Cleo (dude bro voice): *laughing* Do you even lift? (Regular voice)…or no. That’s the opposite of what you want to do with a heart…

—

Cleo: I threaten to murder people all the time. One might say it’s part of my brand.

—

Cleo (reading chat): “Death threats are Cleo’s love language” *laughing* You’re not wrong.

—

Cleo: I’ve made plenty of mistakes! Learn from me! Like plenty of mistakes, which is why I’m doing this in my 40s. Joe just made his mistakes faster, that’s why he’s doing it in his 30s.

SILENCE

Joe: …Most of the jokes I wanna make about that, I—just in case my kid is tuning into the stream I’m gonna not—

Cleo: *laughing*

Joe: Because I am legally required not to disparage my ex-wife in front of her.

—

Cleo (in response to someone saying Joe’s hands are sufficient): No, my hands are sufficient. Joe has dexterous, wonderful hands. Get it right chat.

—

Cleo (about her Garrus mug): Next stream I shall use this for my beverage which I shall pretend is coffee. Which is what I used to do to the children at school.

Joe: Wait, you would pretend you were drinking coffee? What were you actually drinking? Rum?

—

Joe: My best is still the same, but my worst is getting less bad.

Cleo: That’s depressing and accurate. All at the same time.

Joe (tiredly): Yay! I strive for accuracy in all of my depressing statements. Cause it makes it harder to rebut them.

Cleo (softly and with care): I know.

—

Cleo (mocking people who push boundaries): If you were a PIN, what would you be?

Joe: *laughing* Like a PIN number?!

Cleo: Yeah!

Both: *laughing*

Joe: If you could be any PIN code—

Cleo: If you had an—what—what was your favourite PIN code, for example?

Joe: What’s your favourite 4-digit number?

Cleo: *laughing* What’s the 4-digit number you remember most in the world?

Joe: What’s the easiest to remember 4-digit number?

—

Cleo: I’m not going to get sushi from the Asda!

Joe (voice steadily getting higher): Oh my gosh, I am so glad that my face camera is off when we do those collab streams with Xisuma. Because like *laughing through the pain* a lot of them are just me screaming internally, but I’m not pushing to talk. And the reason I’m not pushing to talk is I’m also kind of screaming externally? And it’s just like, it’s just— *very high pitched incomprehensible gibberish*

Cleo: You—you do wonder sometimes with, with—with him. *laughing* See, thing is sometimes I’m not sure if he’s being serious or not, so—

Joe: If he says that he buys sushi at the Asda, I’m like 99% confident that he’s being serious.

Cleo: *laughing* He’s adorable and needs to be protected from this world.

[the-blind-assassin-12]

Kar’taylir Darasuum

AN ESSAY ON LOVE IN MANDALORIAN CULTURE 

A/N: This post has been a long time coming and I am SORRY for that. The lovely @darkmist111​ wanted to know more about courtship and romance as it pertains to the world of Resol’nare, and well... I sort of got carried away with research and head cannons and... well, you’ll see. 

Quick links: Resol’nare // Hokan’yc // Mando’a Dictionary

WC: 2.3k

Warnings: mentions of violence, death - they are a culture of warriors, my friends, it’s unavoidable. 

thank you so much for this ask and for your patience while i worked on it! oh boy buckle up here we go: 

Courtship 

Courtship in Mandalorian culture is often a very short time period. Relationships move quickly from one stage to the next, because Mandalorians know better than many cultures that tomorrow is never promised. That being said, they don’t just pair off indiscriminately, and while physical appearance holds little to no weight in terms of attraction, there are other things that do certainly tip the scales. 

For someone like Din, brought up in an extremely strict covert with an adherence to The Way of the Mandalore that leaves very little room for interpretation, the most attractive trait a person can have is skill as a fighter. Knowing that the person they are pledging their soul to is capable of not only watching their six in battle, but protecting themselves and any children that might be in the family (foundlings or otherwise) is extremely important to Mandalorians. As such, many courtships begin while Mandos are in the final stages of training, when they begin to leave the covert to go on missions. (See Hokan’yc for Din’s story of young love at this stage in his life, and meet Aashi Zurn, the Mando who bested him in the sparring chamber and won his heart in the process.) 

Trust and loyalty are extremely important to Mandalorians when seeking a partner. Marriage in Mandalorian culture is meant to be forever- eternal- as Mandalorians believe that their souls live on after death, and remain connected to their loved ones until the end of time. Depending on the level of anonymity the individuals in question choose as a lifestyle (i.e. helmets on at all times or removed in front of others, names known or unknown), Mandalorians might show their trust in a partner by telling them something personal about themselves, something that they would normally keep a secret either out of pride or protection. This is usually returned in kind, a sort of exchanging of secrets that begins the binding of their two souls together that will continue throughout their relationship so that if/when they choose to marry, they are speaking the truth when they say that they know one another- in a way that no one else ever will. 

Some small ways that Mandalorians will show affection or appreciation for one another during their courtship and long into their relationship (because Mandalorians don’t just fall in love and settle, they keep falling deeper into it, letting it grow stronger) include: helping them clean their armor or weapons, tending to any aches and pains from old injuries- most Mandalorians make their own herbal salves that they use to soothe inflammation or to help heal scarring, and sharing from your own personal blend to provide comfort for your partner goes a long way. (This will come up in more than one way in Resol’nare, so look out for that in the future.) sharing or preparing a favorite meal, and in the event that they really want to emphasize their feelings, they will give a piece of their own armor to their partner, showing that they are ready to view them as a part of themselves, ready to protect them with their own life if necessary. 

The tradition of wearing the armor of their beloved comes from ancient times, when a Mandalorian fell in love with another who was a member of an enemy clan and had been captured by her people. To protect her lover from those who would kill them on sight just based on the sigil or coloring of their armor, she traded some of her plates with some of theirs so that they could escape unnoticed. Once two Mandalorians are wed, not even blood feuds between clans can come between them, so the exchanging of armor became seen as a sort of intention to marry for many Mandalorians.

Because Mandalorian culture takes root in various other cultures, some traditions from those other cultures cross over into theirs. For example, while no Mandalorian would ever make the mistake of asking a woman’s father for her hand in marriage and Mandalorian women are seen as complete equals and therefore able to make their own choices when it comes to their partners, some clans will still partake in common practices like introducing their intended to their family or announcing their engagement to their families and loved ones before making it known to others in the community. While jewlery is extremely uncommon in Mandalorian culture (unless it is functional, such as a beskar collar style necklace) engagement tokens like pendants engraved with the two names or rings either without stones, or rings with low profile stones inlaid into the bands- in some cases a gemstone will be embedded within the metal on the underside of the band, where it makes contact with the finger- are considered standard in most other cultures, so they are sometimes still exchanged but are in no way necessary to solidify an engagement or an intent to marry. 

Marriage  

The actual vows exchanged between Mandalorians are short and to the point, and there is no required ceremony, no officiant or witness needed, no record keeping of any sort, so the actual wedding is usually done just between the two individuals in private. Traditionally they are as follows: 

"Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar'tome, mhi me'dinui an, mhi ba'juri verde" which translates to "We are one when together, we are one when parted, we will share all, we will raise warriors."

Once the vows are said, the marriage is official and the Riduurok bond is forged and must be acknowledged and respected by all Mandalorians.

Newlyweds will lift the helmet of their spouse once the vows have been sworn so that they may be sealed more intimately. In the case of Mandalorians who keep their faces hidden, this may be the first time that one or both of them sees the other without their helmet. In other cases, the removal of their riduur’s armor is merely symbolic. 

Although there are no formalities that need to happen in order to legitimize a marriage, there are of course some traditions and rituals that are completed which Mandalorians believe safeguard and strengthen their bond with their spouse. These include getting specific tattoos, and adding each other’s sigil to armor or weapons.  

Riduurok Tattoos 

Tattooing is an important part of Mandalorian culture. Regardless of their culture of origin, where they come from, or how they choose to interpret the Creed, it is rare to come across an adult Mandalorian with no tattoos. Even the New Mandalorians under Satine’s pacifist regime continued to carry on tattooing, though not as extensively or ritualistically as the more orthodox communities like the one that Din, Paz and The Armorer come from. For them it was done more for decorative purposes. Though their designs still pay homage to shapes and motifs that are meaningful to all Mandalorians, they also include more aesthetic design elements such as florals, vines or stars. 

Typically a Warrior will receive their first tattoo when they complete their training at thirteen; a thick black chevron shaped cuff on their left bicep. This symbolizes that they are part of the larger Tribe of Mandalorians outside of their own clans, and serves to remind them of the duty that they have to protect all Mandalorians. They have to look at it each time they don or remove their armor, and in the abhorrent event that they are stripped of their armor in defeat, the ink serves as symbolic beskar so that they remain protected in the afterlife. Bands and chevrons are added to symbolize achievements in battle or heroic action to protect their covert.(Din has five bands on his left arm, the latest one just below his elbow- his first when he completed mandatory training at 13, his second when he completed additional elite training, his third when helped relocate the covert to Nevarro- see Hokan’yc- his original covert was located on Dantooine- his fourth when he was injured protecting a group of foundlings, and the fifth after claiming the Darksaber. He would absolutely have more bands had he not spent so much time away from the covert. He absolutely will have more bands by the time Resol’nare ends.)  For Mandalorians who live a long life or are extremely skilled fighters, it is not uncommon for these bands to cover the entire arm from mid bicep to wrist. If more space is needed, another chain of bands is added to the left thigh ranging downwards. It is said that no Mandalorian has ever completely covered their entire left side, simply because in a war-based culture, life expectancy is cut short. 

Mythosaur skulls, clan signets, troop affiliations and words or short phrases in Mando’a are also typical designs that Mandalorians may choose to have done. The Mythosaur is usually tattooed on the back while the right bicep is where Mandalorians will honor their families in their chosen way. Usually it is by adding their clan signet, names of loved ones or parents, or even symbols or patterns that are significant to their culture of origin. ( Navina has a tattoo on her right arm to pay tribute to her mother’s- who was a foundling- culture. It will be revealed in an upcoming chapter so that is all that I can say about that! Din also has the Mythosaur skull inside of a triangle on the right side of his chest, and his Mudhorn signet on his right shoulder.)

Riduurok tattoos are placed on the left side or center of the chest, over the individual’s heart, and are done as soon as possible after marriage vows are sworn. Taking the shape of the Kar'ta Beskar, Mandalorians personalize them by adding their spouse’s name in Mando’a in the empty space in the middle of the design. Like the arm bands, these are also meant to symbolize armor of sorts. They represent the way that married couples remain connected no matter if they are together or apart; that they are one, an integral part of the other, even in death. They also signify the strength gained through marriage, as well as the protection a Mandalorian vows to provide for their partner. Love is seen as something that fortifies, never weakens, and that is represented in this tattoo as well. 

(Terrible graphic made with love by me)

This particular tattoo comes directly from a Mandalorian myth predating modern record keeping. Legend has it that long ago, a Mandalorian warrior returned home from battle, eager to see his riduur after so much time away. When he arrived, however, he found only her lifeless form, the soul of the one he had tied himself to no longer inhabiting the flesh and bone of her body. She had been slain, taken from him and from their life together, and it opened in him a new capacity for rage, something far more fierce than fire. It is said that in the moment that the Mandalorian warrior saw what had happened in his absence, vengeance itself was unleashed into existence. 

The warrior, fueled by this new urge, this extreme desire to avenge the death of his wife, tracked down the marauders who were responsible for her death and killed them one by one. The last of them, as he watched the Mandalorian take his accomplices’ lives, did not beg or grovel. He could see that it would do no good. Instead, he confessed that he did not think that Mandalorians had the capacity to love so deeply as to inspire such retaliation, that he did not think Mandalorians were open to things that could make them weak, things like love. 

“Only fools like you would think that love makes one weak.” he spat at the man. “True love is power, it is strength- it is the joining of two into one and nothing, not even death can diminish it. But you? Death will erase your soul and before long you will be forgotten.” 

The Mandalorian warrior killed the final marauder then, and as he did the pure rage that he felt upon discovering the death of his riduur quieted. Instead, he felt her presence, as though she were there to wrap her arms around him. He felt her strength enter his heart, and though he would mourn her loss immensely, he knew that she would never truly be gone, that he would always carry her and that they would reunite when his journey came to an end. As a tribute to his riduur and what she would always mean to him, the warrior etched her name over his heart in ink, encasing it in the oblong diamond shape of the Kar'ta Beskar, symbolizing that she is the source of his strength, a kind of armor that protected him from facing eternity alone. From then on, Mandalorians added the Riduurok Tattoo into their marriage rituals.   

Clan Sigils 

In the case that both Mandalorians have already been assigned sigils, or if they have sigils that they inherited from their own clans, they will either combine both symbols into one new one, or they will add their spouse’s sigil right beside their own on their armor and/or weapons. (In Resol’nare, Navina’s beskar kal that she inherited from her father- thanks of course to Firo- displayed the sigils of both of her parents, as well as her own name)  

If only one of the two can claim a sigil as their own distinct mark, they will extend it to their spouse as they extend every part of themselves through marriage, and if neither one has been assigned a sigil, they will both take the sigil of the first one who is assigned one.  

It is completely up to the individuals regarding whether or not they will choose to take their spouse’s name- the important thing is that they are under the same sign, as their sigils are yet another bond that they carry into the afterlife that helps them reunite once both have rejoined the Manda. 

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THANK YOU AGAIN TO @darkmist111​ for this request. I had a lot of fun thinking about and writing this, and it was a great way for me to finally dive back into the world of Resol’nare. :) 

Thank you for reading! Please feel free to let me know if you would like to be added to or removed from the tags! :)

tags: @something-tofightfor @alraedesigns @pheedraws @valkblue @malionnes @gollyderek @fific7 @becs-bunker @commanderlola @greatcircle79 @cannedsoupsucks​ @dihra-vesa​ @marauderskeeper​ @disgruntledspacedad​

[trainsinanime]

In the past few weeks I’ve built a model railroad signal for garden railways with a custom DCC decdoder. Here’s what it looks like:

I’ve heard from a number of people that they thought this was interesting, but they didn’t really understand what I was doing. So today I’ll try to explain the core of it all, this circuit board:

And here’s the associated circuit diagram:

I’ll try to explain why this is the way it is and what it does.

(This whole explanation is aimed at people who have never done anything with electronics before. If that’s not you, then this may be a bit boring. Also, I didn’t come up with any of the parts of this. Most of this is based on things I learned by reading OpenDCC and Mikrocontroller.net. I’m sure I still made a lot of mistakes, though, and they’re definitely all mine and not the fault of anyone on these sites.)

The goal

First let’s talk about requirements. My goal was to build an american signal type “Searchlight”. Such a signal has between one and three lamps. Thanks to a clever electromechanic design that moves different color filters around, each lamp can show different colors - up to three from a total selection of four.

Replicating this system for a model railroad is not practical. I need something else. Having multiple colored LEDs next to each other wouldn’t work; they’re too big and I want it to all look like one light source. There are LEDs that contain red, blue and green in one housing, but that would require a lot of wires quickly that all have to be put in the mast. The solution is this:

This is an “adressable” LED, better known under the name “Neopixel” used by a large american online store. There are many variations from different manufacturers. The key thing is that each LED has a tiny control circuit built right in. It takes four wires: Plus five volts, minus, data in and data out. If you have more than one, you can connect the data out of the first directly to the data in of the second and so on. Connect the plus and minus as well, and you can control almost unlimited amounts of LEDs with just three wires.

The data line has a special protocol that you need to generate. Basically you need to switch it from 0 to 5 to 0 volts again and again at a certain rate; the time it stays at 5 volts (“high”) determines whether you’re sending a 0 or a 1. From these bits you form bytes, which tell each LED what specific color value to send.

Due to this dataformat, you definitely need some electronic circuit controlling the signal, and the first requirements for this are:

Provide five volts DC power

Generate the data for the LEDs in the correct format

The Input

There are a lot of options for designing the input side of things. In my case, I’m assuming the signal is electrically connected to the rails of a model railroad that is controlled digitally. With digital command control (DCC), the voltage at the rails has a constant value of about 15 to 25 volts, larger for larger scales. This voltage constantly flips polarity; first plus is on the left rail, then it goes to the right rail (and minus vice versa), and then back. It’s like AC in normal wall outlets, but with very abrupt changes instead of a smooth sine wave.

This voltage has two tasks. First it supplies the locomotives with power, but it also transmits information. If one of these change-and-back sequences is long, it transmits a “0”; if it’s short, it transmits a “1”. These bits together then form the bytes that form the messages that say things like, “Locomotive three run at speed step 64” or “switch 10 switch to direction left”.

This decoder uses both features. The digital voltage provides both the data and the power. For a locomotive, that is required since the only conductors you have are the rails. This is a stationary decoder, so I could have designed it so that it only uses digital commands, and gets the power from an external power supply. However, I wanted to use the least amount of cables, so I’m using the simple version.

With that, the requirements are fixed. The circuit has to:

Turn the digital power (15-25 Volts, AC-ish) into 5 Volts DC

Read and understand the digital data signal (decode it, hence the name “decoder”) and calculate the colors for the LEDs.

Computation

This calculation is the real key here. The digital signal has a completely different fromat than what the LEDs expect. It’s slower, but also has completely different meaning. At best it transmits “set switch or signal 10 to state 0”. Which color values are associated with that, let alone any blending to make it look nice, are things the signal has to decide for itself. There is no way to build a simple stupid adapter here; I need a complete computer.

Luckily, you can get those for cheap and in really tiny.

The ATtiny85 costs about 1€ depending on how many you order, and it’s smaller than one cent coin (I think in basically any currency), but from a technical point of view, it is essentially a full computer. It has all the important parts anyway. There is a CPU that can run at (depending on the version) up to 20 MHz; half a kilobyte of RAM and eight kilobyte of internal storage for the program. Multiple programs is a bit of a challenge. If you know Arduinos, the ATtiny85 is related to the ATmega328p in the Arduino Uno and Nano. Far less powerful, but cheaper and significantly smaller.

What it lacks are all the surroundings like keyboard and screen for input and output. The chip is designed for applications where this isn’t needed, or at least only minimal things. The software that you write can assign each pin (okay, five out of eight) freely for different tasks: The pin can work as an input, telling the software whether there’s a low or high level of voltage at it (meaning 0 or 5 Volts), or it can work as an output and write high or low values, meaning setting the pin explicitly to 0 or 5 Volts.

There are other options for the Pins as well; among other things it can also read analog voltages and generate them to some extent. But for this task I only need the simple digital high-low inputs and outputs.

These types of chips, known as microcontrollers, exist in thousands of variations by different manufacturers with very different performance characteristics. They are the key part of basically everything that’s digitally controlled these days. Washing machines, everything that plugs into a computer including every single Apple lightning cable, TVs, TV remotes, amazing amounts of parts in cars and so on are all the realm of microcontrollers. The ATtiny85 is, as the name implies, very much at the low end of the scale (though there are smaller ones), and even here, it is a bit out of date. But it is very easy to program and very forgiving of mistakes, which makes it great in hobby situations.

To run, this chip needs around 3-5 Volts DC (some versions like the one here can also run on a bit less) and exactly one capacitor. I’m already generating 5 Volts DC for the LEDs anyway, so this chip will get them as well. That means for all the calculation, only two pieces of hardware are required.

There is some more associated hardware, though, for getting the program (which I’ve written myself) on the chip. For that you need a programmer, a device that you can buy for some money, or make yourself astonishingly easily from an Arduino. It needs to be connected with six wires to the chip. The standard for this is with a six-pin plug, which I’ve thus included here as well. There are standard six-wire cables for this.

You could connect the cables differently, for example with some sort of spring-loaded contacts on some programming circuit board you’d have to build for that, or in the worst case, just temporarily solder the cables in there. But the plug version is both simple and convenient, with the only downside that it makes the circuit a bit more pointy.

(Due to the Tumblr image limit, the next part will have to be in a reblog)