#and clippers are much easier to do yourself than scissors

[blueskittlesart]

hiiiiiiii so um. ik a while back you posted a doodle of yourself with short hair and i’ve been thinking about cutting mine short—do you have any tips about picking a style or anything that might not be obvious about having short hair?

oh fuck yes I do! I've had short-medium hair in a few different styles since I was thirteen (im 20 now, so it's been a while) and I recently buzzed my head for the second time so i'm pretty experienced in this area lol!

first thing you should know is that if anyone has ever suggested that you don't have the "facial structure" for short hair or that you're not gonna look good with it is full of shit. no one tells men they don't have the face for short hair. i promise it's gonna look good. chop that shit off

in terms of style, be aware of the amount of work the style you pick is going to take. when I first cut my hair short the reference photo I gave my stylist was of a heavily styled cut--something that would take gel and hairspray and a lot of effort to maintain every day. The base cut was fine, but it didn't look like my reference photo without a ton of effort on my part, and at 13 I wasn't really willing to put that kind of effort in, so my hair ended up unstyled and kind of flat and weird for a while. if you're someone that doesn't like to put a ton of work into styling their hair every day, pick a style you can just wake up and go with. my personal favorite lazy bitch haircut is the buzzcut that i currently have. insanely low maintenance and comes with the added benefit of stopping weird men from talking to you in public. perfect haircut.

Also be aware of how your cut is going to grow out and/or how often you're going to have to get it trimmed to keep it looking the same way. that was something i remember being really surprised about when i first cut my hair off--when your hair gets to a certain length, it grows more slowly and you don't have to cut it as regularly to maintain its health and your look. when you have shorter hair, your hair grows FAST, and if you're not planning on growing it out you're going to need much more regular trimming to keep it in check. Make sure that that's in your budget or that you have the time and skill to trim it back yourself! Alternatively, if you're planning on growing it out after the cut, look into how it's gonna grow out so you know what to expect in terms of look and styling. I like to buzz my head mid-summer and let it grow out for about a year before shaving it all off again, because I know that I like all the stages of growing out that cut and I know how to style all of them. there's always gonna be an awkward stage of growing out your hair, but make sure that you're not gonna spend a ton of time hating your look just to get your length back if that's your plan!

my final advice: if you're looking for a specifically masculine haircut as an afab person, do not go to the same older female stylist you've been going to since you were 10 years old. trust me. You can show that woman a picture of a whole grown man for reference and you will still be leaving with a karen cut. she is incapable of giving you what you want. Either try to find a stylist who you trust to use your reference faithfully, go to a male barber, or cut it yourself! especially if you're going for a simple buzzcut or something similar, it's really easy to cut your own hair at home with a pair of electric clippers from amazon. I've been cutting my hair with safety scissors and some clippers borrowed from a friend for going on 4 years now. it's easier than you think!! youtube tutorials are your best friend.

now onto things you might not know:

listen to me. this is the single most important piece of advice i can give you. buy spray-on sunscreen and SPRAY YOUR FUCKING HEAD. there is no hell like a peeling sunburn all over your fucking scalp. it will happen and you will not expect it and you will want to die. you are going to think your hair is thick enough that it won't happen and it is going to happen anyway. do not take chances with this shit

you do NOT need nearly as much shampoo and conditioner for a short cut as you are instinctively going to put in your hands after years of having long hair. think, proportionately, about the product-to-hair ratio you were using BEFORE your haircut, and do not squirt out more than like a nickel-sized pool of product at the absolute most. your bank account and your hair will thank you.

short hair still needs to be taken care of especially if you're bleaching/otherwise chemically treating it regularly! if you're putting harsh chemicals in your hair you should be using restorative treatments afterwards regardless of length. no matter how short your hair is it can still get stringy and gross and break!!

in that same vein, you CANNOT be applying bleach to your short hair in the same way you do for your long hair. listen to me. Drugstore bleach cannot be sitting directly on your scalp for more than 20 minutes. if your hair is short, any amount of bleach you put in it is going to end up sitting directly on your scalp. i know it's tedious to do multiple passes but chemical burns are even more tedious. please do not put bleach on your skin

also in regards to bleaching/color, keep in mind that your semipermanent color is probably going to have less longevity in your short hair than it did in your long hair. Since all your hair is close to your scalp now, it's taking the brunt of your shampoo regimen and therefore the dye is going to wash out quicker than it would in long hair where most of the dye is further away from the scalp. if you're regularly trimming your hair to keep it your desired length, you're also going to be cutting out a lot more color than you would by just trimming dead ends on long hair. you may find yourself spending more on hair dye if you dye your hair regularly!

[pawsinthebath]

Pamper your furry friend with the best Dog Grooming in Aurora

Dog grooming is an essential area that should be of utmost concern to the pet parents. A healthy groomed dog is likely to be more happy, playful, and free from diseases.  Basic grooming includes trimming nails and hair, ear plucking, and shaving paw pads. To get a perfectly well-groomed dog, owners should be aware of certain points while taking them to grooming spots. Many dog grooming in Aurora offer professional services but it is also necessary that the owner are also aware of some facts that would elevate their experience.  Here is a list of important points that should be kept in mind while grooming your dog.

The first and foremost thing is to develop a routine, a fixed one that would benefit both you and your companion. It helps the pet understand what will happen without leading to anxiety or fear.

After having a clear routine, select the products that you are going to use in the grooming sessions. Having good body products that suit the dog's body type and fulfill their needs can be very helpful. If your dog has dandruff, you can opt for anti-dandruff shampoo and if your dog has fleas then you can choose a flea control shampoo. Similarly, if your pet is allergic to certain ingredients or has sensitive skin type then you can consult a doctor for a suitable alternative.

After a nice shower session comb your pet’s hair to detangle mats and get rid of loose hair, if any. It is much easier to do it on wet hair rather than dry hair.

Make sure to use good trimming tools and equipment. Cheaper products do no good and can get bland with some uses. Using good quality scissors or brushes takes less time, gives better results, and can be used for a longer time. Clean and lubricate all tools after each use.

It is a difficult task to make your pet stay still during trimming sessions. So organize all your tools before and try to get a helping hand. You would need the help of someone to make them engaged in some activity so that they don’t react much. Many groomers use a helper device to stabilize the dogs. It’s a bit expensive, so if you cannot afford it you can look for some help from your workers.

Different Clipper Blades have different results. So make sure you have appropriate blades nearby while you are trimming the pets. For trimming nails there are a different set of blades. All these accessories should be kept near you for faster job completion.

While cleaning your pets, don’t overlook their dental hygiene. Clean their teeth and gum line with a finger brush or a normal brush having soft bristles and gently massage their gums. 

These are some general points that should be followed while grooming your dogs. Apart from these, there are techniques of how to trim the nails and hair so that it won’t hurt your dog. Assuming it is well-known by professionals, you need not worry about any problems. Some dog grooming spots offer DIY grooming, which means you can bathe your pet and carry out the whole process by yourself. If you are looking for such dog grooming in Aurora then you should visit https://www.pawsinthebath.com/locations/aurora-2. They offer a great grooming experience for your furry friends along with great assistance from their whole team.

[svmproducts-blog]

Flowbee: A cost-effective solution for haircuts

Introduction

Note: This blog post does not constitute legal advice, to the best of my knowledge. The information presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as legal advice.

Introduction

Flowbee is a revolutionary new haircutting device that cuts hair in half the time of traditional scissors. It reduces fatigue, pain and injury while providing an efficient, safe and effective way to get your haircut. The flowbee is designed to help make men's haircuts safer and easier than ever before.

The first thing you'll notice about the Flowbee is its unique design: it has two blades that rotate around each other as they cut through your hair, allowing them to reach even hard-to-reach areas on the back or sides of your head without using any additional attachments like clippers or trimmers! This means fewer strokes per inch (SPI), which means less chance for irritation during the process—and even less blood loss if you're being extra careful about keeping yourself safe from cuts!

Cost-Effectiveness

The flowbee haircutting system is a cost-effective solution for haircuts. The machine cuts hair at a low price and you can use it for your entire family.

In comparison to traditional haircuts, the Flowbee offers several benefits:

It's more efficient than having multiple people do the same job. With traditional haircuts, each person has to pay both their own time and money for getting their hair cut—so if you're going out with friends or family members who don't have any disposable income, then they're also paying extra money on top of theirs! With this new method, only one person needs to spend less time at work while saving money in the long run because there won't be any other charges associated with using this device (like having someone else holding down someone else while they're getting their hair cut).

Ease of Use

The flowbee haircut is a simple and user-friendly electric razor. It has a large handle that allows you to easily grip it, even if your hands are wet or cold. You can also use the cut-off button on top of your hand (the one closest to you) as an indicator for whether or not you're cutting too close with each swipe—a feature that's convenient if you're getting used to how much hair needs trimming before getting started.

The Flowbee comes with three combs: 1mm, 2mm and 3mm thicknesses that will help determine how coarsely shaved/trimmed off each section is going to be, depending on what look needs doing first! If someone has long hair then they might need more than one pass; if someone wants short stubble then maybe just two passes would suffice? This also makes things easier for those who aren't too sure about their exact beard length yet because there won't be any guesswork involved when using these combs instead."

Quality of Haircuts

The flowbee hair cutter machine that uses the power of gravity to cut and style your hair. You can choose from four different cutting styles, including a fade or buzzcut, which will leave you with an awesome look.

The Flowbee has a precision blade that cuts through all types of hair easily, even thick or coarse ones! This means that no matter what kind of haircut you want (or if it's too short), the Flowbee can do it better than any other method out there today!

How does this work? Well first off let's talk about what goes into making up any haircut at all: the blade itself must hit exactly where it needs to in order for everything else happening around us like spinning motors and blades inside them etcetera etcetera...

Convenience

The flowbee haircutter cuts hair with a laser, which is an efficient way to remove hair.

While you can use other methods that involve using a clipper or scissors on your own head, they don't provide the same level of convenience as the Flowbee. This tool makes it easier for you to keep up with your schedule and fit in more appointments into your day.

The Flowbee also has many other benefits over traditional haircuts: It allows for at-home haircuts because there's no need for an appointment or waiting time in order for this service provider (or any type of service provider) like other options do require!

Conclusion

You've now learned about the Flowbee, and how it can help you save money on haircuts. The Flowbee is a great tool to have in your home or office, as it's easy to use and requires no special training. The only caveat is that you need good hand-eye coordination if you want to make sure that your hair doesn't get caught in the blades before they cut through them (which could cause serious damage). If this sounds like something that would work well for your lifestyle, then by all means give it a try!

In addition to saving time and money on haircuts while also improving overall health of your scalp through better circulation—the Flowbee also helps keep other people from getting hurt when they use it during haircuts themselves. That makes it even more convenient than ever before!

[bitegore]

this is referencing something entirely else but in theory i would love to buzz people's hair in exchange for like. dinner or something or even just Hanging Out. i can do a decent job with a pair of clippers and i love making sure my friends don't have to spend money on things and i own clippers

[ks-caster]

The 100 Season 7 Episode 4 - Post-Liveblog Recap

Okay, so I liveblogged an episode for the first time - and it turned out to be a nice way to stay focused through the commercial breaks. Might continue to do that for the rest of the season.

But TBH I started doing it just so I could bitch about the CLEAR AND BLATANT LACK OF A SCENE WHERE SANCTUM!KRU REALIZE THAT BELLAMY AND ANOMOLY!KRU ARE MISSING. That was an important scene that the whole fandom, more or less, has been waiting for the entire time for various reasons. 

How do the characters react? Who figures out that something’s wrong first? Does Clarke sense Bellamy’s absence because they have a bond? Does Emori go looking for her space sister to comfort her other space sister only to find her missing? 

(Actually, she does. That’s my headcanon and I’m sticking to it. Might fic later. Accounts for Emori’s complete absence while her bestie Raven is falling apart.)

Edit: here's the fic!

Anyway, back to the episode - whoever was in charge of editing really really dropped the ball. Missing realization scene, poorly ordered Raven and Clarke scenes. The music during the Dev-and-Hope montage was a nice touch but just too loud enough that I really had trouble telling what they were saying - and the pacing would have felt better with just one show of teenage!Hope before we got 20-year-old her. The cut from Orlando agreeing to train Anomaly!Kru to 5 years later was WAY too abrupt for me to get a feel for the character and relationship development that they were trying to shoehorn in in order to create conflict at the end. I got where they were going with everything, but in a I’m-reading-a-newbie-writer’s-fanfic-because-I-love-the-story-concept-and-want-to-support-them kind of way and not in a I’m-watching-a-show-made-by-experienced-professionals-and-paying-for-the-privilege-in-ad-revenue kind of way. Disappointing.

Jumping around here for a bit: I gotta say I’m loving the makeovers this season! Hair and makeup did a great job on bringing back the old Raven without losing the maturity they gave her, giving Murphy and Emori their Gucci Royalty Vibes without losing the feel of their individual styles, and making Hope look like she can’t find quite the balance between feral forest girl and innocent shut-in who can’t bear to take a life (which is accurate to her character, of course). 

And Echo! So I really, really didn’t like her makeovers in seasons 5 and especially 6, because it felt like they were trying too hard to make her look pretty in a 21st Century kind of way. She looked softer, more vulnerable, which really contradicted her character traits - but I thought that might’ve been on purpose, to show a change in her (that she did indeed allow herself to become softer and more vulnerable for her family). And her post-time-skip (not that one. Or that one. The other one. There’s a lot of those. Bah.) look feels like a return to herself; she’s beautiful but in a no-nonsense, don’t-forget-I-can-cut-your-throat kind of way. (Is this because I just really love the butch look on woman and am myself a butch woman? Maybe. But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong.)

Side note: Where the hell did they get clippers on Penance? Those haircuts were entirely too even to have been done with scissors. I’ll buy that Gabriel and Orlando shaved their heads and their perfect round cuts were growout, but Hope and Echo? Electric clippers. Like I said I like the looks, but guys, there’s no way.

I liked that I got a better feel for Hope’s character this episode - she’s trying so hard to be like her mom and Aunty O and all the heroes they told her about when she was a child, but the truth is she’s been in one real battle, she froze, and her best and only friend died. And since her only role models were these incredibly strong people who didn’t give up, back down, hesitate, that wouldn’t be an easy thing for her to get over. (Given that Diyoza was pregnant with her for two entire seasons, I’d really like to have more time developing Hope’s character - or even the same amount of screen time but go easier on the timeskips, lol. She keeps having growth/maturity/life experience spurts so it’s hard to keep up with the development that we’re shown.

So, 5 (7? Wasn’t she 22? There’s still 2 years we missed right?) years after watching her friend die, and 5 (7?) years of blaming herself for freezing, she’s put into the same position, and she stabs some lady in the neck. Kid didn’t steal her coping mechanisms! All joking aside thought, the kid basically relived her trauma in real life - honestly her reaction was 100% valid.

I’m sure I’m supposed to be upset by Echo’s choice to kill the remaining gold-head people. But I think the only reason that’s supposed to bother me is that she promised (ish - she was real explicitly clear that she’d do what was necessary to rescue Bellamy and them were the breaks) Orlando that she wouldn’t. I think I’m supposed to care about the fractured relationship between AnomalyKru and Orlando.

I don’t. I don’t know if it’s the super-fast timeskip (it was weird enough to see the changed dynamics in SpaceKru when I deeply knew all of the characters AND we got time to see the changes play out) or the fact that I didn’t really get to know Orlando in a way that made me super sympathetic to him (I’ll get to that in a minute) or if it’s just that he was smart enough to know he was being played from the start (see Navy SEAL mom didn’t teach you how to swim and Echo again being 100% clear that killing people might still happen) and walked right in anyway. Either way, his betrayal wasn’t enough of a motivator for me as an audience member to be bothered about how things ended between him and AnomalyKru. I kind of shrugged and moved on.

More on Orlando... So The 100 has had several plotlines that center around people doing dangerous, terrible and downright ridiculous things because of their religions; see the kidnapping and conclave of freaking children killing each other to become commander, Gaia’s whole character arc + starting a new religion around Octavia/WonKru betraying that religion to go back to their old one centering on Madi, WHO IS GODDAMN TWELVE, all of Sanctum and season 6, the Sanctum conflict here in season 7, and now this goddamn Bardo Disciple shite.

Now I’m not dishing on real life religion or religious people - I happen to have one of those myself - but the plot of some-people-take-their-religion-way-too-far-drink-the-koolaid-and-hurt-people-around-them has been done and done and done on this show. And now here we have Orlando, who was a high-ranking member of his religion, drank the koolaid, cast out, still a true believer and therefore dangerous because his perspective is fundamentally skewed. I don’t know anything about this religion but that it’s militarized (they can arrest people) and think that sentencing people to 10 years of madness-inducing Geneva Convention violations and then bringing them back to their families two days later is okay. I don’t really want to know anything else, because I’m worried that the show is going to work hard on making this religion scarier than the Sanctum one (needing to one-up themselves with the big bad, of course) which just keeps making the commander religion look humane in comparison. 

Which it wasn’t. But I digress.

So Orlando was kinda’ cool, but getting in too deep with a fundamentalist who was complicit in his own abuse by said religion (and so who knows what he thought was okay to do to other people) and then it ended badly.

Cue shocked Pikachu.

Moving on. Clarke. Baby. After the harrowing experience of the radiation destroying the radio so you couldn’t say goodbye to your mom when you were supposed to go to space, then missing your time window and getting left behind on Earth, and the radio broke them too so you couldn’t even be sure your friends would leave in time until they blasted off, and then calling Bellamy every day when you knew he couldn’t hear you, and ALL OF THE FREAKING LAST SEASON WHERE YOU WERE POSSESSED AND WOULD HAVE GIVEN ANYTHING TO LET YOUR FRIENDS AND DAUGHTER KNOW BOTH THAT THAT WASN’T YOU AND THEN LATER THAT YOU WERE ALIVE and THEN your MOTHER getting possessed and you had to check to see if it was really her and it WASN’T. Clarke. 

After all that terrifying inability to communicate.

You leave Gaia behind to warn everyone of the danger. INSTEAD OF CALLING THEM ON A PIECE OF HANDY TECHNOLOGY OR TAKING A QUICK TRIP BACK YOURSELF. TO TELL YOUR DAUGHTER WHERE YOU WERE GOING. YOU DON’T THINK THAT MAYBE MAKING EXTRA SURE THAT EVERYTHING GETS COMMUNICATED CLEARLY AND IMMEDIATELY MIGHT BE A PRIORITY.

And then Gaia gets kidnapped. Honestly, cool! Not ‘cause I’m rooting for Gaia to be hurt (I don’t care all that much about her tbh) but I LOVE Indra and I want her to have more screen time and development this season - and or the chance to cut people up with her sword - and kidnapping her daughter seems like a great way to facilitate that.

*Looks at list* Oh, right, Jordan. I forgot you were here. Honestly I can’t figure out what the fuck is going on with you, and since I’ve had a whole season of not connecting with you because the story was too busy focusing on external plot... I don’t see that changing any time soon buddy. Sorry.

Oh and that FrEaKiNg PrOmO! 

My garbage boy! My chaos gremlin! My excellent-at-impersonating-a-deity-even-if-it-goes-against-his-programming! What are they doing?! 

I’m torn between NO DON’T HURT HIM and YES HURT HIM BECAUSE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND BRAVERY BWAHAHAHA. At least I know there’ll be Murphy and hopefully Memori content in the next episode. That’s the good shit. It’s the only thing left about this show that still feels “pure,” not that I didn’t know what sort of darkness I was signing up for when I started but just because he and Emori are sort of the last light in the darkness, and it’s nice to get a break periodically.

[gracielabon4-blog]

Hair cuts for Dogs

Your dog does not need much to look like a pet. Just do a search online and you will be inundated with lists of grooming products and you have to wonder how these dog groomers live in this cut-throat atmosphere. Look for some basic dog grooming tips. You can save money and time by doing the grooming yourself. Dogs and humans share a bond, and it's great to demonstrate this by grooming your dog. Get the information you need, especially if you would like to groom your pet regularly. Then, your puppy will always look his best. Trim the hair. Use a pair of scissors and cut the hair from the dog's ears, face, chest and back. Reduce the ear and body separately. All these parts will need to be trimmed individually so they will not come out at exactly the exact same time. But, even in case you want to be the Most Importantly one to meet up with the dog groomer, this may be problematic for you, as well. So, just remember that when in doubt, consult somebody who knows what the grooming tools and techniques are. When taking your dog to the vet, always ask for the use of dog nail clippers. As you're taking your puppy to the vet, you may use clippers on his nails. Clippers are very helpful, since they're easy to use, and they're also very helpful in removing the hair on your dog's nails. Grooming your dog will allow you to become more familiar with her or him, but it will also serve to relieve some of the stress that comes with daily walks and playtime. The Most Importantly step in almost any dog grooming routine is to have a bath. Although this might seem like plenty of work, bathing your dog will give you a opportunity to get acquainted with your new pet as well as the types of shampoo or other grooming products that are ideal for his or her particular breed. If you have a pet dog, it's important to groom it regularly. Looking after your dog is good for your dog and is something that should be achieved by everyone. Don't forget to take out any hair or fluff from your pet's hair before you use the brush. This helps the brush glide through easier. It also prevents tangles. It's a good idea to brush your dog's face, but some breeds have some special requirements. Dog grooming supplies are essential if you would like to provide the best support to your customers. These supplies include dog grooming products. Dog grooming products include brush, dog shampoo, dog treats, dog oils, dog shampoos, dog ear shampoo, dog shampoos, dog brushes, dog hair trimmers, etc. Remember that there are two different types of dog grooming equipment that you can use. If you want your dog to be groomed lightly, then you can try out the non-skid gloves. There are several types of dog grooming tools used in domestic and commercial settings. One of the most popular is the Sheath and Shaver tool for clipping and grooming and are available in most pet grooming shops, as well as the home of many dog owners. Other tools include the Dog Grooming Clipper, made with stainless steel blades for easy cleaning and safe sharpening; and the Blender for short stroking your dog. One of the important things that you ought to remember is that your dog grooming will be something that you do together. You shouldn't use harsh chemicals on your dog. By doing this, you are simply doing more damage than good. When trimming dog nails, it is important to follow all of the precautions outlined in the item's instructions. Always use caution when handling electric clippers, since they are quite sharp, and you may cause permanent damage if you aren't careful. You will also need to get a supply of disinfectant on hand before you begin clipping your dog's nails. Dog grooming is a great thing to be doing, but you should always be mindful of how you can do it. Good grooming is essential to keeping your dog in good health.

[strangelyokay]

A How To on Acrylic Nails

Beauty tends to change just about every month and depending on the location it can be entirely different than what it is at a different place in the world. Sure, people like to advocate for the natural beauty for the simple and just be yourself platforms but sometimes what we add to our appearances define our moods and confidence. Accessories are part of our self-expression and I like to believe it adds extra personality to someone's individual style. Now am I a certified person to be talking about the beauty trends of the world?  Simply put no. I am not a fashion student or guru for that matter, but I do have interest. Specifically, in one beauty trend that seems to change and grow each year. Nails!!!

Well acrylic nails to be more specific. They have always interested me, sometimes in a good way and sometimes in a bad way. See, as a kid I didn't understand them. I remember seeing girls around school with perfectly French tip nails. And as a young naive kid, I used to believe that those were their original nails. I always thought, “Wow their nails are so pretty, why are my……” Yes, I used to think my nails were less than desirable but hey can you blame me? No one told me the secret. My mom didn't understand the concept of spending money on unnecessary things. And to be honest I thought the same into one day I walked to my very first nail salon. I felt powerful, beautiful, different. When I got my very first set of acrylic nails something clicked. Sure, there were downfalls like not being able to open jars, sodas, and sometimes doors, but the perks were so good. I felt like an inner diva rose and said,” You look good.”

Now this blog isn't just me going on and on about how I love Acrylic Nails or how they are a good accessory or even about how they fit in in the new beauty era. Nope, I was interested in how to affordably get my nails done. I figured YouTube is popular with “how to” videos so I figured it was time for me to get a new hobby. I know very little on how to create beautiful nails, but I can give you the information that I have learned from my new hobby, first with what you will need and second the steps to create.

What equipment/products are needed to achieve beauty long acrylic nails?

●       Acrylic Nail tips- These are used as a template for nail shapes/lengths and it makes the nail stronger. Also, if you are like me and nervously chew your nails, these help a lot.

●       Nail Glue- Self-explanatory but this is needed for the fake nail to stay on your real nail.

●       Acrylic Nail Clipper/Nail File- Used to cut and shape the nail. I don't recommend using scissors, because they wouldn't be able to clip the nail even, and it would look bad.

●       Electric Nail Drill- Use to file, buff and shape the nail so that it doesn't look like a hot mess. You don't have to have a drill, you can always use a simple file, but it will take longer, like a lot longer.

●       Acrylic Monomer/ Acrylic Powders- When combined they make the substance use to create acrylic nails. They smell bad.

●       Acrylic Dish- To hold Monomer and the brush

●       Acrylic Nail brush- It's a must to have a good quality nail brush, because if not it wouldn't last long and it can even make your application impossible to make.

●       Nail Polish Remover- It helps to clean off the brush and fix small mistakes, plus it removes you know, nail polish.

●       Nail Primer- Use to make nails last longer, I personally don't use this because I am still learning how to create good nails and they are easier to take off without the primer, but if you really want to use it go ahead.

●       Nail Dust Remover/ Mask- Trust me, there will be a lot of nail dust everywhere.

Acrylic Nails Application steps.

Clean your nails- Your body naturally creates oil. Remove all nail polish and overall make them look neat.

File- File your natural nail so that it's in manageable length and then file the top of the nails so that it leaves a little rough surface. This is to help the fake nails stay longer but be careful and don't over file them.

Cuticles- Now you can put cuticle remover and push your cuticles back, but I like removing them with the drill. If you don't know what cuticles are, they are that thin layer of extra looking skin on the edges of your nails. If you don't remove them. It looks like your nails have grown out and they will make your nails look, well messy.

Fake Nail tips- Make sure to take your time getting the right sizes for each finger. If they are too big, it will cover the skin and your nails will hurt, especially if forcefully removed (I used to laugh at any girl who cried for a broken nail until it happened to me, it hurts really bad).

Nail primer- After your nails are in place put a small layer of nail primer. I usually skip this step and I recommend it, if you are new to the nail game like me.

Acrylic monomer/ powder- Acrylic dish and Nail brush will be needed. Put the brush inside the dish with the monomer. Gentle rub the brush against the glass side to remove excess liquid. Gently place on powder and create a bead and then place on the back end of the nail. Repeat the steps but this time apply the bead on the middle of the nail and then on the tip of the nail. Each time you do this remember to swipe the brush so that I combine gradually and nicely with the fake nail. This takes practice and I mean a lot of practices. You will mess up but don't get discouraged and try again and remember you can always use the electric drill to fix your obvious mistakes. Make sure to apply the mixture fast because it will dry out.

Electric Drill- With the drill you will trim the bumps and undesirable mistakes, then file and buff.    

Overall

It's fun to create the nails I want but it does take practice, and patience. I sometimes take a day to finish a set of nails. I manage to do one hand and I get too tired to do the other one. After they are created the fun part is decorating them. I personally like gel nails because they last longer than regular nail polish. To decorate with gel polish, you will need a UV Nail Light because gel polish only dries under it. I am serious, you can wait 20 years and gel polish will not dry on its own. Now after all these steps you are probably thinking,” I prefer paying for acrylic nails” or “this is too much work.” But let me tell you, you will save money and it's actually very rewarding when you create them on your own. Sure, nails aren't for everyone and with the way beauty trends change there's a good chance acrylic nails will be a thing of the pass. But I still recommend learning to create them. It's a form of art, which helps reduce stress, you save money in the long run (well if you get your nails done regularly), and it's a form of expression. It added a spice of, THIS IS ME, vibes and you get to create something from nothing. Plus, you can also show off your new skill to your friends. If you do decide to learn this skill remember to keep practicing, it's okay to take your time and don't give up. I advocate for this trend because it gives me confidence that I can do anything. I like to express my mood through the colors that I chose and give my personality a voice with the designs I chose. I also ran out of things to do in my time off and when thinking about what to do in my isolated boredom I came to the realization that doing acrylic nails could be fun. I did think of the more common hobbies to pick up like exercising , painting, even writing, but I wanted to challenge myself in a way that those other hobbies couldn't ( I hate running, I paint like a three year old and writing acquired extra focus/ thinking). Creating nails challenge me on a creative artistic level. It also gives me motivation to succeed because doing all that effort for them to come out ugly was not an option. I recommend looking at a lot of videos and overall staying positive. Yes, they will come out looking a bit funky at first and your fingers might feel like they are going to fall off but it's really fun to try. Whether it's this beauty trend or a different one just remember don't let others stop you from expressing your individuality.

Here are a couple of links to some helpful videos:

Acrylic Nails At Home: Step by Step How-To Tutorial

💅🏼Acrylic Nail Tutorial - How To Apply Acrylic For Beginners 🎉📚

DIY Nail Workshop - Acrylic Application

[itspowerfulhairclippers-blog]

Best Hair Clippers For Men (2019 Guide)

Inside the box you'll get one Philips Kids' Hair Clipper Series 1000 HC1091, 1 ear contouring three combs comb, a battery, and the storage instance that is snowy. The Philips Kids' Hair Clipper Series 1000 HC1091 will present your child an expert haircut, from the privacy and comfort of your dwelling. The Oster Professional 76023 is. Although on the packaging, Oster assert that it's"light weight and simple to hold" there are other models on the market which are lighter and therefore easier to grip than this clipper. Surprisingly, there are not many cordless hair clippers offering this period of program liberty. Click here The blade adjustment lever allows you to correct the amount of the blades improving your encounter that is cutting edge. The blade means that the duration of cut can very quickly change from medium length to close or another way around.

They are available in singles and components of everything you will need to get that gentleman look.

It can aid you with eliminating buzz cuts hair, or precision fashions along places. A lithium motor for simple and precision cutting powers 9766 Wahl Lithium Cordless Clippers edge. Get the great clipper for men's hair on Jumia that provides you consolation whilst shaving your beards and slips via any hair as it's miles built with precision and speed to offer you haircut styles. The blade supplies you with a specific easy shave off hair and beards on your fashion designer garb to appearance. They are available in singles and components of everything you will need to get that gentleman look. You might believe that all electric hair clippers are the exact same but much like other goods, there's a whole lot of variety and also the choices can be somewhat overwhelming (especially if you're new to the marketplace ). Pieces can be harmful to the equipment as well as your skin.

This energy makes this tool powerful enough to cut wet, thick or hair with the greatest of ease.

1 thing that is well worth considering, and that sets dog clippers that are quiet apart from other options, is the sound factor. The blades set it apart, making it sharp and one seriously durable grooming instrument. Get grooming kits, hair clippers, clipper bags and much extra on Jumia for correct Hair Care. Give yourself sparkling hair shave and a smooth from relied upon manufacturers onto Jumia with the hair equipment - . Make yourself appealing and appealing you step to with authentic hair equipment on Jumia. Their equipment are recommended due to the purpose that also the many application hair textures will be cut through by the engine. Globally Hair depend on their quality, and amazing functionality of Wahl gear and the spouses of theirs out of more than 165 different countries expect and stylists. This energy makes this tool powerful enough to cut wet, thick or hair with the greatest of ease. You enjoy a professional and can be daring, experimental. These two-speed clippers can be utilized with or without the cable. It comes.

Comes with pivot motor helping to cut readily. The Clipper bundle includes varied brushes, cleaning brush, oil, scissor shield and clipper. Numerous compact trimmers and the cordless clippers are compatible and specific with their own distinctive blade. Get him/her use so that they don't attempt to escape when they hear them turn on for your first time. There is not any need to attempt to dig hairs with a cleaning brush . You'll also discover a booklet, a cape, a cleaning brush and a neck brush on styling with hints and ideas. Bundle comprises the knife and the clipper, cleaning brush 2 connection brushes, oil along protect. Outstanding quality is at the forefront of this clipper to offer you quick, uncompromising results regardless of your hair type, and with a no maintenance self-oiling blades, this hair clipper is developed to become long-lasting. They'll cut down hair to lengths.

For a no-nonsense, great result each time, this 1 prevent"barbers'-in-a-bag" kit contains everything you require offering actual material. The Wahl Professional Essential Combo looks nice also and works really great. The Wahl Senior 8545 is excellent for providing benefits and is suggested for both skilled and home use. Wahl Senior Premium Hair Clipper: This clipper is made to be light weight, that creates less stress on the wrists of yours. What Do the Numbers on Hair Clipper Combs Mean? Wahl was made in 1919 with all the high criteria in addition to passion of one man called Leo J. Wahl, nearly a century later on and 2,200 workers worldwide, they're also the very best clipper / trimmer business available today. Users report that, although this isn't a trimmer, it functions well doing that. This support will allow you to personalize your own haircut, even for doing fades.

https://vetmed.tennessee.edu/vmc/FarmAnimalHospital/Documents/FactSheet_LACS-HairClipperMaintenance.pdf

[tnystrk-exe]

Changes

Tony Stark X Child OC

Warnings: Abuse, alcohol, transphobia, dysphoria, puberty

From a young age, Hailee never felt right. There wasn’t much too it, she felt like a square that was being jammed into a circle shaped hole. Girls didn’t like her because she was too much of a tomboy. Mom was always mean and dad worked a lot. Finding a place to fit in was hard. At times it felt like she was just molded wrong.

Then puberty happened and it all went down hill. Her body was changing and she hated it. Nothing felt right at all.

“Mom?” She asked, hesitantly.

Her mom poured another drink for the night. If Tony was away, so was that trophy wife mask. “What do you want?” She grunted.

“I don’t feel right...”

“Sick? Go to bed. Don’t want to deal with you.”

Hailee sniffed, “O-okay. I’m sorry mom.”

Her mother shook her head in disgust, “Such a spoiled fucking brat. Always crying.” Sighing, Hailee walked up to her room, wishing her father didn’t have so many business meetings and missions to go on. She was nicer when he was home.

Sitting on the bed, she felt a bit hopeless. There never seemed to be any answers. Hailee knew she didn’t hate herself personality wise, but looking into a mirror or just staring at her body made her feel all types of wrong. The things her mother forced her to wear at events made her want to vomit. More often than not she longed to have a suit like her father’s. School uniforms weren’t any better. Skirts, bows, and frilly things, none of it good. Maybe she was just being dumb and picky, but that never felt like the right answer.

Getting up, she walked to the bathroom across the hallway. “Jar?” She asked, giving herself a revolted look in the mirror, “Why do I hate myself?”

“You don’t hate yourself, Miss,” the A.I. answered.

“I’m never comfortable. My clothes, my hair, and now my body is doing all this weird stuff. None of it feels right. I don’t feel right,” the young girl said, looking at herself in the mirror. “I don’t know what to do..”

“Would you like me to contact your father?”

“No. No. Dad’s busy. Keeping others safe is more important. Can you help me?”

“What’s wrong?”

Hailee tried to gather her thoughts, make sense of what she was feeling. “I dunno...I guess it feels like I’m stuck? I don’t like being a girl, I think.”

The A.I. pulled up internet pages on to the mirror, things that seemed to fit what she was describing. “Does any of this help?”

“I...I think so...” Hailee read through the articles, seemingly finding the answers, “Thank you.”

That was what the big deal was? Why this body felt like a giant trap? He was a boy?

“I’m a boy,” he tried out, a small smile pushing at his lips. Staring at himself was slightly easier now. Now that there were answers.

He sighed a breath of relief, looking around the room. His eyes landed on a pair of scissors on the counter, before falling back to his long hair. This was probably a bad idea. Scissors in hand, he pulled on a strand experimentally.

Snip.

It didn’t take much longer until more clumps of hair joined the first strand in the sink. He looked at himself proudly. This was better. It felt right.

The door was pushed open suddenly. “I told you to go to fucking bed,” his mother took in his appearance, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” She yelled.

He stepped back, trying to avoid his advancing mother. “I-I just wa-wanted to look like a b-boy,” he confessed, pressed against the wall.

“You stupid bitch, you don’t even know you’re a girl,” she slurred, slapped him hard across the mouth.

Tears welled up in his eyes, he looked down at the floor. “I’m sorry.”

“You will be.”

When she finally left him alone, he quickly ran to his room. Making sure to lock the door before falling into bed. He hurt all over. “I just want my dad,” he whimpered into the pillow.

He cried himself to sleep.

“Baby?” The loud knock at his door, woke him up suddenly. “C’mon honey, I need you to open the door,” his dad called out worriedly.

He stood up, a quick glance at the clock told him it was 2 in the morning. Hesitantly, he opened the door for his father. Immediately, Tony kneeled down to get a closer look.

“I’m so sorry, Hailee.” Tony was taken back to his rougher times with Howard. Bridget wasn’t like that. Though now he supposed it was all an act he had fallen for. “Let’s get you cleaned up princess.” He picked up his daughter and was going to take her into the bathroom across until he saw the chaos inside. Instead he opted to go to the kitchen, there was a first aid kit there. Tony sat him on the kitchen counter and looked through the cabinets to find the kit.

He watched his dad look for what he needed. This wasn’t worth the hurt or the worry that it caused his dad. Looking over he saw a crumpled up piece of paper. Straightening the page out he read its contents.

‘I can’t do this anymore. Fuck you. Fuck the money. Have fun with your daughter that wants to act like she has a dick. -Bridget’

“Hey,” Tony pulled the paper out of Hailee’s hands and let it fall into the trash can, “That doesn’t matter. Okay? I handled everything. I’ll protect you better now. This is going to sting a bit, but it will help.” Tony cleaned off cuts on her cheek and scrapes on her arms. Every time Hailee winced he felt like a failure. She should have never been through this.

“I’m sorry you had to come home, dad. I know you were doing stuff with the Avengers.”

“That doesn’t matter. Okay? They got it all handled. You needed me and there’s no reason to be sorry. None of this was your fault.” He took in the sight of his kid, there would no doubt be bruises coming in, but for now there was the botched cut job to fix. “Come on, I have some scissors and clippers. I’ll fix it up for you.” He helped his daughter down from the counter and took her to his bathroom. “How about I take you on a vacation?”

“What about school?”

“Really, school?” Tony rolled his eyes, “if you want, I’ll drop by at the school and pick up your work and we can take it.”

The sound of the clippers buzzed in the air, while Hailee made his choice. “Okay, sure.”

“You nerd.” Hailee laughed, much to Tony’s joy.

“Says you!”

“Hails, do you got anything you need to tell me? Has anything like this happened before?”

Hailee shook his head, “No. When you leave mom was mean. She always drinks.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, finally putting the clippers to the side.

“Because...I don’t know. Scared?”

He sighed, “At least we can put this behind us. How do you like this haircut? Better than what she gave you?” Tony hadn’t connected the dots. The worry about his kid blinded him more than anything. All he really knew was that it bugged Bridget to extreme levels that their daughter was a tomboy. He had assumed that’s what she had been getting at in her note.

“Yeah, dad. Thank you. Can I go back to sleep now?”

“You wanna sleep in here?” He offered, not really willing to let her out of his sight.

Hailee shook his head, “I want to sleep in my room. G’night dad.”

“Night sweetheart.”

Hailee quickly made his way down the stairs and grabbed his mother’s note out the trash. “Jarvis? Delete everything you showed me in the bathroom. Please, don’t tell dad.” It was too much stress on his father. His dad had enough to worry him as it was. At least Hailee had the answers he wanted. He could try to pretend to be a girl for a while.

“Sir, I think it would be wise to talk to your father.”

Hailee shrugged, “I don’t want to tell him. It just caused trouble today. Calling me that is nice, but not when adults are around please.”

“Is there another name you would like me to call you?” The A.I. asked as it learned more from the internet.

“I can do that?” He asked walking up to his room, the crumpled up note in hand.

“You could.”

He sighed, placing the note in a drawer. “I’ll think about something then, but only when it’s just us. Got it? If anyone is around, default mode.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Thanks, Jar.”

“Anytime.”

Everything Tag:

| @sophiatomlinson23 | @cannonindeez | @memyselfandmaddox | @mendes-holland | @space-helen |

Marvel Tag:

| @asguardiansoftheavengers | @letsgetfuckingsuperwholocked | @lovely-geek | @atomicfandombomb |

Tony Stark Tag:

| @bit-bot0711 | @tonystarkxreader | @mikariell95 |

[piggiepies-dotrosiekiki]

How to: Trim Guinea Pig Nails

Featuring our lovely model, Rosie.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I just clipped Rosie and Kiki’s nails for the first time since we rescued them (and likely their first time EVER judging by the state of them). I expected the worst, but it turned out they were totally relaxed and didn’t really react when I clipped them. Our first set of piggies, Cupcake and Dot, were the total opposite. They hated it, threw a fit every time, and would try to bite HARD when they normally were the sweetest things. It took 3 1/2 years to get Cupcake comfortable with it, and Dot ALMOST 6! So, I just assumed that all piggies were that way. That’s what I love about pet ownership, you’re always learning something new!

So if you’re new to owning piggies, and are worried about trimming nails, I GOT YOU. There are lots of guides and youtube videos out there to help, but I’m throwing this into the mix, too. Hopefully, you have piggies like Rosie and Dot that don’t care about trims! But if you have more anxious piggies, maybe this will help you out some! This is the way we had to trim nails to minimize stress on the piggies AND ourselves!

First, gather your supplies

Well fitting gardening gloves

Nail clippers

Potty pad (because you know they’re gonna angry pee)

Chubby butt piggie

Distraction food (if you have a second pair of hands to help you)

Not in the photo-water bottle cap filled with flour, just in case you nip a quick

Now for the fun part!

Grab your piggie, and get them comfortable on your lap. I like to do this in our downstairs bathroom sitting on the floor, for a few reasons. If they manage to wriggle away, they won’t fall to the floor very far. It’s also an enclosed space, with only a few places they can go to hide. Also, I find it’s easiest to contain the mess. I don’t care if I have to sanitize the bathroom floor when it’s only maybe 6 sq ft of space.

Put on your gloves. Just trust me. If you’re not sure what your chubby butts gonna do, you want to be prepared. The first time I trimmed Cupcakes nails, she bit me bad enough that we seriously considered going to the ER. And I hadn’t even gotten the quick of her nail. I don’t say that to scare you, just to be honest. They’re teeny tiny prey animals, and we’re doing weird strange things to them. If they do try to bite you, you won’t get hurt, and they won’t get hurt accidentally by your reaction. As long as you can work in the gloves, you’re good to go!

If your piggie doesn’t like the gloves (looking at you, Dot), cuddle them for a few minutes to get them used to the feel of the gloves.

Position the piggie! I found the most secure and least stressful way to hold them is by using one hand to hold them around their tummy, pulling their back against your body, and gently grabbing a front paw in between your index and middle finger. This lets their hindquarters be supported on your lap, and gives you access to their back paws, too. See below for unamused piggie. (I did take my gloves off for the photo, because she was so relaxed and also for a better picture). You can see her paw is scissored between my two fingers, so I can control (to a certain extent) what she does with her paw while I hold her.

Take a deep breath. No really, they can tell when you’re stressed, and that will make them nervous.

Take a look at their claws. Start with clear/white nails first-you’ll be able to see the blood vessel (or “quick”) easier than on a dark nail. When you trim, you want to make sure your cut is in front of the quick, so that you don’t accidentally make them bleed and hurt. (It happens though, use the flour to stop the flow of blood, just gently tap the nail into it). Below, you can see I trimmed one of Rosie’s longer nails, and haven’t trimmed the others. The pink squiggle is my (lame) attempt to make it clearer where the quick is. If you can’t see it on your piggie, shine a flashlight underneath their nail. The red line is where you want to try to make your cut!

Using the clippers, gently trim the nail. If you’re nervous, you can make a few small trims to get the nail to the right length. I find this step is when they might try to bite your hand-but jokes on them, you’re wearing hand protection!

Back nails are pretty much the same, except much easier (in my opinion). Just lean your piggie back a bit closer to you, and you’ll see their feet are right there for you. Just quickly eyeball where you want the trim, and go for it.

TAAA DAAAA! You’ve got freshly trimmed nails.

Give that piggie some snuggles, maybe some extra treats, and pat yourself on the back! Need some extra tips?

You might have to do this over a few days to get all of their nails, and that’s totally fine!

Trim small amounts at a time if their nails are really long/curved.

The more often you trim, the shorter you can keep their nails (the quick grows longer if the nails are left to grow, but if you trim regularly the quick will stay short). They’ll also get used to it quicker!

When my husband needed to help, we bribed them with parsley. Easy to handle, less in the way.

If your pig is extra squirmy, make sure to hold them securely, but DONT squeeze them!

Take breaks between toes if you need to. We used to have to stop between EVERY toe with Dot, and snuggle her and tell her she’s SUCH A GOOD GIRL, before resetting. It. Took. Forever. But it was worth it when she didn’t freak out as much.

If your piggie gets anxious being separated from their cage mates, do their nails where they can still see or smell them. My personal experience was that if Dot or Cupcake saw the other getting their nails trimmed, the other would flip out and it’d be impossible to catch them for their turn. But if it happened behind closed doors... well, what they don’t know won’t hurt them! You know your piggies, so you do you!

RELAX! You’re most likely going to be fine! It’s much scarier the first few times you trim their nails than it really is, I promise!

I hope this helps! Also, keep in mind I am not a trained animal handler/vet/etc, this is just my experience over the last 7 years!

Happy trimming! 🐹

[barberdenver]

One of the best and probably the easiest way to enhance your appearance is styling your hair. You cannot comprehend what a good hairstyle can bring in for you. From improving your appearance to boosting your self-confidence, it is all until you find a barber shop in Denver.

[thedoodlynoodle]

How to Trim Your Dog’s Nails?

Trimming your dog’s nails at home might seem like a daunting task, but it’s an important and even rewarding one. Without nail trimming, your dog may have trouble gaining traction. Walking on overgrown nails can damage the nail beds and cause discomfort or even pain. And of course, longer nails are more easily caught in cracks and crevices, which can hurt the toe or damage the nail. But don’t worry — with some practice and patience, you’ll soon be giving your dog a top-notch mani-pedi.

About Your Dog’s Nails

A dog’s nails are a bit different than ours, so it’s important to learn some tips for trimming them safely and making the experience as positive as possible for your pup. Instead of a flat nail like humans have, our dogs have curved and oval-shaped nails. Dog nails are made up of two major layers: a dead and nerveless outer layer made of keratin protein surrounding the very sensitive and very much alive blood vessel-packed tissue called the quick. If your dog has clear nails, you can see the pink, tube-like quick in their nail. If your dog has black nails, it can be much more difficult to know where the quick begins and where to avoid cutting.

What You Need to Trim Your Dog’s Nails at Home

You need a few basic supplies to tackle nail trims yourself at home.

Treats. Have some treats or yummy food like peanut butter to reward your dog for staying calm throughout the nail trim process. You can give a treat after clipping each nail or finishing each paw. Another trick is placing a licking mat smeared with wet food or other spreadable treats on the wall to use as a distraction for your dog while you handle their paws. A food-stuffed toy can also work well to keep your dog occupied during the trim.

Dog nail clippers. If you have a small dog or puppy, nail scissors (or cat nail clippers) are easier to use and manipulate. If your dog is large, choose the larger nail clippers, often called “guillotine” style. These can cut through thicker nails compared to the scissor style. If your dog is medium-sized, you can try either style, but the scissor might not be strong enough to cut through thicker nails. Ask your veterinarian for advice if you aren’t sure.

Styptic powder. Keep some styptic powder on hand to help stop the bleeding if you trim a nail too short and cut into the quick. In a pinch, you can substitute a bit of corn starch for styptic powder.

How To Trim Your Dog’s Nails at Home

Sit with your dog in a well-lit area.

Gently hold your dog’s paw, pushing back any long fur away from the nail you’re going to trim.

Firmly hold the toe pad between your thumb and forefinger, gently extending their toe to give you a better view of the individual nail.

For scissor-style clippers, hold the clippers horizontally and perpendicular to the nail. For guillotine-style clippers, hold the clippers perpendicular to the nail in a direction that will cut from bottom to top. You want to be able to see where the clipper will be cutting.

If your dog has clear nails, identify where the quick is before clipping so you can avoid hitting it.

If your dog has black nails, focus on very small clips to cut down the hooked part of their claw.

Clip just the tip of the nail straight across. You can angle the clippers slightly downwards in the direction of your dog’s nail growth. Doing so can help you get a closer trim without hitting the quick, as the quick tapers into a point inside of the nail.

And here are a few helpful tips:

Start young. The best time to start getting your dog used to nail trims is as young as possible. Practice holding and touching their paws when they are a puppy and always provide treats to build the positive association. As your dog gets older, they will be much less likely to react to nail trims.

Trim only one nail at a time. Trimming your dog’s nails can be nerve-wracking, both for you and your dog. If your dog appears stressed or won’t tolerate multiple nails being trimmed, make it easier for all by just trimming one nail a day.

Ask for help. Having a second person focus on keeping your dog comfortable and entertained can be a huge help while you are trimming nails. A family member or friend can make all the difference.

Don’t forget the dewclaw. Dogs naturally have a fifth digit equivalent to the human thumb that is located on the inside of their lower front legs near the paw. The dewclaw nail grows just as quickly as the other nails so don’t forget to give it a trim at the same time.

If clipping your dog’s nails at home is too difficult or panic-inducing, there is no shame in having their nails trimmed by a professional groomer or at your veterinarian’s office. In some cases, such as if your dog’s nails are overgrown, are curling into their paw pads, or your dog becomes extremely reactive during nail trims, it’s best to have a professional do the job. And if your dog has an infection at their nail bed, fungal infections of the nails, or their nails are cracked or split, do not trim at home. Veterinary staff or groomers can also give you tips for your dog’s particular nail issues to help you care for them at home in the long term.

[cursivescrawl]

Transition

Rating: G Category: Elementals Summary: Bellamy was always a boy.  It just took him eleven years to catch on.

Bellamy pulled on a plaid button-up sweater over the tee-shirt, stepped in front of his mirror, and looked at himself.

He frowned.  He pulled back his long wheat-colored hair, yanking it away from his face, and turned, examining his body.  No.  This didn't work, the cut and color of the shirt was still too feminine.

He let his hair fall back down around his face and sighed, staring at himself again.  Then he turned back to his dresser and resumed rummaging.

Jeans, too slim and tight.  Several tee-shirts with sparkles or flowers or lace.  Black leggings. More jeans.  A training bra.

A dress.

He pulled out the dress, held it up to the light.  It wasn't fancy or anything.  Just simple gray-washed-white, probably a hand-me-down from one of the other Winds.

He looked across at the mirror again.  His face was rounder than he would have liked, his arms muscled enough from drawing his bow but those telltale soft parts still showing up, slimming his shoulders, softening his waist.

He folded the dress neatly and put it on his bed.  Then he began pulling out more clothing.

The leggings – too slim, too tight, too feminine.

Every tee-shirt that wasn't just a plain solid color, and some that were pink or purple.

Two skirts.  The training bra.  Jeans meant to fit to his legs, the shirt he was wearing, jeggings.  His conviction grew along with the pile on his bed as he discarded clothes, not bothering to fold them anymore, just pulling them out and tossing them on the bed and looking in the mirror and grimacing at his girl's face.

The only clothes remaining in his dresser were a few shirts he'd gotten at free events (the kind that nobody bothers to order two separate cuts for), a pair of khaki cargo pants someone had given him as a joke, and socks.  He pulled the cargo pants on and selected a shirt that proclaimed, U of A YOUNG GYMNAST 2010.

He looked at himself and pulled his hair back once more.  Then he swapped out the shirt for another one, irregular patterns of lime-green tie-dye squiggled across the white fabric.

It clashed with his hair, but he didn't care.

He turned around and stared at the clothes on his bed.

Part of him wanted to throw them out the window, let them rain down into the backyard, but he knew he'd just have to pick them up later when the other Winds yelled at him.  Part of him wanted to ask Clare for a flame and watch the cloth burn.

But that would be a waste, he realized guiltily after a moment of fantasy.  Possibly it was Eliana's thoughts intruding on his at that moment, making him see reason.

She was just outside his door.

“Come in,” Bellamy called, and, ignoring the pile of clothes for now, turned to examine himself in the mirror again.

Eliana entered silently.  She did most things silently, these days. Tucking a silver strand of hair behind her ear, she walked over to Bellamy and extended a pale hand.

You ready​? she asked silently.

Bellamy stared at himself.  Then he took a deep breath, exhaled it, nodded, and turned to his teammate.

“How do I look?”

She stepped back with annoyance flashing through the contract and looked him up and down.  Like yourself.

“Like a guy or a girl?”

Yourself. Another, stronger undercurrent of annoyance came with the word. That's not the best question to ask a teammate.  You're Bellamy.

“Helpful,” Bellamy grumbled.  At Eliana's silent apology, he squeezed her shoulder, then walked out into the dorm hallway.

“Hey, Andrea!  How do I look?”

Andrea turned and gave him a hard look.  Then she grinned.

“You're getting your hair cut today, aren't you?  'Grats, Bell. You look the part.”

Eliana made it very clear that she didn't like anyone calling him 'Bell'.  Bellamy gave her condescension and amusement

“Thanks.”  He winked at Andrea.

“Don't give me that!”  She laughed, flicked air just strongly enough to make him stumble back, and disappeared into her room. Bellamy's heart lifted.  He turned to Eliana, unsuccessful at stopping his grin.

“Right, you said you know the place?”

She nodded and offered a picture through the connection.  It was an alley, detailed enough in its location, beside a major intersection and behind a tall renter's building.

“Right,” repeated Bellamy, and drew an arrow from his quiver to be a focal point.  The air in the hallway shifted, twisted, lifted his hair and played with his clothes.  He raised his hand and waved to Eliana.

“Follow me through the connection?

She nodded.  Then the wind ley line swept him away.

The salon was inside a “beauty mall,” a collection of one-room salons in which different specialists rented out different shops.  Eliana led him to the top of the stairs, and then to the third door along the hallway.

It was open.  Bellamy saw a cutting chair, a shampoo station, prints of Paris on the walls.  A TV mounted across from the door bounced the Pandora logo around its screen, and soft Taylor Swift played from a speaker on a counter otherwise filled with hair dye boxes and leave-in conditioner bottles.  The stylist was bent over her phone with her back to the two Elementals.

Eliana nudged Bellamy.  He cleared his throat.  The stylist looked up, then put her phone down and jumped to her feet.

“You're late.”  She addressed the comment to Eliana, who took her notepad from her jacket pocket and flipped to a clean page.

SORRY, she printed in block letters, and then showed the pad to the stylist before continuing.  TRAFFIC.

You speak, she told Bellamy, folding the pad back up and putting it away.  Bellamy cleared his throat again and tried to sound masculine.

“Um. I'm Bellamy,” he said.  “Silver told me she booked an appointment...?”

“Yes.” The stylist beckoned them in and glanced again at Eliana.  “We're not doing you today, Silver?”

Eliana shook her head and pointed to Bellamy.  Then she deliberately crossed over to the waiting chairs, sat herself down, picked up one of the trashy magazines scattered out for browsing pleasure, and hid her face inside one.

“Um,” said Bellamy.

Eliana prodded him through the connection.  Clare and Aly set their swords aside, starting cool-down stretches at Aly's insistence, watching Bellamy.

“So- uh.  I want to cut my hair off.”

The stylist reached for his hair.  Bellamy twisted his head to give her easier access.  In the mirror, he watched her run the strands through his hair, then close her middle and index fingers across it at chin-length.

“To here?”

“No.” Bellamy hesitantly reached for her hand and moved it up.  “I was thinking – here.  Like a boy's.”

The stylist met his eyes, askance, in the mirror.  Then she turned to Eliana.

“Silver, you didn't tell me she was going to-”

“He,” said Bellamy.  It felt like his throat was closing up around the word.  Without looking, he knew Eliana had lowered the magazine and was giving the stylist a hard stare.

An awkward few seconds ensued.

“Oh,” said the stylist finally.  Her cheekbones were dusted with red now, and she didn't look Bellamy in the eye as she examined his hair.  “I see.  I can do that.  Just the cut, no color?”

“Yes, please,” said Bellamy, and let himself be led over to the hair-washing station.

The stylist clearly knew what she was doing.  Eliana had reassured him of as much.  Her own hair was incredibly fragile, after what the Winters had done to it – done to her – and this woman was the only one she'd found who'd managed to cut her hair without making it just break off.  Bellamy tried to relax as she rinsed the fragrant shampoo from his hair and helped him rise, clipped one of those salon robes around his shoulders, and settled him in the cutting chair.

“Just to be certain,” she said, and reached for a style book, flipping to a section of men's haircuts.  “Which do you like best?”

Bellamy glanced through them, trying to figure out what would make his face look most masculine.  He finally pointed out a swept-back style, parted on the side.

“That?”

The stylist looked at it, nodded, and took the style book from Bellamy, propping it up on a convenient stand.  Then she reached for a pair of scissors.

Bellamy looked at himself in the mirror until the stylist brought the blades to his hair.  Then he closed his eyes, hearing the first soft snip at his chin.

Wimp, said Clare.  Aly kicked her, a swift pain in Bellamy's shin.

Eliana reached for them, a silent, wordless offer to share her vision.

Bellamy felt Clare and Aly take her up on that.  He distanced himself from the connection.  He didn't want to see his hair falling to the floor in strands and snips, didn't want to make himself nervous by watching.  He focused on his breathing.

Wind in, wind out, air filling his lungs and his veins.  Inhale.  Exhale.

The soft whirr of a buzz-clipper, the unfamiliar sensation of it gliding across the nape of his neck.

Inhale. Exhale.

Minutes passed.  A hair dryer started, ruffling light weight on his scalp. The airflow was soothing.  Bellamy could follow the wind's path into the dryer, through the heating coils, and out through the fan, evaporating water from his hair.

“Alright,” said the stylist finally.  The dryer shut off.  Bellamy squeezed his eyes shut tighter.

“Does it look good?” he asked Eliana aloud.

“I think it does,” said the stylist.

It looks perfect, said Clare, still watching from Eliana's perspective.  Eliana and Aly's approval washed over him.

More confident, Bellamy opened his eyes.

He couldn't look away once he did.  He stared, turned his head, stood, ran his fingers through newly-short strands.  The stylist unclipped the cape, letting his garish lime-green tee-shirt show again.

The boy meeting Bellamy's eyes in the mirror the mirror actually looked like a boy.  He looked like what Bellamy imagined he should look like.  Short hair highlighted his cheekbones, his jaw.  Bellamy turned his face and felt at the back of his neck.  Soft, almost curly hair sprang under his fingertips.

He laughed, then clapped his hand over his mouth as the emotion threatened to spring tears of relief to his eyes.  Men don't cry. Men don't cry, men don't cry, if you want to be a man-

“Is it that bad?” asked the stylist.  Bellamy shook his head, not trusting himself to speak, staring at this wonderful stranger in the mirror.

Idiot, laughed Clare, happy for his happiness.

Eliana's pencil scratched.  Bellamy saw, in the mirror, the stylist turn around, knew from Eliana's thoughts that she was clarifying his emotion.  He didn't care.  He kept touching his face, his hair, the new part in it.

He was him, as ridiculous as Aly thought that sounded.

“It's perfect,” he managed, and tore his eyes from his reflection long enough to thank the stylist.  Eliana examined him silently.

She nodded approval.

You look like you, she repeated.

Aly laughed.  Clare's amused, excited thoughts roughly translated to get over here right now so I can see you!

Bellamy's power automatically tried to obey the directive from his leader, trying to pull him into the connection and to her side.  He stopped himself.

“Thank you,” he said.  “Really, thank you.  How much-?”

The stylist named her price, and Eliana paid cash from their team's monthly stipend.  Then they were out the door, and the wind was ruffling Bellamy's hair, and he tipped his head back and laughed, giddy, and his teammates all grinned at the thrill he felt.

I'll go with you to pick out new clothes next week, promised Aly, and Bellamy saw that while he'd been waiting in the stylist's chair, she'd taken the feminine clothes he'd discarded and put them in the laundry for whatever Elemental might need a spare outfit.

Right, Bellamy responded cheerfully, and he slowed to savor catching his reflection in the side mirror of a parked car.  Eliana tugged him along with impatience underscoring the connection.

Reminder, said Clare, once we're all done ooh-ing and aah-ing over Bellamy, we've got to discuss our newest briefing.

Aly started to respond.  For the moment, Bellamy brushed her aside, and called up a little breeze to play among the leaves on the trees. He listened to the quiet susurrus underneath the rumble of cars turning onto one street or another, felt the breeze playing in his hair.

His hair, his clothes, his breeze.

He realized his teammates had fallen silent in the connection. Somewhat guiltily, he tuned back in.  Yeah?

It had been a while since any of them had felt him this happy.  They weren't quick enough at erasing the thought from their minds before Bellamy saw it.

Guys!

It's true, said Clare, without a hint of defensiveness or shame.  There was plenty of embarrassment coming from Aly to make up for it.  Now, c'mon.

Eliana flowed through the connection to obey, vanishing from Bellamy's side and pressing against his mind for a second before he felt her re-appear next to Aly.  Bellamy closed his eyes and followed.

The soft wind dissipated as the Wind boy vanished from the street.

[yesimgoingtopeacecorps]

The Guinean Peace Corps Guide to Packing

This list obviously isn’t perfect, but I’m sure if you’ve stumbled onto this blog post you’re looking for a good Peace Corps packing list, especially if you’ve just been accepted to Guinea and you’re getting ready to leave. I’m currently in my 6th month of living in Guinea and I’ve received a few things from home along the way.

Just as a reminder, you’re technically only allowed two large suitcases, at 50lbs each for the trip. However, I knew some people who paid extra for another bag, and, looking back, I should have just done that. It would have saved me and a lot of people at home money on the expensive overseas shipping to Conakry.

Things I packed:

Clothes

a note about clothes, try to get things that are quick dry or make for an active lifestyle. You will be washing your clothes by hand and you’ll want things that are very easy to clean, don’t show dirt, and don’t hold smells. I suggest Lululemon, Athleta, Patagonia, and those kind of brands. You can find cheaper and discounted clothes online at backcountry.com and Sierra Trading Post (also a great place to find any of the camping or hiking gear listed on here). You  can also check out TJMaxx and Marshalls. Also, you’re going to get clothes made here and people are always leaving stuff “up for grabs” at the regional houses, so don’t pack too much clothes wise.

For girls, I will say, error on the side of caution when it comes to shorts, skirts, and tops. You can always cut things or have them tailored but where I live is pretty conservative and as much as I hate it, I wouldn’t be caught dead walking out of my house in a thin strap tank top.

  3 pairs of pants that youcould wear in an office setting but also wear hiking (try Athleta for these)

1 pair of hiking or durable pants that you don’t mine messing up- I use mine to garden

1 pair of black leggings

2 pairs of running/workout leggings

3 pairs of shorts (try to  make them longer/knee length)

2 pairs of compression     shorts/spandex

1 pair of jeans

5 or 6 nice shirts (at least one long sleeved one, I promise there are places that it does get cold here)

2 or 3 tank tops

5 casual t-shirts/workout shirts

2 skirts (well past the knee and flowly)

3 day dresses

1 or 2 nice dresses (but not heavy or thick, the place where you train for three months is very hot)

10 pairs of underwear (check out ExOfficio for great travel underwear)

6 sports bras

2 or 3 regular bras

2 or 3 pairs of hiking/thick socks

7 pairs of regular running socks

1 pair of Chacos or tevas (I live in these shoes)

1 pair of running shoes

Hiking boots or closed toed shoes with a very good grip (the only real tourist thing to do in Guinea is hiking and you will definitely use them. I also use mine when gardening)

1 or 2 bathing suits (these are hard to find in Guinea)

1 good durable raincoat

1 lightweight jacket

1 sweatshirt

1 sweater/cardigan

Other wearables:

A good hat

Cheap sunglasses (you can buy more here and I’ve already broken three pairs)

Two scarves

HAIR TIES

Non-valuable jewelry if you  like that sort of thing

A good backpack

A small foldable bag for market days

A purse

A small cross-body purse

 Electronics:

INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE     (Clements Worldwide is the one I use. It was $150 for a year but it saved     my life when I got robbed during training and was reimbursed almost $2,000     for the stuff stolen

My Macbook

A kindle or tablet- I use     mine every day

An iPod (I also brought my     old iPod touch in the case that I got robbed… it was definitely a smart     move)

A smartphone (MAKE SURE YOU     CAN REMOVE THE SIM CARD AND PUT IN A DIFFERENT CARRIERS SIM… I had a lot     of friends have issues with that because they were tied to Sprint or     another carrier that had the phone locked)

A lifeproof or otterbox case     for the phone

A rechargeable external     battery

A solar battery charger for     phones (I recommend DragonX brand)

2 Luci Lights (look it up,     it’s a solar light)

2 headlamps

4 power adapters/converters

A surge protector- trust me,     my iPhone died my first month because there was a power surge and it fried     my phone

Multiple charging cables for     anything USB related

Three pairs of good earbud     headphones

An external hardrive (2TB)     (mine has hundreds of movies, tv shows, and workout episodes on it. I     highly recommend this)

A digital watch

  Home and Kitchen

Scrubba Wash Bag (look it up,     in my opinion it makes doing laundry here a lot easier)

Duct Tape (if you forget     everything else, remember to bring duct tape)

Electrical tape

Can opener- trust me on this     one

Garlic press

A few good kitchen knives

Thin, plastic cutting boards

Three quick dry towels

Compressable pillow (I     recommend ThermaRest brand)

An all purpose tool

Toiletries

Shampoo and conditioner     (Seriously, you will want this. I ran out of both during training and     there was no place to buy either of them where we were. You can also try     LUSH bars, solid shampoo and conditioners, expensive but worth it.)

Dr. Bronner’s All Purpose     Soap

Toothbrusth and toothpaste

Facial toner and cleaner

Face wash

Hairbrush

Lotion

Sunscreen (you are given some     but I’ve found it clogs the pores in my face)

Basic makeup: eyeliner,     mascara, lipstick, coverup, blush, and a small thing of eyeshadow.

Tweezers

Your favorite nailpolish

Headbands

Deodorant

Razors

Nail clippers

File

Alcohol wipes or a small     bottle of alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.. Peace Corps doesn’t issue this     and this has definitely saved me from infections a few times

Medical tape

For girls, Diva Cups (they will save you from using the crappy tampons medical gives us and keep you from having to buy pads, which are expensive)

Baby powder

Hairbrush

Mini bottles of travel hand sanitizer

Mouthwash

A few toothbrushes and a toothbrush top

 Other Gear

A really good pocket knife

A few pens

Colored markers or crayons

A mini stapler

Rubberbands

A portable mini safe (I use mine here and just wrap it around the table leg. I keep all my extra money, my passports, and my credit cards in there.)

A mini sewing kit

At least two Nalgene water bottles

Liquid chalk markers (are cool for writing things on your walls and for using in the classroom)

Hair cutting scissors (multiple uses and of course, for cutting your hair)

Tape measurer

Wooden clothespins

  Things I wish I brought:

My Birkenstocks or my Rainbow     flipflops

A nice travel yoga mat

A nicer pair of dressy  sandals

More packets of dried food (knorr pasta sides, etc.)

Cliff bars, energy bars, etc.

Tuna packets (you can find sardines here but tuna is almost 3 dollars a can)

Workout gear

More photos of my family and friends

A small projector (I got one brought over for me and cost me 85USD. It’s perfect for movie nights and doing presentations)

Lots of charging cables

A small and light extension cord

Small fan (you can also get decent ones here when you get ready to move to site, but not having one during training was brutal)

Essential oils (can be used to do all sorts of things, especially when it comes to repelling bugs)

A good set of twin sized bed sheets. (SHEETS ARE EXPENSIVE and the sheets here not always that comfortable. Dig up your bedsheets from freshman year of college and bring them along)

 Here’s a list of things you can totally live without, but are nice to have:

 For the Cook in You:

Rennet tablets (for cheese     making- a project I’m still learning how to prefect)

A scoby to use to start making your own kombucha

Lots and lots of spices (you can buy them here but they’re expensive)

Measuring cups and measuring spoons

A small KitchenAid type  handmixer and blender

A mini mortar and pestle

Beeswax

Cheesecloth

Small bottle of Truffle oil

Peanut butter

Lots of water flavoring or     Gatorade packets

Oatmeal packets, dried food     packets

Dried cheese powder (cheese     isn’t a thing here and you’ll miss it more than you realize)

Bottle opener and wine opener

Any snacks you can think of     that you can eat without preparation (training is rough when it comes to     food verity, I legit ate a can of green peas once because all I wanted was     something besides rice and sauce)

 For the Workout Fanatic:

Soccer ball (I had a deflated     one sent to me, just add it to a care package list you won’t want to take     this with you)

Soccer cleats

Soccer socks

Resistance bands

Yoga mat

Arm band for iPod or phone     for music

 For the Gardener:

A good pair of gardening     gloves

Packets of all kinds of seeds

A small hand shovel and small     hand rake

  For the Hiker and Camper:

A hammock with a mosquito net     or a small tent

Carabineer clips

An ultralight sleeping pad

Compressable pillow (I     recommend ThermaRest brand)

Moleskin for blisters

A dry bag to store your stuff     when it rains

A steripen for water

 For the Future Pet Owner:

*I got a kitten in Guinea and it was the first thing I did when I got to site. If you’re preparing to get yourself a furry friend, here’s a number of things you’ll want because buying anything pet related in country is super expensive

Cat or dog collar

Flea collar or medication

Small toys for them

Deworming medication

 Things you can leave at home or could buy in Guinea:

High-heels. Trust me on this. You will never wear them (except maybe at Swear-In, but if you want there     are places to find cheap heels here.) Save the space in your bag.

Most kitchen utensils (but I  would suggest bringing at least one fork and one spoon)

A lot of books- theres lots     of them here at the regional houses and if you bring a kindle or tablet,     you can buy more or trade kindle books with other volunteers

A portable camping shower     (you’ll get use to bucket baths and trying to set it up was much more     effort than it was worth.)

A hair straightener and mini     blow dryer. (You won’t use them)

 That’s all I’ve got for you! I hope this list helps and if anyone has any questions, feel free to contact me or shoot me a message!

  Sarah

[whooblychildcare]

What You Need For A Newborn Baby

Congratulations on your pregnancy! You’re about to embark on a new journey that’s full of joy and excitement, with a little (or a lot) of anxiety mixed in. Being a new mom in the age of the Internet and social media means you’re bombarded with so much information, including what items people say are a MUST for your baby. Don’t believe everything you read! Here’s our version of what you need for your newborn baby:

Clothing:

8 to 10 short sleeved suits with wide head and leg openings with snaps in the nappy area for quick and easy nappy changes.

8 to 10 sleepsuits to keep him warm and cozy.

5 to 10 pairs of socks or booties (buying shoes is unnecessary until the baby learns to walk).

2 jackets or cardigans.

1 snow suit or shawl.

1 to 3 cotton bonnets or beanies to keep his head nice and toasty.

5 to 7 mittens

8 to 10 muslins cloths  – these are super versatile and you can use them as swaddles, bed covers, stroller covers, blankets, and more

*The number of pieces we recommend sound like a lot but you don’t want to constantly be doing laundry just to make sure that your baby has enough clean clothes. Remember, babies spit, drool, and can have poo explosions unexpectedly.

Nappy needs:

Changing table with a changing mat

50 (or more) newborn size disposable nappies (if you plan to use disposable ones) to start with, or 6-10 diaper covers and diaper liners for moms who choose to use cloth diapers

Unscented (preferably biodegradable) baby wipes

Nursery Needs:

A crib, cradle, co-sleeper or Moses basket – Basically somewhere safe and cozy for baby to sleep in. Make sure you have at least 3 to 4 fitted crib sheets so if one gets spat up on, you have a clean extra sheet ready

An arm or rocking chair for breastfeeding or rocking the baby to sleep – a Laz-boy (if your budget permits) would be great for this!

Night light – For those late-night diaper changes. Keep in mind that its best to keep the room dark at night for better sleep

Baby monitor – to watch the baby while sleeping and you’re outside the nursery

1 to 3 washable pad or protectors (for pee and poo accidents)

Bath:

1 baby bathtub  – this is easier than giving the baby a bath in your tub or in a sink

Baby soap and shampoo

2 to 4 soft or hooded towels

Soft-bristled baby hairbrush

Feeding:

If you are planning to exclusively breast feed and direct feed your baby, you basically just need yourself and a positive attitude

If you are planning to bottle feed – start with 5 to 10 bottles and nipples, both 4-and 8-ounce bottles. Start with a newborn nipple and adjust to a bigger size only when you feel your baby is starting to find the flow too slow. You don’t necessarily have to follow the suggested months on the nipple (for example, changing the nipple to a 3 to 6 months level nipple when your baby turns 3 months). Keeping the nipple hole small helps avoid nipple confusion (if breastfeeding and bottle feeding at the same time)

Baby bottle cleanser and brush

Steam sterilizer – to clean your bottles

For breastfeeding/pumping mums:

A breast pump – Lactation consultants usually recommend that you start pumping 6 weeks post-partum to avoid oversupply and mastitis. Some moms start pumping as early as 2 weeks to start building their milk stash. It’s up to you what you feel more comfortable with. Though pricier, we recommend getting a dual electric pump to save your time and energy.

Breast pads – breastfeeding mums usually leak the first few weeks, there’s no way of avoiding this.

Nipple cream – We also recommend using breast milk for sore nipples but this is another MUST-have for the early breastfeeding days!

Nursing pillow – This helps the baby nurse in a comfortable position.

Nursing bra – choose one that gives “easy access” to your bub

5 to 10 bibs – For milk and drool

5-8 burp cloths

Health and Grooming:

Baby nail clipper or blunt scissors

Ear or digital thermometer

First-aid kit – baby specialty stores have this ready and assembled so you don’t need to think of making your own

Nasal bulb aspirator – This is very helpful in getting mucus out when your baby has a cold.

Other Important Items:

Car seat  – So many choices in this area! We recommend you do your research before buying because you’ll use this for years to come

Stroller – Options here are endless as well, so make sure to take your budget, convenience, and use into consideration

Baby carrier or sling – This is optional but makes life more convenient. Ask your mum friends for recommendations. Even better, try to borrow a few different kinds from friends to see how you and your baby like them before buying your own

Please make sure you gives us a follow on Facebook.

[fluq]

Caring for your Bonsai

Bonsais are among some of the most beautiful, fun plants to keep. Whether around your home or at the office, the art of bonsai takes much patience and care. But please, do not let that put you off. We have some superb starter kits to help you grow your passion.

A few tips to help you take care of your bonsai correctly.

Watering your bonsai

It may be a no-brainer, but there are exact watering needs for a bonsai. Once a week, (approx.) when the peat feels bone dry, immerse your bonsai tree in a bowl or bucket of water, completely. Your bonsai will have soaked up enough water once all the air bubbles have risen.

Another vital consideration for your bonsai’s health is humidity. Bonsais supplied by ProFlowers come with a humidity tray and pebbles as part of the product purchase. Once you receive your order, unwrap the container, and add the pebbles. Then cover them with some water – not too much, though! Adding the water will improve the humidity for your bonsai tree as well as protecting the surface of the table or desk where you place it.  Best Bonsai Tool Kit

Where is the best place to put my bonsai?

The ambiance of any living space can be transformed instantly with a bonsai. A bonsai is not classified as a plant but a tree and offers a unique and captivating room addition. With that said, you can use them as a focal point for any outdoor space. One thing to be mindful of when caring for your bonsai is that you give it ample direct sunlight—place your indoor bonsai near a window.

Tranquility is a word synonymous with bonsai, and what better place to bring serenity than in an office space. A coworker or perhaps a family member would be delighted to receive a bonsai as a gift. The Merchandise Director of ProFlowers, Megan Matanzo, says, “an easy indoor option would be the jade bonsai. It does well in an office environment.”

Pruning your bonsai

Before starting any pruning, be sure to take a deep breath in, hold it for the count of four, and release it. One of the ultimate fascinations of bonsai trees is the pruning of this tiny tree, and the calming effect it provides. Pruning aims to maintain the shape of the bonsai as it grows. By neatening the top growth of the tree, it will ensure new growth elsewhere.  

Never use ordinary scissors when pruning your bonsai!

Only use Bonsai clippers when pruning your bonsai, or if you need to remove any dead branches. Do not use ordinary scissors. Before you make any cut, take your time, and decide which branches you wish to remove to maintain the desired shape. Bonsai pruning and training is an art form. It is why this tiny tree is the perfect gift for any of your creative friends or coworkers. Megan Matanzo explains, “the more you learn about bonsais and the artform involved, the greater the hobby or interest can become—many consider bonsai art therapeutic and a great way to relieve stress.”  

Choosing the right soil for a bonsai

It is important to remember you need specific soil for your bonsai tree. Never use anything other than the recommended types. Look for quick-draining soil or peat. It should also be able to retain some water. Small particles are necessary for aeration, enabling the roots to receive oxygen. Fortunately, we have done a lot of research, so you do not have to! The market offers quite a range of specialty peats and soils for bonsai, which makes things a whole lot easier for you. If you are feeling ambitious, there is always the option to mix it yourself. One essential thing to keep in mind if you choose the self-mixing route is that you must add fertilizer to the soil during early spring to mid-fall (growth season).  Bonsai Tool Kit for Sale

Bonsai enthusiasts

Connect with other bonsai lovers in your area to learn more about the art of bonsai and get some great tips and tricks. Consider signing up for a bonsai class at your local nursery or botanical garden. It will not only help you with your new hobby, but it is a great way to meet new people.