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katyatalks · 4 years

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Mob Psycho 100 Interview Translation - Character Designer Kameda Yoshimichi - Otome Visual 2017

Summary-style translation for Character Designer Yoshimichi Kameda’s 4 page interview from Otome Visual 2017, regarding elements in the creation of Mob Psycho 100 such as: what inspired this cover art, the influence of fan art in the anime’s creation, Tsubomi’s design, the process behind the package art for the DVDs, and more. Includes some genga. Under read more;

[TN: The reason why I elected to summarise this interview rather than do a full write up is because a lot of the information given gets covered in December 2016′s Animestyle010, in “The Making of Mob Psycho 100.” I typed that one out in full over on twitter but that’s a long interview, and I don’t have the time or energy to reformat it for Tumblr, but if you’re interested in a very in-depth look into how Mob Psycho 100′s anime came to be I’d really recommend checking it out. Direct quotes are given in “” here. Enjoy!]

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*~The genga illustration for Otome Visual’s cover~*

“With the recent popularity that Skating Anime has had, what’s this - a Shouwa idol collab?! It’s all in the little details in their clothing - their wrinkled shirts, white trousers, black belts - both around their waists and arms.”

*~Kameda’s comments~*

“Can you heaaaar me!! I am currently speaking directly into your braaaain!!! What I’m grateful for with this commission is I was able to design the cover in any way I’d like!! A cover is a reflection of current times, so, of course, I went for ice skating! You wouldn’t be able to find this kind of amazing content in any time period other than now! That’s what I first thought! Like, Mob Psycho 100!! If there’s not a certain Mob Psycho 100-ness present in the art then what’d be the point, so, the characters are being very serious but they’re also pretty laughable. I tried to create a piece of art from which you could hear their voices!!! What’s with it being Shouwa-esque?? Being lame is incredibly cool!!! Huh? Does that describe Mob Psycho 100?? Can’t answer that if you ask!!!! Please feel the amazing Paradise Ginga x Mob Psycho 100-ness here!!!!!!”

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Kameda describes how he wasn’t sure how best to adapt the manga into an anime format at first, since from the art he was shown he immediately knew it to be very unique - the idea of using Flash to animate the show was raised but quickly shot down

Originally, upon being asked about the show, he based his thoughts on what a web image search for Mob Psycho 100 gave him rather than having the actual manga in hand. “For the most part, the results that came back would be fanart (laughs). It’s a bit strange - at that time, it was difficult to find art uploaded from the manga. If you could find anything, it’d just be art from the covers. So for the most part, an image search of Mob Psycho 100 would just bring you back fanart. A lot of that fanart would be… a shounen in a cool pose wearing a school uniform with smooth bobbed hair & sharp cat-like eyes, sort of like Hiei’s eyes (from Yu Yu Hakusho). Very different from the manga’s art. But when I looked at that art, I thought; this could work. Fanart is, fundamentally, ‘fans drawing what they like’, so I thought, ‘the anime having this kind of art would make the fans happy.’ Well, it didn’t work out that way, obviously. I was told the anime’s art should resemble that of the manga. (Laughs)”

He hadn’t read the manga so all he had for reference was art from volume 1 and the fanart he found online. “But I like things like spirits and urban legends, so seeing Dimple - a floating supernatural fiery ball - and being told the manga touches on the occult caused my interest to soar.”

Says that Teru is the easiest character for him to draw. “He’s overflowing with confidence, so it’s easy to put him into some cool poses. Mob and Ritsu in comparison, not so much. [...] With Reigen, he has a lot of poses that are like, he’s trying to look good. He takes a solid stance. I suppose Spirits & Such has such a shady air to it, and you have to hide that somehow, right? So, Reigen injects confidence into how he presents himself. A model-like stance.”

“The anime is faithful to the manga… ah, actually, Tsubomi-chan was changed with a ‘let’s make her more like a heroine’ conversation. So, I did so, but reading recent events in the manga I can’t picture her in her anime form (laughs). The manga’s Tsubomi isn’t much like a heroine, so I’ve found myself wondering, if we animate up until this part… just how will we approach it? The anime’s Tsubomi is so bright and sparkly, so she wouldn’t have snot hanging from her nose (vol.13 of manga), would she…? (Laughs). Perhaps we went a little too far with making her a heroine. Maybe, if we do season 2, we’ll turn her back into a normal girl (laughs). Well, Tachikawa-san is clever; I think he’ll find a way to make do with her current design.”

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Picture text: "This is Mezato's first appearance, so I decided to make her cute!! Thank you in advance!!"

Picture text: "That girl was telling me such a stupid story this morning... aidzuchi* isn't easy, you know... I'll just ignore her tomorrow..." [* sounds made to indicate that you're listening to someone speak]

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Asked about his favourite characters; “I love Mezato Ichi from the Newspaper Club. When I drew her in her character sheet in that pose where she’s holding her camera, I came to see her as being quite cute. So now I focus on her a lot; in fact, when I draw genga I sneakily choose the cuts that have her in them (laughs).”

“I also love Mob. Reigen stands out the most so your eyes naturally jump to him, but I love the balance that Mob has. His heads tall ratio... or rather, his face, and the way his body is proportioned? It makes him lovely. Ritsu is around the same height as Mob, but, how can I put this - the cuteness that Mob has, is lacking in Ritsu… due to the latter being quite standoffish, I suppose (laughs).”

Ritsu’s hair changing through the first season is discussed, and how it is purposefully shortened during the latter half. “I paid attention to making sure his hair was long especially while he was being possessed by Dimple. So it’d resemble thorns.”

“I feel Teru-kun is the most ‘yang’ of all the characters. The rest are more ‘yin’ in nature. Because of this, it’s easy to play around with his expressions - he’s fun to draw. Speaking in terms of Dragonball, he’s kind of like Mob Psycho 100’s Vegeta (laughs).”

“In episode 9, Dimple possesses one of Claw’s security guards, right? I don’t really understand why that security guard is so popular.” Q: What do you mean? “Because he’s just some middle-aged dude (laughs). He doesn’t even appear for long…”

After discussing the huge amount of SG!Dimple commissions received: “Unlike SG!Dimple, I don’t really get asked to draw Shou-kun. With this commission I thought to myself, I /have/ to include him here, and so I added him in. The initial brief excluded him.”

Asked about moments that stuck with him; “When Teru chokes Mob in episode 5. [...] Mob’s pained expression as he’s being choked is good, but Teru-kun’s face shows us… envy, jealousy, distress, anxiety.”

“Also, the ‘super real Reigen’ sequence from episode 12. The tension between Reigen and Sakurai is funny, but the art itself has had me laughing since production. It’s funny no matter how many times I look at it!”

Kameda’s idea to have the characters make number shapes for the volume art came from him watching ‘Tonneruzu no Minasan no Okage deshita’, specifically the ‘Mojimoji-kun’ segment of the show (where they try to make numbers from their bodies)

Volume 6’s cover art was first planned to have a whole ensemble of characters, but Kameda changed his mind on this - “if we do a second season, we can leave that for volume 12 (laughs).”

Volume 4's cover was originally planned to feature only Onigawara and Gouda, but Kameda found himself wanting to include the rest of the body improvement club

Regarding the pose we see on vol 6’s package art, “My original thoughts for that cover were to have Reigen and Mob in a ‘hell wheel’ pose, like, Mob pulling Reigen’s legs and arms… but that wouldn’t be very fitting for the final volume.”

His message to the readers; “Thank you for your support! With sales, the ‘this is popular!’ message gets conveyed, and the more support you give us, then there’s no doubt we’ll be able to produce season 2 and season 3!! Season 2 relies on your support. It’s in your hands - thank you!!”

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Crossposted on twitter here.

#mp100 #mob psycho 100 #anime visual 2017 #Kameda Yoshimichi #interview #sg!dimple middle age man rights

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masterofallfreaks · 4 years

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Runaway!Cheryl Choni

Cheryl and Jason Blossom went missing on July 4th before their sophomore year of high school. Their upturned boat was found crashed against the sharp rocks at the side of Sweetwater River by Dilton Doiley. Further examination found blood and hair from both twins on the side of the boat, causing the police to conclude they hit their heads when the boat capsized. It was assumed that they had both drowned as a result of the head wounds, though the bodies were not found when the river was swept.

Jason Blossom’s body was found a few days later on the side of the river, large wound on the side of his head corroborating the assumed series of events, a full autopsy was never done due to Clifford and Penelope saying they just wished to bury the one child that had been found so they could have some peace.

Cheryl Blossom’s body was never found, everyone just figured she traveled further downstream since she was lighter than her football playing brother. The Blossom family never demanded another search to try to find their daughter. Cheryl’s picture was beside Jason’s at the funeral, but only he was mourned by their parents.

Polly Cooper ran away two days after the disappearance of the Blossom twins, but no one was told about that. Alice claimed Polly got into an exclusive writing program in England, she didn’t answer any follow up questions.

Cheryl knew her father was a bad man for her entire life. She could see it in his eyes, the evil swirling inside him.

It wasn’t until she and Jason happened upon his hidden books that she knew the truth though.

Polly had found out she was pregnant, so Cheryl had promised her brother help. They waited until their parents went out for the night, then went to the west wing of the house to look for a stash of cash. They were sure their parents had it somewhere, it would help Jason and Polly start a life together.

They didn’t end up finding any money, but they did find some hidden books. It wasn’t hard to figure out that they were notes and schedules for their fathers drug business. With only a little more sleuthing, Jason had enough to be confident that he and his sister were not safe. She tried to convince him to not worry about her, to just leave town with Polly, but Jason refused. He wasn’t going to leave his sister in danger.

So they got to work devising a plan to get them both away from their parents and Polly away from hers.

Cheryl planned nearly everything, and Jason got everything in motion.

Their plan was really a simple one, they would casually move clothes and personal items out of the house over the course of a month, they’d let everyone know they were planning a boat trip along Sweetwater River on the Fourth of July before any festivities could start, they’d use a bat to cause the dents to the boat for their heads, plant hair and blood on it, crash the boat on the side of the river where it would be easily seen. From there they’d split up, Cheryl going to where Polly was imprisoned and help break her out while Jason went to deliver the drugs Cheryl had set up through FP Jones. They’d meet back at the packed car and drive as far as they could get.

Nearly everything went to plan, after they crashed the boat Cheryl went to the facility and got Polly out. When they got back to the car, however, the drugs were still there but Jason was not.

Cheryl just assumed he had gotten caught up in some last minute surprise for his reunion with Polly, so she and Polly made the drop with the drugs. Luckily Cheryl had thought of a backup plan, so she left a three of hearts playing card pinned to a tree where the car had been. She and Polly went to the Hearts Hotel and got room three to wait for him to meet them.

They waited a few days, and still nothing. It was only when they saw on the news that his body had been found in the river did Cheryl know what had really delayed her brother.

Clifford Blossom had caught his son in the forest and took him to the basement of the Whyte Wyrm. It was a short discussion, really, and thankfully his children had already given the perfect way to get him out of getting caught. So he bashed his son’s head in with a bat, and left him to drown in a bucket of water.

He paid FP to take care of the body, telling him to just dump it back in the river.

As soon as Cheryl saw that on the news, she knew they had to leave. Polly was too distraught and didn’t want to go, but Cheryl informed her that it wasn’t safe in Riverdale, especially not with Polly pregnant. Clifford was smart enough to know his daughter would stay close until her brother returned, so Cheryl was sure they didn’t have long until they would be found.

They got into the car and drive as far as possible. Polly made a good point about it being smart of them to change their appearance; Cheryl’s red hair was like a neon sign and if she was seen with the blonde Polly, it would be easy for Clifford to know them from a glance. They both became brunettes, Polly by dyeing her hair and Cheryl with a wig. Cheryl’s hair had been part of her identity her entire life, and she couldn’t give it up so easily. Their makeup and personal style changed as well, both going more dramatic and outlandish, verging on punk and goth, since they knew no one would expect that of the Polly and Cheryl that were. Cheryl even ended up getting a couple tattoos; she got a pinup girl in a cheerleading uniform on her right upper arm in honor of the Vixens she had left in Riverdale, and eventually got a small headstone with “Jay Jay” written in it on her hip.

They adapted well to their uncertainty; the money from the drug run was a cushion but neither relied on it. Cheryl has a silver tongue and was clever, whatever she couldn’t talk her way into getting, she was able to obtain through other means. Cheryl was surprised at how good she got at slight of hand.

They settled in a small town, telling everyone they were cousins, Marjorie and Elizabeth Kingston, trying to start a life after the tragic death of Elizabeth’s, or Lizzie as she was soon nicknamed, boyfriend. They used their drug money along with some they had collected on their travels to buy a small townhouse. Polly had less options for a job since her pregnancy limited her abilities, but she was given a job at the local bookstore and she actually thrived in it. Cheryl got hired to be a cheerleading coach for the highschool, quickly skyrocketing their abilities and interest in the team.

She started writing as a mode to cope with everything that had happened to her and the loss of her brother. She ended up writing a novel, all about the truth of what had happened to them. The names and setting were changed as well as some more stuff added eventually so it wasn’t a glaringly obvious telling. She knew the story of her death along with her brothers was national news so any similarity could be tied to a writer just getting inspiration from the news, plus she had seen a few short stories similar to it already.

Cheryl debated what to do with the novel after it was finished, part of her wanted to get it published, but she also knew it was a risk. Even though nearly everyone would think it’s just a retelling of something from the news, there was still a risk of Clifford figuring it out and using it to find her. She and Polly had long talks together about it, they had become the best of friends through all of this. The trauma and fear bonded them together, and even after it had calmed some, they were best friends. It truly shocked the both of them, but it made them happy.

With Polly’s blessing and support, Cheryl sent it to a publisher. She wrote under the name Cherry Bombshell, most just assumed it was a tribute to The Runaways and didn’t look further. It was published within a year and became a bestseller. She kept writing after that, finding it to be great therapy for her actually, and people seemed to want to read it.

Polly and Cheryl had a good life together. They were there for each other and only grew closer after the birth of Polly’s children. They had poured over baby name books and decided on two names together; Jason Junior and Alyssa, to pay tribute to their shared loss as well as Polly’s mother since her sister was honoured by the name she had undertaken. They raised the children together and were actually happy, though they both knew there was something missing.

For four years they lived a good life, but the missing something grew more and more until finally Polly told Cheryl she was going to go back to Riverdale to see her sister.

They had their first big argument over that since Cheryl knew it was unsafe but Polly didn’t care or think it was as dangerous as her red haired companion. They finally came to an agreement that Polly would stay home with the kids and Cheryl would go back to Riverdale to get Betty and bring her to Polly.

First she needed to know where to find Betty, but that was easy. All she had to do was make a profile with some suggestive pictures easily found on the internet, find Dilton Doiley online, pretend to be interested in guns, and then use her charm to get him to tell her everything that had happened in Riverdale over the past four years. It seemed Betty had gotten with Jughead and became the leader of the Southside Serpents along with her boyfriend. The redhead was actually impressed by that. She knew where the Serpents hung out, so she knew where to go.

Cheryl packed a duffle bag of clothes since she didn’t think it would take too long, and headed back to Riverdale.

Cheryl had gotten a hotel room on Southside before going to the Whyte Wyrm. She had on her black wig that would help to hide her face some if needed since it would be dangerous for FP to see her if he recognized her, the heavy, smudgy black eye makeup that surrounded her eyes making the green contacts pop more, fake freckles across her nose and cheeks, black lipstick with concealer around the edges of her lips to make them appear smaller, as well as a black leather jacket over a grey tank top over a black mesh shirt along with grey shorts over two pairs of black fishnet leggings and black boots. She had come to find out that having layers on was a good idea, it made it so much easier to change her appearance quickly. She had wanted to add red to her outfit, but knew it was dangerous, wearing red in Riverdale was a good way to get noticed, if not immediately be pinpointed as a Blossom.

She tried to look around for Betty but she didn’t want to draw too much attention to herself, so she went to the bar. She leaned over it while waiting for the bartender to finish up what she was doing. She checked out the pink haired woman and smiled some at what she saw. Cheryl had gotten much more comfortable with her sexuality over the years, Polly had assured her she loved Cheryl no matter what and that her happiness was all that mattered.

When the woman finally turned to Cheryl she smiled flirtatiously.

“Rum and cherry juice, please.” She told the bartender. “Also, I’m looking for my cousin Betty Cooper, she here?”

If you’re interested, please e-mail me at [email protected] =)

#Choni #Choni RP #RP #Roleplay

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harryandmeghan0-blog · 5 years

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It's Cultural & Culinary Delights For Harry and Meghan In Rabat!

New Post has been published on https://harryandmeghan.xyz/its-cultural-culinary-delights-for-harry-and-meghan-in-rabat/

It's Cultural & Culinary Delights For Harry and Meghan In Rabat!

For their final day in Morocco, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex carried out several engagements in Rabat celebrating young people and Moroccan culture.

They kicked off the busy day with a visit to the Royal Federation of Equestrian Sports.

From there, the Duke and Duchess visited Villa des Ambassadors in Rabat for a cooking demonstration.

The couple were joined by renowned chef Dar Moha. Harry was already familiar with his work as he visited his restaurant in Marrakesh before the royal wedding.

The couple saw how traditional Moroccan cuisine is supporting young people and teaching children from under-privileged backgrounds a new skill. Meghan is passionate about food bringing people and communities together. During the launch of Grenfell cookbook Together, she said: “This is more than a cook book and what I mean by that is the power of food is more than just the meal itself it is the story behind it. And when you get to know the story behind the recipe, you get to know the person behind it and help us celebrate what connects us rather than divides us. That is the ethos of Together.”

It seemed only fitting for the group to prepare one of the recipe’s from Together. They chose the pancakes with honey and almond butter by Cherine Mallah (which reminds me Shrove Tuesday is next week).

When Harry sampled one Meghan laughed and said “Big bite”, Harry replied “It’s a bit late now”.

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They sampled an array of dishes including spicy creations and a pigeon pastilla which Meghan called “delicious”

A group of young chefs from Hadaf.

‘Hadaf supervises 85 people suffering from moderate or mild developmental disabilities, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“It all started with my daughter, who has a mental disability,” says Amina Mseffer, president of the association. When she could not put her daughter at school because people were scared to have a disabled person with the other children, Mseffer said, she decided to put her in a special institution. But this was expensive, and stops when the person is 21 years old.

So she joined forces with relatives and friends and in 1997, they created Hadaf, which means “goal” in Arabic, but also stands for “Association of parents and friends of mentally disabled people.” Help and donations have come from official institutions, companies and even the Moroccan king and private donors, including nearby mosque-goers.

In 2005, Hadaf set up a social-professional center in the Hay Nahda neighborhood of the capital Rabat, housing various workshops and courses including jewelry making, sewing, decorative painting and carpentry.’

The couple met representatives from the organisation.

The Mail Online reports:

‘Inside they walked around the stations and chatted to the young cooks, aged between nine and 18, stopping to try mince and onion pastries (Harry) and Harira – a spicy chickpea soup (both). Chef Moha handed them each a decorated ceramic bowl to try and they each took a sip. ‘C’est delicieux,’ said Meghan in French. ‘What’s in it?’ asked Harry, before joking, ‘It’s a secret recipe!’

One child said something in Arabic to the chef, who turned to the Duke and said: ‘He finds you a very good person. ‘He is a good person,’ smiled the Duchess, putting an affectionate hand on her husband’s arm.

‘Harry and Meghan took up the offer of a meal for ‘the whole family’ from top chef Moha Fedal, who hosts the North African nation’s version of Masterchef. He told the couple: ‘I hope to cook for you next time,’ as they joined him for a cookery demonstration with underprivileged children in the capital Rabat.

The Duchess replied: ‘The whole family next time.’ The chef said: ‘You come with your baby to Marrakesh next time’ referring to the fact that the prince is believed to have visited in 2018, just before his wedding.

‘We would love to,’ said Meghan. ‘Come with your baby and I will cook for all three,’ he told Harry as he joined them. The Duke – clearly inspired by the delicious spread he had sampled – replied: ‘We will cook for you!’

The Duchess gave Chef Moha a copy of Together. She wrote: “Chef Mohar. Wishing you continued success and congratulating you on your incredible work in engaging the community in cooking. All the best. Meghan”.

In return, He gave her his book Le Vrai Goût du Maroc.

A group photo.

For their final public event, the Duke and Duchess met young entrepreneurs supporting youth empowerment at an arts and crafts market in the Andalusian Gardens in Rabat.

It was a quick change of clothes for Meghan.

They enjoyed a traditional musical performance upon arrival.

The beautiful Andalusian Gardens provided the perfect backdrop for the engagement.

Omid Scobie shared these stunning photos on Twitter.

Harry and Meghan’s names in Arabic.

As they viewed local arts and crafts, the Duchess was given a necklace. Of course, Harry was on hand to assist…

They were given an array of items including a bronze plate representing British – Moroccan friendship.

Meeting local craftspeople.

Royal reporter Rebecca English noted Meghan was particularly impressed by one pair of shoes.

The couple discussed sustainability. More from the Mail:

‘Harry spoke as he and the duchess met entrepreneurs in Morocco who have started companies aimed at tackling the country’s social, economic and environmental problems. Talking to Youssef Chaqor, who runs a recycling company called Eko-Geste, Harry said: ‘You need to put more pressure on the big companies.’

He said that while big companies might give money to environmental projects, ‘they are still producing single-use plastic bottles.’ He added: ‘Go to the source!’

Looking at a stand which featured wallets and shoes made from cured fish skin, the duchess told PhD student Nawal Allaoui: ‘It’s very clever.’ Meghan asked what happened when it got wet, but she replied: ‘It’s waterproof.’ Harry congratulated her on moving away from snakeskin and crocodile skin.

Meghan said: ‘It’s really amazing not to use exotics like that, and instead use something sustainable that would otherwise go to waste. But they still have a fashionable impact.’

Victoria Murphy shared a look at some of the young entrepreneurs.

Many of the people they met are working to address youth unemployment and involved in creating new initiatives.

People reports:

‘Silver craftsman Sakhi Driss had a photo of Harry’s father, Prince Charles, on display from when the Queen’s son visited his store in Fez. Driss said of Harry, “He asked when the visit was and where was the picture taken.” At one point, Harry jokingly shielded his eyes as the sun reflected off one of the silver pieces – and Meghan learned that it takes about six days to make one tray.

At one of the first stops in the fabulous walled gardens high above the coast with the Mediterranean sea, they were handed two embroidered foot cushions – which will perhaps come in useful in their new home, Frogmore Cottage in Windsor Castle. “They were interested. They asked many questions. It was a great pleasure to see them,” Ismail Boudrous from the social enterprise says.’

This video opens with footage of Harry and Meghan meeting two darling little girls.

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For Meghan’s looks today she opted for a mix of new and old pieces. This morning’s engagements saw the Duchess in casual attire including a striped sweater and black jeans.

The Duchess wore her hillside green J Crew Field jacket. Meghan’s had the piece since 2016 and was photographed wearing it several times in Toronto before the engagement.

After numerous searches, Michelle from Perth Fashion identified Meghan’s breton top as the Equipment Lucian style.

Meghan wore the Stuart Weitzman Brooks Suede Boots (with thanks to UFO No More). The almond toe boots are available in very limited sizing at Saks Fifth Avenue.

And accessorised with her Ecksand Tresses yellow gold earrings.

For the afternoon’s engagement, Meghan changed into a more formal look. Initially it was thought Meghan’s dress might be a re-purposed Givenchy piece, however it turns out she wore the Loyd/Ford Pleated Dress (with many thanks to eagle-eyed reader Jennifer).

The pleated chiffon dress is currently reduced from £432 to £324 at ShopBop. It’s also available in pink.

You can see the thin strap on Meghan’s dress in the photo below.

The Duchess wore the Artizia Babaton Keith jacket she debuted for a polo match in 2016. It is described as “This take on the tailored blazer does away with a standard collar and plays with architectural tailoring. The Japanese basketweave fabric is textural and fluid, emphasizing the weighted drape.” It retails for $198.

Meghan wore her Manolo Blahnik Carolyn Black Satin and Velvet Polka Dot Slingback Pumps.

And accessorised with the $200 Gas Bijoux Onde Drop earrings (with thanks to UFO No More and Meghan’s Fashion). For US shoppers they are discounted by $50 with code FASHION at Neiman Marcus.

Harry and Meghan will meet with the King this evening. I expect we’ll see photos.

Source: http://madaboutmeghan.blogspot.com/2019/02/first-look-meghan-casual-for-equestrian.html

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officialthiamlibrary · 6 years

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Welcome to another profile on Behind the Screens, giving you personal insight on who your favorite creators are and what they do when they aren’t wowing you with their creative ability.

Happy Tuesday friends! Today, we have the delightful pleasure in getting to know one of your most requested authors, @formerprincess. Rena, our aforementioned guest, is the writer of numerous works, most notably A Tale of Claws and Fangs, Overslept, and Finding My Way To You. As you’ll come to find out, she’s also so much more, so let’s not wait a second more to dive in.

Rena! To get us started, share something about yourself! And for the twist: the word could should be around the number of letters of the characters in you’re favorite TW rarepair ship.

Erica Reyes + Stiles Stilinski = 25

Shy but it you know me I can be pretty weird. Huge book lover. Disney Fangirl. Big heart. Need writing like air. Wrestling fan.

Woah, really?! A wrestling fan? What got you into it?

I get this question so often haha. Because I appear so shy and innocent, people are always like: What? Wrestling? You? It’s fun.

My dad watched it for a while and sometimes I watched it with him, nothing too invested. But then I learned about Nikki and Brie Bella over tumblr rp and I got really curious about them so I researched online. I love them both, especially Brie, love that they stand for strong women and through them I started to actively watch Wrestling and over time gathered some other wrestlers, male and female, I love to see in the ring. It’s fun to watch them and what they do in the ring is impressive.

From wrestling to Teen Wolf, I dig it! And, how you find your way to the Thiam fandom? What about the two grabbed a hold on you?

That’s kind of a long story. I started watching Teen Wolf because I saw gifs and pictures of it on tumblr. I got curious and wanted to see this show but it wasn’t broadcasted on TV in my country, so I kind of searched online for a way and I watched until the point where Liam was introduced in the series but then stopped because I lost interest and with work I was too busy to even think of Teen Wolf. And then I was on tumblr and I saw a gifset of the scene where Liam and Theo almost fistbumped and I was like ‘Oh hey, these two are cute together.’ I don’t even know why, I just liked the chemistry they had in the scene, Theo’s soft smile, and all. I grew curious who they were because I recognized Liam but I had no idea who Theo was. Quick online search. Aha, those two are Theo and Liam, Thiam for short. Interesting. The Thiam fandom was so very small at this point, there like five fanfics or whatever, so I didn’t really get much from my little expedition into the Thiam fandom.

I kind of forgot about them again because life and other stuff and all and then I saw something about Theo being evil months after my little encounter with the Thiam fandom and I was all ‘Wait a minute! What? But he and Liam…What the hell is going on?’. I was totally confused and stayed confused until was finally able to watch Teen Wolf again (I watched because I heard about the series ending and felt nostalgic so I gave it another shot). I watched season 4, 5, and season 6A and I was hooked!! And so ready for more screen time of Theo and Liam together, so ready to see what would happen to my boys.Tumblr came in handy again and damn had the fandom grown. I saw what everybody had to offer and the ship itself gave me so much inspiration that I wanted to contribute and put in my own two cents on them. The fandom was so welcoming and friendly, it felt like a family from the start and thus I decided to stay. I met many great people because of Thiam already, it’s really awesome.

What drew me in about them? The unspoken chemistry between them, not only romantically but also platonically. Even when I saw gifsets from them without any context, the looks they shared showed such a connection for me, I was astonished and delighted. And when I saw the whole scenes with them, every episode, I liked how different they acted around each other. I always felt like they got each other to a point no other was possible. That doesn’t mean I don’t like the relationship they have with other characters but I always felt they had this special level of a connection. As if they found their ideal counterpart with each other because they both have this fire inside them and don’t shy away from unleashing it.

Oooh, that last bit is so poetic!

Thank you. It came to my mind while I laid in bed and couldn’t fall asleep. When I thought of this, I sat up and almost yelled “That it! That’s Thiam!” Thank god I didn’t or I would have scared the neighbours probably haha.

Haha, most definitely. What’s another thing you’re passionate about beside Thiam and wrestling?

Being creative in general, not only writing. I mean, yes, writing is the biggest thing I am passionate about. I view writing as a way to deal with the stress of daily life and I would go crazy if I couldn’t write. I also write poetry sometimes.

But not only writing, sometimes I like to create some picture collage or maybe an outfit on Polyvore. Or I simply create things in my head, characters, storylines, worlds, whatever I can think of at those moments. Sometimes I take my thoughts and try to realize them in my Sims game, it’s fun.

LOL, fellow Sims lover! This is one of my fav things to do! What’s been your favorite characters/scenario to conceptualize in the game? How did the game turn out? Any entertaining stories?

Hey, that’s great haha! I love to do this and I’m currently building some houses I could use as inspiration for my stories. I usually play with original Sims, see them starting a family and see how many generations I can have until it starts to get old or until I’m running out of ideas but I once created Stiles, Lydia, Erica and Derek in the game and the Stiles Sims immediately took a shining to the Derek Sims. It was hilarious to watch because even when I was not telling him to, he was interacting with Derek, followed him around. It was adorable. He tried to make Derek laugh^^. It ended with them falling in love and Lydia and Erica being the bridesmaids.

Aww, natural shipping, sigh. That’s the best. Let’s say you could put Thiam in a similar situation, but with characters of another show. Which would you choose? How’d you think the interaction would go?

I’d chose Shadowhunters tv series and to me, this would be hilarious and awesome at the same time. Theo and Jace would so have this little competition who’s better at basically everything; Izzy would be like an older sister to Liam but without actually treating him like a baby. She would admire his determination and will to protect those he loves, they have this in common. I imagine Liam and Jace siding when it comes to fighting because they are all like: Act first and think later but really just want to protect their family and friends. Alec would roll his eyes and ask himself what he has done to deserve this but come around in the end because is actually someone able to not like Theo and Liam?

Magnus would be totally amused by the whole thing, especially if Liam and Theo are not a thing yet but he has eyes and he can basically taste the sexual tension okay? And Luke, Liam would not stop asking Luke questions about how he leads his pack and everything because another Alpha, how cool is that??? Also Maia and Liam? Dreamteam! Both struggle with control sometimes and they so would get each other. Imagine Luke and Scott running after their Betas to save them from trouble XD. Theo and Clary, because I love the headcanon about Theo being an artist, would bond over that and probably have a tentative friendship going on.

Before we chat about your works, one more silly question. If you could build the ultimate paintball/laser tag team from any five characters AND one villain on Teen Wolf, who would they be and why?

Liam, Kira, Allison, Theo, Erica, and Kate Argent

Liam because he is very athletic and competitive.

Kira because it surely would fun to have her around and she is just an awesome badass cutie. Also, she has fast reflexes.

Allison because she has an amazing aim and also girl power!

Theo because he is like a mastermind and can come up with the best strategy.

Erica because she is my queen and she would lure the other team out so we can shoot them. She and Theo would be great at making a cunning plan.

And Kate because she is ruthless and would destroy the other team.

Perfect. I still say Theo and Allison would’ve been a sight to behold together–for better or worse. Alright, so we have wrestling, sims, shadowhunters, outfit planning. And on top of all those, writing! If your creative process was a person, what type would they be? What would they do? Wear? Listen to? How do they handle conflict?

They would be a very chaotic type, all over the place. Somebody you see and wonder how they get any work done because they seem to not be organized at all. They would be that type of person that oversleeps and then bolds into work with their bag hanging off one shoulder, their jacket almost slipping down the other shoulder, travel mug filled with coffee clutched in their grip, and clutching a notepad with lots of notes hanging out from it to their chest. They would not be the one that steps into the spotlight at all but rather satisfies with the result of their work.

Their clothing would be a mix from different styles, Boho but also athletic, sometimes chic. Everything they want to wear, they wear it.

Their taste in music is mixed. They mostly listen to Pop but they also have some rocks songs they are addicted to, some Hip Hop. Whenever they hear something with a good beat, good lyrics, that’s what they like and listen to. Their favorite band would probably be Little Mix.

Handle conflict? That’s a tough one. Hm. They would try to see it from the other’s perspective while at the same time telling themselves they should not explode and yell. They are mostly quiet but if they are peeved, they can lash out. If somebody yells at them they would shy away and close themselves off.

Does your creative process also extend to other fandoms? Pairings? Novels or stories with original characters?

I started to lay down the basics for my own original novel and I can’t wait to start. I wanted to write it for years and now I finally got the right motivation and the right mindset.

Aside from Thiam, I have written some fanfictions for Charmed since that’s one of my favorite tv shows. And I have some Stucky fanfictions started as well as the base for a Malec fanfiction that lingers in the back of my mind. But Thiam is definitively the ship that inspires me the most and I wrote the most about.

An original novel, that’s awesome! What genre are you setting it in? Also supernatural?

It is a novel playing in this day and age but it’s all about the supernatural world mixed with the normal world of the humans. Think Charmed or Shadowhunters. You have the innocent humans living without actually knowing that demon witches, vampires and such live among them. The supernatural society is still in the focus of the novel.

That sounds awesome. Would you say there’s one trope or situation that somehow always wrangles itself in your stories?

I try my best to use different tropes and situations to challenge myself as a writer but one thing that happens for sure is character A watching character B and marveling around how gorgeous they look and how stunning they are. Just some good old-fashioned swooning. I just like to imagine one person being so completely enamored by another person that they have to stop and stare for a while because they sight is breathtaking. And the other person is either completely oblivious and continues with what they do, or knows exactly what they are doing, smirk at person A and preen at the attention.

And yes, friends to lovers, I’m a sucker for this.

Who isn’t really?! What’s the best friends to lovers story you’ve ever read, either fanfiction or novel? (Or one of the best, since they’re probably so many to choose from)

I guess it’s one of the greatest tropes out there haha. Puh, I read so many great stories and novels about that trope, it’s hard to tell. I remember a novel I once read (I can’t remember the title or the character names though) where this was one of the main story lines but it really took the whole novel for them to finally become a couple and yet while reading you saw their relationship growing and evolving. That’s what I always try to achieve with my stories.

I also read a Malec fanfic once where both were human but Magnus was a tattoo artist and Alec a florist. They got to know each other and it was simply perfect, Magnus helped Alec with some things and it was just adorable and awesome and amazing. Unfortunately, I can’t remember the title of this one either. I will search for it and maybe give it a shout out later when I found it again because it was really good

Oh, I’ve read that Malec fic, so good! There’s a fantastic MM novel called Switched—I think—by N.R. Walker that’s friends to lovers and I read it in one night. It’s just something about two people, who know one another in and out, coming together, more sighs.

I’d love to jump into your Thiam works. First, the Raeken Twins and your story, Finding My Way To You. Do you have any twins headcanons/imagines which helped you bring Mike Raeken to life?

I got this awesome ask one day about Theo and Mike from PPL being twins and my mind began to rattle. I thought about Theo, his personality, and began to develop someone who would be Theo’s complete opposite. Pretty Little Liars helped a lot because Mike was a sweetheart there, at least until the point where I stopped watching the show. I absolutely loved the idea of Theo having someone to take care of and protect, being a big brother.

I had a vague scene in my mind where Theo berates Mike for being too trusting and Mike just rolls his eyes and tells his big brother to relax. That was the base on where I developed the Raeken Twins. I wanted somebody who was the opposite of Theo but I didn’t want to go completely black and white and so I carved out Mike’s character more, gave him some rough edges as well.

It is fun to play around with the aspect of Theo having his counterpart who at the same time gets him to a T and has someone he always aimed to protect. He may act like he doesn’t care but it had always been my headcanon that he would do anything for Mike and Mike is that one person who knows everything about Theo and who also knows Theo does in fact care

So, if Mike Raeken was part of the Pack and the TW universe, how would he handle these few scenarios:

a: Who would be his pack allies, the pack members he’d bond with? Who would be his pack friend-enemies?

Mike, just like his brother, would become a member of the puppy pack because Mike’s a puppy too. He’d probably bond the most with Nolan and Corey because they share the most character traits with them being kind of cute and sometimes awkward. Brett would be his crush for sure. But he would also be good friends with Liam and totally root for Thiam.

Friendenemies? Good question. He’s not as harsh as Theo so he probably would not really have problems with the people around. Unless you come for his brother, then he will end you.

b: In a Supernatural crisis, how would he respond?

That clearly depends on the situation. When it comes to facing an enemy and taking them down, Mike’s a fighter and goes into the full experience. He is fast, he is agile, he is ruthless. But if it comes to protecting the people he cares about, he gets very defensive and worries more about them and bringing them to safety than taking part in the fight itself. He’s not even afraid to charge in and drag the person out of the fight (especially his brother). Mike is pretty level-headed and can stay calm even if times get rough. He checks a situation, makes his own theories about it, but he mostly stays in the background, lets the others talk and discuss, and only interferes when he feels like it’s not going anywhere. But most of the times he is fine with just watching and striking when it’s the right time.

c: One hilarious scenario you think would occur between him, Theo, and other member of the pack?

They would pull a Switch-A-Raeken so often to confuse the pack and get their laughs out of this. Liam is probably the only one who can tell them apart because he pays so close attention to them (mostly Theo though) but the others always get totally confused and the twins love to switch even during a conversation to completely confuse everyone.

One situation I find absolutely hilarious and I will write one day would involve the Sheriff, probably to introduce them as twins. One twin gets arrested, the other shows up to bail him out. Stilinski is in his office when suddenly one of the deputies knocks at the door. He calls them in and they open the door, slightly nervous. “We…uhm…have a situation here with the boy we arrested. You might want to check? He said you surely would love that.” The sheriff narrows his eyes and gets up from his chair. He walks out of his office and there they are. Two identical smirks on their faces and casually leaned against the backrest of the bench in front of his office. “Hey, Sheriff!” One of them says. Stilinski is baffled, moments pass by. He finally finds his voice again. “There are two of them? Because one Raeken wasn’t enough???” He yells, voice cracking at the end. He scratches his neck and grimaces. The twins’ smirks intensify. The deputy ducks away and hides behind the computer screen.

Rofl, I hope you do write it! Are you planning to continue Finding My Way To You too? Any spoilers you can slip us?

I am definitely planning to but I have more prominent ideas for A tale written with fangs and claws and other stories at the moment. I do have written some part of the next chapter still. I love this story and the feedback I received was wonderful. Raeken Twins are a fun thing to write about, so expect more to come.

For a spoiler, I will tell you we will have some drama, much love and yes also smut. There will be a slightly different take on the Dread Doctors spin because I am dissecting the storyline a bit to make it more fitting for Finding My Way To You. There will be a shift in the relationship between the twins as well. For everything else, you need to stay tuned ;D

Well, I suppose we must now haha. Until then, we have all of a Tale of Fangs and Claws to keep ourselves busy. Speaking of….a Tale of Fangs and Claws Time!! (I held out for this long; I’m proud of myself.) For anyone unfamiliar, could you give us a quick synopsis? What inspired the idea?

Whooo!! The story is about Liam becoming an Alpha when he least expects it. He and Theo are living in Seattle, are roommates in college, and totally in love with each other but they both feel the other might not return their feelings in the beginning. Theo still joins Liam’s pack and together they return to Seattle. The story follows Liam’s journey in his new role, especially when other werewolves appear and Liam and Theo soon have a pack of their own to take care of. They become a family, face many battles and they all learn more about each other and their strengths and weaknesses, help to find their place in the world.

My inspiration for this came from the sole wish to see Liam as Alpha. I think he would be a great Alpha and would have loved to see it happen at the end of the show as some kind of next-generation thing with the older pack members leaving Beacon Hills and him taking over from Scott. The more I thought about this, the bigger the need for Alpha!Liam became and I started to imagine his pack, created their characters a little bit and searched for faceclaims. It took me a while until I finally started to write the story; until I had a decent enough base to actually imagine turning this into a multi-chapter fic and upload it. Add me playing around with my basic photoshop program and create some Liam as Alpha manips and the inspiration was there. It came to the point where I could no longer hold back and thus I uploaded the prologue. I never imagined the success it would have and I am still amazed by this.

Wow, and it’s almost 300,000 words long! First, huge congrats on being the longest Thiam fic thus far! Is this the longest story you’ve ever written? Did you originally plan all the chapters or has it reshaped itself? Would you say you have a secret to writing longer fics while also keeping your personal interest high?

It’s crazy! Thank you so much!! I have to say I never expected this to turn out so huge, I still can’t believe it. Every time I check the chapter numbers, it still feels so unreal. When I started, I had no idea how long this would be. I had basic elements and certain points I wanted to have happen but everything else was non-existent in the beginning. It still is nowadays because that’s how I write. I don’t have everything planned out and so my own story keeps surprising me but I love this. I’m writing a chapter and some things are coming to my mind while I’m writing and I take a break to consider, bring this in a vague timeline, and then continue writing.

I admire people whohave every little detail plannedout but I’m so not like this and I had it happen to me that I wrote a chapter completely different than I intended to. Because my thoughts didn’t work as good as the thing I had been actually writing, if that makes sense. Sure, I have some scenes I have in mind for a long time and while I have not every word planned out, I have a pretty solid image of the scenes. Theo’s development for example. I knew how I want to have the big moments to happen and I am even more excited than usual when it is time to write it.

The story is indeed the longest I have ever written until now. Who knows what the future has in store? :D

I wouldn’t exactly call it a secret. Thiam itself inspires me so much and receiving so much feedback from so many people is also a very good source of motivation, not gonna lie. This story, the reactions I got from people, has made me feel better about my talent as a writer and that fueled my passion. I associate so many great things with this story and I got attached to every single character that writing a new chapter feels like coming home. I see them as part of my family, my babies if you want, and I am curious to see how they develop further. That’s what keeps me inspired to make this story longer and longer. I’d say the secret, in general, is creating something you truly love, no matter how cliche this sounds. Create this word that is truly you that brings yourself joy and I’m sure you won’t lose interest.

Yes, I so agree! When I was writing my main Stacksonstory, I fell so in love with the characters and the progress of the story! And then to be able to talk about them with so many people, it definitely kept the thoughts coming, even long after I finished it!

Exactly what happened to me with A tale written with fangs and claws! It is wonderful to have such great response and it’s a great source of motivation. I get so many ideas for this story just by reading comments or talking with people. That’s the beauty of fanfiction I think.

Most definitely! Would you then say any of your original characters are based on people you know personally?

Actually no. I was more inspired by fictional characters, took some things from them, and created my own individual character. If there are any resemblances I haven’t noticed them yet but hey, maybe I will someday^^

Maybe, who knows what might happen. Not us, certainly. Thinking forward, is there one thing you’re dying to add in the story but you have to write a few more chapter before it comes up?

Liam’s and Theo’s wedding! I am dying to write this since a few chapters and everyone who read the last chapter knows I’m toying around with this thing a bit but I really, really can’t wait to write their wedding. It will happen one day and I am excited about it but it will take some more (a lot more) chapters until we can get there.

Yessssss, we’ll be patiently waiting until then! Before we wind down, I’d love to give you a time to impart some wisdom onto us. Any life hacks or creative wisdom on your mind lately?

It is important to figure out what works best for you and never let anybody butt in, writing-wise and in life too. I had to learn this myself but there will be people telling you how you should do a certain thing and then you need to figure out if this is really the best for you. I’m not saying you should not take advice, you definitely should, but it is okay to change this advice, maybe combine it with the advice you got from someone else and create your own special way to get things done. There might be people who are very critical of how you work, how you handle things, and sometimes it can really get to you and be a bummer but it is important to remember that as long as it good for you, as long as it helps you get something done the way you want it to, it’s the right way for you. Your own opinion and your own wellbeing are more important than what some might think are the right thing for you. Your way is the right thing and great things will come from this, just stay true to yourself even when it’s hard sometimes

Also: Allow yourself to change. What was on your mind a year ago, what you wrote a year ago, doesn’t become less valid just because you changed your perspective. You are ever-changing and there will be moments where you realize that your old mindset doesn’t apply to the situation anymore, not to the person you became anymore. That’s okay. It doesn’t take anything away from the progress you made before, doesn’t take anything away from what you created back then. It simply shows your development as a writer, as a person, and that’s a fascinating progress.

Thank you so much for your honesty and depth. Aww, well, we reached the end of our time, Rena! Luckily, we’ve learned so much about you in our short time together. To end us out, what’s next for you? Any big plans?

I have several projects planned. In terms of fanfiction, I’m planning a sequel to A tale written with fangs and claws if I finish the story, I’m planning on continuing my Mated series, Finding My Way To You will be continued as well, and there are several other fanfictions on the line. I’m also planning on finally writing my first original novel, something I’m very excited about. Those are the things I have planned, who knows what else is gonna happen? Life is full of surprises.

Good luck with your novel! And all the other bundles of surprises and happiness that are whirling your way. Is there anything else you’d like to share? The mic’s in your hands.

It’s okay to struggle. I sometimes feel like the standards expect everyone to be perfect at anything they do and it can be really frustrating when you feel like you’re not reaching these standards. You feel like a failure and it’s a horrible thing to feel. I had so many moments where I felt like I would never reach the standard for that thing to be considered good or even great and it took me a long time to learn not to always compare myself to others and be proud of who I am, my talents, what I create. I still feel like I’m not good enough sometimes but every time I struggle, I learn new things about myself and that’s what made me realize it is okay to struggle. You learn next to nothing when you don’t struggle and ease everything perfectly on the first try.

Sure, it’s great to have a lift first time you do something, it’s even important to be a natural in some things, but I also know that struggling causes doubts and insecurities because you feel like anybody else doesn’t seem to struggle at all. What I’m trying to say is embrace your struggles as part of your development process on becoming the best version of yourself that you can be. And remember: Nobody has the same story to tell as you. The world needs to hear yours, don’t let the doubts take this away from you. It’s a long and difficult way to go but it’s worth it in the end.

Thanks so much Rena! It was a freaking blast getting to know you and your life, inspirations, and quirky interests haha!

Thankfully, the conversation doesn’t have to end here. To chat with her about her works, Thiam, Teen Wolf, even Wrestling, you can find Rena at these three places:

AO3: Former_Princess

Tumblr: formerprincess

Ask Box: formerprincessask

In her words, “It’s more than okay! I love getting asks, messages. I’d even love to get a carrier pigeon. I am a shy noodle myself but I absolutely love to interact with people and have them interact with me. Ask as many questions as you want, send in as many things as you want, you will never bother me and in fact make me very happy. Also - on a non fandom related note - myaskbox is always open for anybody who needs somebody to listen to them.”

She’s also currently accepting prompts, though it might take her a while to get to them–you know busy lives and what not. So, feel free to “send in things, share your thoughts, headcanons, and everything else,” with her. (Also, her words!)

Thanks so much for reading. We will see you next week as we get to know about fandomtrashwhore, aka Marie, our resident Thiam Social Media expert. Until then!

Have a Thiam Creator you fan over? Send us their names. Likewise, if you as the creator, would like to be a part of the Behind the Screens series, give us a shout too! We’d love to get to know you, as well.

#officialthiamlibrary #behind the screens #thiam #teen wolf #formerprincess #mod: minna

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timegong8-blog · 5 years

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Recent Non-Fashion Thrift Finds

Today, I thought I would write a little about my recent thrift finds and, in particular, those that fall outside the usual purview of this blog. Clothes and accessories will never not be at the top of my thrifting list, but I have been spending a lot more time lately looking for other treasures. Every 2-3 years, I go through a hard-core nesting phase – which is a relative thing, because I’m a homebody at heart in any event – when I divert most of my creative energy into my home. That time has come again, and I have been a busy thrifting bee. Let’s take a look at my more interesting, unusual or downright quirky finds, shall we?

Vintage Scarf Upcycled Project

I mentioned this in my previous post about our living room refresh, but it’s worth mentioning again because this was such an easy (and inexpensive) upcycling project with a big impact. This La Mendola (vintage, I think) scarf was a fabulous find for under $5 – pure silk, gorgeous pattern. Have I mentioned how much I love cacti?

I don’t wear silk scarves, but I knew I had to have this one because it was simply too beautiful to pass up. On the spot, I decided to treat it as a piece of art – which, in my eyes, it is – which meant getting it framed. After searching for an appropriate frame in thrift stores for a few weeks, with no success, I ended up getting a basic one from IKEA. We simply “sandwiched” the scarf between the Plexiglas front and the cardboard backing, because I didn’t want to risk damaging the fabric by pinning it down. We didn’t bother adding a mat; we used the (white) back of the stock photo that came with the frame as a makeshift mat, and it worked just fine. I think the slightly uneven borders add to its overall charm. From a distance, this looks like a poster; it’s kind of surreal, actually.

A quick tip for finding quality scarves: look for rolled edges. I used to think that meant edges that are doubled over and sewed nicely, but no. Rolled edges are very distinctive to the touch – sort of bubbly and quite bulky. You will know it as soon as you touch one. Every single expensive scarf I’ve thrifted – this one, Pucci, vintage DVF – has had a rolled edge.

Globe, With a Twist

I’m not sure if I mentioned it here before, but one of my more recent collections is globes. Sometime last year, I came across this photo when I was looking for bookcase inspo online. As one does. Ahem. I love anything map-related, and I was immediately smitten with the array of globes of varying shades of blue, and decided I needed this punch of colour in my own library. I have been slowly accumulating globes ever since, picking them up in thrift stores wherever I find them. This particular globe was $5 at VV, and was a very nice shade of blue:

It was only once I got home that I realized there was something different about it. Can you spot it?

Yup, my first Francophone globe.

Mantel Centerpiece

I tend not to thrift a ton of pictures, because my husband and I have generally divergent preferences when it comes to art unlike, say, interior design as a whole. He’s a die-hard for original art and I … just like looking at beautiful things. One of my favourite (thrifted) pictures is a reproduction of an old Picasso drawing:

I managed to “sneak” that one by him, and I also got this other repro accepted on the mantelpiece:

The larger painting behind it is an original piece from an artist friend, but there’s more to it than meets the eye: the original canvas was a mass-produced landscape I picked up at HomeSense years ago to hang in my then office. It was pretty bland and boring – the art version of elevator muzzak – and I was going to get rid of it when our friend asked if he could have some fun with it. My husband and I both loved the result, and during our recent living room refresh, we decided to make it the focal point of our fireplace.

Around the same time, I spotted the little “Rembrandt” and was drawn to its colour scheme, which echoed the colours on our mantelpiece. I thought it would provide a nice contrast/juxtaposition to the larger artwork, and I ended up buying it during a VV sale for something like $4 – a modest investment in case my husband balked at my idea. Which he did, initially. He hated it, in fact. But we argued talked it out, and eventually he sorta just … gave in. All I know is that the picture has been on the mantel for a good month, and hasn’t mysteriously disappeared yet.

Portrait of a Young Girl

Speaking of divisive items, this one was a doozy. This repro portrait of Bianca de Medici by Bronzino was love at first sight for me. Don’t ask me why; I know it’s maybe (more than) a little quirky, but I love it. (And I fell down a rabbit hole while researching it, which is one of my favourite ways to waste an evening or three, tbh). Love must have temporarily blinded me, because I bought it assuming that my husband would share my feelings. Not so much. He not only didn’t love it; he thought it was creepy.

Creepy?!

I like to think that I have a finely tuned creepiness meter – no dolls, puppets or clown paraphernalia for me, thanks – but this didn’t register at all, so his reaction took me by surprise. He was must have sensed my disappointment, and being the good husband that he is, he agreed to keep it around so that he might “acclimatize” to it. As of the writing of this post, we have not yet agreed on whether this can go up on a wall in the house, but I remain hopeful.

Update: it found a home!

Compromise

Makeshift Side Table

I love this little reading nook in the living room, but there is an electrical outlet that sticks out (visually) like a sore thumb. I initially wanted to hide it with a plant, but this spot doesn’t get a lot of light, which ruled out that option. As an alternative, I thrifted this large vase ($8) in a colour complementary to our overall palette, but it still looked out of proportion just sitting there on the floor. What would help is a little table, but it has to be just the right dimensions and style – and that is proving hard to find. In the meantime, I came up with an improvised solution: the stack-of-books-as-makeshift-table idea.

A half dozen or so large “coffee table” books later, and we had the right height. These are multi-functional; my husband and I love flipping through interior design books, so they are both furniture and entertainment in one. Most of them cost under $5 a piece, so it was an inexpensive solution to boot. Once we figure out what we’re doing with this nook on a permanent basis, the books will get re-homed in our new living room bookshelves or upstairs in the main library; no doubt, they will continue to inspire future DYI projects for many years to come.

Butterfly Terrarium

I love butterflies, but I had not come across butterfly terrariums until recently; first, in an interior design book, then on the Thrift Store Hauls sub-Reddit. Naturally, I became determined to thrift my very own. Thrifting for niche items is a long game, so I put it to the back of my mind. And then, out of the blue, I found one a few weeks later! It’s a small one, but it’s lovely:

I wanted to find it a good spot in the house right away, but none of the established “corners” of the house (like the mantel) suited it. So I made it its own spot on a previously-ignored ledge/shelf of the library.

This is all stuff I already had, except for the potted hoya which is a new addition to our growing plant family. I love moving things around every so often; it makes the house feel fresh without any major overhauls.

Have you found good stuff at the thrift store lately? Working on a cool upcycled project? Tell us all about it!

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Source: http://bluecollarredlipstick.com/2018/09/recent-non-fashion-thrift-finds/

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