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nanowrimo · 3 years

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5 Tips for Finishing Your Novel

April’s session of Camp NaNoWriMo is drawing to a close, and you might find yourself nearing the end of your novel. If you need some tips on writing and polishing the ending of your story, author Derek Murphy is here to share a few! Plus, you can check out the rest of our novel-finishing resources on our #NaNoFinMo page.

You won NaNoWriMo and have a 50k collection of scenes and sentences, but how do you clean it up and get it done? How do you make sure it’s finished, satisfying and enjoyable? Here are 5 powerful strategies for finishing your novel and some helpful writing tips that will push you past the finish line.

1. Give it a satisfying resolution.

In order to have a powerful story, your book should probably focus on a main character’s change or transformation. There’s an inner war, a.k.a. the character’s emotional healing, and an outer war: the conflict that forced the reckoning. If it’s a purely symbolic internal realization, you can mirror that with actual conflict in the real scene: the breaking of a dish, a fit of rage, a sudden ray of sunlight (or a storm… this should not be pleasant; It’s a breaking point and spiritual death/rebirth).

You can clarify the moment of change by setting up an illustrative contrast, a before and after, that shows how those internal changes have resulted in real-world consequences or benefits. Each character’s unique challenge will match their personal weakness or fear. The price for victory is the one thing they have so far refused to do, or something they cannot give up or bear to lose.

Make sure your protagonist has gone through a transformative struggle to arrive at deep insights, knowledge or awareness. Find a way to deepen the incidental scenes so that they become instrumental to a deeper purpose, leading towards an identity-shifting event.

The plot is what happens, and it’s important. But you can make it more dramatic and meaningful by making sure you demonstrate how hard it was and what it cost. It matters, it is remarkable, because it forced your protagonist to change.

Your conclusion might include:

Physical tension as allies perform a tug-of-war battle against resistance, that shows how difficult this struggle is, and how much force is required.

The consideration phase, as characters are tempted last minute or the price for victory is revealed: the sweet memories that give them awareness that this fight is worth the cost or risk (you need to show them making the choice, knowing what they will lose).

The final flashback, as the full backstory is revealed so we can see exactly why this conflict is so difficult or meaningful for the main character.

2. Add (unresolved) conflict.

Your story is made up of the events and scenes, where something happens. Each new event will push the characters further into the plot. Slow scenes where nothing is really happening can be red flags, so the first thing to focus on is increasing conflict, drama, suspense and intrigue. This is what creates urgency. The full reveal, demonstrating why THIS challenge is so difficult and powerful, should happen just before the final battle or resolution.

You want to make sure every scene, especially in your conclusion, has enough conflict. I recommend these three:

Outer Conflict (threats): Challenges or obstacles that prevent the character from achieving goals.

Inner Conflict (doubts): Moral struggles, decisions, guilt or shame, anger.

Friendly Fire (betrayal): Strong disagreements between allies or supporting characters.

You want to extend and deepen the potential conflict, without resolving it too easily. The biggest destroyer of conflict is conversation: when your characters just sit around and talk to each other. Most conflict involves a lack of information, and a desire for clarity. A lot of conflict is perceived or imagined.

The most important information needs to come last, and come at a great price. The information that has an emotional impact, and influences their actions and decisions, should be big reveals at dramatic peaks. A surprise or twist should be treated as an event: each scene is leading towards a change or new piece of information that provokes the protagonist to respond.

3. Fill plot holes with character motivation.

After you’ve made sure that “what actually happens” is intriguing (opening questions and raising tensions without resolving them) you can focus on making sure the plot holes are filled, and characters are properly motivated – these two things are usually adjacent.

You can find and fill plot holes by asking:

Why are the characters doing this?

Why does any of it matter?

Basically, readers need to respect the main characters enough to care what happens to them, so their choices and actions need to make sense within the given information. If there’s a simpler, easier solution, readers will get stuck up on “why didn’t they just…”? To fix plot holes and gaps in logic or continuity, or make the story go where you need it to, you can add urgency, fix the mood of the scene (bigger stakes require bigger justifications), show characters in a weakened mental state, or raise concerns but have them dismissed, with an excuse or justification.

You need rational characters to make plausible choices that lead to dire consequences. You need show why they don’t do something easier, or nothing at all, or why they face clear challenges, despite potential obstacles.

They’ll also require a deeper motivation, for why they’re willing to put themselves in identity-destroying conflict, rather than just giving up or running away. Why do they stay in THIS fight, when they’ve run from similar ones? If they weren’t ready at the beginning, why are the ready now – what changed in them, as a result of your story’s journey?

Your protagonist needs to have a strong, consistent internal compass, and it needs to be revealed through incidents that establish their character. This is who they are. Without this reliable core identity, we won’t be able to tell a story that forces them to change.

4. Let readers picture your story with detailed description.

In the final stages of revision, you can begin improving the description with specific details.

It’s smart to start – or end – a chapter with a vivid, immediate scene. You want to leave readers with an image they can see in their minds, hopefully connected to the feeling you aim to evoke. You can close a chapter with a reference back to a motif or image, with a deeper or more reflective context; applying meaning to the metaphor. This will help readers feel engaged, be moved, and leave a lasting impact.

Vivid scenes are mostly a matter of detailed description, so add the specifics about the story environment. Be precise, not vague. Instead of “she put a plate of tea and snacks on the table” you can write “she gently placed an antique porcelain teapot on the table. I could smell it was Earl Grey from the scent of bergamot. The half-sleeve of Oreos and can of onion-flavored Pringles seemed incongruous with the fancy dishes, but I knew she was making an effort to welcome me.”

Focus on the sensations and feelings; but also zero-in on any potential sources of conflict or internal emotions or states of mind. In my example above, the host might be nervous or ashamed of her spread; or perhaps she has a degenerative brain disease and doesn’t notice the incongruity. Tensions are unspoken, potential sources of negative feelings. They hover in the background of your description.

Readers will remember the pictures you put in their heads, not the words on the page.

Description should serve and be bound to the story, not distract from it.

It should be squeezed into and around the scene action, when the protagonist is using or exploring.

Show what’s different, not what’s the same.

Leave space for readers to fill in the gaps, but get them started in the right direction so they aren’t surprised later.

Sidenote: be careful about your metaphors, analogies and similes. Each one will put a picture into readers’ minds, and it can quickly get overcrowded with imagery. You’re asking them to ignore your real scene and think of something else. Use them to confirm and amplify the scene you have, and limit distractions.

5. Prepare to publish.

Typos are bad, but perfectionism will ruin you. This section is about editing and proofreading, but I don’t have time for all that, and you don’t either. The real problem with a story is rarely the number of typos. A very clean book isn’t better if people stop reading.

You can solve a lot of common writing problems, with my big list of 25 common writing mistakes, and self-edit your manuscript to make it as good as possible. After that, a copyeditor or proofreader isn’t always the best investment (and it can also be the biggest publishing cost).

Instead, use an editing software (I like Grammarly) to root out obvious mistakes, but don’t dwell on the small stuff like perfecting every word or rearranging the commas. Spending a very long time wrestling a poorly-written manuscript in shape is less effective than getting something (actually) done to the point where you’re comfortable sharing it.

This may be difficult at first, but you can’t learn and improve without genuine reader feedback (from people who aren’t your mom or best friend; nor the short-sighted opinions of a self-proclaimed literature enthusiast). You need to find readers who enjoy your particular genre, and the sooner you find them, the more valuable feedback you can get.

Shorten the feedback loop: Get over the fear and focus on learning by getting feedback early and often. However, this doesn’t just mean joining a writer’s club: writers are brutal and might focus on trivial things. The safest bet is to make it public, on Wattpad at least. Or get a cheap cover and throw it up on Kindle, Draft2Digital or even your own blog.

Making it public is scary and vulnerable, but it’s better than letting the fear of messing up keep you from the brutal, necessary experience of allowing readers to tell you what they liked and disliked about your writing. Will some people be critical? Yes! But guess what, you’ll get negative reviews even if you’re a brilliant, famous writer. Those are inevitable. And the first negative reviews may teach you more about writing than 10 years attempting to self-edit, afraid of putting your book out into the world.

PS. You can use resources, like my 24-chapter plot outline, as a way to spot story gaps in your manuscript and improve the structure (especially if your book suffers from a “soggy middle.)

Derek Murphy has a PhD in Literature, writes urban fantasy and is the founder of the alliance of young adult authors. More recently, he’s started sharing writing tips on http://www.writethemagic.com

Top photo by Adegbenro Emmanuel Dipo on Unsplash.

#nanowrimo #camp nanowrimo #nanofinmo #writing advice #writing tips #finishing a novel #by nano guest #derek murphy

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the-old-dip-and-stir · 5 years

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hcs of what the van der lindes smell like

this is random as hell, but why the hell not? so here’s hcs that nobody asked for. i had to do some research for a couple of these because i had no idea what some popular smell were back then. an interesting read tho.

arthur smells of grizzly wintergreen chewing tobacco, gun oil, and leather with the slightest hint of horse. if you ever been around someone who dips, you know what i mean. he’s always taking care of his things; cleaning his guns, making sure the leather of his saddle is cracked, and caring for his horse. mixing mint leaves with his chewing tobacco was a trick arthur had picked up from uncle, but he’d never let the old man know he’d taught him something.

john smells like sweat, cigarettes, and dirt, but in a good way. like he’s been working hard and decide roll himself some cigs while taking a break. then lounged under a tree to smoke one. abigail always seemed to sneak up on him when he took a breather.

dutch smells like books and leather, but mostly of a cologne he managed to snatch up. some are strong, others not so much, but they still manage to smell nice on him. there’s almost always the lingering smell of a woman on him, like his escapades are embedded forever into his clothing.

hosea also smells like books and leather, but with a hint of rosemary and thyme. i like to believe he keeps a bag of with his clothes chest, like a bag of potpourri. bessie always did love the smell of dried herbs.

abigail smells heavily of coffee and bit of soap. she does hers and jack laundry herself and she gets them clean. pearson’s coffee has been and always will be her favorite. she’s tried making it herself but it never turns out right. jack was the only one figured it out. from then on, he made the coffee for the house.

jack smells like chocolate and probably will til the day he dies. as he gets older it molds and shifts; books, coffee, leather and gun oil, but chocolate is a constant. it’s hosea’s fault really, he shouldn’t have spoiled him so much with sweets.

karen smells like river rocks and lavender, because her favorite scent is lavender and she actually enjoys bathing in rivers. makes her feel like a goddess out of storybook. as she starts drinking, the smell is slowly overwhelmed by booze. it’s still there but the whiskey makes it hard to find. but she’d much rather be engulfed in the scent that reminds her of sean.

tilly smells like lemongrass and soap. she’s stuck doing laundry a lot but lemongrass reminds her of her mother and sweeter times.she asks charles to get it for her whenever he goes out hunting and without fail he always gets her some. no questions asked.

mary-beth smells like roses and pen ink. it’s all very romantic to her and she loves feeling like a french poet with her rose perfume. the fountain pen arthur got her makes her feel like she’s really living the fantasy.

sadie smells like honey and black tea. personally she prefers coffee with some cream, but jake loved a cup of sweetened earl grey. it’s okay to her, doesn’t have the same bite like a cup of joe, but she drinks it in memory of him.

susan smells like bergamot and lemon. it’s a typical scent for a woman to have in the 19th century. she remembers having to almost drown john in the smell because he never washed properly. he learned quick to scrub for a long time, she made sure of that.

molly smells like jasmine. it’s an expensive and distinguished smell. it makes her miss home and her old life sometimes, but dutch picks her up a bottle when she’s running low. it’s little things like that make her fall in love with him more.

sean smells like oak wood and whiskey. of course he’d smell like his favorite drink and what it sits in. he practically sweats the stuff. karen complains but that’s never stopped her from burying her face in chest after a tumble. sometimes when molly sees him, she swears she can smell the countryside air of home.

javier smells like a campfire and violets. pretty much everyone in camp smells like a campfire to some degree, but javier probably smells the most like it given that he spends much of his free time around one. violets is a comforting smell, something his mother would where back in mexico. it’s the most expensive thing she ever purchased, but she loved it. he snatches up snow violets on outings to make his own.

charles smells like pine, blackberries, and crisp fall air. he spends most of his time hunting, sometimes he gets tree sap on him; damned woodpeckers. charles doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, but he loves berries. black berries are his favorite, they seem to have the right amount of sweet and tart that hits the spot. for the most part these scent are faint but the pine mixed with scent of dead leaves and soil remind mary-beth of fall mornings.

lenny smells a lot like his father did; books, ink, and cedar. he’s a big reader, sometimes a writer. he remembers when he used to write for fun. his father always did like his stories. remembers the fountain pen his father saved up for his 13th birthday. he keeps a small block of cedar with his clothes, something about keep the bugs away. he wishes he could find that cologne his father liked though.

kieran obviously smells like horse, but also of hay, leather, and burdock root. he’s mostly in charge of the horses, caring for them while the others are busy. he feeds them and makes medicine for them. so he has a strange combo of the sweet hay smell and the slight bitter scent of burdock. leather comes with taking care of the camp’s tack as well. horses are a comfort for him, they’re nicer than people. more accepting too.

pearson smells like morning coffee by the sea. always the first up to a brew, just like back in the navy. the smell of the ocean seems to have seeped into his pores, maybe it had. it reminds of when he was younger. had less cares in the world. he wonders if his aunt could’ve be proud of the man he is today.

swanson smells either of fresh, pressed linens or medicine and booze. he’s in a terrible head space and can’t quit; the drinking, his affliction. oh, what sad man he is. things blur together, it’s hard to really be there, in the moment. but eventually, he picks himself back up. becomes the man he wants to be, a man of god again. he hopes margaret is proud of him.

strauss smells like fresh linens, hair pomade, and orange blossoms. fresh pressed suit and slicked back hair, always the image of professionalism. have to if he wants his business to seem legitimate. orange blossom reminds him of his childhood, when things weren’t quite as tough. of his dear, sweet sister. oh how he wished he could’ve done more for his family.

trelawny smells like patchouli and vanilla. overwhelming and subtle. it makes him appear more mysterious than he already is. it also reminds him of home and his family. one would think with how he’s away so much, he probably doesn’t think of home, but he does. he thinks of his childhood, of his wife, and of his children. patchouli is a memory of his father and he wears now that he’s grown. vanilla reminds him of his family in saint denis. sweet and good.

bill smells like moonshine, pomade, and gunpowder. it’s a lot like his father, but he won’t be him. won’t forget as long as he doesn’t mix. at least that’s what he tells himself, but his memory is already starting to get fuzzy. the thick gel makes him fell confident, like he has his life together. it makes him feel good in ways he wouldn’t have thought. war changes you. those changes never go away either. it’s supposed to build character. that’s what they said. it did, but not the way he thought it would.

micah smells like blood, sweat, and a heavy cologne. he’s always moving, always working, always killing. doesn’t matter how often or when he bathes, the smell of cooper lingers. so much blood on his hands, even at a young age. sweat clings at his brow whenever he sleeps, so he doesn’t do it much. only when he has to. too many memories, not enough tears. ain’t no time fro crying boy, be a man (hates that he was named after his father, hates that he became him, but what choice did he have). cologne covers it up. the heavy musk hides the pain and fear, but not the killer.

uncle has two modes, smelling surprisingly good or unsurprisingly, but still shockingly bad. there is no in-between. he can smell like a dumpster fire or tobacco, mint, and whiskey. remember how i said arthur learned to mix mint leaves with his chewing tobacco? yeah uncle still does that, has for years. whiskey is a constant smell, much like sean, he practically sweats the stuff.

a/n: this was a lot longer than i planned on it being, but oh well. also i accidentally implied some charles/tilly? oops.

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serenefreakgeekao3 · 5 years

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Tea Time

Prompt/Request: “Hello! Prompt: drarry, summer day, it's raining, but it's warm, the air smells fresh like rain and grass. They're sitting in the terrace of Manor and drinking some berry or herbal tea. It'd be good if it'd be the beginning of the relationship, or the first kiss, or even pre-slash. Just warm and cosy.” - anon Tags: Mutual pining, Scheming!Narcissa, Oblivious!Harry, Oblivious!Draco, First kiss, Getting together Warnings: an abnormal amount of italics Words: 1738 A/N: So I made it a mutual pining/awkward kind of bit, I hope that’s fine! It’s just where the story went so, enjoy! (not beta read, sorry if there are any mistakes!)

Read it on Ao3!

Drip, drip, drip

Relaxing deeper into the high-back lawn chair- imbued with cushioning charms, it seemed- Harry let his eyes fall closed and held his teacup closer to his chest. The steam wafted upward toward his nose, heating the small chill he felt there while smelling pleasantly like bergamot. He took a small sip of his earl grey tea, humming quietly in content. Hearing a small giggle, he looked out of the corner of his eye toward Narcissa, smiling and narrowing his eyes.

“Is something funny to you, Mrs Malfoy?” She only giggled again in response, shaking her head toward him. She made a point of holding her teacup delicately- in opposition to Harry’s holding his with both hands fully, covering the entirety of the ceramic- sitting up straight and folding her legs at the ankle like a ‘proper woman.’ It always amused Harry to witness her being ‘proper,’ as she called it, whenever they had tea together. Which seemed to be happening more often lately. However, staring at her posture, Harry couldn’t help but wonder if holding that position all the time just hurt her back.

“It just seems as if you’re enjoying this, Mister Potter,” Narcissa replied softly, glancing over with a small smile and a teasing look. Harry rolled his eyes at the use of his last night, shaking his torso back and forth to help scoot up higher in the chair. He took another quick sip of his tea before placing it down on the garden table between the two of them, looking out toward the rain falling around the terrace they sat upon on the Malfoy estate.

“The rain has always had a calming effect on me. I never really knew why.” Harry smiled, tilting his head and glancing back toward Narcissa. He reached a hand toward her, laying his gently on her own. “Thank you for inviting me over for tea once again. It was very generous of you.” Narcissa scoffed lightly, taking her hand out and patting Harry’s in return.

“Oh, dear. Don’t pretend that you come here to humour an old lady like myself. I know you’re only here to catch glimpses of Draco.” Harry’s eyes widened, taking his hand back and surreptitiously glancing around before looking back to her. He opened his mouth to deny, but stopped once she raised her hand in a halting manner. “Oh, don’t try to evade the truth, Harry. I’m not as oblivious as my dear son, it seems.” Harry blinked quickly, at a loss for words. Quickly, to give himself something to do, he reached for his cup and took a scalding gulp of tea. Narcissa hummed softly, taking a sip of her own just before the doors behind them opened.

“Mother, have you heard from- oh, Potter, what a surprise,” Draco finished in a mumble, his eyes tracing Harry’s form before blinking twice and turning quickly back toward his mother. He cleared his throat, watching Narcissa take her time to turn and give her full attention to her son. “Have you heard from Pansy? She’s supposed to help me with the-” Draco coughed, glancing quickly toward Harry before looking back to Narcissa, “The thing that she promised she’d help me with.”

“She’s supposed to help with the thing?” Harry parroted, cocking a grin toward him, raising an eyebrow. Draco placed a hand on his hip, narrowing his eyes slightly toward Harry before looking back toward his mother. She almost seemed entertained by their banter, though the moment she noticed it wouldn’t continue, she let out a put-upon sigh.

“Well, I suppose I shall go floo her then, shall I?” Narcissa stood, brushing imaginary lint off of her white dress robes while Draco spluttered, shaking his head.

“No, mother, you’re entertaining. I could just go floo her myself-”

“Oh, nonsense,” Narcissa replied, waving her hand in a dismissive manner, a devious little smile lighting up her face, “Although, you are correct that I am hosting a guest. Perhaps you could sit with Harry here for me?” She approached Draco, kissing his cheek and patting the spot softly with her hand twice, mumbling a, “Thank you, dear,” before making her departure.

Both boys watched as Narcissa sauntered back inside, turning and closing the glass door behind her. They turned and met each other’s eyes, both glancing away quickly as if not wanting to be caught looking at the other. Slowly, Draco made his way to the now unoccupied seat, sitting gently in the chair just as a new teacup popped into existence on the table between them. Draco gingerly took the teapot, pouring himself some.

“So,” Harry mumbled, fidgeting his hands together, “It’s very relaxing out here on the terrace?” It wasn’t meant to be a question, but the end of the sentence sounded a bit higher pitch than the rest due to his nervousness, and he hoped Draco wouldn’t call him out on it.

“It is. Mother used to have tea here with me every week as a kid,” Draco mumbled, taking his teacup and taking a small sip before resting the cup on his lap, watching the rainfall around them. Harry considering turning to look as well, but this seemed like an opportune moment to study Draco without him noticing, so he took his chance. His eyes feasted on the scene of Draco sitting calmly, a soft smile began to spread across his face. “I wasn’t a particularly rambunctious child, but sitting here always calmed my nerves back then.”

“I can imagine,” Harry replied quietly, glancing away quickly once Draco turned to look at him. “I mean, she’s been inviting me over for tea time pretty often, and it’s always so peaceful here.”

“She’s the one that’s been inviting you?” Draco mumbled, and Harry glanced up toward him, their eyes meeting.

“I mean, yeah. Is that- uh, do you not want me here? Is it a problem?” Harry could feel his stomach turn, hoping he hadn’t bothered Draco in any way. However, watching Draco suddenly shoot his hand out, shaking his head quickly, he felt the knots in his stomach loosen, and a fluttering feeling replaces it.

“No! I mean, it’s fine that you’re here. That mother invited you. That you’re here because my mother invited you for tea and you came to see her, that’s fine!” Draco rambled quickly, waving his hand- Harry opening his mouth to refute- before accidentally tipping his teacup over and spilling over his pants. He gasped, standing quickly and looking down at his pants, Harry jumping up and reaching for a few napkins near the snack plate and moving to try and pat him dry before realizing that it’s his pelvis and that if he does this he might actually touch his-

“It’s fine!” Draco says frantically, his voice slightly high pitched as he takes a step backwards, knocking into the chair he had been sitting it and toppling it. It hit the floor with a resounding crack! while both boys stared at each other with wide eyes.

It felt as if time had stopped, staring into each other’s eyes for a few moments too long before Draco starts to laugh softly, then louder until he’s bent at the waist, wiping a tear from his eye. Harry watches him until he realizes what had just happened as well, laughing along with him. Draco shakes his head in exasperation, taking his wand out of his holster and waving it in a drying charm, and the realization hit Harry of just how hard he’s fallen for Draco.

“I’m not here just to see her,” Harry mumbled, causing Draco to glance up and raise his eyebrows, asking him to repeat himself. Harry cleared his throat, raising a hand to rub the back of his head. “I mean, yeah, she invites me. And I do come to see her. But I also come to- well, to hopefully see you as well?” He chuckles softly, glancing down at the grey stones under their feet. It was silent for a few moments, and Harry began considering how bad he might’ve messed up before hearing Draco whisper in reply.

“Why?”

“What?” Harry asked, furrowing his brows and glancing up. “Why?” He repeats, then blinks, shrugging. “I mean, you’re certainly attractive, so you’ve got that going for you. But I was also hoping I could talk to you every time I’ve seen you. You’ve changed since the war, and I enjoy our banter.”

“Our banter?” Draco repeats quietly, taking a small step closer toward Harry. Harry nods slowly, dropping his arm and laughing softly.

“Yeah. Though, Narcissa’s caught me out.” Harry shrugged, grinning, “She told me that she knew I came over to see you because of my crush- oh,” He laughed, not realizing what he said but continuing on, “She called you oblivious! I bet you’ll have a right laugh-”

“Crush?” Draco repeated quickly, loud in the stillness around them. Harry blinked, realizing what he said and widening his eyes. He felt his cheeks and ears heat up in a blush, and he chuckled softly.

“Uh- well- I didn’t realize I said that, but yeah.” Hoping he didn’t just ruin everything, he watched for what Draco would do next. The blond seemed taken aback, his mouth falling open slightly before he came to himself, taking another step closer and reaching out his hand slowly, giving Harry plenty of time to lean away.

“On me?” Draco placed a hand softly against his cheek, and Harry couldn’t help but lean into it slightly.

“Well, of course,” Harry whispered softly, watching as Draco began leaning closer slowly. It was as if they were both moving in honey, but eventually their lips touched, and the result was much sweeter than honey. Draco slid his hand across his jaw, to the back of his head, pulling him closer as they both pressed their chests closer, Harry letting his hands land lightly on Draco’s hips. When they finally pulled apart, Harry rested his forehead against Draco’s, smiling brightly. Draco cleared his throat softly, both of them staring into each other’s eyes.

“I might, also, have a small crush on you as well.” Harry’s eyes squinted as his grin widened, before rushing forward and kissing his lips again, pulling Draco’s hips closer to him. It felt amazing to finally have Draco in his arms, and he could only thank Narcissa for bringing them together.

#drarry #draco malfoy #harry potter #narcissa malfoy #mutual pining #scheming!narcissa #oblivious!harry #oblivious!draco #first kiss #getting together #drabble

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krispyalpacaduck · 6 years

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Passing Notes

My first Benedict X Reader fic :). Let me know what you think :)

Benedict Cumberbatch x reader

A/N: This was inspired by this photo on Facebook (Credit to the original poster whose name escapes me). This wasn’t supposed to be this long but it kind of got away from me. I shouldn’t have to say this, but I feel I must...For the reminder, this is fanfiction, so anything that happens in it is exercising artistic creativity, not a deliberate attempt to make the writer look like a housewrecker :)

It had been a rough day at the office. On the tube you maintained eye contact with the floor, not bothering to look at anyone lest someone decided to strike up a chat that you were just not in the mood for. Nearing your stop, you tilted back your head,rolling your neck around. Coming back full circle you opened your eyes and froze when you saw Benedict sitting opposite where you were standing. He looked as though he were sleeping, a book sitting lazily in his lap, his head slightly off to the side. You argued with yourself as you stared at him. 'That could be anyone', 'Is that really him?!' and 'Nah, can't be." were at war with each other. He moved slightly, his head coming up and you knew in a second it was definitely him. You could feel your heart racing, slamming into your ribcage as you tried to remain calm instead of "OMG OMG OMG! You're Benedict Cumberbatch!" bursting from your lips. You put a hand to your mouth in effort to conceal a squeal of excitement at the prospect of being in the same tube carriage as Ben, the opportunity to talk to and see in person the one and only! As you turned to walk towards him, you suddenly remembered something he'd said in an interview about an, at times, irrational fear about people coming up to him questioning if he was indeed Benedict Cumberbatch. You sucked in a harsh breath as you put eyes on him again, mentally berating yourself with a slight physical shake of your head as you thought about how you would feel if a random person woke you up when you had dozed off in a public place. Thinking quickly, you remembered the notebook you had with you. Taking it out, you overheard the loud speaker announcing your stop was coming up. You wrote quickly but legibly: Hi Mr. Benedict Cumberbatch, I saw you on the tube but you looked quite content so I didn't want to disturb you. I just wanted to say that I am a huge fan of your work and I absolutely adore you. Well, stop's coming up. Take care! Cheers! Sincerely, Y/N Your stop was announced then. As gently as you could, you slipped the note into his book, hoping he would see it. As the pressure sounded, releasing the doors, you took one last look to see Benedict stirring. He looked around and then to you, offering a smile. You instantly offered one back, tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear as you walked out onto the platform. Had it not been for all the people around, you would have done a Sherlock in A Study in Pink and jumped in the air in excitement. You were so dazed by the encounter you nearly bumped into people. Making your way out of the tube station, you fancied a cup of tea. You went to your favorite shop that was close by and ordered your favorite, a blueberry green tea. It always hit the spot when you were stressed out or just needed a chill out time. You chucked to yourself thinking, 'This is definitely a chill out time.' The wind had picked up outside, twirling leaves and debris into a mini-tornado as people started filing in to warm up. You decided to stay for a bit, taking out Hamlet to study it. The play was coming up and you needed to be ready. It was some time before you looked up upon hearing the door bell jingle. A gush of wind screamed at the pages of your book, shutting it violently. Loose papers flew around the shop haphazardly, their owners scrambling to grab them. You looked to the door, curious to see who had let in the offending element. You felt a whoosh of air leave your lungs as you stared at the door, or rather, the figure at the door. Standing there brushing leaves off his coat with leather gloved fingers was Benedict. His creamy tan coat graced his shoulders, the collar turned up against the wind. The bottom of the coat moved in a sensual, sinful dance as he walked to the counter, hugging his legs. Naturally he would make an entrance like that, you chuckled to yourself. He glanced to you as he passed and offered a smile, seeing a twinkling of recognition in his eyes. Pulling off his gloves, he ordered, the sound of his voice carrying across the small shop. Music to your ears. You closed your eyes as he made small talk with the barista, relishing in hearing it in person. The smell of Annick Goutal Eau de Monsieur caught your nose. Hints of mandarin orange, bergamot, mint, geranium, patchouli and sandalwood intoxicated you, making you feel lightheaded. It wasn't enough that the man himself was sinfully gorgeous but he smelled amazing too. Not that you were surprised. You opened your eyes, glancing around the shop, seeing others breathing in deeply, eyes closed, letting out a breath with half-lidded eyes. You noticed another peculiar thing when sweeping your eyes across the room; there were no seats left. Not daring to look for Ben again, you opened your book again and tried to focus on the words, silently praying (yet secretly wishing that he hadn't) that Ben had gotten his tea and left. You waited for the gush of wind from the opened door, but none came. "Excuse me, is this seat taken?" The voice came suddenly, causing you to jump, the book closing again. A waft of his cologne assaulted your nose again as the wind from him walking and stopping at the table caught up. You glanced up slowly, locking eyes on his and felt your face break out in a blush. "Not at all. Please!" You said, gesturing to the open chair. "Thank you." He said cheerfully with that to-die-for smile on his face. Be cool, be cool, be cool! You admonished yourself. Ben crossed his leg and turned in the chair, looking around the shop at the soft light and decorations that lined the rafters. You took the opportunity to look at him while he was distracted. He wore a maroon shirt like the one he wore in Sherlock, the buttons seemingly straining to keep it on him and black pants that outlined his legs. You trained your eyes back to his face, studying it. Your eyes focused on several points of interest, most notably his neck. A pale thick column of muscle as it was elongated to search the ceiling, matching up perfectly to his chiseled jawline. Your fingers twitched involuntarily, taking on a life of their own, desperate to feather down its length. Of course you would never be so brazen but you couldn't help but entertain the thought. Benedict turned then to face you, both of you letting out a chuckle at the normal than longer eye contact. You tucked a strand of hair back behind your ear, an action you unconsciously did when you were nervous, as you tried to calm the heat in your face. "So, what's your poison?" Benedict asked. The question took you by surprise. "I'm sorry?" "Tea, I mean." "Oh, duh. Haha. I really like blueberry green tea. It's a lighter green tea but very good. What about you?" I like a blend of Earl Grey with Lapang Souchong. It's a very smokey black tea, the Lapsang but it pairs nicely with the Earl Grey." "Is that what I smell? It smells like a brisket." "It does, doesn't it?" You share another chuckle together. You brought your hands up yo your tea mug, thumbs lightly stroking the sides. You didn't know what to talk to him about. It was awkward. "I have to say," you began, keeping your eyes fixed on your cup. You had a chance to tell him exactly what you had written in your note to him and you were going to take it. "I'm a huge fan and I'm honestly a little star-struck at having tea with you." You finished, looking up at him. It was his turn to blush, circling his finger around the top of the cup. "I'm flattered, thank you. I'm just like everyone else though. Nothing special." You threw him a look, you head slightly tilted, eyebrow raised with a smile on your face. He responded in kind, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. He looked to the book on the table. "Hamlet?" You looked down to the book, then back to Ben. "Yeah, I'm taking a Shakespeare class and we are performing Hamlet as a grade. I was awarded the part of Ophelia." "Oh, wow! How nice! I was Hamlet myself." "I know! And you were superb!" He laughed again, turning his face, giving you an eye full of those adorable crinkles. He faced you after a few moments. He seemed to be mulling over something in his head. He leaned back, crossing his leg, hand on the table. "Let's hear it, then."

"What?" "Let's recite a little bit. Pass the time." Your cheeks flared up, anxiety hitting you full force. Benedict Cumberbatch was offering to help you with your lines. "Oh, no. I couldn't possibly-" You stammered. "It's a great exercise. It will help with the anxiety of a live performance. May I?" He asked, gesturing to the book. "Of course." You said, passing the book to him. He picked it up, scanning for a good place to read from. You listen carefully as he begins, reading ahead in your mind to your lines so you can come in on time. "Ah! Here we go. Act III, Scene 1. To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and by a sleep to say we end the heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep; To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause: there's the respect that makes calamity of so long life; for who would bear the whips and scorns of time, the oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, the pangs of despised love, the law's delay, the insolence of office and the spurns that patient merit of the unworthy takes,When he himself might his quietus make with a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear, to grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, the undiscover'd country from whose bourn no traveller returns, puzzles the will and makes us rather bear those ills we have than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sick lied o'er with the pale cast of thought, and enterprises of great pith and moment with this regard their currents turn awry, and lose the name of action.--Soft you now! The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons be all my sins remember'd." You shook yourself out of the stupor that had befallen you as he recited. It's like you were seeing him preform live right in front of your eyes. You stuttered as you struggled to think and once you'd placed them, you gave it your all. "Good my lord, How does your honour for this many a day?" "I humbly thank you; well, well, well." "My lord, I have remembrances of yours, That I have longed long to re-deliver; I pray you, now receive them." "No, not I; I never gave you aught." "My honour'd lord, you know right well you did; And, with them, words of so sweet breath composed as made the things more rich: their perfume lost, Take these again; for to the noble mind rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind. There, my lord." "Ha, ha! are you honest?" "My lord?" "Are you fair?" "What means your lordship?" "That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty." "Could beauty, my lord, have better commerce than with honesty?" "Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner transform honesty from what it is to a bawd than the force of honesty can translate beauty into his likeness: this was sometime a paradox, but now the time gives it proof. I did love you once." He was mesmerizing to watch as he slipped into the character. Seeing him like that helped you to relax and really pull yourself into the part. What better way to practice than by reciting lines with someone who not only had grown up in theatre but who had played the lead role himself! "Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so." "You should not have believed me; for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it: I loved you not." "I was the more deceived." "Get thee to a nunnery: why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest; but yet I could accuse me of such things that it were better my mother had not borne me: I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious, with more offences at my beck than I have thoughts to put them in, imagination to give them shape, or time to act them in. What should such fellows as I do crawling between earth and heaven? We are arrant knaves, all; believe none of us. Go thy ways to a nunnery. Where's your father?" You struggled to retain your composure after the intensity of his delivery, the shy, uncertain meekness creeping back in. "At home, my lord." Your voice was quiet. "Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool no where but in's own house. Farewell." "O, help him, you sweet heavens!" "If thou dost marry, I'll give thee this plague forthy dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery, go: farewell. Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go,and quickly too. Farewell." "O heavenly powers, restore him!" "I have heard of your paintings too, well enough; God has given you one face, and you make yourselves another: you jig, you amble, and you lisp, and nick-name God's creatures, and make your wantonness your ignorance. Go to, I'll no more on't; it hath made me mad. I say, we will have no more marriages: those that are married already, all but one, shall live; the rest shall keep as they are. To a nunnery, go." He finished his part and looked to you, expectantly, waiting for you to continue. You let out a deep sigh. "I can't." "Why not? You were doing so well!" "I'm sorry, it's just...I pale in comparison to the amazing delivery that you have. I feel as though I'm watching you perform live right in front of me. This is so surreal. From seeing you on the tube, to having tea with you and now reciting Hamlet with you...it's extremely overwhelming." He reached over the table and grabbed your hand, squeezing it in comfort. "I'm sorry if I have upset you." "Oh gosh, no! The anxiety of doing this in public and if the intensity of the delivery is making it difficult to keep the good lid i have in my emotions secure." You finish with a small smile, not meeting his eyes. "I understand completely. In all the theatre productions I've done, I still get nervous." He squeezed your hand harder, making you look at him. "You've got this." He said with a smile. You smiled and let out a small, nervous laugh. Sitting back in your chair closing your eyes, you took a deep breath, let it out, opened your eyes and began Ophelia's monologue. "What a noble mind is here o'erthrown! The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword; The expectancy and rose of the fair state, The glass of fashion and the mould of form, The observed of all observers, quite, quite down! And I, of ladies most deject and wretched, That suck'd the honey of his music vows, Now see that noble and most sovereign reason, Like sweet bells jangled out of tune, and harsh; That unmatch'd form and feature of blown youth blasted with ecstasy: O, woe is me, To have seen what I have seen, see what I see!" You had been looking off, focusing on a distant point as you recited. You took another deep breath when you finished, your body slightly shaking and met Benedict's gaze once again. He was smiling brilliantly at you. He opened his mouth to say something when the roar of applause interrupted. You and Benedict looked around startled, seeing everyone in the coffee shop standing and clapping. Your face was immediately hot as Ben looked back at you laughing, his own face red. He reached his hand out to yours, taking it in his as you both stood up and bowed to the cacophony. "That was brilliant! You were wonderful!" He looked taken aback then appalled by something. "Oh my God. I am so sorry. I don't even know your name. I am so sorry." You couldn't help but chuckle as he looked so stricken not knowing your name. "It's okay. It's Y/N." "That was a most ungentlemanly thing to do on my part. I am so sorry." "Mr. Cumberbatch, I assure you it is okay." "Ben, please." He offered his hand, which you met. "It is a pleasure to meet you." "It is an honor." You replied, to which he chuckled softly. You glanced at your watch, not realizing it was so late. "Oh, my goodness Is it that late already? Well, this has been lovely but, sadly, I have to head home now or frankly, I would be here all night with you. Thank you very much for your time today. It was wonderful and I will truly cherish this once in a lifetime encounter." You stood up, putting your coat on and grabbed your messenger bag. You stuck your hand out to shake Ben's. "It was a pleasure, Benedict." "The pleasure is all mine." He said as he kissed your hand. You grabbed the table quickly to avoid falling over. "You do know that I have to walk out of here, right? My knees have now been effectively reduced to jelly." He chuckled and stood up, offering you his arm. You blushed and took it, just because you'd never get another chance too. You both chuckled softly as you walked to the tea shop door, Ben slipping his arm out of your grasp to hold the door open for you. "Thank you, sir. How gentlemanly." You both shared a laugh at the inside joke until you met each other's faces again in an awkward stare. "You take care and I look forward to seeing you on the big screen soon." You stuck your hand out once again for him to shake, fighting every sensor in your body that wanted to hug him. He took it firmly but softly. As your hands parted, you pulled the collar of your coat up and turned to walk towards your flat your heart hammering in your chest as you recounted the day's events in your head. A few minutes later you thought you heard your name being called. You sometimes heard things even when there wasn't anything to be heard and passed it off to the wind. As the seconds passed, it became harder and harder to think it wasn't your name being called by a deep voice. "Y/N! Wait!" You turned to see Benedict running towards you, walking towards him as he caught up to see he was carrying something. "You...you forgot your book." "Oh my gosh," you said, taking the outstretched book. "Thank you so much! I would've gone crazy looking for it." "You're welcome." He bent over, trying to catch his breath. "Are you going to make it?" You asked, laughing. "Yeah. I'll be fine. Gimme a minute." He said in between large breaths and gulps of air. You looked to him, then around you, then back to him. He was still bent over, hands on his knees. You placed your hand on his back, leaning down near his face, prepared to ask him again if he was okay, when his head suddenly popped up. In a hot second, his hands had encompassed your head, his lips joining yours in a passionate, yet gentle kiss. You leaned against the rail for stability, bringing your own hands up to his neck and head. When you finally broke the kiss, you kept your eyes closed, trying to catch your breath after he literally and figuratively took it away. You unconsciously drew your bottom lip into your teeth, savoring the taste of cinnamon on it. His forehead touched yours and you both started to laugh.

“Well…that’s a fine goodbye.” You said on a giggle, swallowing thickly while you looked at the ground.

He lifted his head from yours, looking straight into your eyes, still holding your neck in his hands, just a breath away.

“Gotcha.”

You met his eyes, looking back and forth between them.

“I could stare into those eyes until the end of time and never grow tired of it.”

He moved his hand up higher, thumb dragging lazily up and down your cheek. You closed your eyes and leaned into it, placing your hand on the outside of his. As if suddenly remembering himself, he dropped his hands and stepped back.

”I’m sorry. I don’t know where that came from.”He said, a soft laughter escaping his lips, shaking his head slightly, touching his lips nervously with his fingers.

You put your hand on your hip, sticking it out in a mock display of drama. “You cheeky monkey! You said.

He met your eyes and upon seeing that you weren’t angry with him, he laughed in return.

“I could say the same about myself. Kissing a man I just met. In all honesty though, I can’t honestly say I’ve never thought about it. Thank you for making this day so much better.”

He smiled really wide then and pulled you in for a hug. You wrapped your arms around him and let yourself feel him as he laid his cheek on your head, both of you slightly turning side to side.

It was the night of the play and you were feeling all kinds of nervous. Shaking your fingers and bouncing on the balls of your feet, you waited for the production to begin, trying to calm yourself and anchor down by remembering the time with Ben in the tea shop. You hadn’t seen him since that day, but then deep down, you hadn’t been expecting to. It was a chance meeting, a random encounter with an even more random surprise kiss. He went on about his life, filming the upcoming limited series Patrick Melrose. So did you, albeit a little changed.. You still didn’t quite understand what the day had been, but you would remember it forever. But, deep in the recesses of your mind, you wished he could be there to see what the fruits of his kind gesture had produced. The show went spectacularly, garnering a standing ovation for all of you. You and the actor playing Hamlet took your final bow before the curtain fell in front of you the cast all yelling together in triumph of a job well done. Letting down your hair and shaking it out, you made your way back to your dressing room. Rounding the corner, you saw people standing at your door. Confused, you quickened your pace. "Guys, what's wrong?" The whispers stopped as you made your way to the front of the crowd. On the table was a huge assortment of roses, each one more beautiful than the last. You walked over to it, picking up the card and reading it silently. To my dearest Y/N, I told you you got this! You were marvelous. Well done. - Cheeky Monkey "Who is that from?" A stage hand asked. You tried hard to hide your smile. "I don't know." you lied. You knew exactly who it was from.

Epilogue

A few months later, Ben was on The Screen Actors Guild awards, receiving his award for best actor in a limited TV series. "Yay! He got it!" You exclaimed to your dog, who wagged her tail at you. You sat down next to her, barely on your seat as he spoke. As he took the cards out of his pocket, you noticed something fall to the stage floor. Your eyes went wide as you stared at the TV, recognizing the floral print paper you had written your note to him on. He cleared his throat as he put the piece of paper back into his shirt pocket. You were hanging on every word he said, tears in your eyes. "'These moments...are a treasure...and I'll shall cherish them always. Thank you so much." He had looked straight into the camera, sneaking in a wink at the end, knowing deep down that last bit was meant for you.

#benedict cumberbatch #benedict cumberbatch x reader #fluff #cute #hamlet #recite #play #Passing Notes

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herhearthowlsatthemoon · 4 years

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12 Essential Oils To Increase Abundance And prosperity

Essential oils are being used more and more often and you can find it in many households. In this article you will find 12 hand-picked essential oils to increase abundance and prosperity in your life. Essential oils helped me a lot during my life, and I know they will help you as well!

What are essentail oils?

Essential oils are natural oils that evaporate into the air. They are also called volatile oils and are also known as essential oils. The essential oil has a pleasant air that differs per type of oil. Because of the deliciously fragrant substances, the use of essential oils is often experienced as pleasant.

How to use essential oils

Essential oils are used in many different ways and for different reasons. Aromatherapy Fragrances affect our bodies and mind. Just think of what happens to you when you suddenly smell the smell your ex used to wear. Or does stepping into a second-hand shop suddenly remind you of your grandmother and grandfather? Smells are sent through our olfactory organ (the nose) to our brain, to the place (also called the limbic system) where the brain stores memories and emotions. Smelling or breathing in the scent of essential oil can, therefore, have an effect on both our physical, emotional and mental health. Essential oils are well absorbed by the skin. Through the skin they enter the bloodstream, where they help to heal internal ailments. They can be used not only physically but also spiritually. You can use essential oil in different ways, for example by vaporizing it on an oil burner or in a diffuser and breathing in the vapor. You can also spray the oil on the skin, use it as a massage oil, put it in a scented lamp, drip it on your clothes, take a bath in it (dilute in the bathwater). Medicines for example camphor and benzoin. food many food flavorings are made up of essential oils. Provided properly processed and safely dosed, a number of essential oils are suitable for making food. However, you should not assume that all the essential oils you buy are suitable for food preparation. Essential oils may only be sold for food preparation if a number of legal requirements have been met. Perfumes and cosmetics natural aromas such as chamomile, rose, or peppermint. A perfume for use in cosmetics consists of an average of 70% essential oil.

Popular essential oils that boost prosperity and abundance

Below are 12 popular essential oils that helped me a lot during my life and I still use them often. I hope they will do the same for you! Spikenard

Spikenard is a plant with flowers of the Valerian family, originally grows mainly in the subalpine and alpine regions of the Himalayan Mountains. Nardus essential oil is steam distilled from the roots of the plant and has been appreciated for centuries. Traditionally it has been used to anoint people of high status and also in Ayurvedic health practices in India. Earlier Nardus was used to improve the mood and promote relaxation. Nardus promotes clean, healthy skin. Today it is widely used in perfumes and relaxing massage oils for its woody, musky scent. Bergamot

Bergamot essential oil comes from the fruit of the Bergamot tree, Citrus bergamia, which originally comes from the Canary Islands. The fruit is a cross between bitter orange and lemon and resembles a miniature orange. Bergamot oil is extracted by cold pressing of the outer parts of the skin of the unripe fruit. The color is green-orange but can change to olive as it ages. Because of the typical smell Bergamot is also popular in the perfume industry. (Eau de Cologne). It is also used in the production of earl grey tea. Clary sage

Clary Sage is known for its exhilarating and mood-enhancing qualities. It is widely used by women to soothe the monthly discomfort associated with menstrual cycles. In the Middle Ages, Clary Sage was nicknamed 'clear eyes' for its positive effects on the eyes. Clary Sage is also an oil that can be used for epilepsy. It helps Reduces the discomfort associated with the monthly cycle. It helps balance the hormone level. It calms the nervous system, improves mood and is soothing for the skin. Cypress

Cypress is good support in case of major changes in life. Cypress can give comfort and strength to sad experiences, such as the death of a loved person or the end of a relationship. Cypress also gives courage and perseverance to break new ground. The oil relaxes the nerves, when mentally or emotionally exhausted the vaporization of Cypress oil can give strength again. The oil is especially suitable for anxious and depressed people. Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus oil is an oil that is extracted from the leaves of the Eucalyptus tree. Although there are more than 600 species of Eucalyptus, less than 20 species are suitable for commercial, large-scale oil production. The Eucalyptus originates from Australia. Approximately 75% of all trees on that continent are Eucalyptus. Eucalyptus Oil is known for its antibacterial properties. It is also a natural pain reliever and it boosts the immune system. Frankincence

Frankincense, is a holy oil that is used in the Middle East as an ingredient during holy initiations. It used to be used during sacrificial ceremonies to improve communication with the Creator. Frankincense is a resin from the Frankincense tree. The aroma of this resin "tears" is appreciated for its healing properties. Used for religious rituals since the time of the ancient Egyptians. Ginger

Ginger has a very pleasant warm, powerful, and fiery fragrance that gives new life. In the case of weakness and despondency, the oil gives energy and strengthens the immune system. Ginger also stimulates the appetite, stimulates, gives more energy and calms the intestines. Ginger oil has a strong warming effect and makes the muscles supple again. Ginger oil is therefore ideal for massage of hardened muscles, muscle aches. Jasmine

jasmine absolute brings warmth and openness as if we were coming home to our original home, the place where we can fully relax and open in our body, heart and mind.jasmine transforms our lower and instinctive emotions and takes them to a higher level. Jasmine absolute is warming and stimulating and can, therefore, best be used in the following cases for someone who gets cold quickly and lacks energy, not only physically but also mentally. Orange

Orange oil gives you joy and vitality, warms, and takes away the fear of the new path. A great oil to clear up prejudices and have a big heart for everyone. Orange oil has a soothing effect on the digestive system and strengthens the mind. Orange oil is used in aromatherapy to create a warm and pleasant atmosphere. Rosemary

The smell of essential rosemary oil is said to have a stimulating effect and is used to give new strength. Furthermore, rosemary stimulates concentration. Essential Rosemary oil is also regularly applied to hairy skin. Rosemary oil is said to stimulate hair growth to a small extent and to slow down hair aging. Thyme

Thyme oil comes from the herb Thymus vulgaris and is related to the mint. It is used in aromatherapy, in the kitchen, and in oral care products. Thyme oil is one of the strongest antioxidants. Thyme oil dissolves clogging and heals respiratory infections. Thyme is also beneficial for sore throats and coughs. The common cold brings with it nasty symptoms, which are all dealt with by the oil of this herb. Patchouli

For centuries, Patchouli has been used in Asian countries for its supposed ability to fight infection, cool fever and as an antidote to insect and snake bites. Patchouli oil has an easily recognizable rich musk-sweet scent. It has historically been used to balance emotions and as an excellent mood support. Patchouli has a fungicidal effect, especially on skin fungi, is a cell renewer and promotes the healing of wounds. The oil is cell renewing and strengthens the vein wall, is anti-inflammatory and erotic.

Conclusion Nature is a treasure trove of plants, herbs and flowers, which can contribute to your health and state of mind. Essential oils are a gateway to many health benefits nature offers. The possible combinations are truly endless and of course everyone has their own preference for a certain scent, atmosphere or intention. Read the full article

#Essentialoils #Meditation #Spirituality #Wellness

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emetophobiahelp · 7 years

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{{ Hey, hair dye anon! My sister is a cosmotologist, licensed and everything, and she always does bleaching in a very open room, or even outside. I don’t even think she’ll bleach someone’s hair in a bathroom with a big window. More ventilation is always better! How badly the bleach affects you depends on you, your physiology, and, actually, what kind of bleach your kit comes with. (Every chemical involved with hair dying can be rough on your system. Bleach, developer, even the colorant itself.)

As a sidenote, it’s possible you’re allergic to the bleach and the “blegh” feel is your body telling you “This stuff is bad for me”. It would probably be best to read the ingredients, and find a brand with a different makeup. (If/when I do a permanent dye job, I usually use the Garnier stuff, because it smells a lot nicer and leaves a lot less of the smell headache. I think Ion smells better than Splat, too? But I’m very sensitive to smell / chemicals, and Splat didn’t leave me, personally, with any adverse effects. Then again, my hair’s light and porous enough that I didn’t need the bleach to turn my hair very purple, so I can only speak to the colorants.)

Think of it like anti-aromatherapy– nice scents can alter your mood and benefit your health; not so nice scents, logically, can do the opposite. I’d recommend keeping a gentle, nice-smelling thing around. Scientists doing scent tests use coffee to kind of “reset” the nose, but for me the scent of coffee is overstimulating and makes it worse;; I like using flowers, especially chamomile tea packets. Lavender, peppermint, and bergamot, including the ones in earl grey tea packets, are also known to the aromatherapy world to help calm tension, n*, and help “refresh” the nose. Just make sure that if anything in your respiratory system burns from the fumes (nose, throat, lungs, chest, mouth), skip the flowers and GET FRESH AIR.

Chlorine fumes from bleach are very serious business. It won’t make you ill the way we fear most unless it is a VERY high amount, but it can be very harmful. I really do recommend bleaching in a big room or outside if possible. If not: turn on the bathroom fan and open the window, and keep the door open if you can.

#hair dye #submission

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killergreenbug · 4 years

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Are home insect repellents any good? -part 2

Rosemary

This plant belongs to a set or variety of plants that humans like to have planted (either on pots or directly on the soil) in their homes for their fragrance.

In addition, this plant’s essential oil has a lot of uses both in the cosmetic and medical industries. Originally from the Mediterranean region is now a worldwide location plant. Mainly considered a herb, this plant can grow up as big and tall as a tree with all the same characteristics and remain small like a bush or petite as a herb.

This is the most likely reason for the rosemary to be such a well-liked plant. In terms of medical and health issues, rosemary is used for memory improvement, indigestion, arthritis-related pain, hair loss, and a plethora of other conditions. Some have a solid medical investigation that backs them up while others have been debunked and a few others are still in the realm of “maybe” as they have been transmitted from friends, coworkers, and well-intentioned advisors.

In terms of food, rosemary is used as a spice that gives a musky taste to most foods. It is particularly well used in broths and concoctions. In perfumes, it is, evidently, used for its fragrance and you can find it both in perfumes, creams, and soaps.

Regarding insects, it is believed that the mere fragrance will suffice in detouring insects from your garden and yourself. In the use's case of the essential oil for application to the skin, be it human or non-human living being; it is a necessity to dilute the oil in an excipient oil such as soybean, avocado, almond or similar oil as the use of the rosemary essential oil directly can cause a rash, and other skin conditions.

When you decide to use rosemary as part of your home-made insecticide recipe, always consult with your physician and/or veterinarian. The exposure to some essential oils can be hazardous to the elderly, children, people with health conditions, and pets.

Tea tree

In the past years, the tea tree gained momentum and fame. It was used for almost everything, from “cancer miraculous remedies” to “skin-perfecting solutions”.

While this plant, the “tea tree” provided sailors from the XVIIIth century with nutty scented tea, it is not the same plant from which black and green teas are made from.

Tea tree is mostly applied directly to the skin, though there have been reports by individuals who state that the tea tree essential oil has produced rash and unconformities.

Tea tree’s abilities make it an insect-bite healing oil rather than an insecticide or an insect deterrent. But as with the Rosemary essential oil, tea tree is best used with a dissolution oil such as almond or even mineral.

Always check with your physician or veterinarian before applying the tea tree oil dissolved or undissolved to prevent health issues.

Cypress

The cypress essential oil. is one of people’s favorite oils for people to have in their homes. This particular essential oil has been regarded as the perfect assistant to get rid of moths and other unwanted insects in your home. It is logical to use this essential oil as an ingredient of homemade insecticides.

Cypress oil is often used to deter insects at camping insecticides.and verandas. While it is not recommended that you use it to anoint your skin if you still plan to use this essential oil in areas that might be in contact with your skin or that of your family... Then consult your physician or your veterinarian.

Rose geranium

Another essential oil that is very popular in the use of home-made insecticides for both deterring and avoiding insects is the Rose Geranium. This essential oil is both used for healing, cosmetics in terms of scents and home use such as the insecticides we are discussing today.

The scent of the rose geranium is very much like its name: A strong rose smell.

Mostly the rose geranium essential oil has been used for alternative medical uses, whether these uses have success or if they have been medically proven or disproven is not a part of this site. What we are interested in is the insecticide and insect repellent properties of the essential oil.

Rose geranium apparently has anti-inflammatory properties which are something to be sought when seeking relief on insect bites such as mosquito bites. On this matter, it is also believed that rose geranium has analgesic properties that will soothe and numb the bite area. However, it is also believed that the essential oil does not have such properties, and it is the reaction of the brain to the strong Rosey-scent of the rose geranium acting up.

What about preventing the bites? In 2013 rose geranium essential oil was first tested in terms of tick repellent activities and the study seems to prove that this essential oil is effective in particular against the lone star tick.

This effectiveness hasn’t been proven or disproven against any other insect such as bed bugs, fleas, mosquitoes, and other ticks. Nonetheless, it might be worthwhile to include this essential oil in your home-made insecticide recipe.

Of course, and as always, before using the essential oil as an ingredient and/or applying it to your clothes, surroundings, and body as well as using it on your loved ones (including pets) consult first with your veterinarian or physician as this essential oil, like so many others, also has a negative side.

Bergamot

This essential oil comes from the rinds of the citrus bergamia, which is a citrus fruit and is commonly used to flavor the Earl Grey Tea. Its origins are rooted in the Southeast of Asia, though it is now currently cultivated everywhere in the world as the consumption of the Earl Grey Tea and other products that also use bergamot is widely spread.

Bergamot is not used as much as an insecticide as you would like it to be. However, it is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and, since they also know it for its scent, it is sometimes used as a perfume for homemade preparations.

Besides its anti-inflammatory properties, bergamot essential oil also is known for its analgesic qualities. As a result, it is not recommended for any insecticide or insect deterrent home-made concoctions yet, if you like the smell of the bergamot you can add a few drops of this essential oil into your preparation.

If you plan to use it as a soothing agent to treat insect bites (even those that sometimes get pus in them such as often happens with mosquito bites) then you would need to make a preparation with bergamot essential oil and a carrier oil such as almond or mineral oil.

Regardless, it is imperative for you to contact your physician or veterinarian if you plan to use bergamot oil in any concoction near or on the body of your family and pets.

Lemon

This essential oil is one of the easiest ones to get, so much so that you can acquire some of it yourself at home. This essential oil is harvest through cold-press process on the peels of fresh lemons. Much like as you would squish a lemon peel for a martini or a highball.

This essential oil traditionally has been used to scent concoctions and to flavor meals and beverages. The uses and benefits of the lemon essential oil as many and as varied as people who swear on them are active.

However, whether this essential oil works as people believes is still to be researched and verified. Nonetheless, there are a few things that have indeed been proven about this essential oil.

Lemon essential oil can be used as an analgesic as it changes the way our pain receptors capture the information that we are–at that moment- in pain. Yet, this does not work for everyone and it can be that in some individuals the opposite effect comes to pass.

Nonetheless, there are problems with using lemon essential oil directly on the skin. This essential oil creates phototoxicity, which means that it can stain the skin if you apply lemon essential oil and then expose yourself to the sunlight.

The phototoxicity can vanish in a few days OR it can remain a permanent mark on your skin. In addition, as the sun blemishes the skin a feeling of burning can sometimes happen.

Carrier oils

Carrier oils are oils that you can apply to your skin or the skin of your pets and loved ones without worrying about any harmful reactions or chemical burns on their skin.

We will discuss them in another post, but for the time being let’s state them as the part that’s used in home-made insecticides, insect repellents, and insect bites ointments.

These are of the utmost importance as their role is to “dilute” the essential oil and make it safe to apply to your skin, garments, and surroundings. An excellent rule of thumb when mixing essential oils and carrier oils is to add 12 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil.

Before mixing make sure that the essential oils, as well as the carrier oils, are both active and not rancid. In addition, it is imperative that you keep both carrier oils, essential oils, and the resulting concoction between them away and protected from sunlight.

This is usually accomplished by storing the oils in a dark-colored bottle. The darker the bottle, the better. Still, it is important that the oils are kept away from sunlight and heat sources.

And just as we have said with every essential oil in this post, before using any of them, consult your physician and/or veterinarian to ensure that they are safe.

#home #landscaping #gardening #all natural #pest control

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