#considering making a shop too…..

[apavlovs]

haven’t been drawing recently because of burnout + busy again (I’m sorry) but I HAAAVE picked up a new hobby

Photography isn’t my strongsuit I apologize for the low quality images

[icewindandboringhorror]

Some fantasy traveler inventory details (like what they would carry in their bags), based on two of the recent costumes I did.. love finding random little scraps and items and putting them together lol

[sincerely-sofie]

Okay, question time.

Examples of the style I'd draw these hypothetical stickers in:

[anipgarden]

Collecting Milkweed Seeds - All Facts, All Seeds, No Fluff

(OK but please also consider I'm not an ~expert~ I'm not a ~scholar~ I'm just a nerd on Tumblr who really likes milkweed and wanted to make a fun lil post about it)

[Image ID: a green, leafy common milkweed plant (Asclepias syriaca) with five large, ovalish and bumpy green seed pods. The seed pods are currently unopened.]

It’s fall, which means if you haven’t seen them already, now’s the time that milkweed plants will start producing seed pods! (Well, technically, they’re called follicles, but fuck it they’re seed pods).  Each pod has dozens of seeds inside, some species can even have up to 200 seeds, so even collecting just a few can be a good way to boost your pollinator gardening efforts big time! What you do with them then is up to you--adding life to your backyard garden, sharing with friends, making seed bombs--but first you’ve gotta collect them.

The first thing you want to do is identify your milkweed plants--in an ideal world, you’d be able to tell precisely what kind of milkweed you’re collecting from (so you can know precisely what growing conditions that species prefers.) But when they’re dying back, forming pods, and releasing their seeds, it can be hard to tell. It helps to visit sites early, to know what milkweeds are there, and while you’re there you might even find some forming pods. 

It can be helpful to band off the pods early! This will keep the seeds from escaping, so you can come back later and collect them! I would only do this for a couple of pods--each pod has a lot of seed in it, so only taking one or two from each plant should still net you plenty of rewards! When I’m doing this in my backyard, I tend to use rubber bands--the size of rubber band you’ll need varies depending on the species. I’ve also seen people use the lacy-looking jewelry bags to a similar effect--if the pod splits open, all the seeds get trapped in the bag!

[Image ID: the first image is of appears to be swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) with about fifteen long, green, smooth and pointed seed pods. Most of the pods have small black rubber bands wrapped around the midsections. The second image is of what appears to be common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) with two large, ovalish and bumpy green seed pods. A white fine mesh bag has been tied over the pods.]

For people who want to get seeds from unopened pods, you have to be very careful not to force open a pod that isn’t ready--otherwise, the seeds inside won’t fully develop. How do you tell if a pod is ripe? There’s a seam in each pod, and it should open fairly easily with minimal pressure if it’s basically ready. If you’re basically prying it open, you’re too early. The seeds inside should be a nice dark color, and be plump in the middle--if they’re creamy colored or light orange, you’re too early. There may be some undeveloped seeds in each pod (I am talking maybe 1 to 3 here), but if the majority of them are ready, you’re good to go!

[Image ID: a tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) seed pod that has been opened at the seam, revealing dark brown seeds and lots of creamy white floss. Four seeds are floating away from the pod on fluffy white comas. The pod is being held between a white person's fingers.]

I’ve also seen people who go late late late into the season, after most of the pods have already fully split off and released their seeds. Some of the seeds occasionally stay in the pod, so they’ll take the leftovers that didn’t get scattered after winter passes. That’s a fair strategy! I prefer to get mine way early on, so I can get a clear ID of what kind of milkweed it is (some will flower and produce pods at the same time), but if you already got an ID early in the season and then come back later this can also work! But…

[Image ID: several dried brown seed pods have opened fully, releasing a cloud of milkweed floss with seeds attached. Some seeds are still in the pods, but many are primed to float away.]

There is, however, one thing that tends to be a bit annoying about collecting milkweed seeds--and that’s the fluff. These fluffy white bits attached to the seed--called comas--function similarly to the iconic fluffy dandelion seed. A milkweed seed’s coma allows it to float through the air and on the water until it (hypothetically) reaches bare soil or an otherwise suitable start to settle down and germinate. If you’re collecting the seeds for later use, though, that same coma can mean your milkweed seeds are traveling through the air and away from where you’re collecting them, or all over your apartment once you get them home. Removing the comas by hand is an option, but tedious, and still leads to a nice pile of fluffy that will get airborne at the first gust of wind. At the end of the day, for many people trying to collect milkweed seeds, the coma is just an annoying part they dread.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to collect milkweed seeds without having to deal with the comas long-term!

[Image ID: A single brown milkweed seed floating on a comparatively huge mess of white fibers.]

Method 1

So this is my favorite method because it's honestly one of the simplest and easiest once you get used to it. You open the pod, grip the top part of the middle ‘pith’ section tight, and gently scrape off the seeds into a bowl or bag. This leaves you with almost no fluff in your collection bin, and you can then toss the middle fluffy part--or I’ve heard of people collecting milkweed fluff for spinning! Most of the videos I’ve seen on it use common milkweed or other large milkweed pods as an example--however, I’ve successfully done this with smaller milkweed pods like A. curassavica as well. 

Method 2

This method is one I’ve used in the past. Take the seeds and fluff and put them into a bag (paper or plastic) and add a coin or two. Shake the bag around--a lot. The coin will dislodge the comas from the seeds. The seeds will then drop to the bottom of the container, and the fluff will float around on the top. I’ve also seen this with buckets and blocks, like in the video below!

Method 3

I’ve seen a handful of people discuss burning the floss of the seeds! Apparently the seeds themselves aren’t damaged badly by the fire, though honestly this is a method that I am simply too anxious to try myself.

Method 4

This was a method I found while I was looking for other methods people have done. Apparently, you can just roll the pod between your hands and it’ll work to dislodge the seeds? I may have to try it next time!

Hopefully this advice is helpful for you all! I know collecting seeds was a hassle for me before I learned my favorite method. If I had a nickel for every time I got yelled at for releasing milkweed fluff into the house...

If you've got a method that I haven't heard about yet, let me know!! I'm always down to learn more about milkweed, and it can also help someone else down the line!

[skillbattle]

ive been planning on making stickers for a while, im finally drafting them out!! hopefully if things go well i’ll make keychains and charms too :]

[featherymainffins]

Kinda fucked up how all the people I know are like "Yeah I know what I want in my life. I want to work in X field and I want/don't want a long-term partner who I'm going to marry, I want kids and-"

and I'm there just like 🧍

[tj-crochets]

No crafting update today, because I did a bunch of cleaning, ran some errands (had to mail some stuff and get a replacement headset for work because mine spontaneously separated into two pieces yesterday) and now I'm making chicken and dumplings for dinner So like, got a lot done, but absolutely none of it craft related and I'm really pushing my limits physical spoons-wise (in that my POTS is flaring up not in that I used all the actual spoons cooking lol) I have a really really cool art trade thing to show y'all but it has to wait until I can take photos, so that'll be later today or maybe tomorrow

[mokeonn]

I gotta say, really glad that the main criticisms for my "artists have more options" post has been that it is very USA centric and doesn't work for people in low populated areas without an art community. This has led to people giving more perspectives and options, which is always appreciated, and also because it's a completely correct criticism. Like yeah it is in fact made from the perspective of a USAmerican who lives in a highly populated state with a thriving art community especially in rural areas, you got me there, can't argue with that, gimme some fresh perspectives I love to hear that. Thank you for not making my notifications hell, and thank you for giving me more perspectives im going to give you a little kissy on the forehead

[knife-em0ji]

Maybe I’m just biased but as an american living in Europe who goes back once or twice a year it always hits me how much more personality Americans tend to dress with when compared to northern/western europeans. Adults tend to dress in solid monotones with sleek lines and teens look like they just stepped out of gen z tik tok with fake American collegiate wear added for spice. Like this isn’t bad necessarily it’s just so blandly on trend that I don’t get a sense of who anybody is or what their personal style is just by looking at them. The sense of relief I felt stepping off the plane in the Denver airport seeing the diversity of styles from full cowboy to crunchy backpacker to athleisure couture to Dude Stuck In 2004 to married butch lesbians is ASTOUNDING.

[meikyuunolovers]

Searching for overseas musician autobiographies that are NOT Keith Richards or a KISS member in the middle nowhere of French countryside thrift shops is like searching for a needle in the middle of a haystack

[mearcatsreturns]

my default birthday restaurant had the audacity to move? like?

[sysig]

Twisted Phoenix (Patreon)

[discountalien-pancake]

Typed out instructions with photos to follow! Basically a compilation of my process posts, but streamlined so you don’t make my mistakes.

This is not a cutting layout. Please arrange your pattern pieces as best they fit onto your specific yardage. Pieces are drawn to scale but the neckline facing is not the same scale as the the other pieces! Neckline facing should be at 1:4 scale, and the other pieces are at 1:8, but please refer to measurements. For the most accurate fit, prewash and press your fabrics before cutting!

This pattern was drafted to fit a 40” bust and similar hip circumference. It has plenty of ease for up to a 42” bust and/or hip but you will want to increase width if you are larger than that. I’m sorry I can’t offer a multi-sized pattern at this point, but the pattern is very easy to alter! I’ll make a post explaining exactly where I recommend adding width/length to get the fit you need.

Edit: please tag me if you make the thing so I can see it!

[rigels-nigels]

Girl help I've acquired possibly yet another expensive hobby

[shopcat]

of all the designs which ones actually existed in the 80s? :)

UM off the dome erm none of the bratz ones which were invented in the early 2000s and i specifically used the 2010 version for the st one and the 2012 design for cc's. the barbie ones are era accurate!! they used that design with the pink shadowing from like the mid 70s to the 90s.. the rainbow mlp one is the retro version but i honestly couldn't find any consistency in things like the arc design there and it seems to differ based on whoever's producing it and also i invented the clouds entirely which also seemed to change case by case but i used the one that was used in the original cartoon which is like, 83 - 88!! i also used g1 pinkie pie for the pony lol. actually heres a side by side for fine though i actually used the h/n from another font and had to hand make the g to match the y bc 100% of all logo designs use a modified version of a font that costs like. 50 bucks as well which is why it always takes me so long cuz i'm like not just downloading a font i'm using the pen tool

but the other mlp one is from friendship is magic which around the 2010s i believe :0

[savethepinecones]

so so sick of being yelled at for being depressed