#post inspired by my sister putting on Christmas metal

[dnd-shithouse]

I’m gonna say something so evil and controversial!!

If I knew Glenn in real life, I would despise him.

Not because he lets his son smoke pot, or because he is an absent dad or even because he likes Disney world.

I’d hate him because he plays Christmas Rock music.

[fortheloveoffanfic]

One More Weekend With You

Keanu Reeves x Reader (A/n-Was gonna post another one from this set of fics, but this was oh so conveniently edited and forgotten in my drafts)

Summary- Inspired by Tis The Damn Season of the Evermore album

Masterlist 

Warnings- Angst  

It was hard to tell, it had been so long and maybe he'd cut his hair and started wearing his beard lower. Maybe he'd changed the way he dressed- no, not really. Did he always keep his hand in his pocket when he walked? He did, it was definitely him, and there wasn't a chance that her heart was going to let her avoid him. He still had a place there after all. 

Rubbing the cool metal of the key between her fingers, Y/n inhaled deeply, trying to brush off her nerves before making her way through the department store to where Keanu stood. "Ke?" 

And of course, he'd know her voice anywhere. So instead of just turning to see who it was, Keanu smiled despite the wave of pain that usually accompanied the thought of Y/n. Even if their end had been bittersweet, she was still his 'one.' One true love. One person he wanted to see after a bad day. One voice he wanted to hear when he picked up the phone. "Y/n?" He tilted his head, temporarily abandoning the shelves lined with glassware he was looking at, to hug her quickly. It was short, though, not short enough for it to mean nothing. "You're back”.”

"I'm back," she nodded with a soft huff, righting herself and pulling away from their awkward embrace. He’d felt different and the same; like returning to an old playground and realizing that the magic had gone from childish wonder to aching nostalgia. "Just for the holidays though, after New Years its……"

"Back," he determined as his face fell. Why'd he even let himself think she'd come back for good. Out there was her dream…..L.A…..was just him. And he wasn't enough. "Uh…how-how are your folks? I saw them a couple months ago, they were grocery shopping, but I was in such a hurry, I didn't really get a minute to catch up." What he really meant was that he didn't want to see the look on their faces when they had to stand in conversation with the son-in-law they never had and worst yet, he didn't want them to talk about her, so he could hear how well she was doing without him. 

“They’re good. What about your family?” As she spoke, Y/n tried to fight the twinge of regret that accompanied Keanu’s presence. Regret because every time they spoke, the dormant love for him was always reawakened. He told her, a long time ago, that once you started loving someone, if it was real, then it would never go away. And she had learned that he was right the hard way. 

Nodding absently, he stuffed his hands into his pockets again, just to occupy them, “They’re good….” they still ask about you. He inhaled softly, not knowing what to say next. It was uncomfortable, before, just a few years ago, Keanu always knew what to say to her, because he could say anything to her. “So how have you been? How’s work? The job?” The job that you left me for.

“I’ve been okay,” Y/n shrugged, trying to muster up a smile, only just realizing that she wasn’t half as happy as she’d been when they were together. “And work’s……its good, the job’s….” not everything it was cracked up to be, especially since it took me away from you, “Its amazing, still can't believe I got it. What about you?” She stuttered, moistening her lips. 

Keanu observed her curiously, noting how Y/n’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes and how she’d kept anxiously toying with her car keys. She always fiddled when she was nervous. “You sure everything’s okay, Y/n?” It was quite likely that it was no longer his place to ask, worst yet to try to fix things if something was wrong, but Keanu hated knowing that something was bothering her. 

He always knew when she was lying. “I…..” Taking a deep breath, Y/n prepared herself to lie anyway, “You know, I’m just….it’s weird to be back, its been a while.”

“Yeah okay,” it was obvious that Y/n wasn’t going to tell him what was going on, not that Keanu could blame her, they had been over for a while by then, she wasn’t obligated to tell him anything. Still, he craved her company and wasn’t willing to let their interaction on such a flustered note. “I don’t know if you have the time, but if you do, maybe we could grab coffee or something, catch up a bit.”

Staring up at him with agape lips and sad eyes, Y/n contemplated for a minute before submitting, she couldn’t imagine saying no anyway, “Sure, okay. I’d like that. The place we usually go to?” She cleared her throat, realizing her mistake as heat rose to her cheeks, “Went to.”

Grinning fondly at her comment, Keanu tried to shake off the memories that the mention of that little coffee shop brought up, they’d had some great times there. “Great,” he determined, deciding that gift shopping could be put on pause for a bit. “It’s not too far from here, we can walk if you’d like.”

“Sounds great.” As they walked, Y/n and Keanu kept a comfortable distance between them. It wasn’t much though, she could still compare his warmth to Los Angeles heat, which had toned down significantly since the start of the holiday season. For a while, the only thing traded between them was silence, though, when they got to the coffee shop, Keanu surprised her by remembering her order to the letter. “You remember,” she mused with a soft soiree, in awe of how he’d held onto the smallest shred of their past.

How was he supposed to tell her that he’d never forget? That he sometimes ordered it for himself, just so the smell could dreg up an innocent memory or two. “You ordered it every time we came here,” he shrugged, glancing away, “And we came here a lot.”

Her gaze weaved through the patrons, eventually finding a wicker table for two near the back of the establishment, with a window view. It was the perfect place for couples to get cozy without receiving judgmental glances and lingering stares. It used to be their table but that afternoon, it was occupied by two strangers who’d never know the history shared between two lovers that had let something so precious escape them. “We did,” she agreed absently, watching the pair share pecks between sips from steaming mugs. That used to be them. 

Noticing her far away look, Keanu found what she’d been looking at. The reminder that holding Y/n in his arms like that was now nothing but part of the past stung and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t jealous of the unknown couple that sat where they once did. “Do you want to walk instead?”

Reluctantly, she nodded, “Sure, lets go.” As they left the shop, Keanu placed his hand on the center of her back in an unconscious gesture and Y/n suppressed a shudder, caught off guard by how instinctively her body had responded by leaning in before her mind could even permit it. “So,” she eased as they walked along the busy streets, shoppers and pedestrians too caught up in their own busy lives to notice that they were brushing shoulders with a celebrity. And it helped that he was wearing sunglasses. “What have you been up to?”

Shaking his shoulders, “You know,” he took a punctuating sip of his scalding coffee, thinking up ways to make his life sound more exciting than it actually was, “Work, hanging out, dating around, that kind of thing,” he offered nonchalantly, subconsciously trying to show her he’d moved on since their split. At least, he’d tried to.

At the mention of dating, Y/n almost choked on a mouthful of coffee, brashly replacing the cup at her lips with a napkin so she wouldn’t make a mess. Dating around, that wasn’t something she was expecting to hear. It was something she particularly wanted to hear either, because what was a casual mention for him brought a landslide of panic for her. Keanu was moving on and one day, he was going to find someone that would choose him in a way she hadn’t. One day he’d be someone else’s. “That’s…..uh….” exhaling loudly, she mustered up a fake smile, “That’s great! I’m….I’m happy that you’re- you’re um...that’s great Ke,” Y/n stuttered.

“Thanks, I think,” he huffed shyly, “But I’m…..I’m not seeing anyone right now.” Apparently he’d developed a habit of oversharing since he’d met with Y/n merely an hour earlier. Perhaps it was solely because telling her everything used to be habitual.

Her head snapped towards him, eyes wide and lips agape. “You’re not?” She breathed, hoping she didn’t sound too eager. When he confirmed, Y/n proceeded without thinking, “That’s great,” internally kicking herself as soon as she heard the words.

“What?” Keanu halted abruptly, only moving once more to step in front of Y/n. His brows were furrowed and he was starting to wonder if he’d heard her correctly.

“I mean….it’s….not great,” taking a deep breath, Y/n desperately sought to slow the erratic thumping in her chest, finding that the quickest remedy was meeting his whiskey orbs. “It’s….fuck,” she sighed, overwhelmed by the surge of buried feelings that had started welling up since they’d hugged. “I mean…..” Again, Y/n trailed off, at a loss for words, “It’s……”

Bringing his hand up to cup her neck, Keanu leaned down, kissing her slowly, letting instinct take over. He knew what she liked; the slow introduction of his tongue, the way it occasionally glazed over hers and a little nibble on her lower lip to keep things a bit rough. She was liking it then too, Keanu could tell by the way she’d stumbled closer, grasping a fistful of his jacket. “Is that what you were trying to say?” Keanu whispered as they broke.  

“Yeah,” a glimmer of a smile tugged at her lips as an idea brewed. “What are you doing this weekend?” She asked softly, the tips of their noses still brushing as they held each other close.

“I’m supposed to spend Christmas at my sister’s,” his words said in a tone that was meant to protect their moment, “Why?”

Dragging her lower lip through her teeth, Y/n debated on whether or not she was about to make a fool of herself. But she had to try; returning to Los Angeles had left her craving Keanu’s company and the fact that they were both single had to mean something. “Spend it with me.  We could be like this again….just for a little bit.”

“That’s not a good idea,” he resisted, not really wanting to but knowing that it might be in both their best interests if they didn’t go down that road again; she was leaving after the holidays anyway.

“I know,” Y/n sighed wearily, “But don’t you want to anyways? We could pretend that nothing’s changed,” her free arm rounded Keanu’s neck and her fingers twirled the ends of his hair. “Please, just think about it, okay?”

Conflicted and caught between wanting to be with her, if only for a bit and doing what was best for them both, Keanu took a step back, taking his hand off her and consequently urging Y/n to retract her hold on him. “You can’t come here and just expect me to go along with this.”

“I’m not expecting anything,” she argued, “You were the one that kissed me, and I’m just asking you to consider it. Don’t you miss me? Cause I miss you, Keanu.”

“I….” Mulling on her question, Keanu hit his fist to his thigh, shaking his head, “Doesn’t matter, Y/n,” turning, he walked away without saying goodbye, waving dismissively as he melded into the crowd.

Christmas Day Y/n had tried forcing herself into forgetting how things had gone down with Keanu earlier that week, when she’d asked him to spend Christmas together, the way they had when they were both convinced that they were going to be each other’s forever. But she couldn’t, he’d been on her mind constantly, and every time her phone rang, she’d snatch it up in hopes that he’d changed his mind, and every time, when it was work, or even on of her friends, Y/n felt the sting of disappointment dig at her heart. 

Five whole days had passed and she was even starting to get used to it; accepting that she had crossed a line and Keanu was right, when on Christmas day, while she was caught in conversation with her father over very strong eggnog, her mother entered the sitting room, grasping the arm of a familiar figure. Her parents had always adored him, they’d hoped she would marry him, let him be the one that fathered their grandbabies and they were so disappointed when it hadn’t worked out. “Look who’s here!” She announced, squeezing Keanu’s bicep affectionately, broad smile plastered on her face.

“Keanu, son! Look who’s here Y/n!” Her father nudged as if she hadn’t already seen him, standing giddy in the doorway, flashing the room with that movie star grin.

“Yeah dad,” she breathed, not believing her eyes. He’d actually come, even after the way things had ended a few days ago. “What…..what’re you doing here?” 

“I’m here to see you sweetheart,” Keanu beamed, slipping away from her mother, approaching Y/n and then bending to kiss the side of her lips. “I thought about what you said,” he whispered, only loud enough for her to hear, “And I miss you too,” he ended his words with another peck, easily wrapping an arm around her shoulders as her family eyed them with confusion. “Y/n invited me, and I was just wondering if that invitation is still open.”

“Of course it is!” Her mother cheered, clapping her hands excitedly, “You know we love having you here Keanu!”

“I’m glad you came,” Y/n shifted in his embrace, standing on her toes so she could peck his cheek, hugging Keanu at the waist. After that, things fell into the way they used to be; like Keanu was part of their family, and for the rest of the evening, he and Y/n had acted as if nothing had changed between them. As if they were still that couple that was so in love that it was hard to believe they’d ever break up. And it was easy to return to being those people too; within an hour together, it was easy to pretend that nothing had changed, to act as if there hadn’t been a fight a few nights before Y/n got on a plane that would whisk her out of his life or Keanu hadn’t called her a week later, drunk out of his mind only to pour his heart out and beg her to come back. It was as if a day hadn’t passed since their last good one and they were still each other’s future.

When presents and dinner was through, and after Keanu had brought a duffle bag up to Y/n’s room and the cool sun had set making way for the glowing moon, he and Y/n had slipped away from the family festivities to go on a walk around the block. They’d shrugged light coats on over their clothes and had linked arms as they strolled up the desolate street, absently staring at the homes illuminated with colorful lights and Christmas decorations. “What made you change your mind?” Y/n probed, nuzzling his arm, subconsciously hoping he wouldn’t change it again.

“I don’t think I did change it,” Keanu mused, keeping his eyes forward, “I was always gonna come. You know me; I can’t seem to stay away from you,” he gently tugged her closer. Being with her like that, it felt like right, like things were finally the way they were supposed to be, “I miss us, you know?”

“Mm hmm,” he she hummed, resting her head on her bicep, letting Keanu guide them forward with complete trust, “I miss us too. You’d like it there,” she said, referring to where she’d started building her new life,  trying to keep them from lapsing into silence.

“Yeah?” He kicked a pebble absently, wondering what it would be like if he ever did move. Could he do that? Leave his family back in L.A to be with Y/n? She was worth it, after all, she was the only woman he’d ever seen himself having a future with. “I think you’re the only person I’ve ever met that wanted to leave Los Angeles to make it big,” he changed the topic, too fearful to let the thought of leaving behind everything he’d built for himself in California cement itself. Maybe they were selfish, Keanu thought, that was why things couldn’t work out for them; cause neither of them was willing to adjust what they wanted outside of each other.

“I think you might be right,” Y/n chuckled and it wasn’t long before they'd fallen into what she’d dreaded; silence. Back at the house, she had the cover of menial chatter, but on the barren sidewalk, where there was nothing to shroud the heaviness of things that were kept guarded, it was different. The atmosphere was clumsy and she felt a way she never had around Keanu; uncomfortable.

“I’d gotten you something,” he broke the quiet, sounding unsure of himself, “Before you told me you were leaving for the job, I’d gotten you something. Well, technically, it was given to me, for you, I guess.”

Throwing him a curious glance, she urged him to slow down, “I don’t understand,” knitting her brows, Y/n silently pleaded with him to elaborate. 

“Your mom,” he explained, “She gave me your grandmother’s ring…”

“You were gonna….” Maybe if she’d known before she would have changed her mind.

“Yeah,” he sighed heavily, reminiscing on how that night had gone. How’d they texted each other excitedly on their way home, how he’d insisted she go first, only to hold himself back when she broke the news that the job might threaten to tear her away from him. Long distance wasn’t for them and Keanu knew that moving wasn’t in the cards for him. “Were you mad at me?” She probed meekly.

Huffing a dry chuckle, Keanu shook his head, “No, when I saw how your eyes lit up when you told me about it, all I wanted was for you to be happy, even if that meant it wouldn’t be here, with me.”

“I was happy with you,” they stopped, and turned to face each other, hands still tangled, and unchecked tears threatening to spill over as her voice broke, “I think I was happier with you.”

“I know,” his tone was low and husky as Keanu stepped closer, muting the few inches of space between them. She didn’t need to ask how he did and Keanu had no cause to explain; they knew each other better than most ever would; he could pick up on her faked smiles from a mile away. “Would it be wrong if I asked you to stay?”

Still trying to fight the wave of emotion, Y/n looked at their interlocked fingers, frowning at how well they worked together. No other hands would ever feel like that, and she’d long made peace with the fact. “Would it be wrong if I asked you to wait?”

Closing his eyes, he bent lower to press his forehead to hers, letting her scent tickle his senses. It was as if he was trying to freeze himself in time, so he’d be forever basking in the sweet smell of her perfume and the comfort of her touch while the warmth that radiated between them, tethering him to her was one he was sure he could never remember to its exact perfection. Why couldn’t things be easier? “I’m sorry,” he shuddered, letting his breaths be captured by her quivering lips.

“It’s my fault,” Y/n exhaled, sniffling, “But at least we have right now, right?”

Keanu hugged her low at the waist, burning his face in Y/n’s hair while she sought refuge in the crook of his neck, “Yeah,” hot tears made their slow journey down his his cheek, and he could feel moisture soaking his t shirt where Y/n had buried her face, “At least we have now.” 

Even if it would never be enough, for now, it was all they had. 

*****

Tagging- @harrisongslimited @magnificentclodpiebanana @keandrews @greenmanalishi  @rdjloverxxx @danceoftwowolves  @planetkt @wheretheriversrunintothesea

[amphtaminedreams]

A/W 2020 Fashion Month: Before Vogue Went Blank

Hi to anyone reading,

I’m sorry this post is so late! I really have no excuse apart from all my mental energy being taken up by shooting and editing my Euphoria lookbook up until now and me being too much of a lazy, nap-loving twat to face the mammoth task of a fashion month review; honestly, by the time it’s done, it’s like a dissertation-level amount of characters, so let’s say the final push to get this out is in sympathy with all my 3rd year friends I started uni with finishing their ACTUAL dissertations.

Things have got scary since I originally started saving the photos for this post, and the world has been turned upside down. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the likes of which have not been seen since the Spanish Flu, Italian Vogue’s April cover was blank. As I’m writing this, 26,000+ people have died of coronavirus in Italy, the worst affected country behind the U.S in terms of sheer numbers ( though quick update: as I post this, I’m pretty sure our incompetent prick of a PM has made sure we’re up there too). Proportionally, the actual death rate is even higher, along with a handful of other European countries. There have been some complaints made about the cover and it’s supposed “lack of imagination”; all I know is that in a country whose death toll accounts for 10% of worldwide coronavirus deaths, something of a visual silence feels appropriate. 

That being said, for me, writing is one of the only things giving me a sense of purpose right now. Yeah, surprise surprise, working in a grocery store isn’t all that fulfilling. Who would’ve thought it? So what better time to reflect on a time when all the rich people of the world were going about their lives as usual and sitting front row at fashion week rather than crying on Instagram live to their millions of followers about how trapped they feel in their 10 bedroom mansions.

I’ve got to say, this year’s A/W offerings were a lot better than I expected, mostly due to the fact that I’m not generally a big fan of winter fashion; it’s hard to be disappointed given my preconceptions! There’s only so many knits and coats and jeans you can see before it begins to get a bit tiring, and I expected that to be reflected in the presentations. Fortunately, even the brands which are known for their bohemian, Coachella-esque collections generally managed to translate that into something recognisable and consistent on the runway whilst actually being weather appropriate. Of course, there were a few disappointments-I’m sure if I say one of them begins with D, you can guess which brand I’m talking about-but that was more than made up for by the standouts. Gucci in particular was my 2013 Tumblr wet dream and the Moschino show was what I can only describe as a live continuation of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, though I’ll stop with my praise there and wait til I get to actually reviewing before I go overboard with kissing Alessandro Michele’s ass. And on that note, in chronological order, I’ll get one with the reviews! First up, Acne:

Continuing on a winning streak when it comes to catering to my personal preferences (if someone tries to tell me designers don’t care about my personal preferences I’m going to whack out that “just found out the world doesn’t revolve around me, shocked and upset” Marina Diamandis tweet), Acne once again channels futuristic hippy commune living in a dystopian wasteland. I know, those are very specific personal preferences

I love the shredded hems and the burnt velvet, the rawness of it all, and the baroque/your-nan’s-wallpaper patterns are actually a surprisingly nice touch. I imagine if Giselle from Enchanted had to make her dresses out of a thrifty goth’s curtains rather than an upper-middle-class New Yorker’s, they’d look something like this collection. You’ve even got the odd bit of classic fresh Scandi tailoring in there with the oversized coats and blazers which holds it back from being a bit TOO flea market. Plus, the renaissance painting detailing on the black leather-look coat is a stunning detail as well; I’m so glad it seems this trend is here to stay, why wouldn’t I want random nude bodies all over my clothes? 

As for the styling, I can’t get enough of the tousled hair. As an eternally tired person who can't be arsed to pick up a brush most of the time, I feel represented. Along with the outfits, it says “I’m an art student/transient painter in the 70s living in a city loft who smokes a lot of weed and does acid on the regular” and that is a life worth manifesting.

Alberta Ferretti was dreamy, and a perfect example of how to translate the bohemian aesthetic of their S/S show to A/W. Somehow despite the furs, ruffles (pussy-bows under tailored jackets and knits/generally heavier pieces always looks really chic imo), tulle, metallic tapestry style prints and chunky jewellery, it all still looks very effortless, like a natural continuation of what we saw last summer; the typically masculine structure of the oversized suits with the ornate patterns and the accessories lends to the careful navigation along the line where maximalism and minimalism meet, the looks as practical as they are decorative. Picture it: you work some high-flying, powerful job in the city, commute on a motor cycle and roll up in one of these suit sets. This collection is for the edgy businesswoman who is completely comfortable telling all the twattish males she works with where to stick it and I want to be her. 

The evening gowns are, of course, stunning too. In this analogy where I am a powerful businesswoman and not a pushover who works at a grocery store right now and only beefs with rude customers, I would be wearing one of them to the boujie work Christmas party. The ruffled dresses remind me of something Valentino would put out with the colour palette and the ruffles, and whilst we’re on the topic of colour palettes, this one is beautiful. The lilac and hot pink is SO right.

Though predictable, Alessandra Rich is just as much of a treat as usual, the first brand you’d go to if you were styling a throwback it-girl, Chanel Oberlin in Scream Queens if it took place 30 years earlier. Reminiscent of an amalgamation of vintage Chanel and Versace, there are so many cute details I love here, from the white tights with the black heels and the double breasted blazers to the gold chainlink belts and the pearls. The tartan suits with the shoulder padding are very Heathers, the prints the best of your mum’s 80s wardrobe, and nobody else out there is doing bows as well as this; these are the outfits that prissy bitch wears in the cartoons of my childhood that turn out to actually be quite good fashion inspo 15 years later, Trixie Tang from Fairly Odd Parents I’m looking at you. 

This girl was the blueprint. 

I think someone like Lilly Collins or Daphne Groeneveld would be an ideal fit for any of these looks, or Lana Del Rey if she wanted to stop serving us middle-aged suburban soccer mom and took us back to those H&M ad campaign days. Lana stans please don’t come for me for saying that, I am one of you; I say this because I love her. It’s all altruistic. 

Whilst I admittedly didn’t love it as much as last summer’s, I really enjoyed the Alexander McQueen collection too, plus I had a better idea of what to expect this time round; no, we’re not gonna get a repeat of the Plato’s Atlantis show but we do always get some beautiful pieces. Again, like with Alberta Ferretti, this seems like a natural continuation of what we saw in the summer, just with adjustments made for the colder, darker, and altogether moodier months. A/W being the gothier older sister of S/S, it seems right that a lot of the looks turn their back on the ethereal, almost fairy-like feel of what we saw before and embrace the vampier side, reds and blacks (the ultimate Bratz Rock Angels colour combination), plenty of dramatic structures and formidable suit sets. It’s punk but it’s classy, and even with the lighter pieces, we’ve got the grunge inspired harnesses on top to contrast with the elegance and effectively, toughen the whole look up, something Gucci does well too. 

The patterned suits with the clunky boots in particular are very cool and I need a gun metal grey heart detailing harness, but undoubtedly the MOMENT of this collection is Adut Akech in what appears to be a silver chainmail dress. She looks like an Amazonian goddess, and whilst I could never dream of pulling something like that off myself, I could happily admire her in it for hours.

There wasn’t much to get excited about at Altuzarra. The collection was very elegant for sure and the feathered belts are cute but it was all quite pedestrian and nothing new-the only detail I really like is the cut out on the second dress from the left, 3rd row down.

As for Anna Sui:

I’m not altogether sure why I wanted to review it. A lot of the outfits as a whole are a bit messy, and not in that avant-garde, expensive-looking Margiela kind of way, just in a “how many fabrics can we possibly get on this model” kind of way. Plus, the styling seems weirdly outdated-a lot of the jewellery looks like the kind of thing you’d see if you searched “gothic choker” on Ebay and ordered the results from low to high, and the makeup and hair in particular is very 2012 Tumblr fashion blogger. Backcombed hair and red lipstick? We’ve got a Zoella thumbnail on our hands.

When the collection did go down the bohemian route though (and when that route wasn’t a failed attempt at what Etro does a lot better), there were a few nice pieces and prints. I mean you really can’t go wrong with a teal fur trimmed coat.

Ashish, on the other hand, took their aesthetic from a similar era and did it a lot more creatively and kookily; this collection looks a lot more deserving of being on a runway. The prints are so loud and costume-y that at times the garments risk looking like something you’d wear at a decades themed dress up party, but they’re saved by understated and much more commercial silhouettes, plus some gorgeous hair and make up. On the whole, very groovy, unintentional disco queen, despite the few risks that didn’t quite pay off.

Next is a brand I always look forward to. In the words of Myrtle Snow:

BALENCIAGA!

Seriously though, if any brand knows how to blend costume and high fashion, it’s them. They take over-the-top, almost absurd silhouettes and turn them into theatre. This year we’re taking it in the direction of Phantom of the Opera, I guess? Dracula? The Woman in Black? An off-broadway production of Harry Potter where Snape is the protagonist? Whatever the direction of the collection is, I live for the dramatics of it all. Demna Gvasalia got these models walkin’ down the runway like they’re members of the Volutri, which is a reference you should all understand given the renaissance Twilight is having online atm.

Straight off the bat, I adore the staging, and all the models are exquisite-the theme of the show was climate change, and I always love when there’s a story behind the presentation of the clothes. I can’t imagine how amazing this must have been to witness in person, though I’m guessing equal parts mystical and intimidating. There are so many things I love here: billowing coats, cinched in waists, the pattens that are sprinkled sparingly in amongst the black, and the bloody shoulder pads that almost run PARALLEL to the model’s necks. This is really a collection that Myrtle Snow would be proud of and brb whilst I get rid of my padlock necklaces in favour of putting whatever meagre amount I can get for them on Depop towards a Balenciaga padlock belt (as if, lol, I don’t even think selling my soul would cover it).

And then there’s Balmain, which isn’t always the fashion critic’s favourite, but which I do tend to like. 

I mean there are some really good takeaways here-though the 80s inspired suit, as wearable as they are, can get a little repetitive, they are staples which here seem to pave the way for Olivier Rousteing to try something new for the brand. The moulded breast plates (reminiscent of the Tom Ford one Zendaya wore though I’m not sure which came first!), for example, along with the Matador-style capes and the flowing silk dresses are the most glamorous incarnation of Lara Croft one can possibly imagine, probably just as equally suited for a Roman goddess as they are for an Assassins Creed style action heroine. And yes, I am aware of the fact that Tomb Raider and Assassins Creed are two separate games, okay!  I just don’t know enough about the visuals of either to firmly plant this collection in the camp of either one, so I’m going down the crossover route with it!

Not to say there weren’t any bad choices-I omitted a good portion of the looks that were shown; there were definitely pieces that I found to be a little tacky, particularly a recurring chain print which has got to be one of my least favourite patterns out there. Overall, though, it’s gonna be the richly coloured art-deco prints, the wet-look boots and the gem-encrusted scorpion brooch which stick with me, so I’ll let it slide. 

Bottega Veneta was very meh; even of the looks I picked out, there are a lot I’m now looking back at and wishing I hadn’t included. Some of the men’s pieces are nice, sure, and I feel like one of those vaguely sick, victorian ghost looking male celebrities everyone obsesses over (Timothée Chalamet and Dane DeHaan I’m looking at you) would make those suits on the second row look fine af, but it’s mostly the womenswear that I’m here for and on this occasion it wasn’t great. A couple of the coats are nice and that’s about it. Like I really had to act as if the tassels weren’t there on a lot of the clothes and go from there because I really don’t like them in this context and if I was to veto looks purely on one of the garments having tassels, there’d be nothing to show or reference when giving my opinion on the show. They were EVERYWHERE. In a summer collection, done right, they can be a nice detail but here they just feel unnecessary and if I’m being honest, are quite ugly. 

Thank god for Brock taking the sour Bottega Veneta tassel taste out of my mouth. Never a let down. Literally, everything they put out sends me into a daze of imagining I’m in some romantic drama wearing one of the pieces, in a man’s idea of “no makeup”, running round in a field looking forlorn and windswept because my ghostly lover has-

Okay, you get the picture. I’ve never read Wuthering Heights, but it goes something like that, right? If not, lets just say envisioning myself in any of these catapults me straight into some period drama where I’m born into wealth and sit by my mansion window looking sad all the time and writing poetry and lusting over some stuffy upper-class man I can’t have and who is probably played by Colin Firth because I’m pretty sure that’s what happens in most of them (about to enrage my future English lit undergraduate sister with that line).

Nobody does modest, muted sexy to such a masterful degree. I mean, when Maison Marigela did face veils I was just mildly afraid, but here they’re subtle enough that they’re quite beautiful and almost other-worldly, acting as some kind of boundary between this world and the past that Brock aims to recapture through its designs-the red lip popping out from underneath is a perfect touch too. I don’t like it AS much as the summer collection but I would say that’s solely on the basis of the more autumn/winter appropriate colour scheme and the heavier fits, which is just a personal preference. I mean, I’m usually not a fan of empire waistlines at all and Brock even manages to make that work.

Burberry this season was a real mixed bag, mostly due to the styling. There are some really gorgeous, London back alley vintage shop looking pieces, especially the 70s style coats, reminiscent of outerwear a slimy record exec would've worn back in the day repurposed by someone like Alexa Chung or Zoe Kravitz or whichever effortlessly cool woman it is we all want to be-also the private boy’s school rugby gear looking shit is classic Burberry and I’m a fan of that, even though it’s not the most inventive or exciting. I just don’t get why there had to be SO much ill-fitting plaid over ill-fitting plaid. Again, like with Bottega Veneta, I thought the menswear was a lot stronger; whilst I wasn’t really wowed by anything, it seemed a lot less forced, whereas a few of the womenswear looks gave me the vibe of a design team desperately grasping onto some ill-conceived ideas of street style and relevancy. 

The design team at Carolina Herrera for example, know their niche. They never try to be something they’re not, always sublimely preppy and pretty and predictable-when it comes to target market, the bag is reliably secured. Laid- back princess dresses never get old for those constantly “summering” in one expensive coastal town or another, for the rich American moms attending charity galas and the Spencer Hastings and Blair Waldorfs of the world; women with glossy hair and fresh faces who act as if they woke up looking like that polished but are actually anal as hell and take 2 hours to get ready and would NEVER, I repeat NEVER, shit in a public toilet. 

Yes, I managed to worm toilet habits into a review of a Carolina Herrera collection. I’m sorry. Enough with the pearl clutching. 

Next is Celine:

I mean, when there are THIS many looks, it’s hard not to find something you like, and though VERY predictable and verging on lazy when you’re putting out the same shit every collection, Celine’s aesthetic is so similar to my own ideal style, it’s hard to be mad at it. That being said, a lot of the pieces, as per usual, came across as cheap YSL knock offs; the overall outfits are cute, but the more you look at the details-it particularly pained me to include a metal bow belt and an ill-fitting velvet skater skirt but I liked the rest of the outfits-the worse it gets. Please, PLEASE someone drive it home to Hedi Slimane, I’m begging you: QUALITY NOT QUANTITY. I get what he’s going for, 70s hipster Jane Birkin is a vision I can very much get behind, but not when it seems to be so rushed.

With the men’s looks, you can get away with it a lot more; when so much of menswear is so plain and unchanging, the slightest hint of Mick Jagger is enough to make a outfit edgy. But even then, I still feel like we’re seeing a load of variations of the same outfit. There are always some pieces that catch my eye, this time round the capes and the velvet blazers, and I would wear most of these things, sure, however I don’t think the combinations SHOULD necessarily look like something I’d personally put together; a runway collection is supposed to be aspirational and cutting edge, not pedestrian (entirely intentional self-drag, lol). Also, side note, the lack of diversity really bothered me. 111 looks and not one of these models has a body type that is naturally achievable for most people. It’s 2020 for fuck’s sake. I’m tired.

SO, let’s liven things up a bit with the Central Saint Martins collection, a breath of fresh air in terms of diversity (though a few more plus-size models would be nice):

As a former University of London student, I hate to heap praise upon them. If you’ve studied in London as well, you’ll know CSM students are ANNOYING. I mean, I’m sure they’re lovely as individuals but you can’t fully understand the meaning of the word pretentious until you’ve seen a group of them at a Uniqlo Tate Late. That being said, they are very good at what they do and I’m so glad that Vogue Runway includes them; this is what Off-White thinks it is, and really it makes sense that a bunch of current fashion students are able to come together to present one of the most experimental and forward-thinking shows of this season. 

And let’s talk about the RANGE. From catsuits worthy of comic book heroes to  dresses Twiggy would’ve worn in a 1960s editorial, every subgenre of fashion has been fully delved into here. Whilst we’ve got the adrogyny of the suits and suspenders combo and kitschy gender-bending co-ords David Bowie would be proud of, at the other end of the scale we’ve also got models walking down the runway dressed like wood nymphs or some other kind of siren-like creatures. There’s looks that wouldn’t be out of place in a Gucci or Come Des Garcons collection but at that same time would be equally at home in a Berlin techno club. 

Honestly, credit where credit’s due-it was a really interesting show and I wouldn’t expect anything less.

Chanel was quite literally the polar opposite of the CSM show. 

Very blah. 

It’s crazy because before you properly get INTO fashion, Chanel is like the epitome of style. And then you do, and you see the runway shows get lazier and lazier (with some exceptions) every year, and you realise that same prestige that had you aware of Chanel at the age of 7 or 8 is literally all that’s keeping the brand going at this point. I’m not saying the collection is flat out ugly, a lot of it’s cute, but you’re CHANEL for fuck’s sake. Yeah, I like the crucifixes but SCALLOPED HEMS!? No. I do NOT recall travelling back in time to witness Primark’s Spring 2013 collection on the runway and I am NOT having it.

It’s not at all surprising that a lot of the time newer brands Charlotte Knowles (above) tend to be more interesting than those more established-and yes that was a Chanel indirect if the transition wasn’t obvious.

With no room to rest on laurels or reputation, everything has to be bolder and smarter and more distinctive and most importantly, has to appeal to its target market with the fervour of an L.A sign spinner. I only found out about Charlotte Knowles because of a Vogue article citing her as Bella Hadid’s new favourite brand to wear, and once I saw the collection, it was clear why; daringly modern, slick, and edgy is both her street style (say what you want about her as a model but her outfit game is unbeaten) and Knowles’ USP to a T. If Dion Lee, Off-White, GCDS and Acne had an orgy, this would be the result, and that is a GOOD compliment.

Next, Chloe:

Not a huge amount to say, to be honest. Low-key, wearable, and cute. Like Emma Roberts’ Nancy Drew if she did an autumn exchange program at the Sorbonne and studied art history, libraries and coffee shops on the weekdays and galleries and protests at the weekend. On reflection, that definitely makes this collection sound more exciting than it is but there are some effortlessly beautiful pieces here. The 4th row in particular is full of stand outs-the vest with the watercolour faces on with the shirt underneath is perfection, and the burgundy suit with the saffron ruffled collar peeking out from underneath is adorable and not at all reminiscent of the Ronald McDonald inspired nightmare that any combination of red and yellow tones should theoretically be.

As for Christian Siriano, I see why people hate it, I really do. I understand that it seems kinda unfair to have it show the same week as Brock and Rodarte and Oscar de La Renta. We’re talking 2 very different kinds of quality here. BUT, at pure face value, his clothes are FUN, plus Coco Rocha will always have a special place in my heart as someone who lived on The Face and America’s Next Top Model and every show that could possibly give me an unhealthy body image ever.

Like are you telling me you wouldn’t wear these dresses to a party!? Live a little. They just need tailoring...which ideally would be done BEFORE the model’s walking down the runway in it but...you know...can’t have it all.

Christopher Kane is a show I always look forward to.

I would say his designs are the only thing that make geometry look fun but I’m going to expose myself and admit that would be a lie because I actually found geometry really fun. Trigonometry was my shit, lol.

He is a designer who perfectly demonstrates that juggling interseasonal consistency and taking risks can be done. There’s always something DIFFERENT about his collections, fresh and subtly experimental. There are occasionally a few misses, sure, but I’d rather that than for a brand to keep playing safe, plus he never goes too far in the opposite direction either; no going weird for the sake of weird. I don’t like it AS much as the summer collection but it’s mostly because of the more muted, autumn/winter appropriate colour palette.

Comme Des Garçons? Too weird?

Never.

Honestly when it comes to a CDG collection, I have to really shift my perspective to appreciate it. I’m not looking at fashion presentation, I’m looking at a moving piece of experimental art. I know, it’s a stretch. But you know you’ll never be bored by one of their shows. Not gonna lie, this specific collection crossed the line into plain ugly a couple of times for me. We had padding so extravagant it looked like several models were walking round with Ikea pillows stuck to their chest and headdresses reminiscent of the kids’ game Headbandz. In amongst that though, we did get some gorgeous veils like the ones seen above and the shoes and socks combo is actually quite wearable.

I’d say Dilara Findikoglu is the cut-off point after which things get a little too avant-garde for my personal taste, and it hovers over that cut-off point flawlessly; despite the other-worldly elements of her collections, they remain somewhat grounded by nods towards conventional fashion that allow the beauty, be it inner or outer, of the wearer to shine through. Comme Des Garcons garments undeniably have character but they tend to swallow up any trace of the individual underneath, whereas the character of Dilara Findikoglu garments seamlessly merges with the wearer and in turn elevates both to something transcendent and ethereal. If the Pussycat Dolls got transported into a rugged, post-apocalyptic future, they’d scrape together these outfits to perform in, I know it; the energy of the collection, with the body jewellery and the frayed cut outs and the chalk white faces, is very warrior princess, just as raw and intimidating as it is hot as fuck, and I want that energy in my life. Along with a Dilara belt, of course. I would wear her name like a badge of honour anytime she wants. Dilara, pls pls let me be part of your tribe. PLEASE.

Anyway, this is where I thought I’d cut things off, so as to end on a positive note. You know what that means: Dior is coming up. I feel bad knowing my first post was defending Maria Grazia and yet here I am now, looking at the bar down on the floor, but I mean, you never know; maybe girl is doing this on purpose and one day she’s gonna come out with a Gucci level quality show like a phoenix from the ashes.

If you got this far, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING even if you’re just here for the pics. Part 2 will be covering some of my most anticipated shows from Elie Saab, Fendi and Etro to Gucci and Moschino, Miu Miu and Marc Jacobs, and everything in between. Yes, the shitty ones too.

I’m plowing through all the material as quick as I can so I hope to get the next post up really soon, and yes-you can count on the overwhelming sense of needing to be productive pushing me into fulfilling that statement. 

Thanks again and I hope you’re well!

Lauren x

[tabloidtoc]

Star, January 18

You can now buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Duchess Kate and Duchess Camilla holiday from hell

Page 1: Teresa Giudice goes Insta-official with her new businessman beau while her ex Joe Giudice posts a pic of his own -- Luis “Louie” Ruelas lavished Teresa with gifts and he doesn’t let her pay for anything while Joe posted a photo of his supposed love writing Happiness doesn’t depend on wealth 

Page 2: Contents, Bachelorette Tayshia Adams slipped on a bauble from Zac Clark 

Page 3: Jennifer Garner pulled on a Santa-approved sweater and a striped mask before heading out in L.A., Sophia Bush wore a mask saying I’m Smiling as she stopped by Greenblatt’s Deli in Hollywood, newlyweds Niecy Nash and Jessica Betts piled into their car to see Regina King’s directorial debut One Night in Miami in Malibu 

Page 4: Bilingual mom of five Hilaria Baldwin gets flamed for faking her European identity -- the yogi is upset that so many people were bashing her and she felt compelled to defend herself -- her husband Alec Baldwin went on the attack in a rant because he won’t tolerate anyone trolling Hilaria 

Page 5: It’s the role of a lifetime and actresses are lining up to play Madonna in her biopic and current frontrunners are Florence Pugh and Julia Garner -- the bosses at CAA which is the agency helping put the movie together want Florence and promised to take her to the next level but on the other hand fans and press want Julia because she’s such a dead-ringer for early-career Madonna

* Days after Dakota Johnson flashed a giant emerald ring from boyfriend Chris Martin the singer’s ex Gwyneth Paltrow is calling dibs on their wedding -- Chris and Dakota are looking to get married next summer and Gwyneth has already talked to them about playing a big part in their big day -- Gwyneth feels very close to Dakota which puts the bride-to-be in an awkward position because Dakota wants to make her mom Melanie Griffith her bridesmaid and Melanie is warning Dakota that Gwyneth will end up upstaging the whole day if she’s in the wedding party 

* Soleil Moon Frye and Jason Goldberg have parted ways after a 22-year marriage -- the parents of daughters Poet and Jagger and sons Lyric and Story will move forward with love and compassion and they have a good chance of keeping their split amicable -- they’ve been drifting apart for years and eventually it dawned on them that they’re on different paths 

Page 6: Six months after splitting from wife Megan Fox, Brian Austin Green was spotted boarding a flight at LAX with Dancing With the Stars pro Sharna Burgess -- their relationship is new but it’s moving fast and they’ve become inseparable over the last few weeks -- the timing has some friends of the dancer concerned because no one wants to see Sharna get hurt or caught up in a toxic rebound relationship as Brian’s still clashing with Megan over their divorce 

* Emmy Rossum looks unrecognizable playing Angelyne but that’s not what caught her coworkers’ eyes on set: she looks pregnant -- Emmy wed Sam Esmail in 2017 and they’ve talked about starting a family forever so it’s a very special time 

* Star Spots the Stars -- Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber, Angela Bassett, Chrishell Stause and Keo Motsepe and Gleb Savchenko and Cassie Scerbo, Irina Shayk, Ramona Singer and Colin Cowie 

Page 8: Star Shots -- Mark Ballas and his dog Hendrix both donned holiday sweaters, Reese Witherspoon and her dog Minnie

Page 9: Martha Stewart on her snow plow, Emma Slater who hails from the U.K. and Russia-born Sasha Farber passed their U.S. citizenship test

Page 10: Director Regina King suited up for the drive-in premiere of her film One Night in Miami at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, Donnie Wahlberg and Marisa Ramirez headed to the wintry beach to shoot scenes for Blue Bloods in Queens

Page 11: Tessa Thompson brought along her father Marc Anthony Thompson to a film premiere, Bindi Irwin at 26 weeks pregnant 

Page 12: The Bachelor Matt James hit the links in Jupiter, Marlon Wayans on a pre-holiday getaway in Tulum, a masked Katie Holmes toted some last-minute Christmas shopping 

Page 13: Eva Longoria working out, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen enjoyed a hike together during a getaway to St-Barth 

Page 14: Days after saying goodbye to her beloved New York state home Sandra Lee was on garbage duty at her $3.4 million west coast digs in Malibu, Jordana Brewster with boyfriend Mason Morfit enjoy a stroll in Los Angeles 

Page 15: Elle Macpherson during a day of shopping in Miami, Candice Swanepoel with her youngest son Ariel at the beach in Miami 

Page 18: Normal or Not? Renee Zellweger did some heavy lifting while out in L.A. -- not normal, Bella Hadid made a snow angel in NYC -- normal, Bai Ling stepped out in Hollywood dressed in a currency-inspired ensemble -- not normal 

Page 19: Madonna with pink hair -- normal, Justin Bieber appeared to be deep in thought leaving the studio in Burbank -- normal 

Page 20: Fashion -- stars look marvelous in metallics -- Kerry Washington, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jessica Alba 

Page 21: Kate Beckinsale, Camila Morrone, Zoe Kravitz 

Page 24: Khloe Kardashian and Tristan Thompson engaged -- despite their rocky history the couple are happily tying the knot -- Khloe is convinced Tristan has changed and won’t dare deceive her a third time 

Page 25: After a year of dating Liam Hemsworth and Gabriella Brooks are playing house -- Liam recently purchased a $4.9 million five-bedroom estate in the posh seaside town of Byron Bay and the model has moved in -- they get along great and have a nice easygoing vibe between them and Liam loves that there’s no drama with Gabriella and he says she is the one; they both feel that they are soulmates 

* Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli marriage on the brink -- things were fraying between them well before they went off to prison and there’s been a lot of finger-pointing and blame and they both acknowledge their foundation has crumbled 

* The release of Justin Timberlake’s latest film is bringing back a bad time in his eight-year marriage to Jessica Biel -- as he gears up to promote the premiere of Palmer the couple are bracing for a new round of headlines about Justin’s bad-boy behavior in which he was spotted getting handsy with costar Alisha Wainwright -- Justin’s expected to do promo interviews alongside Alisha albeit via Zoom and that’s not cool with Jessica at all and the bickering between Justin and Jessica is setting in again big time 

Page 26: Cover Story -- Christmas From Hell -- with Duchess Kate and Duchess Camilla at war over who should fill Queen Elizabeth’s shoes the holidays were anything but merry for the royals

Page 29: It’s been a year since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shocked the world by stepping back from their royal duties last January and now it seems they’re rethinking severing all ties with the monarchy because the couple are seeking a 12-month extension of their so-called Megxit deal which expires at the end of March in the hope of keeping their royal patronages and reinstating the military titles that Harry was devastated to lose when the pair left the U.K. for the U.S. 

Page 30: Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez: the wedding is off -- postponing her Italian nuptials with Alex gave Jennifer time to think and now she’s rethinking getting married at all 

Page 32: Teen Heartthrobs: Where Are They Now? Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Donny Osmond 

Page 33: Leif Garrett, Andrew Keegan 

Page 38: Entertainment 

Page 48: Parting Shot -- Paris Hilton and little sister Nicky Hilton Rothschild showed off their good sides in pastel Alessandra Rich frocks during a recent photoshoot 

[phoenixrisesoncemore]

I was tagged by @wangxianbunnydoodles (oh my, this is long and you might regret it; also I don’t follow instructions well 😉). I tend not to be very good at these things (sorry to anyone else who has tagged me in these kinds of things before—this is a rare event happening mostly because I wanna talk about Tolkien books and ships) but here goes:

Top 3 Ships

I don’t actively ship characters that often. I’m not sure why that is. I do enjoy reading fic with pairings either canon or not, but I don’t often go “all in” on ships in most narratives I consume. There are notable exceptions (more than three but these are the three most recent—I have no idea how to identify my top ships):

WangXian (CQL). This is surely obvious from the current state of my blog, right? I blame The Untamed and its impossibly tender, only-subtextual-by-a-hair’s-breadth romance. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a show express ultimate devotion, deep affection, true appreciation, complete understanding (eventually), and the sheer *necessity of the other* between two people quite like this one has. Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever seen two characters and desperately wanted them together and happy as much as I have these two, so bravo to the cast and crew for generating such second-hand devotion in me.

Silvergifting (Tolkien). This is all @thearrogantemu’s fault. I’d read some Silvergifting before I read These Gifts That You Have Given Me, mostly out of curiosity (some good stuff, too!), but I had never read any Tolkien fic that convinced me it was *true* (on many, many levels, though the ship level is the one pertinent to this post). In any canon-like universe this ship hurts, but in the Gifts universe it hurts the most; it hurts like Hell. It hurts in the way only razor-sharp, sorry-the-universe-works-this-way, oh-are-those-my-entrails-on-the-floor-I-didn’t-even-feel-the-knife tragedy can hurt. And it’s so convincing that it’s just...a fact now. Tolkien just forgot to tell us. So now I ship Silvergifting, but most deeply, specifically THAT Silvergifting. (Meanwhile, 14 year old me continues to look at *significantly* older me like I’m insane.)

ZeLink (Legend of Zelda). Deep down I’m still 12 years old and no amount of fine lines and wrinkles is going to change that. When is Breath of the Wild 2 coming out?

Last Song

I listen to soundtracks and bombastic and dramatic orchestral pieces much more often than I listen to what people mean when they say “songs,” and a significant chunk of the “songs” I listen to are from musicals/operas.

Earlier today it was Hanz Zimmer’s soundtrack to Dark Phoenix (don’t start me up on the continuing disappointment that Phoenix adaptations continue to be to me—you don’t want to hear it; even I don’t want to hear it).

Before that it was Barbra Streisand’s The Broadway Album. (I prefer her outer space cover of “Somewhere” to the actual thing. Fight me.)

Before that it was Carmina Burana (One of my favorite things ever was when we went to a live performance of Carmina Burana and a boy who couldn’t have been more than 7 years old sat in the aisle in front of us and head-banged enthusiastically through “O Fortuna.” It was so metal. You go, kid. You get it.).

Before that it was a splattering of Billy Joel hits with emphasis on “2000 Years”, “River of Dreams”, “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant”, “The Stranger”, and “Only the Good Die Young” (thanks to that outstanding WangXian interpretation!).

Of course the soundtracks to The Untamed/CQL have been on repeat for weeks around here, particularly every single iteration of “WuJi” and the flute-heavy instrumental pieces (man, those are good!).

Not long ago I had Sarah Brightman’s covers of “Figlio Perduto” from La Luna and “Glosoli” and “One Day Like This” from Dreamchaser burning through my iPhone battery (yes, I like popera).

Enya, and especially Shepherd Moons and The Track Which Shall Not Be Named has been on repeat a lot.

Last Movie

I don’t sit down to watch movies that often any more. It just takes too much stillness and undivided attention and more resistance to multi-tasking than I have. The actual last movie that I watched (in a “have it on on another screen while I work” kind of way) was Raiders of the Lost Ark, which, of course, I’ve seen umpteen times and which followed a similar rewatch of the Back to the Future trilogy. The last movie I watched completely without distraction was Book Smart; I don’t watch comedies very often, but I really enjoyed it in an “OMG, I can totally relate to this” kind of way (except for the class president thing—that would have required that I interact with other people my own age and also not be homeschooled). Before that I think it was the Tolkien biopic. Man, I still haven’t written anything about that.

Currently Reading (in order of when I started them)

Oh dear.

The Familiar: part 1, Mark Z Danielewski. *sigh* For as much as I think Danielewski is brilliant and House of Leaves is one of my favorite books ever, I’ve just not been able to get into much of his other work. It’s universally a time and energy investment to penetrate and puzzle through, and I just don’t have as much of that as I used to. House of Leaves makes that investment worth it from early on and is absolutely a page-turner once you settle in, but other than The Fifty Year Sword I’ve just not been able to get into the rest of his work. The Familiar: part 1 is supposed to be the first in a 26 part series which is currently halted at part 4, I think. Without a guarantee of all parts ever being published, I don’t think I’m ready to invest more time into part 1 and may end up abandoning it, unfortunately.

History of The Hobbit, Douglas Anderson. Anderson did what Christopher didn’t and gave The Hobbit the HoMe treatment (if a bit less literal and opaque in format). It’s fascinating (I mean, there’s the Beren and Luthien name drop you were not expecting right there in the first draft), but reading essentially the same passages with only small changes over and over can be a slog, so reading it has been an ongoing project for over a year now.

Splintered Light: Logos and Language in Tolkien’s World, Verlyn Fleiger. This is Fleiger’s look at Tolkien’s Middle-earth in light of his association with Owen Barfield. Particularly, she is examining Tolkien’s work in conjunction with Barfield’s Poetic Diction and his thoughts on language and meaning. I have not read Poetic Diction, but I probably will now since it apparently addresses language formation as related to the origin of human consciousness which is SO up my alley.

New Seeds of Contemplation, Thomas Merton. My late sister-in-law had a masters in theology from Notre Dame and became a huge Merton fan. Meanwhile, my best friend actually spent a weekend retreat at The Abbey of Gethsemani. Between hearing about him from the two of them, I developed an interest in Merton. I happened to read “Moral Theology of the Devil” a couple of years ago. It was one of the most illuminating theological things I have read and deeply inspired my own Tolkien fic-writing (let’s just say the progress there is otherwise slow). This book is a collection of pieces which happens to contain that piece, and I’ve been skipping around through it for a while now.

The Lord of the Rings reread (Tolkien, obviously). I hate this, but I am so deep in so many critical Tolkien books that I’ve not had the chance to really sit down and relax into my reread for months and months and will likely just end up starting over. Plus I want to read it concurrently with the next entry in this list and the next entry is taking longer to get through because of its format. That entry being:

The Lord of the the Rings: A Reader’s Companion, Hammond and Scull. This is a treasure trove of data and insights for those really wanting to dig critically-historically into The Lord of the Rings on a chapter-by-chapter, passage-by-passage basis. The only issue with it is that jumping back and forth between the two (as you have to: this is a reference book) tends to kill the mood of The Lord of the Rings when read as it’s meant to be read: for enjoyment!

The Power of Limits: Proportional Harmonies in Nature, Art, and Architecture, Gyorgy Doczi. This has been an ongoing read here and there since Christmas, especially as I work on two personal projects.

The Gospel in a Pluralist Society, Lesslie Newbigin. To be honest I don’t think I am going to finish this one. I like a few of the things he says, things I think are truthful and which need to be confronted in American Christian culture in particular, but it’s just too much Calvin for my taste, too many assumptions I do not share being the heretic that I am, and I spend too much time anger-notating about theology to read it with grace.

In Full Measure I Return to You, thearrogantemu. This is a reread of the (relatively) happy AU fic for my most favoritest Tolkien fic (Gifts), but I’ve put my reread on hold while I finish one of the two projects, after which I am diving in and screw the rest of this list for the time being.

Food Craving

Sushi. My kingdom for some good sushi. I’ve only had sushi once since we got back from NY and while it was the best sushi I have had locally IT WAS NOT OMAKASE AT SUSHI NOZ. It also didn’t require a personal loan to pay for, but *shrug* I’m spoiled now and will forever crave what I can no longer have.

People I’d Like To Get To Know Better

I hate tagging people in these things because I’m awkward and shy and do them so rarely myself that it feels hypocritical for me to ask it of others. That being said: if you’re a follower of my blog and you want to do this, please do! And please tag me! I’d love to get to know more about you 😊.

[gritsandbrits]

Transformers Animated OC: Malina Lovelace

Name: Malina Thalia Rosario Lovelace

Age: 19 (s1), 20 (s2 and 3)

Species: Human

Alignment: Good

Physical Appearance

- Black wavy-curly hair down to her shoulders

- Olive skin tone

- Dark brown eyes (stylized as black)

- Glasses

- White lab coat

- Blue jeans

- Pink sneakers

- Hot pink shirt

Casual

- Purple tank top

- Black shorts

- Black ankle boots

- She wears other outfits such as a vampiric princess dress for Halloween, elf clothes for Christmas, and a black dress for forma functions

Costume

- Purple, black and white suit

- Light purple motorcycle helmet with visor

- Armored boots and arm guards

- Padded guards on shoulders, knees, and elbows

- Gets the Autobot symbol added to her in s2 (on her helmet)

- Leather holster belt and sash

Family

- Jorge (father)

- Elizabeth (mother)

- Veronica (older sister)

Friends

- Nicole Fanzone (roommate)

- The Autobots

- Cliffjumper

- Jazz

- Blurr

- The Sumdacs

- Robin Banes

- Team Athenia (post S3)

Enemies

- Slo-Mo

- Angry Archer

- Nanosec

- Professor Princess

- Meltdown

- The Decepticons

- Headmaster

- Porter C. Powell

- Smaller criminals such as robbers

Personality

- Coquettish

- Protective

- Gentle yet stern

- Tends to second guess herself

- Prone to nervousness

- Empathetic to people

- Suffered from jealousy during the first season but grows out if it

- Also nervous at the prospect of getting married and having children

- Resourceful

Likes, Hobbies and Interests

- Robotics and design

- Gymnastics

- The colors purple, blue, and black because to her they're relaxing

- Trying out new recipes

- Showing the Autobots earth culture

- Learning about Cybertron

- Easter because it gives her an excuse to eat candy

Dislikes

- Being treated as a doormat

- Losing her respect as a superhero

- Spiders

- Her favorite brand of candy out of stock

- Public restrooms

- Sentinel's racism

- Hypocrites

- Feeling worthless

Powers and Abilities

- Powered Armor

- Equipment such as a grappling hook, built in stun gun, and medical aid

- Two main weapons: a whip and throwing darts

- The suit enhances physical capabilities such as endurance and agility

- The suit is not as strong as the Autobots' armor (obviously), making her the weakest when it comes to fighting Decepticons. Also, she is not particularly fast nor strong, and her suit needs two full days to charge up and can run into problems.

Backstory: The second child of Jorge and Elizabeth Lovelace, Malina developed a love for science and engineering after a school field trip to Sumdac Industries. Set in her career path she worked really hard in school, often going to the junkyard to use abandoned parts to craft her own inventions. In college she landed an internship working at Sumdac, but what she had thought was a dream come true slowly crashed around her when she ended up having to work for Powell instead.

During all this Detroit was hit by a sudden crime wave when criminals seemingly out of comic books started a reign of terror. Seeing the city's desperate call for a hero, Malina decided to step up to the plate, creating a design for powered armor she repurposed from old robot parts and other materials. Her two friends, detective Nicole Fanzone and mechanic Robin Banes joined her and together the three started their own little initiative to stop the new bad guys.

Misc

- Malina's surname is based off of mathematician Ada Lovelace

- Malina wears her glasses at all times. She has worn contacts but glasses fit her better

- I created Malina because I felt like TFA needed another human ally, specifically one who could fight the human villains as a superhero

- Malina has a heavy Metal Heroes aesthetic, namely inspired by Diana Lady from Jikuu Senshi Spielban and SolJeanne from Tokkyuu Shirei Solbrain

- I noticed how the five main Autobots plus Sari fit the colors of the rainbow, so Malina is squeezed in as "violet."

- Aside from robotics, Malina also took Gymnastics from the time she was six up until eighteen when she retired to focus on her work. She does still practice every now and then to memorize her skills to use when fighting bad guys. On the weekends she takes boxing lessons with Nicole.

- Malina is NOT a love interest for the main Autobots. However I do plan on giving her one because having a love interest does not diminish a female character (if the idea was executed well that is). There's a lot of Transformers characters that barely get shipping fics, and there's a stigma against human/TF pairings, yet people ship humans with Connor from Detroit Become Human, literal monsters, and even fricking school shooters. Like seriously I have seen ship fics with Dylan and Eric on this site. I hope people won't get too bothered about me shipping Malina with a minor character. Hint: it's not Cliffjumper, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, and definitely not a Decepticon.

- Malina's original name was Mariposa but that sounded a bit weird so I changed it to something more simple

- My choice voice actor for her would be Kimberly Brooks

- I drew a colored sketch of Malina's armor as pink but then I changed when I realized how many girl characters were already pink (not to mention it just would have been a rehash of Arcee)

- When they first meet the Autobots mistook her as a Decepticon due to the dark colors of her armor

- Malina haven't thought up a hero name, it just appeared on a popular website that happened to spread the name and she just accepted the name just like that

- She often shows up in costume in poor neighborhoods to interact with people

- During the holidays Malina (out of costume) would go to the homeless shelter to help serve food and warm clothes and blankets

- After the Autobots take over, Malina focuses more on her job, becoming more outspoken at work

- After Powell kicked Sari out of her house, she quit on the spot and allowed Sari to stay with her and Nicole. She temporarily worked busing tables but was able to get her old job back after Powell got fired

- After S3 Malina decided to go to Cybertron with Bulkhead and Sari because she realized there was a whole new universe out there. It is also where she would meet her future love interest

- Malina never gets any Cybertronian powers. She does get enhancements but as far as having superpowers go, no. And she doesn't become some immortal goddess either.

- Malina usually rides in Bulkhead, so it shocks people when they see a tiny woman getting out of a freaking military vehicle or whatever Bulkhead was supposed to be

- Since TFA and Ben 10: Omniverse were made by the same people, I might have Malina live in the future of my fanmade Ben 10 universe. It depends on how I could make it work.

- To explain Sari's lack of screentime in S3, I'm having a storyline where she learns how to be a proper superhero as Malina's apprentice. Both heroines, as well as Nicole are going to another city to stop a crime boss who has mysterious connections to Nicole's long lost mother. So basically they have their own arc away from the main season's plot to give the human characters more development. Also the human villains at that point have all been put in super special jail so that's the end of them!

- When Malina grows older she actually becomes allies with the Plumbers (I officially decided to have this set in the same universe as my Omniverse AU). So there'll be mention on my Ben 10 OCs!

Update: Removed a lot of tags to add some new ones as shortening so it wouldn't be too long. Also new info

[shemakesmusic-uk]

This segment features artists who have submitted their tracks/videos to She Makes Music. If you would like to be featured here then please send an e-mail to helen@shemakesmusic.co.uk. We look forward to hearing from you!

Bats

Bats is the solo project of Jess Awh: a writer, musician, and recording artist in Nashville, TN. Her debut album, There's a river up high, was released in 2020 via Citrus City Records and endeared listeners with its lyrically driven, intimate alt-country sound. Her live band uniquely applies traditional instruments like fiddle and pedal steel guitar to a more experimental songwriting style, blending Nashville hometown influence with indie rock sensibilities. ‘Golden Spoon’ is the final single off of Bats’ upcoming album Blue Cabinet, to be released in February 2022. It was recorded in a basement in Kingston Springs, TN, where Awh and other members of Bats used to run a DIY venue. The song details a fragmented relationship between the speaker and a loved one who is struggling with alcoholism-- dark subject matter which is contrasted with a sunny live-recorded country band arrangement. Fragments of voicemails crackle throughout the track, and whirling fiddle and pedal steel parts combat before unraveling into static in the background--in true Bats fashion, it's a song that pays homage to country music before dismantling it. Listen below.

Bats · Golden Spoon

Caterina Turchi

Caterina Turchi was born in a small town in north-west Italy, in the summer of 1993. All she wanted to do as a child was play the guitar and sing songs, inspired by her uncle. When she was ten her parents got her a cheap guitar for Christmas and since then she’s never stopped writing and recording music. In 2017 Caterina signed with a label and released the EP Good Times. Unhappy with the label experience she decided to go unsigned. In 2019 she moved to Dublin where she studied Music Production and Audio Engineering. In November 2021 she released her first album Tinned Tomatoes.The song 'Chrysanthemums' was inspired by something everyone has experienced at least once in their lives, a Proustian moment. “Like Proust ate a madeleine and was transported into his childhood, I had a similar experience with the smell of chrysanthemums,” she says. “Except, I didn't eat the flowers. They also didn't take me back to my childhood, but to some less joyous moment, the image of my dead mother surrounded by flowers in our living room. The first couple of lines in the first verse are also connected to my mother: An Italian philosopher used to say “Only the flower you never picked will truly be yours”. My mother, who passed in 2014, studied philosophy and she would often refer to it in her everyday life. One day I spotted a statue of Aldo Capitini, one of my mum's favorites. I took a picture and posted it on Facebook. My mom commented it with the quote I put in the song.” Listen below.

Caterina Turchi · Chrysanthemums

Asylum Sisters

Asylum Sisters are duo Caitlin Cunningham and Martin Pike and they have launched a club heavy acid techno single called ‘1800-PARANOIA’.  A hard hitting infusion of what the Melbourne band is known for... techno beats vs Nu-metal. The track is inspired by “modern age app love, chemical romance and your crush ghosting you." After a long two years spent mainly in lockdown, Asylum Sisters spent much of the time writing and creating new music, defying their sound and evolving as a band. ‘1800-Paranoia’ is the first new single which will be the lead into their album release later next year. Listen below.

Asylum Sisters · 1800-PARANOIA

Sam Cobra

Sam Cobra is a 4-piece psych rock band based out of Seattle. The band formed in 2017, and just released their sophomore album, Dark Matter. The band brings a unique sound to the Seattle music scene combining driving bass rhythms and melodic guitar riffs with the dronings of viola and soaring vocal melodies. Dark Matter is a concept album. Thoughtfully crafted lyrics tell the story of a space adventure about a young alien girl who travels to Earth to find herself. Along the way, she also finds love, family, and her role as an unlikely heroine. The album’s story is a continuation of the bands first album, Supernova. Songwriters Stephanie Ward and Thom Beckman combined their musical and lyrical visions to create a unique story-driven experience for listeners. Album track ‘The Promise’ is “about self-discovery and finding the courage to take risks in the hopes of making a better life for yourself,” say the band. “It came out of a spontaneous jam at rehearsal one night and ended up being the first single from the album.” Listen below.

Sam Cobra · The Promise

KAELI

New to the music scene, but not unfamiliar with the stage, KAELI is a singer-songwriter from London. Beginning her career by treading the boards in theatre, it hasn’t been a conventional route into the music industry. She performed in shows such as Les Misérables, Jesus Christ Superstar and the original cast of Tina the Musical. However, her career took a new turn after being asked to join Hugh Jackman on his 2019 world arena tour of “The Man. The Music.” Encouraged by Hugh himself, KAELI decided to pursue her songwriting further, and reached out to London label Abubilla Music on her return. She signed to the label in 2020, after some time developing her writing with the team, and began writing her debut EP.  Kaleidoscope is a collection of expansive pop songs that showcase KAELI’s versatile vocals and powerful storytelling abilities, with influences spanning from Whitney Houston to Bon Iver. The EP reflects her attempt to give space to the different voices of her inner monologue, captured with honest songwriting. Each song is a twist of the kaleidoscope, refracting a particular experience or desire through a different aural lens, as she engages in dialogue with herself. The result is a bold, truthful and brightly-coloured insight into how KAELI sees and navigates the world. Stand out track ‘No Man’s Land’ starts as a haunting piano ballad and evolves to an epic climax. Reminiscent of Bon Iver’s melancholic, shimmering soundscapes, it evokes the raw pain of relationship breakdown. Listen below.

KAELI · No Man's Land

Izira Burley

Izira Burley's newest single, ‘These Feelings,’ is an Indie Pop song about the romantic story of a girl falling in love with a guy and building up the courage to ask him out. This song has all the dreamy vibes a love song could have and sounds like artists such as Rex Orange County and Billie Eilish. ‘These Feelings’ is her love story, and every lyric describes all the thoughts and emotions she felt during that time. Listen below.

Izira Burley · Izira Burley - These Feelings

Check out all of the sumissions we have had in the last few weeks via our Spotify playlist below!

[smellycinnamonthundahfudge]

tumblr fweinds

a year ago, i was tagged by @suplosers on two questionnaires and it is only now, a year later that i was able to answer em. i’m so sorry it took me this long but yah i’m just glad to get thru dis milestone, answering the first tumblr get to know ya post i was @ at... yaayyy ^^

rules: answer these 85 statements and tag 20 people.

I tag: tbd haha i still have to dig thru meh notifs to see which ones apparently took an interest in me so i’d like to take an interest in as well haha but oh @you-guys--are-losers, ur doing this whahaha hope it’s not too much of a bother, no presh watsoever ;3

the last

1. drink: ughh it's dis shitty stuff called hydrite w/c is basically salt water cus im sick rn and it's supposed to rehydrate ur shts or something hahaha

but dat was like a week ago... as of da moment i posted dis, it’s coffee from mini stop dat i drank at like 530 in da morn while i waited until i could enter the school cus i had to commute 3 hours w/ lil to none sleep

2. phone call: my father or one of my best friends

3. text message: the last one i texted was my sister and the last one i got a text from was dis org in school about the location for recruitment/auditions/interview

4. song you listened to: billy jean by michael jackson and i listened to it for meh tomdaya fic hahaha. But i also listened to halo by beyonce, untouchable and dress by taylor swift, and some other songs magmt mentions in her tomdaya fic hehe a week ago

rn, a metal cover of toxic by our last night

5. time you cried: haha i don't actually remember the context of it (i could find out tho haha cus i sent da pic to my best friend) but i took a pic of it while i did it which was on... july 16 hahaha. Oh but w8 oh sht i think i cried after that fudge w8 i don't remember the date (i think i can find this out too hahaha) but i wrote a sortof goodbye confessions letter to one of my dear friends and i wrote there that i externally cried (b4 i just said internally haha) so i'm not entirely sure i cried but i think im pretty sure i teared up hehe

6. dated someone twice: hahaha i haven't even had a legit love interest yet 😆😂 buuutt my best friend and i have "dated" as in spent entire days together w/ just the two of us, we even went to mcdonalds for valentine's day and got each other gifts hihihi aahhh gosh i miss her :'(

7. kissed someone and regretted it: haha im not even sure if dis happened and i have no plans on asking her about it but i remember when i was a kiddo, when my sis came home for some reason i kissed her on the lips hahaha dont remember if accidental or i just brain farted heck i aint even sure if it happened but das all i can answer cus well like i said, see #6 😆😂😆😂

8. been cheated on: hhmmm probs not, i have no idea if ive been cheated on in an unromantic way hahaha but in da romantic way, like i said, no love interest hahaha

Oh w8 does being someone's crush (i aint sure but it seemed like it) and crushing on dat dude but dat dude crushing on someone else too count as cheating? 😆😂😆😂

9. lost someone special: yes, all of my grandparents are dead. I've also lost pets, and i fear i may lose some of my friends due to the distance among us in this time of our lives

10. been depressed: i always wanna be careful over how to define depression. Like wat constitutes it... but yes, i think i have. Not sure, mind you, but yes, at the beginning of gr 7 i was really alone, i think i was bullied and i think i was depressed and going thru a really dark phase of my life back then. But then again, i have to say, i'm not sure.

11. gotten drunk and thrown up: hahaha nope. I'm looking forward to getting drunk tho. Im currently underage so im not allowed to drink dat much yet but yeah i wanna know my limits hehehe i hope im da kinda gurl who can handle her liquor but i have drank and i have to say it made me all loopy and weird and just like woke or high or something hahaha so yeah man im excited to get trashed on my 18th bday hahaha (hopefully i get to do this tho huhuhu)

3 favourite colours

12. Pink

13. Blue

14. Gray

in the last year have you

15. made new friends: yyeeesssss and i'm so glad i have hihi. I have made friends w/ a select group of my blockmates and they're awesome and weird, i hope to strengthen our bond in da future hehe. Ooohhh and i sure hope that you guys are losers is my friend cus she's been rlly great :')

16. fallen out of love: i guess the closest i've come to falling out of love in a romantic way is moving on from da heavy crushin on meh crush. But i dunno, i still think he's a unicorn n pretty special to me so i dunno hahaha.

But bro, i do think i have fallen out of love. With tv shows, with characters. Like i used to be so passionate about a few shows and characters but now all i have towards them is regret heck i cant even remember wat dey are but i know dat der was love lost. I know it.

17. laughed until you cried: hahaha yaasss i think so. It's either when i was with my best dearest friends or during the class of dis really cool and funny as heck joker teacher who makes us laugh in EVERY SINGLE CLASS hahaha ahhh das guy's so cool

18. found out someone was talking about you: oohh yah yah i think so. Either from my best friends or from a few of my old classmates i care about and had gotten close with. Da best friend ones was about something in my past/history (g7) and the classmates one i think was just dem talking about me and they told me about it ooohhh i think it was my crush hahahaha. They told me dat my crush actually admired me a lot hehe. There was one time my friend (the one who told me about dis) was putting make up on me for a school film, and my crush was da cam guy and he told my friend i looked pretty. Sooo im pretty lucky dat- oh sht w8 i dunno if it's dis year but oh w8 no, it was on my bday last year (dec 20) and da same friend said she was sorry cus apparently da bois make fun of me or something and she was sorry cus she laughed along too hahaha but i didnt mind cus i know im weird and i dont even know what dey say about me in da first place hahahaha. Ok das it im done, i think ive overshared now hahaha 😆😂😆😂

19. met someone who changed you: my best friends. Ive thought about it based on wat sup losers said about change for da better and i dont rlly think of change as something dat happens quick, i think it happens over time and u dont even notice it. So ok oh sht i think im wrong cus i met my best friends 4/6 years ago hahaha but for reals tho, i was in a dark place and if it werent for dem i think id still be lost lonely and sad. Uuhhmmm in regards to answering the question correctly, i guess my blockmates count since they inspire/challenge me to be better. OH SHT W8 i def think you guys are losers and dead end street and tomdaya receipts and tout de suite have changed me hehehe. Da first 2 in dat dey inspired me to write more hehe. Da 1st one inspired me to do this so i think this counts as change hehe. And da last 2 changed me in dat bcus i met dem, i became OBSESSED w/ tomdaya hahaha.

20. found out who your friends are: yes, i have actually. And it's all because i am now currently a college freshman as well as my friends.

21. kissed someone on your Facebook list: hahaha my fam i guess hahaha. But no one in a romantic context.

general

22. how many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: hhmmm i guess id say about 200 since i know 4 sections of around 40 ppl and da rest is like fam and ppl ive met once/twice or have passed by haha

23. do you have any pets: yaaaassss 3 doggos: albie, juju, and biggie girl. Juju has a pupper named tchalla called dat cus he black hehehe and biggie has 2 biglets named mermer (meredith) and crissy (cristina) cus they're sisters 😍😊😊

My fam have also had a buncha dogs n puppers before but they were either given away or passed away. My bro also has dis cat named bob and i think he counts as a semi pet since my bro's home is a fam home.

24. do you want to change your name: uuhhh i wish i had an alliterative name like superheroes. Buutt im pretty happy w/ my name :')

25. what did you do for your last birthday: oohhhh i think i was at my section's christmas party it was pretty nice n emotional and i spent da rest of da day w/ 2 of meh best friends who bought me cake n food when my own fam didn't 😆😂😆😂

26. what time did you wake up: 4 am to shit cus im sick, but fell asleep again and officially got up around 730 or 8ish

27. what were you doing at midnight last night: haha tryna stay awake cus i had to drink meh meds and failed oh so much and i think i was asleep by midnight hahaha

28. name something you can’t wait for: tomdaya content, chatting/being w/ my best friends, watching da stuff i wanna watch, tumblring, reading sht i wanna read, vacation, writing fanfics, learning how to do a buncha stuff (write screenplays, make films n gifs, draw better), my bday when i hopefully get to do wat i want haha, avengers 4 and smffh, and captain marvel and antman and the wasp too i guess haha oh and the incredibles 2 and httyd 3 😍😍😍 oohhh and crazy rich asians

29. when was the last time you saw your mom: on monday which was when i was at home and not at my dad's n sis' n i's apartment in manila for school/work

31. what are you listening to right now: commercials on da tv as i answer this long ass questionnaire hahaha

32. have you ever talked to a person named tom: hahaha i had to think about dis one but yah i have actually haha he was my gr 8 class mate n i like to think semi friend back den at least haha. Oh w8 but he doesn't go by tom tho, it's just thomas haha

33. something that is getting on your nerves: myself hahaha my shitty lazy ass procrastinating self hahaha 😅🙍

34. most visited website: fb specifically messenger, youtube, and tumblr

35. hair colour: hmmm black w/ a bit of brown i guess (ASIAN, YO! 😆😂😆😂)

36. long or short hair: neither, medium i guess haha. I like how long hair looks but it's such a bother n hassle haha. So i def would prefer short hair on a practical standpoint hahaha (im actually thinking of shaving the hair above my nape, yknow on da back of my head hehe)

37. do you have a crush on someone: well i dont have dat much of a crush on da crush i mentioned before, like i said haha. I have a crush on tomdaya, does dat count? 😆😂

38. what do you like about yourself: hahahaha nothing 😆😂😆😂🙍

Naahh uhhh i guess i like how much i love tv shows, i love meh fangirl self, and i like how diff n unique n weird i am, how i stand out, n dat i think my dreams are noble n worth tryin out. N i like how supportive n nice i am n im just chill on da outside haha. N sometimes i like meh face hehe. And i think dat im hilarious n weird n ppl should appreciate me more hahaha das y i crave for more validation dan consulting researchers hahaha (no one laughs at dat jokes and it's like im da only one who finds it funny and come on, man, i managed to make a research joke. Cant ya give a girl a break?)

n i guess sometimes it's good how much i care but sometimes i wish my feels could just chill for just like a minute pls

Thanks, man. I usually just focus on meh bad qualities so thanks for dis question, man :')

oh and i like dat i can swim hehe

39. piercings: i have holes on my ears for earrings but i don't really wear dem

40. blood type: a, i think?

41. nickname: sam, sab, and i rlly want to be called smells cus it's like a more me version of mels from melody hahaha

42. relationship status: single, yo. Oh w8 but i am married to my bed and fandoms so dey always come first. Plus i love my friends 😍😊

43. zodiac: sagittarius i think but i dont rlly know/care about zodiac sht. Tho it's nice if it does match up hehe

44. pronouns: uhhh i dont know wat to put here but i assume dis refers to wat i wish to be referred by ssoooo she, her, and a genderless pronoun in my language siya

45. favourite tv show: ughh i cant choose. Friends, grey's anatomy, phineas and ferb, avatar: the last airbender, black mirror, doctor who, and all of michael schur's stuff, and modern family, grimm, person of interest, pushing daisies, scrubs, happy endings, forever, how i met your mother, gravity falls, sherlock, and yknow wat? Yah, supernatural too and the httyd shows and suits :') oooohhh w8 and how to get away w/ murder and i guess big bang theory as well 😃 the end of the fucking world, legends of tomorrow, crazy ex-girlfriend, the good place, timeless but it’s kinda depressing so speaking of w/c game of thrones and west world and a series of unfortunate events and stranger things and scorpion and lost in space and for anime, let’s go with yakitate japan and boku no hero academia

46. tattoos: none, but i rlly want one and even have a list of tattoos i want (pretty minimalist), i just have to think of da perf place tho (both where to put it and where to get it) and find out if i can still donate meh bod if i have tattoos, but one of da ones i rlly want is smileys on meh fingers hehe

47. right or left handed: right, but my ma says im kinda ambidextrous n i kinda wish i could develop it hehe

48. surgery: haha nope, never. But in terms of an interest, i love grey's anatomy 😆😂

50. sport: ooohh my main sport is swimming cus my siblings are all swimmers so i am too. But i have played other sports for school like badminton, table tennis, volleyball, some water game i dont remember haha, and a combat sport in my country called arnis

51. vacation: christmas vacay and i cant wait huhu

52. pair of trainers: uhhh are trainers rubber shoes? I have a couple, i guess.

GENERAL

53. eating: my dad (who cooked our meal), sis, and i ate afritada (chicken dat's tomatoey basically) for dinner

54. drinking: just water, but ugh i have to drink da hydrite sht again 😑😒

55. I’m about to: finish dis questionnaire n fall asleep haha

56. waiting for: sleep n happiness

57. want: to sleep n write n tumblr n watch n read n for all my problems to disappear

58. get married: yeahhh... but i think it's highly unlikely, man. So i aint counting on it but i do want it to happen, it seems nice having someone to spend da rest of your life with :')

59. career: hahaha i'm still just a college student, just a newly minted freshman actually. But i like to consider myself a fulltime fangirl hahaha

WHICH IS BETTER

60. hugs or kisses: well, i havent rlly made out with anyone yet so im gonna have to say hugs i guess w/c ofc i love haha but i wish someone bigger than me could cuddle me for once in my life 😢

61. lips or eyes: lips cus they just seem so soft and sensual hehe. Plus i dunno man, eyes are kinda gross with muta (da sht in da corner of ur eyes when you wake up, it's a filipino word) and sht. And ya have to wear glasses/contacts if dey weak so it's just such a hassle. Tho i do recognize their importance n stuff 😊

62. shorter or taller: ugh TALLER. im a pretty tall gal so for once id like to be da lil spoon for once, for someone to be able to carry me and ya know all dat jazz. But i wouldnt give up my height for anything, makes me feel confident and better than everyone else mwuehehehehehehe

63. older or younger: uuuhhh for now i think it's a bit weird to date someone younger dan me, but for me personally, wat age i'd like to be, YOUNGER ALL DA WAY. it was just way less stressful and innocent back den, id give anything to go back 🙍

64. nice arms or nice stomach: haha nice arms if it means i can swing around them and they can carry me whahaha. But i do like em abs, i wanna feel wat abs feel like just once in my life hahaha

65. hookup or relationship: ooohhh i guess i fancy myself having a relationship for now hehe. Havent even had one yet haha.

66. troublemaker or hesitant: i am a hesitant troublemaker whahahahaha. Like i have all these ideas of thangs to do n sometimes i do dem but sometimes da situation n context scares me into not doing it like a wuss hahaha

HAVE YOU EVER:

67. kissed a stranger: haha nope.

68. drank hard liquor: haha nope but am looking forward to it hehe

69. lost glasses/contact lenses: thankfully i havent needed any yet whew

70. turned someone down: uhhh i guess the closest i came to "turning someone down" was being awkward around my crush haha but to be fair i think he was awkward too hahaha. And in an unromantic sense, i turned down a blockmate who offered to be my partner in an assignment becus i already had a partner hahahaha 😅

71. sex on the first date: haha havent experienced it if das wat ur askin. Maybe imma be dat kinda person after ive had a couple of relationships but for now i'll settle for someone actually being interested in me hahaha

73. had your heart broken: yes, by tv shows, and by da crappiness of life in general 🙇

74. been arrested: hahahaha nope but dat would be CRAZY hahaha

75. cried when someone died: yes, whether in real life or in tv shows, i have cried bcus of death 😢

76. fallen for a friend: look, man, my best friend's probably the most important person in my life who i couldnt bear to lose. I love her more dan anything in da world so i dunno if our friendship is something more dan da "typical" best friends i just know dat i love her n dat i dont wanna lose her n dat our bond's nothing like any other relationship ive ever had

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:

77. yourself: hahahaha not rlly 😅 im pretty unreliable tbh and i make tons of mistakes and ill never be enough ever and just in general hate myself and have 0 self esteem hahaha 😅😅😅😓

But there's a chance i could improve tho, a very very VERY small tiny chance... but i guess i'll take wat i can get :/

78. miracles: hhmmm not in da way most ppl think about miracles in dat, it's da impossible event. I like to think it's a miracle that i have the family dat i have, da friends dat i have, and da life dat i have cus honestly i think i'd be dead w/o em. It's a fucking miracle i have things im passionate about and things that i love and im surrounded by ppl who i love and who love me as well. So yeah, i guess i believe in those kinds of miracles :')

79. love at first sight: hahaha not rlly. Look, man, im a fat girl who doesnt rlly care dat much about looks so unless a person manages to fall for someone while dat someone was doing something dat was a huge indicator of their personality and thus it's not only da appearance dat da person "fell in love w/", den i rlly dont believe in love at first sight. It's just infatuation, bruh. Love at first sight is cheap and u dont rlly know any thing about dat person other than the fact that they're pretty (why they caught ur eye in da 1st place imo) and nothin, zilch. Unless, like i said, they were doing something important to dem n indicative of deir personality. But even then, it wouldnt be love. Like i said, it'd be infatuation cus imo love is deep and takes time and cant just HAPPEN just cus u looked at someone and thought he/she was pretty 😒. True love would mean knowing dat person to deir bone but wanting to know more about dem. So to conclude a ted talk from a bitter person w/ a non existent love life 😆😂😂😂, love at first sight doesnt exist, is cheap, and is discriminatory to "ugly" ppl.

80. santa claus: hahaha i know he probs doesnt exist and is u know basically just capitalism n marketing hahaha. But i dunno, man, i kinda wanna believe he exists just cus it's more fun n childlike n innocent 😍

81. kiss on the first date: hahaha yeah i guess so but i think i probs would have had to known dat person for a while before we decided to date. I havent had a first kiss yet sooo i aint just willin to give dat out to someone i just met/knew for like a day or something hahaha (i have no idea how dating works) 😆😂😆😂😆😂

82. angels: huh... i like to think guardian angels exist cus dat means there are like angels of pure light sent down from heaven to protect us from any harm w/c is just nice to think about, yknow? Hehe. But angels in da catholic sense... i dont think i do, bruh. Sorry :/ *shrugs*

OTHER:

84. eye colour: uuhhhh brown, i guess? Like i said, i dont rlly care much for eyes hahaha 😅 ooohh but da purple eyes thang ive seen on da internet sounds cool hahaha

85. favourite movie: aaaahhhhh there's just so many good movies thoo

But agghh fine. Ive come to notice dat my genre's pretty lighthearted w/c is nice actually hehe

Spider-Man: Homecoming, Rogue One, 10 Things I Hate About You, Moana, Coco, Mulan, Avengers: Infinity War, White Chicks cus it's just so goddamn funny and iconic 😆😂😆😂😍, i'm not- ok you know wat, da Pixar movies in general ok? I mean, how can ya not? Oh which reminds me, Tangled, and The Princess and The Frog, oohh The Avengers is also a pretty solid movie, ooohhh Love, Simon, godhs dat was just such a wholesome sweet n nice movie :'), oh and den i freaking love the Scream franchise, man. It's so good :'), oooohhh w8 maybe The Dark Knight cus heath ledger was just da fuking bomb in dat movie, oohh and About Time's da sweetest time travel movie :') w/c reminds me dat the Back to the Future franchise was just such a classic, man :') oh and yknow wat? Unbreakable's actually pretty fucking cool, man. I get shyamalan know haha. Oh and yknow wat? 100 Tula Para Kay Stella is da 1st filipino film i actually liked so it has a special place in meh heart :')

ooohhh and Black Panther, man, gods how can one not bring up Da King™? WAKANDA FOREVER :') 😄

Oh and hey yknow wat? I have a sweet spot for the Sorcerer's Apprentice. It's kinda a guilty pleasure of mine hehe 😅

Whiicchh reminds me... the HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON FRANCHISE HAS GOT MY HART WHIPPED 😭😭😭

Oh and i also rlly like when harry met sally hihi :') and i guess the OG Star Wars trilogy's got a special place in my heart even if it is da way dat it is now 😢 :')

oh and i can't forget meh guardians :') Guardians of The Galaxy is such a solid film, bro. I loved it :') ooohhh and yknow wat? I actually rlly like Ready Player One, Baby Driver, and The Mummy (the brendan frasier one, who ya kiddin 😑)

oh and yknow wat? The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates, and Music & Lyrics has got a special place in my heart, man. Gotta admit it :')

aawww and amelie, and begin again, and flipped and hercules, and room, and spotlight, and shape of water, and ladybird, and the princess bride, and the iron giant, and the lobster, and we're the millers, and what if and man up and shrek and kimi no na wa and a quiet place and inception and the lion king and to all the boys I’ve loved before and oooh tim burton movies are pretty cool, the animated ones, and I did spend a good amount of time obsessed w/ dis one so I guess cap civil war, and then big hero 6 and wreck it ralph, and the martian and inside out, and gone girl, and the lion king and forrest gump and spider-man 1 and 2, and les miserables and the devil wears prada and the book of life and the intern and the princess diaries and miss congeniality and aladdin and confessions of a shopaholic

And ok, ok, i think im done. Hahaha das it das my list of meh all time fav movies and i feel like rewatching all of em now hahaha 😍

[pangeasplits]

I have read your works! And I love 'The Stars Incline us, they don't bind us' so muuuuuch. If this is not too much to ask, can you make cherik fic rec? Thank you! Keep writing, awesome!

thank you very much, i’m glad you enjoyed my stuff! :3 

since this blog is exactly 5 years old today, what better occasion is there to do cherik fic rec post, as lurking around cherik fic rec tumblr posts waaay back in the day is actually what originally brought me to tumblr in the first place. the following list is in no particular order, and odds are i like multiple fics by the authors included but i was determined to limit myself to one from each (though in some cases, this was a veeeery close call, haha).

anyway, the actual title of this list is coincidentally the main criteria i used in the interest of not having it stretch on for miles, which is to say:

Cherik Fics Pan Has Reread An Embarrassing Amount Of Times Throughout Her XMFC Fandom Tenure:

Hier steh ich an den Marken meiner Tage by MonstrousRegiment

Erik Lehnsherr is a spy in the SS, and his British liaison is strategist Charles Xavier. Their relationship from the moment they meet to a year after the end of the war.

“You’re the only person in the world who knows what I am.”

Boden’s Mate by kaydeefalls

“Shaw has information that we need, and we need him alive to extract it,” Moira says, and there it is: the job is on the table. Extraction.

XMFC/Inception fusion AU. Erik is an extractor, Alex is his point man. They’re assembling a team to go after the most dangerous mind in dreamsharing: Sebastian Shaw. But unless Alex and the team can keep him in check, Erik’s desire for vengeance might just rip the whole job apart around them – and then there’s the shade that haunts his dreams…

Malastare Racer by ikeracity

Ignoring strict instructions from Master Emma to stay hidden, Charles and Erik decide to enter themselves into the Gorian Podracing Classic. Because they’re idiots like that.

Star Wars AU!

The Secret of the Knights Templar by madneto

Erik is a CIA agent who has been tracking down black market dealer and occultist Sebastian Shaw for the past ten years with no real end in sight. When he stumbles upon an unexpected lead that will put him one step ahead of Shaw at last, archaeology professor and Templar enthusiast Charles Xavier becomes unwittingly entangled in the fray, and Erik suddenly finds himself with a brand new partner who is the only one who can truly help him on what’s become a quest to find the Holy Grail. But Charles is even more than Erik bargained for, especially after they’re forced to pretend to be a married couple as a cover while racing to find the Grail before Shaw does, and both Erik and Charles find they’ve possibly bitten off more than they can chew.

Powered AU vaguely inspired by Indiana Jones and James Bond movies.

Their Mouths Always Lie by keire_ke

Charles adheres to most police protocols like they are a personal code of conduct. Erik gets things done and over with, for better or worse. Raven knows what she’s doing, most of the time. The serial killer kills, regardless. Police AU.

Try, Try Again by and_backagain

Except that this has happened before, he thinks with a start, and something in his throat closes up as he revolves on the spot, already knowing what he’s going to see. Charles’ back is arching as he falls, his eyes wide, and the crumpled bullet falls to the sand beside him like a calling card. X-Men: First Class Groundhog Day!AU.

The Courtship by dvs

A story about a courtship that began five hundred years ago.

Beloved of ravens by khaleesian

978 A.D. Charles never uses his power, Erik never hesitates. Can a man be both the void and what fills it?

Limited Release by rageprufrock

When Alex Summers broke out of supermax to rescue his stupid kid brother, he had no idea it was going to be so fucking complicated.

A Curious Carriage of Crystal and Cold by Etharei

Charles, a miner from a poor village in the countryside, saves the life of Erik Lehnsherr, scion of a successful business family and the richest man on the planet Eisen. Charles is a telepath and somewhat anxious about it, while Erik abstains from relationships because the lights flicker and doors open and electronics vibrate when he gets too excited.

Also featuring a long-suffering sister, a foul-mouthed bodyguard, and a best friend with a heart that is definitely not gold.

In which there are princes, spaceships, long journeys, and old secrets uncovered. (An AU sci-fi fairytale)

The Tower and the Hurricane by dreamlittleyo

(Post-XMFC AU.) Five years after Shaw’s death, Erik’s predictions prove painfully accurate. Violence rages on both sides of the human/mutant conflict. In a world ravaged by war, it doesn’t really matter who’s more at fault. Charles struggles to teach his students a better way, but what choices will he make when peace really isn’t an option?

The Masked Man (Who Has Everything) by Traincat

The one where Erik is Batman, and Charles is kidnapped roughly once a week.

At the End of Day and Night All We Want is More by cm (mumblemutter)

It’s already too late. (Alien/Prometheus AU)

If You Liked The Book, You’ll Hate The Movie by paperclipbitch

Modern-Day High School AU. It’s not until Hank realises half the class are glancing towards the back of the classroom with something like nerves and something like schadenfreude that he finds out Alex Summers is back.

Pantheon by Yahtzee

In the year 96 AD, all Rome is aware that their gods have begun to Mark certain people with their gifts – the healing power of Apollo, the metal control of Vulcan, the deathly touch of Pluto, or the mental powers of Minerva. When those gifts fall to slaves or barbarians instead of the Romans themselves, strict control is necessary.

Then a gladiator from Judea meets an enslaved scribe from Britannia, and the repercussions will shake the Empire itself.

Swimming with Sharks by Not_You

Erik used to be a shark. Now he’s not, and has to figure out how to be a good human father to his twins. Charles is willing to help.

To Do List by Black_Betty

Somehow, Charles and Erik have become one of those couples who rarely see each other because of their busy schedules. They’re SO busy, they haven’t had sex in weeks. Erik has had enough, and forms a coordinated plan of attack. Charles is less than helpful.

On Hearts and the Finding of Lost Treasures (The Tombs and the Raiding Thereof Remix) by luninosity

The first time he met Charles Xavier, Erik Lehnsherr was—reluctantly, angrily, and decidedly against his will—impressed. This may’ve had something to do with the fact that Charles had just given him a sunny smile and somersaulted a foot over his head.

Watching the Stars Slide Down by groovyphilia

Seventeen-year-old Charles Xavier is ridiculously wealthy, and is used to being paraded around for show at his mother’s high-society Christmas parties. He’s always been rather sporting about it, and dutifully rubs shoulders with the elite every year in the glitz of the mansion ballroom.

This year, he meets a man by the name of Erik Lehnsherr.

Utopia by Takmarierah [Note: WIP but I had to include this fic]

It’s been five years since the beach, and four years since Charles was captured by the Brotherhood. Since then, he’s been kept in a safe house while Erik finally achieved what Shaw failed to do.

Now that most of humanity has been eradicated, Erik’s summoned Charles back to his side, promising a cure and political influence in exchange for Charles’ help - but Charles knows it’s only a matter of time before he asks for more.

Neither Rhyme Nor Reason by unveiled

Charles liked to tell people that the first time they met, Serik punched a kitten. (Or, the one where Erik is an angry Vulcan, Charles is still a telepath, and grief still shapes their lives.)

Incy Wincy Spider by Tawabids

Erik Lehnsherr is a renowned homicide detective, with his husband Charles at home and his partner on the job, Moira MacTaggert. When a twisted serial killer starts targeting mutants, Erik and Moira are the perfect team for the job, especially since Erik himself is the mutant poster-boy of an NYPD trying to improve their image.

But what they don’t yet know is that the serial killer is an old soul out of Erik’s past, and his next move is to pull Charles into his web.

The Amazing Adventures of Cat-Man by so_shhy

Charles is the non-powered, butt-kicking, high-tech teen sidekick of a cheesy superhero. Erik is the sidekick of the corresponding cheesy supervillain, and makes Charles’s life even more complicated than it already is.

Spy Games by manic_intent

Burn Notice AU, with Erik Lehnsherr as the spy and Charles as the trigger-happy ex boyfriend. Erik is burned for unknown reasons in Mexico and wakes up in New York City. Somehow, he needs to raise $500,000, in order to find out -why-.

Aaaand a shameless plug, since you brought it up, and since to this day ike and i still look at this fic and ask each other “wtf how” (and also we reread each other’s bits and yell at each other):

The stars incline us, they do not bind us by ikeracity, Pangea

Intergalactic Federation pilot Lieutenant Charles Xavier is assigned last-minute to a high profile mission: transporting over two thousand prison inmates from an old and overfilled prison complex to a newer, higher-capacity prison stronghold located on the outer reaches of the galaxy. Just as he’s settling down for a long and uneventful ride, things take a turn for the worse after the inmates riot and stage a hostile takeover of the ship, leaving Charles to find himself at the complete mercy of cold-blooded killers and facing the chilling prospect that he might not ever make it back home alive.

[stoiicist]

i saw something on twitter awhile ago about the intimacy of being in someone’s room for the first time which inspired this, a completely self-indulgent oneshot that’s essentially just annabeth poking through reyna’s room ft. rynbth

under cut bc i don’t know when to stop

the way reyna reclines onto her bed, arms folded behind her head as her eyes follow annabeth around the room, it suggests a certain sense of ease. but the reality is far different, if annabeth would only claim the space next to her and find that reyna is tense and on edge, breaths measured as she fights off the fear of being vulnerable. dark eyes stare into annabeth’s back with a characteristic intensity that reyna doesn’t know how to stop and she wonders if this is as scary for annabeth as it is for her.

because there really is something so intimate about this— about letting someone into your room for the first time, watching them poke around your belongings. it’s like having all the little hidden things about yourself pushed to the forefront, and reyna has never liked being in the spotlight. she keeps to herself most the time, privacy being one of the pillars of her personality. the last person who had been in here was jason, someone reyna had known for years before him letting past that barrier. and even then, it was only because he was helping her fix the shitty hinge on her bathroom door.

reyna wonders if this is too fast, too soon. she wonders if she’s ready for this sort of thing, or if she’ll ever be ready, if it’s something she’s even meant for.

but when annabeth picks up a silver figurine in the shape of a greyhound and looks over at her, grey eyes alight with that curious look reyna has come to know so well, it’s with an almost heartbreaking ache that she realizes that she won’t be able to deny annabeth anything.

“ hylla got me those. some kind of amazon tech. if you press the nose, it— “

suddenly, the figurine is melting in annabeth’s hand, it’s shape changing until all she’s holding is a thin silver chain. she slips the bracelet on and then off again and when she unlatches the clasp, it’s mere seconds before it condenses back into its sleek figurine form.

annabeth doesn’t say anything, only smiles as she sets it back down next to it’s gold counterpart.

she moves to look through reyna’s vanity next, fingers ghosting over some of scipio’s old feathers, pocketed by reyna whenever they would fall out. there’s a brief pang in reyna’s chest, guilt and grief all rolled into one sinking feeling, but annabeth seems to know better. reyna thinks she catches a sad smile before she moves through the mess of makeup and sticky notes that cover the mirror. reyna’s not an untidy person, but she’s human; clothes on the floor that missed the hamper, a half-drunken bottle of wine she has yet to put back in the kitchen, and—

“ #1 praetor, huh? “ annabeth lifts the embellished mug off the bedside table, eyebrow quirking in a way that’s almost teasing. 

reyna laughs. “ what, you don’t agree? “ this is an easier memory to share. “ a christmas gift from the centurions. you should’ve seen jason’s face when he opened his gift and it was this weird enchanted garden gnome that does the macarena whenever someone walks by. and before you ask— no, i didn’t understand it either. “

this earns a laugh from annabeth, a sound reyna will never grow tired of hearing. she’s smiling too, even as annabeth continues to move around the room, hands now settling on the windowsill, rising on her tiptoes just a bit so she can peer into the small potted plants catching the afternoon sun. reyna’s eyes follow her as she presses a few fingers into the soil, as she looks into one of the brown paper bags to find drying herbs. 

“ didn’t know you had such a green thumb. “ annabeth remarks, casting reyna a sideways glance. the roman hesitates before answering.

“ sometimes, circe would give us lessons in her craft when we weren’t busy doing hair and makeup. “ a shift in annabeth’s body language, attention now fully on reyna who has to make a conscious effort to maintain her relaxed facade. “ hylla was much better at magic than i. i didn’t have the patience for it. “ and as a frightened little girl who was just trying to escape the war she was born into, the last thing reyna wanted was another weapon. “ but she taught me how to make a few useful potions. which herbs to use, how to prepare them. “ 

annabeth is quiet, but reyna knows her well enough to see the gears turning in her brain. maybe it’s an uncomfortable memory for her, though reyna has insisted time and time again she holds no animosity over her former home being destroyed. that bitterness had been directed at percy and even then, it was water under the bridge now. all of it had led to reyna finding her place in new rome. but she can understand why there’d still be some discomfort there, so she doesn’t press.

“ i have something else from when i was on the island. “ reyna finally says, after a minute of annabeth staring at the plants with furrowed brows. she reaches over to pull open the drawer of her bedside table, digging through the mess before coming up with something and handing it to annabeth.

a small golden trinket that fits easily in the palm of her hand, all smooth metal and gentle turns. the way the metalwork crisscrosses on itself, it’s spiraling, it should’ve been impossible to form without the material breaking. but there it was, in one piece, it’s shape reminiscent of a small torch.

“ a man washed up on the shore and after circe, you know, turned him into a guinea pig, i found it when we were sorting through his things. she let me keep it. “ 

“ what is it? “ annabeth asks, turning the object over a few times.

“ here, you just— “ reyna sits up, reaching to twist a portion of sleek metal. the room instantly illuminates with a soft glow paired with a gentle warmth now coming from the trinket in annabeth’s hands.

annabeth stares at it, mouth slightly open as she inspects it, as if trying to figure out how exactly the object worked. reyna watches her with rapt attention, the way the light makes her blonde hair almost shine, and for what feels like the hundredth time, reyna wonders how she got this lucky.

“ it’s like, “ annabeth muses, still transfixed by the magical object. “ it’s like... “

“ it’s like having the sun in your hands. i know. “ but reyna’s eyes never leave annabeth, more captivated by her than she had ever been by the tiny object. than she had ever been by anything.

annabeth finally twists it off, the room darkening again but a residual warmth left in her hands.

“ i think it’s connected to hekate. a torch of hers, or something. why circe let me keep it, i have no idea. maybe she figured i needed a little light in my life. “ sure, she had a habit of turning every man who showed up into a guinea pig, but circe wasn’t all bad. and to her credit, she never asked any questions. just welcomed two runaway girls with open arms. life on the island was good. it never felt right, but sometimes it felt good.

annabeth puts the object back in the bedside table, eyes glancing over reyna’s phone, it’s screen cracked a dozen times over. it’s past the point of saying anything about it— annabeth has teased her for it plenty.

and annabeth doesn’t comment on the cutlass that hangs off the wall over the dresser, dull and almost rusted with age. but reyna can sense her interest, and reveals a few memories anyway. it had been her only weapon for so long, reyna explains, used to prove her worth with the pirates. and after that, her only means of defense on her journey to california, to camp jupiter. the weapon kept her alive. it’s hard to let go of something like that. it’s hard, even when it’s a reminder of things she’s not proud of.

the grecian nods thoughtfully, gaze held on the sword before dropping to the framed photos on the dresser. reyna keeps more photos in the front room, but annabeth has a feeling that these are her favorites. there’s one of reyna and hylla, taken at a post-war celebration hosted by camp jupiter. reyna is sitting on one of the low couches in the mess hall, her smile wide and genuine as hylla’s arms drape over her shoulders in a hug. the elder ramírez sister has her eyes closed, mouth open and laughing. the first picture they’ve taken together in years and reyna admits she’s glad to have pictures of the two of them that aren’t from san juan.

beside it, a photograph of reyna and nico sits in a dark frame. at first glance, the son of pluto looks grumpy as ever, slouched next to reyna who’s giving a small smirk. but upon closer inspection, annabeth can see nico is doing his best to suppress a smile. a mythomagic card is tucked into the frame with an illustration of the mighty pegasus, his wings outstretched. a gift from nico, if the tiny NDA scrawled in the corner of the card is anything to go by.

annabeth finally settles on a photo of reyna and jason, picking it up to get a better look. they’re young— really young. reyna already has that posture of a hundred years, but she almost looks carefree, like she hasn’t yet been crushed under the weight of shouldering an entire city on her own. jason looks equally untroubled, like he’s finally found someone who sees him as more than rome’s golden boy.

it must’ve been taken shortly after reyna got to camp because there’s no brand on her arm yet, which is hanging around jason’s neck. it’s an affectionate gesture that annabeth hasn’t seen reyna display outside of herself, hylla, sometimes nico, and she starts to think she underestimated how close reyna and jason really were. but when she looks back at reyna, she’s wearing the same sad eyes she had when jason returned to camp jupiter after disappearing— so different, so greek, and hardly giving his old friends the time of day. annabeth sets the picture down again without a word; maybe now isn’t the time to open these old wounds.

she’s sure there are dozens more of reyna’s things she can poke through later ( annabeth hasn’t even touched her closet ), but there’s one more thing that catches her eye. 

“ you kept it? after all this time? “

she doesn’t mean to sound so shocked when she says it. annabeth holds up the silver drachma coin. it’s strange to have it in her hands again, after giving it to reyna before her quest. at the time, she wasn’t even sure it wouldn’t reappear in her pocket right after. it never crossed her mind that reyna would hold onto it after the parthenos was delivered.

reyna finally stands and takes the mark of athena from annabeth. she turns it over, rubs her thumb along the inscribed owl. she can feel annabeth’s eyes on her and it makes her cheeks flush. it’s dizzying and vulnerable and all too personal, but reyna eventually manages to meet annabeth’s gaze. they’re standing so close now, she wonders if annabeth can feel the way her heart is thundering in her chest.

“ it brought me luck, didn’t it? “

annabeth’s hands join reyna’s and she looks up into dark, serious eyes. she lets out a breath of laughter with a shake of her head. “ as if you needed it. “

reyna shrugs off the compliment, the way she always does. “ and it’s a sign that things could change. romans and greeks, we could work together. save the world together. make life better together. “

“ well, we certainly proved that. “ annabeth says, in a way that’s so cheesy it’s endearing and reyna doesn’t have a chance to respond because she’s cut off with a kiss. it’s hardly chaste, doesn’t need to be in the privacy of reyna’s home.

a lifetime of suffering, of burdens, of loneliness. it’s terrifying to let someone in and allowing annabeth into the sanctity of her bedroom is more symbolic than reyna cares to explain, or is even currently capable of with the way her girlfriend presses against her insistently. but being with annabeth is like being normal for the first time. getting to be just a girl. not a praetor, not a hero. just reyna, and being just reyna is good enough.

all she knows is annabeth’s mouth is on hers, a promise of a peaceful conclusion, and as the setting sun casts a shadow across the room, reyna knows she has her whole life ahead of her.

[emilyemcnabb]

Kristen and Michael’s wedding at Country Club of Rochester

Kristen and Michael’s wedding day at Country Club of Rochester was “organic and natural with a luxe edge.” As always, we love to see a fresh point-of-view and Kristen’s vision for her day was definitely that. The mix of wood, grasses and greenery with brass metallics and dripping black candles makes for a complete twist on the typical country club affair. Lush, graphic florals and greens are by Arena’s, with invitations by Papery & Cakery and coordination by Events By Jen. Lucky for us, Alexandra Elise Photography was on hand to capture all the cool details is these lovely fine art images.

What made the wedding special and unique? 

The tone of the wedding was an organic/natural feel with a luxe edge. Natural to me means elements produced by nature such as fire, wood, light, grasses and greenery. Luxe says sumptuous, lavish, subtle yet extraordinary. The black candlesticks give off the fire element yet at the same time the black color gives off that subtle yet bold luxurious feel. The farmhouse head tables comply with the wood element. The clear top tent brings in the natural light element. The combination of greenery and floral were an absolute dream come true; a phenomenal work of art by Charles Arena and crew at Arena’s Florist. Greenery with accents of white orchids, chocolate sunflowers, menthe roses, dahlias, jasmine, and anemone. Also, tying in gold dipped branches, decorative pheasant feathers, and mini cactus’. We decided to do a tent wedding because it acts as a clean slate. You are able to incorporate your own design and style without having to cover up the style of an already decorated ballroom or country club. Design and decorating has always been a passion of mine. Since I was a little girl I always wanted to be an interior decorator. It was a dream come true to design a space from scratch as we did here.

For the dessert portion of the night we decided to go big! Being an owner of an Italian bakery we naturally had to have a huge display of pastries, Italian cookies, and of course a 5-tier wedding cake. We went with a slightly different theme in the dessert tent as we did in the main tent. We had bistro lighting strung from the top of the tent and small bistro tables to give off that Italian bistro feel. Pastries including cannolis, cream puffs, sfogliatelle, mini cheese cakes, mini pies, tiramisu, napoleon, eclairs, and more. Cookies including cuccidati, neopolitan, almond paste, Italian meatball cookies, tea cookies, biscotti, etc. Coffee and tea were also served in the tent. During the ceremony we did a butterfly release dedicated to our deceased family members.

Words of wisdom:

Don’t stress! Everyone told me leading up to the big day that it comes and goes in the blink of an eye. It is something that stuck with me throughout the process. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every moment of the planning process even when things wouldn’t go as planned. I wanted to remember what each part of the process and big day felt like, even the most dreadful parts like the seating arrangements. Does anyone enjoy that? On the big day I would recommend to all bride and grooms to take a couple minutes, just the two of you, and step out of the spotlight. Look around the room and take this moment for it all to sink in – enjoy the company of your new husband or wife. Tell each other how much they mean to you and acknowledge the love that is surrounding you from friends and family. It truly is the most amazing day of your life. You want to be able to feel what that feels like in the moment, not just afterwards.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

Mikey and I met in Chicago, IL back in 2012. I had lived there at the time and he was in town visiting his sister who lived in Springfield, IL. My sister was friends with him and told him to call me and get together for lunch. So we did just that. It wasn’t until Christmas of 2012 that I ran into him again at the restaurant that he had just opened. He and my sister, being close friends, hung out a lot. She would go to his restaurant and drag me there while I was home over Christmas break. He told my sister “I am going to marry your sister someday” and my sister Lisa’s response was “Yeah, okay Mikey!” Telling him she isn’t going to put up with you – being the protective sister that us sisters are.

I head back to Chicago and every now and then I would get a call from him (confused at why he was calling me because I barely knew him). A couple months had passed and at the end of March my sister, cousin, mom, aunt and I went down to Florida for a girls’ trip. Mikey happened to be there the same weekend with one of his friends who is ironically someone I’ve known since childhood; all planned on his behalf I’m sure. The boys picked me up from the airport and brought me to my family. I had just gotten out of a 4-year relationship so I wasn’t really looking to date again anytime soon. I guess it’s true that love happens when you least expect it. The whole week we were there it was like I had known him forever. He was always a gentleman, I will say that. On the last night we were heading home from the bar we were at and he asked, “when will I be seeing you again?” I replied without thinking that he would be as persistent as he was and said” I’m sure I’ll run into you back at home in NY.” That must not have been good enough because a few weeks later he had booked a flight to Chicago to see me. It quickly escalated into a relationship and a lot of trips back and forth from New York to Chicago. It took about 8 months of a long-distance relationship to realize that we didn’t want to be without each other. I always knew I was going to end up back in my hometown of Rochester, New York but I had never anticipated that soon.

The proposal took place on April 9th, 2017, which also happened to be my 27th birthday. The night before he proposed we went to dinner with my parents at Louie Bossi in Fort Lauderdale, FL. We were sitting at dinner and I said all I want for my birthday this year is for dad to come to yoga with me. I was trying to get him to hop on the yoga train. Shockingly my dad agreed. Little did he know that Mikey had planned a proposal for the next morning. He now had to change his plan.

We woke up on Saturday, my birthday, and headed to yoga. Mikey told my dad he was going to propose to me after yoga back at our condo. He had asked my dad for my hand in marriage a few months back. Now, not only is my dad nervous about doing a 110 degree power vinyasa class for the first time in his life but is now panicked thinking he is going to have a heart attack from the heat and ruin this special day. Needless to say, my dad finishes the 1 hr. and 15 minute class like a champ – he heads to his house and Mikey and I head to ours. We get home, very quickly, we drop our stuff at our lobby front desk and head out to our uncle’s yacht that is docked at our place on the intercoastal. He tells me, “come out to Jimmy’s boat. I want to say hi to them before they head out for the day.” Now, mind you, we just finished hot yoga- if you’ve ever done heated yoga before you know you come out of there nothing shy of drenched. I asked, “can we please just get out of these wet clothes before we step on his beautiful boat?” The answer was no. So, we got out to the boat and there were these huge vases with gorgeous white flowers, which happen to be my favorite. It still didn’t register what was about to happen. I stepped on the boat and stopped to admire the flowers thinking that the crew is setting up for the day at sea. In hindsight, why there would be vases of flowers set up before a boat ride is beyond me. I walked inside the boat where his parents and some of the crew were. He tells me to come outside on the sundeck. I walked out to where the flowers were, admiring them again and I turn around and he is on one knee with a gorgeous serving platter with the diamond ring in the middle. I was so in shock! I had no idea that was coming. It still to this day gives me butterflies!

  Photography: Alexandra Elise Photography // Event Coordinator: Events By Jen // Florist: Arena’s // Invitations: Papery & Cakery // Programs & Stationery: Anna Marino // Venue: Country Club of Rochester // Dress Designer: Berta // Bridal Boutique: Chic Parisian // Bakery: Savoia Pastry Shoppe // Hair Stylist: PCK Salon // Makeup Artist: Scott Miller Salon // Tent Rental: LT Rentals // Custom Lighting & Rentals: RES Exhibits // Accent Decor Rental: Warehouse 127 // Linen, Chairs, & Drapery Rentals: Hank Parker// Videographer: Kraig Adams // DJ: Breakthrough Entertainment // Sax player: Danny Win // Pianist: Giovanni Fazio // Quartet: Felice String Quartet

  The post Kristen and Michael’s wedding at Country Club of Rochester appeared first on Grey Likes Weddings | Wedding Fashion & Inspiration | Best Wedding Blog.

[jonasjjackson]

Two Holiday Porch and Entryway Styles

Sisters Niña Williams and Cecilia Moyers from Niña and Cecilia have two different styles when it comes to home decor. For the Holiday Style Challenge this year, they decided to take on two holiday porch and entryway styles. Read through the post to find out more about how they went about the decorations!

Two Holiday Porch & Entryway Styles

Cecilia and I are so excited to be participating in the Home Depot Holiday Style Challenge! If you didn’t know, we are identical twin sisters, but just because we look alike doesn’t mean we have the same home decor style. I (Niña) have a coastal farmhouse style, and Cecilia has a modern eclectic style. We will show you how we decorated our homes with two holiday porch and entryway styles!

Niña:

I took on my front porch for the Holiday Style Challenge, and this year, I wanted to add more red. I have a traditional style when it comes to holiday decor, and there’s just something about reds and whites that I love so much!

When I’m decorating my front porch, I first decide on whether I’m going to decorate near the front door or more towards the steps and pillars. As you can see, I decided on the front steps.

I always have a wreath on my front door, and I change up my wreath with the different seasons. I love this pinecones and berries wreath! The colors of the wreath just pop against my white front door. The striped and red ribbon is a great finishing touch.

The Home Depot has fresh trees, garlands, wreaths and arrangements in the outdoor lawn and garden area of the store. I was obsessed with these mini trees! Each mini tree was around 3.5 ft. tall and comes with a tree stand. I ended up getting three trees and set two on the top step of my front porch in a basket.

Using lanterns is a great way to to add depth to front steps. I used two different lantern styles for this space. The red wooden lanterns actually comes as a set of two, and I placed one on each side. Along with the wooden lanterns, I included these ceramic snowflake candle holders. The ceramic candle holders comes in two sizes, 8 in. and 12 in.

Once I had the trees, candle holders and lanterns in place, I placed this red metal truck to fill in the gap. I also added a few birch poles which I also got in the garden center. The birch poles came in a set of three.

What I envisioned for my front porch came to life with the help of The Home Depot! I love how it turned out!

Cecilia:

My family recently moved into our new home, and I was so excited to create a space that would be welcome for our guests during the holidays. If you compare my style to Niña’s, mine is more modern. I love simple designs that make a statement.

When I was shopping at The Home Depot, I was drawn to the jingle bell wreaths. This wreath would be perfect on a door, but the first thing that came to my mind was to hang a bunch of them on the wall. They are only 10 inches so I wanted to do a cluster on the wall to look more abstract instead of having them placed in a specific pattern.

I used Command Mini Clear Hooks to hang these so I wouldn’t have nine new holes in the wall. My daughter actually helped apply the stickers on the hooks for me. That’s what I love about these hooks. It’s easy application, it works great and is a great temporary hanging solution for holiday decor!

I know many people put wreaths on the outside of the front door, but let’s not forget the inside! It’s a great way to add more twinkle lights to the interior. The wreath I chose for the front door is an artificial Norway 32” LED wreath. The faux greenery impressed me with how real it looks. I also grabbed a 2 pack of candles with a silver base to place in front of the sidelight windows.

I already had a black bench in the foyer and knew a mini tree would be a great addition next to it. The great debate was whether I would use an artificial tree or a fresh-cut tree, a flocked tree or green tree. Once I headed out to the garden center at my local Home Depot store, I couldn’t stop looking at the short white coated trees. With the size of my foyer, I could only grab two and each were different heights. That’s what I love about real trees. You get to choose what will work best in the specific space you’re working with!

There are various sizes and colors of ornaments to choose from online and in store. To tie things together, I went with silver jingle bell ornaments to match the wreaths on the wall.

One last fun holiday touch to add to the space was the wood deer that gives guests a warm welcome when they enter our home. You can actually paint it, stain it or leave natural. I decided to leave it natural next to the mini tree. The kids love it!

I’m so happy with how the space turned out. It’s so fresh and inviting. I’m so thankful that The Home Depot has such a selection of Christmas decor that fits with my modern taste!

For more Holiday Style Challenge and Holiday decor inspiration, read through The Home Depot Blog.

The post Two Holiday Porch and Entryway Styles appeared first on The Home Depot Blog.

from Home https://blog.homedepot.com/holiday-porch-and-entryway/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[dnodes18]

Two Holiday Porch and Entryway Styles https://ift.tt/2EzXptd

Sisters Niña Williams and Cecilia Moyers from Niña and Cecilia have two different styles when it comes to home decor. For the Holiday Style Challenge this year, they decided to take on two holiday porch and entryway styles. Read through the post to find out more about how they went about the decorations!

Two Holiday Porch & Entryway Styles

Cecilia and I are so excited to be participating in the Home Depot Holiday Style Challenge! If you didn’t know, we are identical twin sisters, but just because we look alike doesn’t mean we have the same home decor style. I (Niña) have a coastal farmhouse style, and Cecilia has a modern eclectic style. We will show you how we decorated our homes with two holiday porch and entryway styles!

Niña:

I took on my front porch for the Holiday Style Challenge, and this year, I wanted to add more red. I have a traditional style when it comes to holiday decor, and there’s just something about reds and whites that I love so much!

When I’m decorating my front porch, I first decide on whether I’m going to decorate near the front door or more towards the steps and pillars. As you can see, I decided on the front steps.

I always have a wreath on my front door, and I change up my wreath with the different seasons. I love this pinecones and berries wreath! The colors of the wreath just pop against my white front door. The striped and red ribbon is a great finishing touch.

The Home Depot has fresh trees, garlands, wreaths and arrangements in the outdoor lawn and garden area of the store. I was obsessed with these mini trees! Each mini tree was around 3.5 ft. tall and comes with a tree stand. I ended up getting three trees and set two on the top step of my front porch in a basket.

Using lanterns is a great way to to add depth to front steps. I used two different lantern styles for this space. The red wooden lanterns actually comes as a set of two, and I placed one on each side. Along with the wooden lanterns, I included these ceramic snowflake candle holders. The ceramic candle holders comes in two sizes, 8 in. and 12 in.

Once I had the trees, candle holders and lanterns in place, I placed this red metal truck to fill in the gap. I also added a few birch poles which I also got in the garden center. The birch poles came in a set of three.

What I envisioned for my front porch came to life with the help of The Home Depot! I love how it turned out!

Cecilia:

My family recently moved into our new home, and I was so excited to create a space that would be welcome for our guests during the holidays. If you compare my style to Niña’s, mine is more modern. I love simple designs that make a statement.

When I was shopping at The Home Depot, I was drawn to the jingle bell wreaths. This wreath would be perfect on a door, but the first thing that came to my mind was to hang a bunch of them on the wall. They are only 10 inches so I wanted to do a cluster on the wall to look more abstract instead of having them placed in a specific pattern.

I used Command Mini Clear Hooks to hang these so I wouldn’t have nine new holes in the wall. My daughter actually helped apply the stickers on the hooks for me. That’s what I love about these hooks. It’s easy application, it works great and is a great temporary hanging solution for holiday decor!

I know many people put wreaths on the outside of the front door, but let’s not forget the inside! It’s a great way to add more twinkle lights to the interior. The wreath I chose for the front door is an artificial Norway 32” LED wreath. The faux greenery impressed me with how real it looks. I also grabbed a 2 pack of candles with a silver base to place in front of the sidelight windows.

I already had a black bench in the foyer and knew a mini tree would be a great addition next to it. The great debate was whether I would use an artificial tree or a fresh-cut tree, a flocked tree or green tree. Once I headed out to the garden center at my local Home Depot store, I couldn’t stop looking at the short white coated trees. With the size of my foyer, I could only grab two and each were different heights. That’s what I love about real trees. You get to choose what will work best in the specific space you’re working with!

There are various sizes and colors of ornaments to choose from online and in store. To tie things together, I went with silver jingle bell ornaments to match the wreaths on the wall.

One last fun holiday touch to add to the space was the wood deer that gives guests a warm welcome when they enter our home. You can actually paint it, stain it or leave natural. I decided to leave it natural next to the mini tree. The kids love it!

I’m so happy with how the space turned out. It’s so fresh and inviting. I’m so thankful that The Home Depot has such a selection of Christmas decor that fits with my modern taste!

For more Holiday Style Challenge and Holiday decor inspiration, read through The Home Depot Blog.

The post Two Holiday Porch and Entryway Styles appeared first on The Home Depot Blog.

Niña Williams

[homejacksite]

Welcoming Fall House Tour

Hey there friends, and welcome visitors for the Fabulous Fall Home Tour!

It’s been, what — seven years? — since my last real fall decorating post? For those of you that already follow along, you already probably think this is a bit unique since I never really participate much in ���house tour” blog hops. That’s because they often require three things I don’t really possess:

Multiple rooms in my house clean enough to decorate at the same time

Adding home decor on top of my home renovation list to meet a deadline (procrastinators, unite!… tomorrow)

Experience with room styling to the point of looking (effortlessly) polished

So, usually, my big transition into fall mostly just involves switching from white to red… wine. But, as I mentioned last week, things seemed to align just right where I had an afternoon to go grab some flowers and other items while I was out and just have fun with fall for a minute. Perhaps it’s that I knew I’d be out earlier this week for a sponsored event and wanted to do something that required a different part of my brain (chainsaws and cutting concrete and throwing stuff, oh my — but it was so much fun and I you should see me throw at a target with an axe). Or, perhaps it was simply that my sister was coming over last weekend for dinner. Since I hardly have her over, it seemed only right to decorate a little. Whatever the inspiration, it stuck, and here I am with an actual fall home tour!

Some of the links to products in this post support this site through affiliate sales if you choose to make a purchase. For more, see my disclosure page.

Let’s start with the front door and porch: I didn’t really plan to decorate with any traditional fall colors, but I found a bunch of red mums on clearance and they seemed too good to pass up ($3 each). Combined with some storage baskets I had on hand and tall dried bunches of who-knows-what (confession: I don’t read the descriptions on the decorations I buy… I just look for something that looks fall-ish and go with it), it all seemed to work well with an olive wreath I picked up from Amazon.

In the living room, I added a few more cozy blankets to the new sectional, added another storage basket underneath the coffee table, and spread out some inexpensive leaves under a wooden lantern (similar).

I also switched out Charlie’s toy basket for something that looked almost sweater-like (the rope pattern reminds me of winter textiles). I didn’t want to do a big huge push to make everything match since I am never that coordinated, but I was also cleaning up a water spill from the pup and the extra hand towel just looked nice draped on the edge. Lemons –> lemonade.

I buy hand towels in sets (like every person ever, probably), so the matching one went into the hallway bathroom; I say this mainly because I didn’t want you guys thinking I walked across the living room to put Charlie’s slobber towel in the bathroom towel holder! One of the things I’ve learned from my sister (who loves every holiday and decorates for each) is that when it comes to seasonal decorating, pretty much anything is fair game, including the bathroom. And if you feel like just one touch to the room is enough, then go for it!

Finally, in the dining room, I added more flowers, more greenery, and began setting up the table for dinner the next night. I’ll admit, I basically overdid it (I may or may not have been playing with some of my Christmas decor simultaneously), but I still liked the end result — blame the $2.99 flowers at Trader Joe’s. Because the room is such a vibrant color on the walls, I like to go with more neutrals, and the white/soft green combo is of course a favorite of mine.

The rose-colored candle holders on either end were on clearance from Joann’s. I like to add metallics when I decorate no matter the season, so a few holiday standards were also thrown in (like the smaller mercury glass candle holders and placemats).

I also added in some linen constellation napkins (these are OLD, so here is a similar version). They were a big hit with my nerdy boyfriend.

For me though, the biggest update in the house to signify the season’s change is still the new fire pit. Nothing says fall to me quite as much as the ability to have really amazing s’mores (and to be honest, I like that it makes the house smell like a bonfire).

So, that’s pretty much how I welcomed fall this year at the UDH. Oh! And one more item: any big cross-stitching fans out there? I cross-stitched a fall tree using my own pattern and just finished that up as of last night. I am writing all the details on how I create my own designs, so if you’re interested, subscribe here to get notification on that post next week (I’ll have a free download for the pattern as well).

Are you decorating for fall this year? Also, don’t forget: this is a blog hop, so check out the others in the tour! Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl is hosting, and here is the full list!

Joining in today:

Pretty Handy Girl

Addicted 2 DIY

The DIY Village

The Heathered Nest

In My Own Style

Jennifer Rizzo

One Project Closer

Ugly Duckling House —-> you’re here

The post Welcoming Fall House Tour appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

Website // Subscribe // Advertise // Twitter // Facebook // Google+

Read more http://ift.tt/2x1QTUc Areas served: Winston-Salem, High Point, Yadkinville, Mocksville, Advance, Clemmons, Kernersville, Greensboro, Walnut Cove, Statesville, NC, North Carolina Services: House painting, roofing, deck building, landscaping, Carpentry, Flooring, tile, hardwood, remodeling, home improvement, interior, exterior

[endlessarchite]

Welcoming Fall House Tour

Hey there friends, and welcome visitors for the Fabulous Fall Home Tour!

It’s been, what — seven years? — since my last real fall decorating post? For those of you that already follow along, you already probably think this is a bit unique since I never really participate much in “house tour” blog hops. That’s because they often require three things I don’t really possess:

Multiple rooms in my house clean enough to decorate at the same time

Adding home decor on top of my home renovation list to meet a deadline (procrastinators, unite!… tomorrow)

Experience with room styling to the point of looking (effortlessly) polished

So, usually, my big transition into fall mostly just involves switching from white to red… wine. But, as I mentioned last week, things seemed to align just right where I had an afternoon to go grab some flowers and other items while I was out and just have fun with fall for a minute. Perhaps it’s that I knew I’d be out earlier this week for a sponsored event and wanted to do something that required a different part of my brain (chainsaws and cutting concrete and throwing stuff, oh my — but it was so much fun and I you should see me throw at a target with an axe). Or, perhaps it was simply that my sister was coming over last weekend for dinner. Since I hardly have her over, it seemed only right to decorate a little. Whatever the inspiration, it stuck, and here I am with an actual fall home tour!

Some of the links to products in this post support this site through affiliate sales if you choose to make a purchase. For more, see my disclosure page.

Let’s start with the front door and porch: I didn’t really plan to decorate with any traditional fall colors, but I found a bunch of red mums on clearance and they seemed too good to pass up ($3 each). Combined with some storage baskets I had on hand and tall dried bunches of who-knows-what (confession: I don’t read the descriptions on the decorations I buy… I just look for something that looks fall-ish and go with it), it all seemed to work well with an olive wreath I picked up from Amazon.

In the living room, I added a few more cozy blankets to the new sectional, added another storage basket underneath the coffee table, and spread out some inexpensive leaves under a wooden lantern (similar).

I also switched out Charlie’s toy basket for something that looked almost sweater-like (the rope pattern reminds me of winter textiles). I didn’t want to do a big huge push to make everything match since I am never that coordinated, but I was also cleaning up a water spill from the pup and the extra hand towel just looked nice draped on the edge. Lemons –> lemonade.

I buy hand towels in sets (like every person ever, probably), so the matching one went into the hallway bathroom; I say this mainly because I didn’t want you guys thinking I walked across the living room to put Charlie’s slobber towel in the bathroom towel holder! One of the things I’ve learned from my sister (who loves every holiday and decorates for each) is that when it comes to seasonal decorating, pretty much anything is fair game, including the bathroom. And if you feel like just one touch to the room is enough, then go for it!

Finally, in the dining room, I added more flowers, more greenery, and began setting up the table for dinner the next night. I’ll admit, I basically overdid it (I may or may not have been playing with some of my Christmas decor simultaneously), but I still liked the end result — blame the $2.99 flowers at Trader Joe’s. Because the room is such a vibrant color on the walls, I like to go with more neutrals, and the white/soft green combo is of course a favorite of mine.

The rose-colored candle holders on either end were on clearance from Joann’s. I like to add metallics when I decorate no matter the season, so a few holiday standards were also thrown in (like the smaller mercury glass candle holders and placemats).

I also added in some linen constellation napkins (these are OLD, so here is a similar version). They were a big hit with my nerdy boyfriend.

For me though, the biggest update in the house to signify the season’s change is still the new fire pit. Nothing says fall to me quite as much as the ability to have really amazing s’mores (and to be honest, I like that it makes the house smell like a bonfire).

So, that’s pretty much how I welcomed fall this year at the UDH. Oh! And one more item: any big cross-stitching fans out there? I cross-stitched a fall tree using my own pattern and just finished that up as of last night. I am writing all the details on how I create my own designs, so if you’re interested, subscribe here to get notification on that post next week (I’ll have a free download for the pattern as well).

Are you decorating for fall this year? Also, don’t forget: this is a blog hop, so check out the others in the tour! Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl is hosting, and here is the full list!

Joining in today:

Pretty Handy Girl

Addicted 2 DIY

The DIY Village

The Heathered Nest

In My Own Style

Jennifer Rizzo

One Project Closer

Ugly Duckling House —-> you’re here

The post Welcoming Fall House Tour appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

Website // Subscribe // Advertise // Twitter // Facebook // Google+

Welcoming Fall House Tour published first on http://ift.tt/2qxZz2j

[darwinbigelow]

Welcoming Fall House Tour

Hey there friends, and welcome visitors for the Fabulous Fall Home Tour!

It’s been, what — seven years? — since my last real fall decorating post? For those of you that already follow along, you already probably think this is a bit unique since I never really participate much in “house tour” blog hops. That’s because they often require three things I don’t really possess:

Multiple rooms in my house clean enough to decorate at the same time

Adding home decor on top of my home renovation list to meet a deadline (procrastinators, unite!… tomorrow)

Experience with room styling to the point of looking (effortlessly) polished

So, usually, my big transition into fall mostly just involves switching from white to red… wine. But, as I mentioned last week, things seemed to align just right where I had an afternoon to go grab some flowers and other items while I was out and just have fun with fall for a minute. Perhaps it’s that I knew I’d be out earlier this week for a sponsored event and wanted to do something that required a different part of my brain (chainsaws and cutting concrete and throwing stuff, oh my — but it was so much fun and I you should see me throw at a target with an axe). Or, perhaps it was simply that my sister was coming over last weekend for dinner. Since I hardly have her over, it seemed only right to decorate a little. Whatever the inspiration, it stuck, and here I am with an actual fall home tour!

Some of the links to products in this post support this site through affiliate sales if you choose to make a purchase. For more, see my disclosure page.

Let’s start with the front door and porch: I didn’t really plan to decorate with any traditional fall colors, but I found a bunch of red mums on clearance and they seemed too good to pass up ($3 each). Combined with some storage baskets I had on hand and tall dried bunches of who-knows-what (confession: I don’t read the descriptions on the decorations I buy… I just look for something that looks fall-ish and go with it), it all seemed to work well with an olive wreath I picked up from Amazon.

In the living room, I added a few more cozy blankets to the new sectional, added another storage basket underneath the coffee table, and spread out some inexpensive leaves under a wooden lantern (similar).

I also switched out Charlie’s toy basket for something that looked almost sweater-like (the rope pattern reminds me of winter textiles). I didn’t want to do a big huge push to make everything match since I am never that coordinated, but I was also cleaning up a water spill from the pup and the extra hand towel just looked nice draped on the edge. Lemons –> lemonade.

I buy hand towels in sets (like every person ever, probably), so the matching one went into the hallway bathroom; I say this mainly because I didn’t want you guys thinking I walked across the living room to put Charlie’s slobber towel in the bathroom towel holder! One of the things I’ve learned from my sister (who loves every holiday and decorates for each) is that when it comes to seasonal decorating, pretty much anything is fair game, including the bathroom. And if you feel like just one touch to the room is enough, then go for it!

Finally, in the dining room, I added more flowers, more greenery, and began setting up the table for dinner the next night. I’ll admit, I basically overdid it (I may or may not have been playing with some of my Christmas decor simultaneously), but I still liked the end result — blame the $2.99 flowers at Trader Joe’s. Because the room is such a vibrant color on the walls, I like to go with more neutrals, and the white/soft green combo is of course a favorite of mine.

The rose-colored candle holders on either end were on clearance from Joann’s. I like to add metallics when I decorate no matter the season, so a few holiday standards were also thrown in (like the smaller mercury glass candle holders and placemats).

I also added in some linen constellation napkins (these are OLD, so here is a similar version). They were a big hit with my nerdy boyfriend.

For me though, the biggest update in the house to signify the season’s change is still the new fire pit. Nothing says fall to me quite as much as the ability to have really amazing s’mores (and to be honest, I like that it makes the house smell like a bonfire).

So, that’s pretty much how I welcomed fall this year at the UDH. Oh! And one more item: any big cross-stitching fans out there? I cross-stitched a fall tree using my own pattern and just finished that up as of last night. I am writing all the details on how I create my own designs, so if you’re interested, subscribe here to get notification on that post next week (I’ll have a free download for the pattern as well).

Are you decorating for fall this year? Also, don’t forget: this is a blog hop, so check out the others in the tour! Brittany from Pretty Handy Girl is hosting, and here is the full list!

Joining in today:

Pretty Handy Girl

Addicted 2 DIY

The DIY Village

The Heathered Nest

In My Own Style

Jennifer Rizzo

One Project Closer

Ugly Duckling House —-> you’re here

The post Welcoming Fall House Tour appeared first on The Ugly Duckling House.

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