#wearing one of those plastic beads necklaces

[sandinthemachine]

one of my lecture halls has a taxidermied coyote someone put a santa hat on and it haunts my every waking hour

[lovesickletters]

💜𝒮𝒶𝒸𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒾𝓃ℯ 𝒮𝓌ℯℯ𝓉💜

𝒮𝓉𝒶𝓇𝒹ℯ𝓌 𝒱𝒶𝓁𝓁ℯ𝓎 | 𝒮ℯ𝒷𝒶𝓈𝓉𝒾𝒶𝓃／ℰ𝓁𝓁𝒾ℴ𝓉／ℋ𝒶𝓁ℯ𝓎 𝓍 ℛℯ𝒶𝒹ℯ𝓇 {𝒮ℯ𝓅𝒶𝓇𝒶𝓉ℯ𝓁𝓎}

𝒮ℯ𝒷𝒶𝓈𝓉𝒾𝒶𝓃

It was the usual time, on that particular night when you stepped onto the veranda and felt a wave of the warm spring air wash over you, that you saw Sebastian sitting on the edge of the patio, one leg hanging off the side as he leaned on his other knee tucked close to his chest. You could already guess why from the small white stick clutched in his hand and the small rectangular box sitting beside him. His head swivelled to greet you, nodding briefly at you with the look of someone caught off guard.

“Hey.”

He turned back to looking out across the rolling fields of crops and sleepy barns full of assortments of animals, something clearly playing on his mind he didn’t care to toss into the air. He liked to come out here to think, and have a smoke, occasionally.

You took a seat beside him, and raised your eyebrows in surprise as the writing on the package beside him became clearer with proximity.

“Yeah, candy cigarettes. It’s not much but I guess it’s something.” He smiled at you, placing the end of one between his lips idly like a real cigarette. A cruelly sweet idea popped into your head.

Unable to resist the chance to playfully scare him you leaned all the way in towards him, your hand sweeping up to take a hold of his chin and turn his face back towards you. The candy cigarette went limp between his limps as he flushed, looking back at you with a startled, flustered expression as you leaned in close…

And with a *crunch* you stole the end of his candy treat, moving back with a wicked smirk as you did so. His eyebrows knit together in cute yet annoyed confusion as he huffed, his blush going tomato red from the way your shoulders shook with the chuckle you were holding back.

“You’re sleeping on the couch for that.”

ℰ𝓁𝓁𝒾ℴ𝓉

With an overexcited grin you proudly thrust your prize in front of Elliot’s face, showing off a shiny new lollipop you’d won at The Valley fair earlier. It was far too large and bright red, like every stereotypical lollipop ever. There was a bow neatly tied around the top of the stick and a little piece of card attached to a string on it, reading in scrawled lettering;

*’To: Elliot’*

Despite the unorthodox manner in which you presented your gift to him, he took your offering graciously, and couldn’t stop the smile that fought its way to his face as he thanked you for the gift.

“I won this for you at the fair! I hope you like it, try it now!!”

“Well I suppose I could take a break from my writing desk for today. Better than staring at an empty page all day!”

With your pressuring and the tempting state of the lollipop Elliot smiled cheerfully and began removing the wrapper in a careful manner, taking care not to drop the wrapper on the ground. It was only when the plastic wrapping had been fully removed did you realise the consequences of your actions, as with a sparkle in his eye, Elliot began licking and sucking at the lolly with an agonising manner. Taking care to taste every bit of it as he lowered it down to the base of his tongue in the way one might hypothetically place something larger inside you were only too aware of the blush creeping across your face.

With a pop, Elliot pulled the treat from his mouth, brushing his long hair out of the way as he looked at you, struggling to keep a smirk off of his face as you steamed.

“Oh my dear, is something the matter?”

ℋ𝒶𝓁ℯ𝓎

“Haley, look!”

Haley’s attention drifted from the lip gloss she was applying with the help of her compact mirror towards your grinning face. You were showing her something, a set of beads on a string around your neck. Upon further inspection as she looked closer, she could see it was one of those candy necklaces that little kids would wear years ago. She could recall wearing layers of them as a kid like they were fine jewellery, or at least until her sister Emily devoured them.

Refocusing back on your face, she could faintly hear you talking about some menial tasks you did that day, planted some new vegetables and milked some cows or whatever it is farmers do. She knew she should be paying more attention but she was distracted by a wonderful idea that popped into her head out of nowhere.

“…-And then I had to go see Marnie about this chicken of hers because- Haley? What are you doing?” You were pulled from your spiel by the sight of Haley’s eyes continuing to rest on your neck distractingly. “Oh yeah, if you want to try them I have some extra-“

She moved faster than you expected, placing her lips against your throat without warning. Your hands went to her shoulders on instinct, pressing back on them as you felt her nip at your skin, smearing lip gloss as she went. A shiver went up your spine as she licked and bit at your neck, letting out a sigh.

“Mmmm~ so sweet~!”

Moving away without any recognition of what she’d just done she pulled out her mirror again to reapply her lip gloss, crumbled bits of necklace still sitting on her lower lip. “You can continue going on about your chickens, or whatever-“

[milomilesmib]

Since I have been feeling a particularly strong attachment to my comfort item lately here are what I think PJO character's comfort items would be (short answers in bold text for those who want a quick read):

Percy: a blue stuffie from his childhood. He doesn't often have it with him but he always feels safer when he is with it. And yes, he probably calls the stuffie "he" because I said so

Grover: a little mushroom pendant from Juniper. He never puts it on anything, just keeps it in his pocket and takes it out to fidget with when he's stressed. It has a really smooth surface and pretty colours so it's a good sensory thing for him.

Annabeth: her camp necklace. She always has it and when she doesn't she feels bare. Every time she's stressed she looks at a bead and thinks of a good memory from that year.

Thalia: a shirt she particularly favours because she wore it a lot when on the run with Luke and Annabeth. Any time she's in a bad mood she wears it and it makes her feel a bit better.

Nico: canonically, it's his skull ring, but I also feel like he'd have a childhood blanket that he's really attached to. It's a really soft fabric and so he always uses it when he's feeling overstimulated or understimulated cause it works for both

Rachel: a scrunchie with a fall leaf pattern on it from Percy. It was the first birthday present he gave her. It was all he could find and afford to get her that he thought she might like and he was scared she'd be underwhelmed but she really appreciated that he went through the effort and now she always has it on her.

Leo: a rock he found on a beach field trip with Piper back at the Wilderness school. It's pink and translucent, so when he holds it up to the sun it lights up a bit. It reminds him that he's cared about and loved when he has an existential crisis about being the 7th wheel.

Piper: a rock matching Leo's, found on the same trip. It's grey and smooth with streaks of white and green. It was a big source of comfort for her when mourning Jason, and she was able to remind herself that there was someone out there who shared her pain.

Jason: a silver bracelet Thalia gave him with a lightning bolt charm. It's the only jewelry he wears and he always has it with him, even when he dies.

Hazel: a small keychain from Frank. It's a little bear holding a plastic gemstone heart. She always brings it with her on quests and outings, making sure never to lose it.

Frank: a purple and gold friendship bracelet Hazel made him when he became praetor. He always treasured it because it made him feel like he'd made someone proud, despite the fact he'd already made so many people proud.

Reyna: her praetor's cloak. She didn't think she'd form an attachment to it, but she really liked the fabric and it made her feel important and safe. After she gave it up, Thalia noticed her seeming sad without it and got her a new one, but silver and gold embroidered with the symbol of Bellona.

Will: a pressed flower from Nico. Nico started picking flowers to press when he was unhappy as a way to learn how to keep his powers under control when his emotions are strong. He gave Will the first one and Will was so honoured he decided to carry it everywhere with him.

Apollo/Lester: a new ukulele Will got him after he lost his old one. Like Percy, he doesn't usually have it, but playing it always calms him down and reminds him of the people he loves.

Meg: a chip of a terracotta pot from her childhood home (I forget what it's called). She found it before she and her dad left and decided to keep it as a keepsake.

Lavinia: her star of David pendant, canonically, but I'd imagine she also has a music box with a little ballerina that reminds her of childhood and makes her feel safe.

Feel free to add on with any characters I missed :)

[therosebunpost]

Peppermint Rainbow Sherbet

Part of the S.B.B Universe (A Steddie x Disabled!Mute!Fem!Reader story)

CW: None for this Drabble chapter, unless you hate the idea of Peppermint ice cream and rainbow sherbet being mixed together. If that’s the case, back away now! Reader is mute, and communicates mainly through writing in her notepad. It’s not said in this chapter, but her nickname is Bunny due to her last name being Bun. Other then that, this Reader will be as inclusive as possible!)

———

Steve met you officially in Scoops Ahoy. You were standing behind the counter, and the boy couldn’t help but stare. You were wearing jeans, but the closer Steve looked he could see they had a flower pattern all over the denim. There were patches, which had even more flower designs in contrasting colors.

Up top wasn’t much simpler. You had an old Smokey the bear T-shirt with woodland animals on the front and a slogan that read, Remember there are babes in the woods, on it. He was entranced by the things you were wearing on your ears. At first he thought they were earrings, but when you turned to look at the flavors, he realized it was a curved wire that held the dangling charms on. No piercings in sight. You squinted at the flavors, as if each one had personally offended you.

That’s when he noticed the necklace you were wearing. On the front was some kind of rimmed circle, with those plastic beads he’s seen kids use as decoration around the elastic. You hold the circle up to your eye, and Steve takes a second before realizing it was a piece of glasses. You had a broken piece of a pair of glasses as a necklace charm.

Weird.

You were really pretty though, and of course Steve saddled on up to you while making sure to tug his stupid hat off. “Any flavors catch your fancy?” He prompted, unfortunately startling you. You jumped, blinking at him for a moment before pulling out a notepad and scribbling on it.

‘Rainbow sherbet and Peppermint, please.’ Was scrawled out on the line. You smiled at him, and the boy wasn’t sure if you were fucking with him or not.

“So, one order of each then? Are you getting some for someone..?” He asked, making conversation as he scoops up the two flavors and puts them in individual bowls for you. You don’t say anything, instead you just scribble again.

‘No, for me. I’m just curious to see what they taste like together.’

Steve smiles, but internally he was wondering if maybe you were high, and just had one of those weird drug cravings. He hands you the two bowls, watching as you unceremoniously dump one ball of ice cream on top of the other before shuffling over to sit down. Your many accessories jingling and clanking around when you walk.

He stops watching you after a while, instead serving customers and occasionally flirting when someone catches his eye. Robin’s little tally marks grew until closing time, when you finally walked up to throw away your things.

“So, how did they taste? Should we start making a rainbow, peppermint sherbet?” He asked, walking around the counter. You’re blinking at him again before grabbing your notepad once more. It has flowers on the cover, matching your pants.

‘No, it was pretty gross. The colors looked pretty together, though.’ And with that you waved, smiled, and left the parlor. Steve paused for a moment before shrugging and muttering under his breath as he closed up for the night. “I could have told her that, waste of five bucks.”

Taglist: (DM to join) @ali-r3n

[robotstrategy]

Rediscover • Part 1 • 4 - Nero

Previous • Series Masterlist • Part 1 Masterlist • Next

Nero follows one of the scrubbed nurses down the tiled hallways. From what she can tell every medical employee wears yellow, and there’s a lot of them, an absurd amount for a summer camp even. All the yellow scrubs make her antsy, or more specifically her legs, Roland seems to be trembling around like he hasn’t eaten in a long time.

The nurse opens a door into a different room, It looks more homey, like a nice renovated cabin. Nero first notices a Muslim girl dressed in all whites, mostly because she’s the brightest thing in the room. She then turns her head to the sound of elevated shoes hitting the floor. A woman comes towards her, wearing a white pantsuit with a sunshine yellow blouse. She had blonde curly hair that enveloped her face and a modern-looking necklace hanging from her neck. She was beautiful.

“Hello, you must be Nero?” She asks.

“Y-yes ma’am!” She shudders.

The woman lets out the most wholesome little giggle Nero has ever heard. “Oh no need to be afraid of me dear, I might be the camp director, but I’m still a very nice woman,” She ushers to her. “Come, I’ve got something for you.” 

She leads Nero over to the break room and into her office. Nero looks at all the things she can get her eyes on in the room. Binders full of paperwork, frames on the wall with… medical degrees??? and a frame on her desk with a little boy in it.

“Do you have a son?” Nero asks. 

The woman nods as she rummages through one of the desk drawers. “He’s about your age, He’ll be here with us over the two-week stay.” 

She then finally fishes out a small white veil and beaded flower clip, handing the clip to Nero she explains. “I give one to each nursing volunteer I get, I even gave one to Maha today, though I don't exactly think she could wear it.” She then goes around to the back of Nero with the veil. 

“May I take off your mask?”

“Are, are you allowed to?”

“This is private property, you’re allowed to take off your mask while under my care.” 

Nero nods, letting her gently remove the plastic ring holding the mask to her head from her forehead. Then, she replaces it with a veil made out of one-way translucent fabric. Stepping back, the woman puts a fist up to her mouth. “I suppose you’ve become a little eerie now, but I guess that's better than having the word hostile on your face.” 

Nero nods. “It is.” 

“We’ll start training you tonight, for now, you can go hang out with your friends or go sit with Maha and Fatima.” 

Nero excuses herself from the office and heads back to the room she found the Muslim girl in. She sees that only the little girl in white is present.

“Where’s the other one?” Nero asks, getting the girl’s attention.

“Maha? She’s in the bathroom.” The girl tells her.

“So you must be Fatima?”

The girl nods.

“Y’know I understand you have to cover yourself, but why wear white, won’t you ruin your clothes easily out here?” Nero asks. 

“I’ll be inside most of the day, besides, it’s better if I don’t cook outside in black isn’t it?” 

Nero laughs. “I guess you’re right.” 

“I can’t wait to help people like you, it must have been scary losing all those parts.” Fatima’s eyebrows are very upturned so she’s still very expressive despite her nose and mouth being covered. 

“Umm, no, that’s, I’m a Rewind, not an accident victim,” Nero explained.

“Oh.” 

Nero shifts away from her as Maha comes out of the bathroom. “You’re Nero right?” She asks.

“Yeah.”

“It’s nice to meet you, I’ll be taking care of Fatima these two weeks.”

Confused, Nero asks. “Is she your understudy?”

“Well, I am her spiritual adviser and hand-holder nurse.”

“Right…” Nero walks off towards the door, and heads back towards the others, deeply confused by the situation she was just in.

[vartamin]

i will say that i think kiawentiio is a great casting choice for Katara, she's a great fit for the character and im super excited to see her perform. i will also say however (and this is no fault of kiawentiio's) that im rly disappointed in the costuming choices regarding Katara specifically

Out of all the pictures of the cast so far, Katara definitely feels the most "costume-y" and unrealistic

The design of the patterned pieces on her coat do not resemble any type of Inuit or otherwise indigenous embroidery that I know of, in fact they aren't embroidery at all (which I find personally offensive because embroidery would've looked SO much better and more natural and would relate it more solidly to the Inuit and indigenous clothing it should be based off of) but they are reminiscent of water tribe designs in the show so I would give them a pass on that technicality. However, it's just so bad looking I really can't let it go. It's ugly! There! I said it! I have no real reason to dislike it other than my own personal preference! So what!

Moving on from the coat, the absolute lack of Inuit inspiration is a lot more apparent in the inner layers/traveling clothes. I understand that the Southern Water Tribe being inspired by Inuit/Inupiat/Yupik culture is a cultural outlier in the rest of the show, where the other nations draw from an amalgamation of East and South East Asian cultures, and the Northern Water Tribe of Mongolian and various Siberian cultures. Katara and Sokka's traveling clothes (both in the og show and the netflix adaptation) seem to be inspired more by East Asian clothing in order to bring their designs more in line with the rest of the show, but the lack of Inuit and indigenous inspiration in any of these new designs (that we've been shown so far at least) really annoys me

To my knowledge, even the inner layers in Inuit garments are commonly made of skins, not cloth, but there are other cold climate cultures that will use fabrics like cotton, wool and silks in their clothing, so I could forgive them (again) if they drew accurately from those designs instead.

Katara's outfit appears (to me) to most likely be based off of the Mongolian Deel, but I think an argument could be made for Qing Dynasty Chinese dress as well as they both wrap around the body to clasp to the side of the chest (the look of the clasps however do not seem to have any basis in anything whatsoever)

However, netflix seems to have gone the same way as the shyamalan movie in choosing what looks like a linen(??) fabric? which really stumps me because, to my knowledge, linen is not a fabric often used in cold climate cultures. While it does have thermoregulatory qualities and works well for insulation, it is much more well known for its cooling capabilities than its warming ones. I understand that, to be true to the show they needed to use fabrics not common in traditional Inuit fashion, but even the Mongolian Deel is much more likely to be made of cotton, wool, silk or skins, so the decision to use it seriously throws me for a bit of a loop.

Katara's iconic "hair loopies" are a reference to a traditional Inuit hairstyle (Nunavut Inuit specifically), but the way they have the braids start so far from her part with those plastic beads just makes it look so unnatural. It might be more accurate to the look of the show but spirits it doesn't look good (also just realized now writing this that her necklace pendant is white too it looks like a plastic bottle cap what the fuck EDIT: you see the difference between the faux fur lining her hood and inside it??? CHEAP OLD NAVY DOLLAR STORE LOOKIN ASS COAT)

Even Kanna, who wears the same hairstyle, has her loops integrated more naturally and they look so much better in general

the beads in Katara's hair are not culturally Inuit as far as I know, and instead seem to resemble Tibetan beaded and braided hairstyles. You can see here, though, that they somehow manage to not look like absolute shit and out of place like netflix has Katara's looking (and also are not plastic dental floss white they aren't even white in the show why would they do this to me specifically??)

Somehow, the studio producing a franchise live action show cannot make Katara's hair look better than one of those cheap cosplay wigs you can get off aliexpress

It's not hard to make a show-accurate Katara hairstyle work, though. Silvousplaits on YouTube has a great tutorial for a realistic Katara hairstyle that, in my opinion, is somehow better than the multimillion studio hair they've given Katara in the live action

https://youtu.be/tXP-7ja6J_k?feature=shared

Cosplayers are great and devote so much time and talent to making their costumes, but there is absolutely no reason that professionally produced costuming should look worse than something handmade by amateurs that can often only devote so much time to a craft they've picked up outside of their actual careers.

It's ridiculous.

I don't want to prejudge the ATLA live action before it's even out yet, but I already know I'm going to spend the whole time lamenting every single design choice they've made regarding Katara, and the lack of care that I see in her design makes me reticent to watch it.

[karouvas]

okay tell me about “Rose Blood” pls!!!!

so this was supposed to be entirely a Monaria piece exploring Aria’s impression/pov of Mona at different times, starting with the first time she really Noticed her, then once in the early seasons, once in s5 when she’s dating Mike, then once in the time jump and then possibly one meeting post series seeing how that shapes up. But it’s so funny because I felt like I had to write Aria and Alison’s first proper meeting in order to get to the Monaria stuff so there’s some Aria/Alison vibes in it as well. Here’s an excerpt of that:

“…when Alison had sidled up to her locker, a wicked grin on her face. Aria had immediately felt she would be the subject of the queen bee’s brutal tongue. After all, with her pink and black streaked hair and penchant for wearing necklaces made of plastic ice cream spoons and turkish eye beads, Aria’s style wasn’t exactly conventional. She liked the way she dressed, and her mother had always told her that she should always strive to look on the outside the way she did within. To be an open book. Authenticity was valued above all within the Montgomery household, and Aria was as proud to be a Montgomery as she would’ve been to be from a prestigious family like the Hastings or the Dilaurentis’.

So, she tilted her chin up and shifted her posture to look relaxed, while also seeming strong. She told herself she did not care what Alison Dilaurentis thought.

 “Hey Ali.” she said. 

Alison’s eyes were as blue as those of a doll Byron had bought her for Christmas. 

“Isn’t she pretty?” he’d asked, a hand stroking out her long blonde hair for Aria to see. “Be careful with her. She’s more breakable than she appears.” 

“Hey Aria,” said Alison. “I love your outfit.” Aria wore a zebra print knee-length skirt with a couple of red feathers sewn into the waistline like a belt. Below her skirt she wore pink high top-boots, and above it she wore a magenta sweater unbuttoned over a yellow peasant top with darker pink embroidered birds on it.”

oh and working title is after a Mazzy Star song

(Send me a title of a WIP and I’ll tell you something about it and/or share an excerpt)

[ofpineapplesanddawns]

You haven’t asked for a prompt, but here’s one that just occurred to me:

Peter Vincent x Lucian at a pride parade 🏳️‍⚧️ 🏳️‍🌈

Ah, forgive the lateness for this, didn't even realize I had something in my inbox, been on my phone most of the past few days.

As is typical with most of my aus for this ship, Peter is a trans man, and he and Lucian are bi.

On with the fic!

--

"I know crowds aren't your thing, but come on! This is fun!" Peter grinned, gripping Lucian's hand. "You don't have to, ya know, be all out and proud like some of us, but join in!"

Lucian made a noise in his throat, looking around at all the people in the street. Many were dressed for the occasion, wearing their colors for their sexualities, genders, and identities in all manner of ways. From bracelets to flag capes, to shirts and hats and shoes, and pins, and all other manner of wearable things. It was more color than Lucian was used to, and he had lived through the seventies and eighties of the 20th century.

Still, Peter invited him to Pride here in Las Vegas, and he agreed to go.

Though he had opted out of dressing for the event, preferring to keep to his more casual wear (mainly forgoing his jacket), while Peter wore his typical goth-y attire, but with a lot more color to it.

Mostly pink, purple, and blue, which was the bi flag, as Peter stated. Where he found a fishnet top in those colors, Lucian had no clue, but it seemed to show off his top surgery scars in a way that Peter liked, so Lucian just accepted that this was his attire for the day.

"Crowds make me nervous." Lucian commented. "You know this."

"These are our people, in the queer sense, not the... monster sense, we're not going to be in danger with them about. Don't lycans have pride?"

"We have pride, in the sense of honor and respect for our people, but if you mean are there queer lycans, yes, there are. Many of my people chose to become lycans to escape the hatred humans placed upon them for their identities." Lucian replied. Then added, "Also, you know I am not opposed to dating different genders."

"Right, right." Peter nodded before looking at things at the booths lining the streets, where vendors were selling flags, stickers, pins, all sorts of things. "Should get you somethin'."

"I do not need anything. I'm comfortable keeping things to myself."

"Yeeeeaaaahhhh, but come on, humor me." Peter snorted as he picked up a charm of a heart and a rooster, snickering at it, before grabbing at a beaded necklace in multiple colors.

Lucian sighed. "Fine, I shall humor you. But please pick something fitting of my tastes, no weird shit. Or dog things." He said, watching as someone walked by in a strange, leather mask that looked a bit like a dog. Or was it a horse?

"Right, got it." Peter muttered as Lucian looked at the humans milling about. How strange that times have changed since his younger years, when humans were so aggressive about any of this sort of pride of self.

It was a nice change, humans were learning, that's something.

Though Lucian did have to wonder about some of the ways of expression, seemed a bit annoying to others to be blowing a cheap, plastic horn covered in rainbow stickers in people's faces. He glowered at the man as he approached with it, and the man quickly moved away.

"Alright, got ya somethin'." Peter said, distracting Lucian from the crowds.

In his lover's hand was a simple bracelet, looked like leather, stained in the bisexual colors. "Does this work for you?" Peter asked, holding it out.

"Yes, that is perfect." Lucian nodded, it looked nice, very well crafted. He held out his wrist and Peter put it on him with a grin. From what Lucian could see, Peter had bought himself a number of pins that had some rather lewd things written on them, and a few metal bracelets along with his own leather one to match.

"Fuck yeah, there we go, all bi and proud or whatever. Come on, the vendor said there's one of those cool mobile bar things driving down the streets, let's get on it."

Lucian rolled his eyes, of course, and he took Peter's hand, letting himself be dragged through the sea of excited, prideful humans.

--

I've never been to an actual Pride event that wasn't being held at a con, but from what I've seen of stories and videos, you can find some cool stuff from vendors at them. And lots, and lots of colors.

[lailajewelry]

Exploring Different Types of Silver Plated Ornaments

Handmade jewelry is a beautiful expression of artistry and craftsmanship. However, ensuring you get the best quality pieces from handmade jewelry websites can sometimes be challenging. Here are some key tips to help you spot high-quality handmade jewelry.

When browsing handmade jewelry websites, take a close look at the craftsmanship. High-quality handmade jewelry will have clean lines, smooth edges, and no visible glue or rough spots. The detailing should be precise, whether it’s in the setting of stones or the engraving on metal. Quality handmade jewelry is made from high-grade material. Handmade jewelry websites should provide information about the materials used, such as sterling silver, gold, gemstones, or beads. Avoid pieces that use low-quality metals or plastic components, as they can degrade over time. Credible handmade jewelry websites often feature detailed profiles of their artisans. This information can provide insight into the skills and experience of the person who crafted the jewelry. Skilled artisans typically produce higher-quality pieces.

The design of handmade jewelry should be both aesthetically pleasing and functional. When browsing handmade jewelry websites, look for unique designs that show creativity and attention to detail. Quality processes often have a balanced design that considers both beauty and wearability. Customer reviews can be a goldmine of information when evaluating handmade jewelry websites. Look for feedback on the quality of the jeweler, customer service, and the overall shopping experience. Positive reviews from previous customers can be a good indicator of a trustworthy site. Many handmade jewelry websites offer insights into their making process. Knowing whether the jewelry is made by easing traditional techniques, the time invested in each piece, and the care taken during production can help assess quality.

Quality handmade jewelry often comes with certification or hallmarks that guarantee the authenticity of the materials used. Handmade jewelry websites should provide this information clearly, ensuring that you are purchasing genuine products. While handmade jewelry can range widely in price, extremely low prices can be a red flag. Quality materials and skilled craftsmanship come at a cost. Handmade jewelry websites that offer significantly cheaper products might compromise on quality. Trustworthy handmade jewelry websites usually have a clear return policy. 

This policy shows that the seller stands behind their product and is willing to address any quality issues that may arise. Make sure you understand the return policy before making a purchase. Many high-quality handmade jewelry websites offer customization options. This allows you to create pieces that perfectly fit your style and needs. The ability to customize can also be a sign of a skilled artisan who is confident in their craft. On the other hand, silver-plated jewelry has become a popular choice for many fashion enthusiasts. It offers the elegance and charm of silver at a fraction of the cost. Let’s explore different types of silver-plated jewelry available and what makes each type unique.

Necklaces: Silver-plated necklaces are totally the go-to for a lot of people's jewelry stashes. They come in all sorts of styles, from dainty chains to those big, show-offy ones that make a real statement. The best part is, you can rock them with anything you're wearing. And because they're not super expensive, you can grab a bunch of them for different occasions.

Bracelets: Bracelets are another hit in the silver-plated jewelry department. You can go for slinky bangles or those charming bracelets with all the cute dangly bits. There's seriously a silver-plated bracelet for everyone and every look. Whether you wanna keep it simple or go all out with a bunch of them stacked up, they're a cool way to accessorize without breaking the bank.

Earrings: These little silver-plated gems come in so many shapes, like studs, hoops, or those fancy drop earrings. What's great about them is that they can be super simple and still look fancy. They're a must-have in any silver-plated jewelry collection, and with silver-plated options, you can stay on trend without spending a fortune.

Rings: Let's talk about rings, shall we? They're like the OG of jewelry, and silver-plated rings are the way to go if you want that silver look without the crazy price tag. You can get them in all sorts of designs, from plain bands to ones decked out with sparkly gems. 

Charms: Oh, charms! These tiny silver-plated jewelry are the bomb for making your jewelry your own. You can pop them on bracelets, necklaces, or even anklets if that's your jam. With so many shapes and designs to pick from, you can create some seriously cool and meaningful jewelry combos.

Silver-plated jewelry is like the Swiss Army knife of bling. You've got necklaces, rings, earrings, and even some cool hair and body stuff. And the best part? It's not gonna empty your wallet. So, you can keep your collection fresh and full of different pieces to mix and match with whatever you're wearing. It's all about that versatility and flair, you know? It's like having a wardrobe of jewelry that goes with everything.

[unicorndollwitch]

My first ever ball jointer doll came a couple of days ago. I forget what the name was originally but her name is now Madeline. She’s made from a cheap plastic (which explains the low price of £40). But she’s still really pretty, her main outfit (the one she’s wearing) is made from nice material but the extra outfits she came with are cheap disgusting plastic material it was horrid so I threw those in the bin. I’ve kept her accessories which include a hat, a tiara and sceptre set (kind of cheap plastic Sailor Moon wannabe vibe but not awful), a necklace and some earrings. I might not use any of them other than the hat but they seem ok and could be props for future dolls.

I kinda had a feeling with such a low price that the doll wouldn’t be as good quality. I might make some slight modifications like changing her lip colour. Her eyes close if you lay her down which is cool. I don’t think in confident enough to do a sleepy eye mod for my Blythe doll yet. Though I’m hoping to mod her pull string with some nice beads. I have a couple of other factory Blythes on the way. Hopefully by Monday they’ll be here.

[thecrackedbead]

PINK!!!, puke and shattered ice - A love story in retrospect

Two years ago

"Uhmmmmmmmm... Uhmmmmmmmm... Uhmmmmmmmm..."

Uhm... Just to be clear: The former was not an ancient Tibetan meditation exercise. You see, I had purchased some jewelry tools from Facebook Marketplace for $100. Quite a deal! The condition of purchasing those tools was I also take a two boxes of other jewelry stuff that the seller was trying to get rid of.

Opening these boxes revealed that my 'deal' was closer to highway robbery. I proceeded to drool over my findings, a massive treasure trove of beads, late into the night, only to stop around 3 AM lest I drown. This was the origin of The Hoard of Doom™.

However, there was a segment which, when I laid my eyes upon it, caused my saliva river to halt. It was plastic container full of beads but unlike the bulk of the hoard with the nice neat symmetrical shapes, these beads were *gag* chips with odd jarring angles which, when I looked at them for too long, made me feel like they were going to hop out of the box and jab my eyes.

----

---

I'm sure some of you are looking at the above contents, identifying the lovely unakite, labradorite, citrine, a number of colours of quartz and more and rolling your distinctly unjabbed eyes at me. There's clearly nice stuff there and, with it, I could make equally nice stuff. So why was I complaining?

Well, I looked at the cherry quartz and thought PINK!!! - the sort of pink which makes you think of tween girls and ultimately ends up with you being buried under unicorns, boy bands and bubblegum - not inherently bad but those weren't my style even when I was a tween girl. Additionally the various shades of green chips made me think of chunks of puke. The blue-dyed quartz didn't offend my colour sense. I also have a Thing about symmetry and order when it comes to the jewelry I wear and this comes out when I design. While I could just mimic someone else's design, using up he chips then sell the result, I have another Thing about making stuff that I myself don't like. So for the past year, every time I would be hunting through The Hoard of Doom™  looking for inspiration for something new, I'd stumble across the chips, try to come up with ideas on how to use them and thus: "Uhmmmmmmmm... Uhmmmmmmmm... Uhmmmmmmmm..." would ring through my apartment.

* Please note that cherry quartz isn't actually quartz but glass.

Inspiration

Since then, I have been a hop, skip and jump away from either selling, giving away or throwing away the chip beads. The first of these fell through as no one was interested in buying them, the second I never got around to and the third never happened as I hate wasting things.

This was a good thing. I've grown since then as a designer. I attribute this largely to due to working with things that drive me bats. It was the designing necklace 'A Reflection on Asymmetry' that ultimately proved the most helpful. It had used up some lumpy jasper beads (really labradorite as I later found out) which had put my symmetry-obsessed brain into a spiral. I ultimately positioned beads of relatively similar size and texture so they 'reflected' each other so to give the feeling of symmetry rather than the reality.

---

'A Reflection on Asymmetry'

---

One day, I was doing my regular bead sorting and the necklace popped into my mind and I wondered what if I implemented symmetry purely in colour? I had lovely creamy blue amazonite at hand and this wasn't so different in colour to the blue-dyed quartz chips.

'Shattered Glass' or learning to work with inconsistent beads

I find when implying symmetry, having a distinct line of symmetry between the two makes it work better. This wasn't necessary for a larger piece like 'Reflections on Asymmetry' as shape of the necklace did it for me. However, I was bent on a bracelet, and having the chips and the amazonite so close together, it wouldn't work so well. So I fished out some black, white and grey network agate beads out of The Hoard™ and used a pewter 1-to-3 connector links to hold them together and act as an attachment point for the clasp.'

Sounds easy? Design over. Yes and no. The idea was there but it required a bit of tinkering.

Firstly, the larger the beads, the more the strand connecting them shows. This is particularly problematic in cuboid beads. Now if you put considerably smaller beads in between them, this mitigates most of the problem. Secondly, nugget beads are inconsistent in size and I needed its strand to be as long as the other two. network agate strand. The quartz chips being quite thin weren't a problem as it was much easier to make their strand longer or short but the network agate were consistent in size; thus, I had to try different combinations of nuggets to get the strands to line up.

---

When working with items that go around something like a necklace or bracelet, cuboid sides, unlike spherical ones, press against each other exposing the wire or thread used to string them.

---

The result I absolutely loved, partially because I made something which I thought was beautiful but mainly because I had passed a mental hurdle to do so. Later on, I'd love them even more as it provided the basis for the next two bracelets that I will be mentioning.

--

'Shattered Ice'

---

'Sun upon moss' or no they don't look like puke

I later returned to try to replicate the previous success with an array of smokey quartz beads in place of the amazonite ones. As for what to take the place of the blue quartz chips, my eyes strayed to the array of yellow and green-shaded ones. Mixed together they'd make a brownish colour. Not exactly the mirror effect from before but akin to it.

First impressions can be difficult to fight and ones that are related to a certain substance being forcefully vacated are more so. , the array of green and yellow chips were hard to stomach. So, I decided to logic my association into submission.

So they look green and yellow? Plenty of things have those colours. Yellow is found in corn, sunshine and daisies. Green are found in the ocean and in grass and leaves and...

Eccentric!Me: Mold!

Sensible!Me: Uh, yes.

Eccentric!Me: Mold can be yellow too!

That...is true but I am trying to step away from such associations.

Eccentric!Me: Bacteria can be those colours too when you grow it in petri dish.

Sensible!Me: *sigh* True but I don't want ugly associations.

Eccentric!Me: But mold and bacteria can be pretty! *presents photos*

---

BacArt, created by Maria Peñil Cobo in the Berkmen laboratory. These things are alive by the way.

Fungi photographs by Alison Pollack

---

Sensible-but-also-somewhat-eccentric!Me: Ooooh! Yes, they can be.

Eccentric!Me: Toldya!

I had found pretty if, er, unconventional things to associate with those colours and help me over my road block. From here things when easy enough. I also took advantage of the brown and yellow shades in the beds to find a use for some of my gold-plated beads in the centre stand. If they remained gold, they'd match the rest of the bracelet and if they turned brown, they still would.

I made one more noteworthy decision with this bracelet. I went with 'moss' in its name instead of 'mold' or 'bacteria' despite them being inspiration. I want to attract potential customers opposed to sending them running. Sure, you readers know but you got past the word 'puke' in the title; I figure if that didn't scare you off, nothing will.

Eccentric!Me: Coward!

---

'Sun on moss' picture

---

'Copper and Cherries' or taking PINK!!! down to pink

At this point, I had become an old pro at this. For my cherry quartz chips, I didn't have any obvious choices as to what beads to use for their 'reflection'. Ultimately, I landed on just buying some cherry quartz beads.

This didn't solve the problem of the overblown pinkness. In fact, it made it worse. I tried pairing it with cooler shades of beads but all that did was take it from PINK!!! to PINK!!!!!! by contrasting them.

So I put the pink beads next to a number of different colours to 'audition' the combination and found that copper of all things went well with them. I am not sure as to why. Perhaps because both the copper and the cherry quartz have red in them and the copper is more sedate a colour than the quartz, the latter helps transition the former from tween land into the land of sanity? Maybe I'm reading to much into it.

Whatever. I made it. liked it. What more do I want?

---

'Copper and Cherries'

---

Success and sadness

I like to incorporate second-hand beads into my work. However even shopping new, I often cannot replace certain beads. This means that for some pieces like, I can only make a couple of them. It can be a frustrating finale to a design. Due to these bracelets, I am quickly burning through my chip beads and soon the problem will crop up. However, I take comfort that like 'Reflections' inspired 'Shattered Glass' and it inspired this bracelets, they too will live on in my later works.

Links to them on my Etsy:

'Copper and Cherries'

'Sun on Moss'

'Shattered Ice'

[9htfw]

Persona

His father was the one who said to him,

that he is like an overripe pear,

clinging to the branch that nurtured it with a desperate and sickening

sweetness. 

When the time is due he falls, splitting open on the pavement

to be kicked at by schoolboys 

and pointed at, flies picking at him as he lies there

lamenting his own 

stench.

He is a butterfly cased in resin

he laughs at those who come to praise his beauty

his colorful patterns, something to be admired in the eternal stillness

of a creature that hasn’t realised 

that opening his wings and flying away is 

no longer his destiny.

Stretch him out a bit further,

that necklace of beads and pearls on an elastic string

watching the plastic and the price grow further and further apart

hovering, quivering

I want to see if it’ll snap!

The tension builds, 

like a rotten infestation

mold and sap dripping down the sides

In the end, they slowly let him go, afraid of the welts that he will leave on their faces

if they wound him any tighter.

He wears bones and smiles like trophies,

while the cold coffee sitting on his desk, his one-day two-day three-day eyebags

are his sword and spear

His crystal cage, the bed of velvet and ice

condensation against the back of his see-through eyes

there is so much to fit inside him, 

and yet he cannot fill the space.

[gym-leader-nightshade]

for the Z-move asks... Shattered Psyche, Savage Spin-Out, and Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike?

Shattered Psyche - What is the worst take you've heard?

That "objectmons" aren't real Pokémons. Like. It's difficult to beat this take... I- I dunno. I heard a lot of shit but this one will always take the cake. But probs it's because I have a couple of 'em and I take that shit personally. IDK

Savage Spin-Out - Do your pokémon have any accessories?

Yeah! All the 'mons in the Gym are allowed to have accessories if they want to (ofc they don't have to hinder them while fighting or be risky for them to wear them during battles). Some examples are Gene the Obstagoon that likes to wear a studded collar and there's Cyanide that has a spiked bracelet on one of his waist spikes... oh and speaking of bracelets, his sister - Strychnine - she has a bunch of those bracelets with chunky plastic beads... and Jezabel, the Salazzle, she likes necklaces.

Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike - Have you ever gotten into a physical fight?

...yes. More than once. Especially back when I was a teen... now I consider myself a tad bit calmer.

[duysuyyyy]

Staple Jewelry Pieces Every Woman Should Own

Every woman needs a few jewelry box staples that can instantly transform an outfit from day to night, just like the LBD hanging in your closet. These timeless accessories, which range from pearls to diamonds, give each outfit a subtle elegance. We give a list of timeless jewelry for your daily or formal need as follows.

What is a Staple Jewelry?

Jewelry staples are the pieces that you should have in your jewelry box to create different looks with your jewelry. There are three types of jewelry staples: earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.

Earrings: They can be simple studs or dangling earrings for a more dramatic look. If you want to go for a more casual look, then try some hoop earrings. For an elegant look, try some dangling pearl earrings with a simple black dress or top.

Necklaces: The necklace is the most versatile piece of jewelry as it can be worn long or short depending on what outfit you're wearing. From chokers to long chains, there are so many options to choose from that will accentuate your outfit and personality.

Bracelets: Bracelets are perfect for stacking and layering with other pieces of jewelry. You can stack two or three thin bracelets on one arm or wear one bracelet on each arm.

Five Staple Jewelry You Should Own

Hoop Earring

Hoop earrings are not only a fashion accessory but also a style statement. They can make an outfit look more feminine and stylish.

Hoop earrings are one of the most popular types of earrings for both men and women. They have been around for centuries and have never lost their charm or popularity.

Cocktail Ring

The importance of a cocktail ring is often overlooked. A cocktail ring is typically a small, but eye-catching piece of jewelry that you wear on your middle or index finger. The style of the cocktail ring can vary depending on the occasion and what you are wearing. A cocktail ring is also known as a "fashion finger" because it is often worn as an accessory to an outfit. They are usually worn at formal events such as dinners, galas, or weddings and they can be seen in formal pictures taken at these events.

Pendant Necklaces

Pendant necklaces are a beautiful and elegant way to complete your outfit. They can be worn with anything, from a simple tee and jeans to an evening gown. There are many different pendant necklaces available today:

1) Gemstone Pendants: These necklaces are usually made of gemstones such as diamonds or rubies. They can be found in a variety of shapes such as round, oval, or pear shape. Gemstone pendants come in different weights too - from light and delicate to heavy and bold.

2) Diamond Pendants: Diamonds are one of the most common gemstones used for pendant necklaces because they have many colors such as brown, black, green, pink, red or yellow which make them perfect for important events.

Pearl Necklace

The appeal of wearing a pearl necklace is that it goes with everything and is appropriate for any occasion. Elegant pearl jewelry is always a good choice.

Smaller, more delicate pearl necklaces, including those in the 3mm size range or tiny rice pearl necklaces, are more popular and flattering on younger girls. These are great presents for goddaughters, bridesmaids, or any younger girl because they may be worn for the rest of her life and still look stylish. A pearl necklace worn subtly and discretely will never go out of style.

Bead Bracelet

A beaded bracelet is an item of jewelry usually consisting of several strands of small round beads strung together on a thread or thin cord. The beads may be made from various materials including glass, plastic, stone, or metal.

Bead bracelets have been around for a long time. They were used by Native Americans and early Christian missionaries to teach the aboriginals about their religion. In the middle of the 20th century, they became popular among hippies, who would tie beads together to make jewelry. Today, they are used as fashion accessories and are available in different colors, shapes, sizes, and materials.

If you're looking for elegant or cute jewelry for friends or family, we offer many great options here.

[elliebean714]

Friendship Bracelets

Alex Jones/Barry Milland x GN!Reader (Platonic)

Fluffy fluff fluff

Pt1

Summary~ You Two Make Friendship Bracelets together, Pretty Self Explanatory.

A/N~ This is bad cus I'm tired please don't read this💀I want nothing more than to have this sweet baby angel smile and be happy and safe forever. I just want this precious baby boy to have fun doing arts and crafts and playing with his car toys until the end of time. I just want him to be happy 😭

You had been Alex's assigned live in carer for around nine months now. He was extremely hesitant to get to know you at first, but slowly, over time, he began to trust you. You were always gentle and patient with him, making him feel safe and protected. You kept your voice calm and steady whenever you were around him, never made any sudden movements or touched him without warning. No-one had ever treated him with kindness before, for once, he felt like he had a friend.

You had always had a special talent for jewellery making. Frequently trying new techniques and experimenting with new materials and patterns, consistently wearing your favourite pieces. You always noticed Alex fixating on the necklaces, Rings and bracelets you wore. Every time you did, you'd see a curious look in his eye, like he wanted to learn your skills but didn't know how to ask. To help him feel included, you had a kid friendly jewellery set ready for him. His face brightened slightly as you showed him, helping you clear the coffee table to have more space to work with.

The jewellery set was placed in the middle of the wooden coffee table, Alex was on his knees, threading colourful plastic beads through a thin piece of string, tongue poking out, looking focused, you were working on your own bracelet, though not as intensely. Every so often you would throw Alex a glance to see if he needed help, most of the time, Alex was alright, working slowly and quietly on his masterpiece. Once you reached the middle of your bracelet, you looked at the cute charms that were included, small plastic rainbows, animals, hearts and other childish designs looked back at you.

Your eyes landed upon the purple and yellow BFF charms, a small smile gracing your face as you went to pick them up. Your movement attracted Alex's attention as he looked up to see what you were doing, you showed him the charms, explaining "These are charms that you can put on your bracelet, if you'd like, these ones say that we'll be best friends forever, but if you don't want those there's many more you can chose from." You offered, showcasing all the charms, "You can have more than one if you want." He gently picked up the purple BFF charm, a cute bunny charm, a rainbow charm and a glittery, golden star, mumbled a thank you, and began working again, adding the charms whenever he wanted. You carefully threaded the yellow BFF charm onto your bracelet and continued working on your piece.

Once you were both finished, you tested your fist to ensure you could comfortably get it on and off, it fit perfectly as you knew your wrist size well. You could see Alex trying to replicate your action but not knowing why or what he was looking for. You offered help, which he accepted, and warned him that you were going to touch him slightly, he nodded at your warning and prepared himself as you gently performed your wrist-and-fist test, it fit. Pulling the piece of jewellery off of him to carefully tie a knot between the beginning and end, tightening it so that it would have a very hard time becoming undone. "Now we'll be best friends?" He asks you softly, you nod and smile, tying your own knot so that you both had completed bracelets, "Forever." You smiled.

Once again I know this is bad, deal with it.

Pt2

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~Elliebean714

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