#well that's what you get when you set up your canvas for print and not web image display

[boxboysandotherwhump]

Mother of wishes

Hey you guys the results from the manga contest I participated in are finally out. I didn't even make it through the first round *laugh* but hey that means I can share my manga with you guys <3 Its a story for my goodness mother of wishes

so here: behold my failed creation.

[amourquinn]

RED LIPSTICK ; quinn hughes ( drabble )

pairing : boyfriend!quinn x fem!reader wc. 704

genre : fluff no warnings

summary : before leaving for a girls’ night out, you leave quinn covered in red lipstick kisses, promising there’s more to come when you return

the excitement of the girls’ night out was palpable, but there was something even more exciting happening right now.

you stood in front of your bathroom mirror, carefully applying your favorite shade of red lipstick. the soft swish of the brush against your lips was almost like a ritual, and you couldn’t help but smile as you thought of quinn, who was probably still absorbed in whatever book he was reading.

sure enough, as you peeked into the living room, there he was. quinn sat comfortably on the couch, legs stretched out, a book resting in his hands. his brows furrowed slightly in concentration, completely engrossed in the story. he didn’t even notice you watching him, which only made you more determined to grab his attention.

grinning mischievously, you padded over to him, heels clicking softly against the hardwood floor. quinn glanced up briefly as you approached, his eyes lighting up when he saw you. “hey,” he said softly, his lips curving into a small smile. “you look nice.”

“just nice?” you teased, leaning down to pluck the book from his hands. you glanced at the title briefly before setting it on the coffee table.

“i take it back. you look stunning,” he corrected, his eyes scanning your outfit appreciatively. “are you all ready for your night out?”

“almost,” you said with a playful lilt in your voice. “but i thought i’d stop by and spend a little time with my favorite person before i go.”

quinn tilted his head, curious but amused. “oh yeah? and what exactly does that mean?”

you didn’t answer with words. instead, you leaned down and planted a soft kiss on his forehead, leaving a perfect red lipstick mark behind. quinn blinked in surprise, his hand instinctively brushing the spot.

he let out a laugh, “really?”

“oh, you know i love it,” you teased, planting another kiss on his cheek. the deep red lipstick left another trace, a perfect match for your playful smile.

quinn’s expression softened, and before he could say anything, you kissed the tip of his nose, your lips leaving a bold print there too. “you’re so cute when you’re all messy like this,” you murmured, brushing your lips against his cheek once more.

he laughed, a soft blush spreading across his face, though you could see he was clearly enjoying the attention. “you’re impossible.”

“i know,” you said, kissing his chin, feeling the faint stubble beneath your lips. “but you’re too cute not to tease.”

he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you closer. “i’m going to look like a painting by the time you’re done with me.”

“well, i’d say you look like art already,” you teased, brushing your lips over his jawline and finally planting a soft kiss on his lips. “but this one’s my favorite.”

quinn smiled, his lips lingering on yours for a moment longer than expected. then he pulled back, his hands resting on your hips as he gazed at you with affection. “you’re really doing this before a night out, huh?”

“i’m not finished,” you said, stepping back with a mischievous grin. “i have a whole face to cover.”

“you’re really going to leave me like this?” he asked, gesturing to his face.

“of course,” you said with a proud smile. “i think it suits you.”

he groaned, leaning back against the couch dramatically. “at least tell me i get a break before you start on my other cheek.”

“maybe,” you said with a giggle, “but the night’s still young. i’ll have plenty of time to make you my canvas.”

quinn chuckled, clearly charmed by your playful spirit. “i’m a lucky guy.”

“i know you are,” you said with a wink, finally giving him one last kiss before heading toward the door. “but you’ll have to wait for more kisses until later.”

as you grabbed your coat and headed toward the door, you turned back to him, eyes sparkling. “and when i come back, you’ll be the first person i kiss.”

quinn smiled warmly. “i’ll be here, waiting. maybe i’ll even leave some space for more lipstick.”

you laughed, blowing him a kiss before stepping out the door, the sound of his chuckle following you down the hall.

© amourquinn

[beenbaanbuun]

j have to say i love the way u write jongho so badddd ALL OF UR POSTS R SO GRRFFGGGRGDGD

anyways while we’re here… what if 🧍pt 2 of 🧍the 🧍pool fic 🧍🧍

he was so cute there 🙁🙁 (AUUGHHHGHGHGHVC) if not tho i would like to request more awkward/loser jongho he is real and has my whole heart 😞😞

thank u for writing in general tho u eat tf up everytime

okay so i am planning a part 2 to the pool fic!!!! but it’s not written yet… BUT!!!!!!!!! here is more awkward jongho for your viewing pleasure :D

(also those photos of him… your honour i love him. he’s so silly 😓)

words - 1.7k

genre - suggestive/nsfw

warnings - loser!jongho, jongho is thinking thoughts about the reader, slight dom!reader/sub!jongho, teasing, reader calls jongho good boy…, public touching off peen but also no one can tell, i think that’s it??

——————————————————————————-

if jongho were an artist then you would be his muse. right in this moment, he can find a million things he would love to replicate in oils. everything from the way your delicately painted fingernails pick at a ball of lint on your skirt to the print of lipgloss left on the half-empty coffee mug deserves to be immortalised on canvas. the fact that it's only the first date should make him feel insane, but all he can think is that perhaps if things progress between the both of you, he'll be able to find a million more things to admire.

"i like your shirt," you smile, the world immediately seeming brighter as you do. he smiles back, although it feels a bit forced. not because he doesn't want to smile back--god, just sitting here and looking at you makes him want to do nothing *but* smile--but because he feels he can do nothing but sit and stare in awe, slack jawed and eyes wide. "i haven't seen you wear that one in class before.”

that sets his face on fire, painting his cheeks a pretty shade of pink. you notice him in lectures? not just that but you notice what he wears? he casts an eye down towards the shirt that's slung loosely over his plain black t-shirt. he'd figured it was far too formal just to wear to class but if you like it... well, maybe dressing up a little more wouldn't be too much of an issue. when he looks back up, he immediately forgets what the shirt looks like, his brain flooded once more with the image of you.

"thank you… i like your shirt too," he repeats your compliment back to you, unsure of what else he should say. of course, theres so many things more that he likes than just the flimsy piece of fabric that adorns your top half, but despite the poems and soliloqies hes writing in his head, its hard to get the words out. he settles for your shirt; its easy to compliment you on that when the words have already been said by you.

"youve seen it before, though," you giggle, and his heart does a little dance in his chest. if only everything could sound as sweet as you. if he could hear you every day for the rest of his life, hes sure thered be nothing to be miserable about ever again. you bite your lower lip to stifle the sound, and he can’t quite work out how he feels about that. he wants to hear you more, but just the sight of your teeth sinking into that pink fleshy pillow is enough to make his heart trip and stumble down several flights of stairs.

holy fuck.

of course, he’s spent hours studying your face before now, sitting in lectures picking out each feature and coming up with a million and one reasons as to why he adores them. your lips are something he’s already committed to memory, the colour, the shape, the way they look wrapped around the neck of the water bottle you bring to every lecture. this is the first time he’s seen them in this light though. up close, being tugged upon by your teeth in such a manner that he can’t help but let his mind wander to some less than savoury places.

he swallows down the saliva that had begun to gather upon his tongue; he’s a gentleman and these thoughts really shouldn’t be in the forefront of his mind right now. he shouldn’t be wondering how you look on top of him, hips swaying back and forth with your lip tucked away to stifle your moans. he tries to pull his eyes away to stifle his overactive imagination, but when they land on your thighs instead, he gives up. he’s a gentleman, he can have a normal conversation while his mind runs wild with the fantasies of what he’d do to you if you were in his bed.

“it’s still a pretty shirt,” his voice is quiet, yet it still somehow manages to crack. it’s humiliating, of course it is, but it’s made even worse when the pretty sound of your laughter starts up again. it still sounds like wind chimes on an autumn day, but this time he can feel the bitter breeze that rings them nipping at his skin. he doesn’t blame you for laughing at him; he would too. in fact, he probably would’ve laughed the second he asked you out on this date if he were in your shoes. why would someone as perfect as you even bother to look at someone like him?

he’s half expecting some cruel jest from you. a little joke you make at his expense just to make yourself feel better about this weird guy you’ve found yourself on a date with. he can take it, he tells himself; it’s what he assumed would happen anyway.

but instead he hears the scrape of a mug being pushed across the table, your mouth silent except for the biting giggles that still flow freely from it. he looks up to your face once more only to see anything but the animosity he was expecting. a kind toothy grin paired with your wide eyes that he fell in love with the very first time he spotted you. you look kind, not at all like the image he’d been painting in his head. it’s a relief and the invisible noose that had been slowly tightening around his neck loosens. he can breathe again, knowing that nothing has changed from when he first set foot in the cafe, despite his body’s attempt to sabotage him.

“here,” your voice is warm, just like it always is. if your laughter is a wind chime on a cool autumn day, then your voice is most certainly the crackling fire that awaits him inside. “you finished your drink but it sounds like you need another. you can have mine, i’ll go and grab anotherfor myself.”

you begin to lift yourself from your chair, and before he even realises what he’s doing a demanding, “no,” comes from jongho. you pause, eyes flickering over to him in question. he shakes his head, more at himself than to you, yet you seem to respond, sitting yourself back down on the seat without little complaint. so obedient, he notices, although the thought is quickly pushed away by the shame he still feels. he takes a sip of your drink to soothe his throat. “i’ll get you one in a moment,” he forces his words out, “i’ve taken yours, i’m not going to make you buy a new one for yourself.”

“i don’t mind,” you say softly as jongho takes another sip, “you can just buy me something on our next date!”

and just like that, jongho’s mind just… stops. he forgets what it means to breathe, the oxygen hitching in his throat as he inhaled through his nose. the liquid his mouth refuses to slide down his neck with ease, catching right at the entrance to his throat and making him cough. he splutters, the rest of the coffee expelling itself from his mouth and flying all over his own lap. “shit,” he murmurs, hands flying into action to clean himself up, only for more coffee to slosh ungracefully over the side of the cup, “fucking hell!”

“jongho!” he can't even blink before you’re there at his side, kneeling on the cold wood floor of the cafe with a napkin in hand. it’s like you’re not even thinking when you begin to dab at his stomach with the cloth, touching his tummy so gently that it sends tingles up and down his spine. his hands fly immediately to the arms of his chair and he clings onto them for dear life.

it’s worse when your hand travels a little further south, grazing the waistband of his jeans. he squeezes his eyes shut as you pat the damp material, not sparing a single second to consider what having your hand so close to his cock might be doing to his sanity. he can feel it stirring, his underwear becoming tighter and tighter with each passing second. there’s nothing he can do about it other than hope you don’t notice—

“oh,” your hand falls limp against his thigh as your gaze locks onto the quite obvious bulge that he’s sporting. of course he is, what else would you expect when you sit there rubbing at his almost-crotch? sure, you were just trying to be helpful but now jongho is hard and it’s not like he could exactly help it.

he watches you intently as your gaze shifts to his face, looking even more beautiful from this close up. you’re mere inches away; if he were to just bend down a little, he could snag your lips in a kiss. he so badly wants to, however, he can’t imagine it would help his case at all.

“you’re hard,” you whisper to him.

he nods.

“i am,” he doesn’t know what else to say. you caught him and that’s that. what, is he supposed to deny it? how can he when your hand lays just ever-so-slightly left of the evidence.

“is it my fault?” the corner of your mouth twitches into a sly smirk, letting jongho know that you already know the answer. nevertheless, he nods, gulping down the lump that’s beginning to form in his throat. “sorry, i didn’t quite hear that.”

“yes,” he hisses out through gritted teeth, “it’s your fault.” you smile at him, beautiful and dangerous.

“so i guess that means i should fix it, right?” you hand shifts the tiniest bit, catching the edge of his erection with your finger tip. he winces, body twitching in reaction to your cruel maneuver. for someone so sweet, it seems you have a bit of a mean streak. jongho can hardly complain; you look hot sitting by his feet as you tease him. damn his shyness, honestly. if it wasn’t for that, he’d love nothing more than to show you who’s in charge. for now, though, he guesses he can let you have your fun.

“please,” he sighs as you apply a little more pressure to his bulge. to anyone else, it might just look like you’re an overly attentive girlfriend dabbing at the spilt coffee; to jongho you look like the picture of filth.

“good boy,” you whisper to him, and despite jongho’s own preference for dominance, he has to admit that those words sound so pretty coming from you. a shiver makes its way up his spine. “meet me in the bathroom in 5.”

[dilfl0v3rss]

NAH CUZ THIS ONE CAME OUTTA NOWHERE BUT-

painter!Onyankopon 🧐🧐🧐🧐wat do we thinkkkkkkkk

who wanna paint his pretty lil girlfriend up as a bday gift but thingz start escalating-

you ATEEEEE

“you done?” you asked excitedly as you laid naked on the bed. ony sitting in front of you with a chair and painting set while he gave you a petty eye roll. “mama you only been sitting here for ten minutes. what you think?” he sighed, pencil in hand as he sketched your pretty body onto his cavas. your boyfriend was a very talented and well known artist. he’s had his work shown in many different art museums around the world and you couldn’t be any prouder of him.

people have paid unbelievable prices for his beautiful paintings and even more for customs. you’ve been with him through it all and even though you never said it, ony could always see how entranced you’d look when he’d bring you with him as his “assistant” and decided there was no better time to finally let you shine than your birthday.

“m’almost done wit the first part sexy. just need you to stay still f’me so i get get it done and start mixing my colors for your pretty skin ‘kay?” you nodded your head, apologizing for the movement as you sat as still as you could on your knees. back facing him as you kept your head to the side so he could get your side profile. another ten minutes when by and ony was finally done with the sketch. quietly pulling his paints out to mix them together for your beautiful complexion. “red? maybe lighter like orange? ma you know the color of your undertones?” he asked, while holding up the red and orange paint bottles.

you turned your head a little more so he could see your face, quizzical look already telling him everything he needed to know. “can you put on some music tho? if ima be sitting here like this, i wanna at least have sum playing” ony nodded his head before opening your phone and going to the first playlist he saw, but you already know what he chose when poison by brent faiyaz began to play through the speaker on the bed. the sex playlist.

you didn’t mind it though, humming along to the music as ony continued to work behind his large canvas.

as your music played it was suddenly getting harder for your man to focus. hands beginning to sweat at just the slightest glance of your oiled back. ‘wonder if she oiled the front of her body too’ dirty thoughts clouded ony’s brain as he watched you mindlessly move your hips to the music. “stay still mama. you making this hard f’me” he mumbled as he eyed your neck, then your beautiful shoulders down to your smooth back, stopping at the sight of your beautifully brown ass.

before he knew it, ony was slowly walking up behind you. lightly pushing your back down before rubbing with the swell of your ass. “you changed your mind againnn? now how long is it gon take for you to sketch thissss?” you whined, not thinking anything of his actions until you felt his print brush against your bare pussy. “you so pretty mama” his hands rubbed all over your back, letting the oil spread to his fingers and clothes as he leaned down to kiss from your back to your neck. “wanna put my dick in you, jus the tip ‘cause i still got work t’do”

you nodded your head, already in a lust filled daze as you felt him continue to rub against you with his clothed dick. ony lifted you off the bed slightly by the front of your neck. “can i mama? you gon let me make you feel good?” his whispers went straight to your core. legs already growing weak as you moaned out a weak “yes”. with that ony lightly bent you back over, freeing his dick from his sweats before lining up with your wet entrance.

“j-just the tip right?” your voice was small as you looked back at him. a small smirk made its way to his face as he watched your pretty face contort, dick sinking deep into you before he started thrusting at a steady pace. “you know better than to be believing shit like that ma. pussy too good for me to only let my tip fuck” ony chuckled as he listened to you whine into the sheets. hips already moving hungrily so you can fuck him back.

“seems like you agree wit me, don’t you baby? pussy so fucking wet” his pace quickened, making your moans become louder and more frequent as you reached your arm back. not for him to stop, but for him to hold to keep you grounded while he pounded away at your pretty pussy. “feel so good daddyyy…fuck go harder” ony smiled at the action, eagerly holding your hand in his while he started fucking into you deeper.

the both of your voices harmonized with each other as you continued to fuck each other the way you liked. bodies working together so both of you can reach the orgasms you’ve been wanting since you laid your naked body on the bed. “you so fucking sexy mama. got the most beautiful body i swear” his inked hands ran all over your back, thighs and neck. massaging you as he gave you words of love. “no painting can ever be enough to portray how beautiful you are baby. so glad you mine.”

his dick curved just right, hitting all the places you needed to make you a blabbering mess below him. “l-love you so much…so much daddy. happy t’be yours….yours forever” ony couldn’t help but smile as he listened to you run your pretty mouth. your walls sucking him in as you spoke, like the fact that you were saying you were his turned you on even more. “love you more, h-happy..fuck…happy birthday princess. sorry i can’t finish your painting.”

your body was getting to him. strong arm pushing your back down as he squeezed your hand a little tighter. “want you to fill me up daddy” you moaned, the feeling of his dick twitching already telling you that he was going to cum. ony’s brown eyes rolled to the back of his head, hips pistonning into you even harder as he felt his release on the tip of his tongue.

“gotta show you how much i love you right now”

[carmenberzattosgf]

https://everymarket.com/products/love-is-art-canvas-and-paint-kit-abstract-art-through-intimacy-8-piece-set-liablack?variant_id=970190&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5jFKQRyCRyIBuJ8jtm0mbR3mLaMP0-wIuefm36P38BkerdpoAdGKGAaAm-cEALw_wcB

I don’t know if the link works but this is something I feel like you could convince Carmy to try with you!

I’m so sorry my dear that this has been rotting for so long!

But oh my GOSH Carmen would love to do one of these. Dare I say he would bring it up? You won’t have to convince him!

He in general loves art, as we got to see more in season two. He would be obsessed with the idea of you two covering each other in paint and then fucking on top of a canvas.

He’s proud, and I mean proud to hang it up in his living room afterwards. It’s so very abstract, with all the colors mixing together, so it’s not like anyone could tell what it truly is. The only body part that can be recognized on the canvas are vague shapes of finger prints.

I’m thinking about him inviting Marcus, or literally anyone from the restaurant over to his place to work on some recipes. The canvas takes up quite a bit of the wall, so it stands out.

“That a new painting Carmy? I don’t remember seeing it last time I was here,” Marcus asks,

“Oh yeah! I just put it up last week. It’s abstract but I think it fits the wall pretty well.” Carmy talks about the painting nonchalantly. He has a damn good poker face.

“You get it from an art gallery or something? You’ve mentioned going to those, recently.”

“Dude, you think I got the money to buy something from an art gallery? Nah, my girl and I painted it—“ This time, Carmy can’t help the chuckle that escapes from his mouth. “Was some kind of date night idea she saw online. Finger painting, I guess. Who knew?”

Please the smirk on Carmy’s face would be so fucking wide I can’t. This smug motherfucker is telling you all about it when you get home.

“So Marcus asked about the painting. He thought it was pretty cool.”

“Carmen Anthony Berzatto, I swear to GOD if you told Marcus—“

“Hey, hey, hey relax. I didn’t say a thing about it. I uh—“ He breaks out into a laugh mid-sentence at the mad look on your face. “I told him finger painting?”

“CARMY—“

[cant-shake-it]

How to Make a Printing Screen from Home

I wanted to share a quick cute little tutorial for how I made my own screen for making patches (and other things that don't require exact measurements). Cute lil how-to under the cut >:)

Disclaimer: I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing at any given moment. There could be a better tutorial out there for you. I'm just guessing for a lot of the things I do and this is no exception. With that out of the way:

THE SUPPLIES YOU DEFINITELY ABSOLUTELY NEED:

a small/medium canvas (depending on what you have and how big your design will be)

paintbrushes

a tight-woven sheer fabric (preferably not stretchy and STRONG)

a fine-tip pen

water-resistant gloss of some kind (mod podge works, but make sure it's a waterproof kind if you want to make more than one print)

paint that won't come off in the wash (acrylic/spray paint work)

good strong tape

a good sturdy card-like thingy

an easy/cool design for your print :)

THE SUPPLIES THAT ARE RECCOMENDED BUT NOT NECESSARY (aka things I like to use):

a good canvas fabric/thick cotton for printing on

fabric paint (will stay on the fabric best duh)

a 1/2in, 1/3in, and fine tip paintbrush for details (depending on your design)

some company for fun :)

Alright, so first you'll want to figure out the design you want to print out and get a good sketch over it. I'm a detail freak so I like sketching out my design then going over it in a black pen. The ideal is hard contrast and clear and discernable lines/fill-in spots, like pictured below:

(Note how I emphasized which spots were to have thicker lines, which parts of the stripes were to be printed, etc. I tried to think a lot about which portions I wanted to show up on the finished design and how they would look on the fabric as a whole.)

So you've got your design. Great! Next step is a fun one: Grab a canvas you are willing to part with (this one was a painting I made when I was 16. I hate it), and rip all the fabric off of that fucker!! If you pull off some staples in the process, don't worry. Just make sure you can retain the shape of the frame, since that's the part you'll need to keep. You don't need to take off every single bit of the fabric, but as previously stated, I'm a freak, so I did. You'll come out with something like this:

For the next steps you'll need a good pair of scissors as well as your pen and your sheer fabric. You're going to want to set the frame on your fabric and cut about an inch and a half around it so there's extra to wrap around the frame and tape down. You can draw a guideline for where to cut if you want, but once again, I'm a freak:

Now lay the front of the canvas frame (the part without staples on it) face down on the fabric and grab your tape! Now we're going to tape down each end of the frame so the sheer lays taut on the frame. I like to put one or two strips of tape on the ends parallel to each other and pull them tight, then do the same with the other side, then continue adding tape until the whole outside of the frame is covered. See below:

(Note: your goal in this step is to stretch the sheer as tight as it can comfortably go so there are no wrinkles or depressions in the fabric.)

So now you have you're frame. Fuck yes!!! Go ahead and grab the design you came up with as well as your pen (you can use a pencil too, but the pen shows up much better through the fabric so I definitely prefer it), and put the frame front side down onto the sketch.

If you're worried about keeping the frame steady, feel free to tape the frame down and go ahead and trace over the design with your pen. Make sure to fill in all the dark parts enough that you can differentiate them from the light parts.

Once you have your sketch copied to the frame, now you can grab your gloss!!! Hurry!!! You're almost done!!!!

With this step I like to start big and go into the details once all the larger portions of the sheer are covered. Pretty much you're going to paint over every part that isn't the black of the pen with your waterproof gloss. This ensures that once you start printing, the only parts that are going to bleed through the fabric will be the black parts that weren't painted over with gloss/varnish/mod podge/whatever you used as long as it's waterproof!!! Take all the time you need, it's not a race. Once you're done and the gloss has dried, your screen is going to look something like this when put up to a light:

Now that this step is over with, congratulations - you have just made a mesh screen!!! Keep reading to learn how to use it lol

So for the patches that I make I just went with black and white paint, and black and white fabric to keep it traditional, but you can use any colors of paint and fabric you want, truly! The world is your oyster! I do not care! That being said, we're keeping it simple today.

Grab your screen, a piece of fabric that can cover the design and leave at least an inch of space around it, and a surface you won't mid getting paint on on accident. You'll also want to grab that card-like thingy for this as well. It can really be anything that can provide a sturdy, even pressure across the screen consistently. Go ahead and pick up that fabric paint too, I guess. We'll probably need that.

At this point, this is what your workspace might look like:

Next up you are going to center your design onto your piece of fabric-

-and grab your fabric paint. put a thin little stripe over the top (start slow and add more - as you can see I added a little too much and kinda fucked up my design) then grab your card thingy. Make sure you have even pressure on it and swipe it down at a medium speed so you're dragging the paint down the screen:

Once you've got everything covered I like to go over it a few more times for even coverage. Then you pull it up from the screen (which you might want to rinse off so no paint sticks to it!!!), wait for that bitch to dry, and you're done!! Congratulations, you have your very own fun silly patch! Go sew it on something! Or not! I do really do not care!!!!!!

[ken-dom]

Keyboard Caress

Steven Wingdings solo fic - part 2 of Keyboard Smash

1.5k words

∘₊✧ Summary: Steven has made peace with the font of his nightmares. Peace turns nightmares into dreams and dreams open him up to a few... other feelings.

∘₊✧ Author’s notes: sigh... I'm weak for long hair and I'm weak for Steven so it was only a matter of time. I've toyed with posting this for too long so, take it. My bestie and partner in crime @heresthestorymorningglory kept me going as always - you have her to thank for pretty much everything I post!

∘₊✧ Warnings/content: nsfw, dirty talk and praise, font kink, masturbation, keyboard fondling and use of tongue?? keyboard fucking? look, he's horny for a font idk what else to tell you

∘₊✧─────────────────────✧₊∘

Steven’s fingers had always been elegant, ghosting over his keyboard with delicate precision, or wrapping around his pen with a firm, caressing grip. His penmanship was second to none, delicate handwriting that could inspire romance or fear or anger with just a simple flick of the wrist.

He was proud of his handwriting; arrogant at times. He slept easily safe in the knowledge that he’d never inflicted careless, ugly scrawl on a single living soul. 

The thing that kept him up at night, though? Fonts and their usage.

Steven’s font choice, as I’m sure you’d expect, was also second to none, and in recent times, there had been a brand new addition to his favourites. It was an unexpected twist to his collection, the choice of his arch nemesis, the cause of years of his torment, his undoing, his healing, his new love — Papyrus.

He’d been sleeping much more peacefully since his confrontation with said arch nemesis, Jacob Crone. The cathartic showdown in which Steven confronted Jacob about the font he couldn’t shake from the forefront of his consciousness had caused a strange inner peace to settle within him. 

Peace, along with an insatiable curiosity towards Papyrus that he never imagined possible. All thanks to Papyrus in bold.

The tables had turned.

And today, as a result of this newfound serenity, Steven had risen late, well rested and eager to explore his new outlook on fonts. 

However, there was a hint of impatience he couldn’t ignore, marring this new thrill. He hadn’t been able to concentrate on his late breakfast at all, leaving his almond croissant with but a single bite taken out of the corner when he finally heard the unmistakable, urgent knock at the door alerting him to the arrival of his delivery guy.

And now, Steven would not only be able to watch that newly delicious font springing to life before his very eyes on the enticing blank canvas of an untitled Word document, but he would also be able to feel it, sense it breathing, warm and willing beneath his very fingertips.

Mmh.

He bit his lip a little too hard as he carefully unwrapped his new toy from the small, discreet packaging, fingers tingling with anticipation. He interlaced his fingers to flex them, preparing to lay each small item out on the desk, allow his keyboard to get a feel for what was in store before-

‘Ohh-’

His own moan stopped this otherwise methodical process in its tracks. He was getting ahead of himself.

‘Relax, Steven,’ he whispered firmly, ‘one thing at a time. Remember your breathing techniques.’

With a roll of his shoulders and a stretch of his neck, he settled comfortably into his desk chair, slipped his eyes closed and forced his breathing steady. Only when he felt that familiar, temporary calm wash over him, signalling that he had regained control, did he allow himself to blink his eyes open and really look.

Before him were a set of brand new keycaps, clean and crisply printed. Custom printed.

Steven had found himself painfully hard a week ago when he had pressed the complete purchase button, knowing that he would soon have a brand new font for his keyboard to wear like sexy lingerie on an already alluring body, and his heart thudded in his chest.

The font in question?

Papyrus, of course.

And now they were here, all one hundred and four alphanumeric keys, waiting, virginal, for him to use them as they were intended to be used. 

Or not, quite… but he didn’t think it worth worrying about that too much.

In any event he was going to enjoy them, and that’s the point of it all really, isn’t it?

Lifting an unsteady, trembling hand, he traced a finger over the S cap, breath turning shaky, blood pumping loud in his ears. He retracted that hand as though he’d been fondling a pile of hot coles and his core clenched, the unbearable heat he felt in his fingertips travelling to pool like lava in his gut instead.

He removed his glasses in a single, well practised motion, readying himself to properly warm up his keyboard.

He laid his head on the desk, breath hot against the familiar black plastic, sweeping his long hair out of the way.

‘Hi, baby. Listen, I’ve got something for you and I need you to trust me, okay?’

A beat, and Steven chuckled, low and quiet, as though he’d received the answer he needed to hear.

‘I’ll be gentle,’ he whispered, carefully fondling the space above the arrow keys, ‘I promise.’

His fingers stroked across the middle row of keys, softly fingering the curve of each one by one, before prizing the first original away.

He’d never replaced his keys before, never deeming it quite as necessary as it suddenly seemed, so he’d watched plenty of video tutorials to prepare himself for this moment, ignoring the stirring it seemed to cause between his thighs.

‘Shhh,’ he soothed, picking up the corresponding keycap and placing it ever so gently into place, stroking it a little to settle it in, admiring it from just a few inches above.

‘Did that feel good?’ he coos, weak, ‘Oh, it looks incredible… ready for another?’

Adding the next few characters to the row, Steven paused, pulling back to admire the obnoxiously, unusually, jarringly beautiful Papyrus decorating his trusty old keyboard.

‘How does it feel?’ he breathed, dipping his head as though he was going in, albeit cautiously, for a kiss. ‘Do you like it? Do you want more?’

Steven’s cock twitched in his pants, but he ignored it. If he was going to get hard again, so be it, but he needed to see the whole thing first. Needed to type on it with his very own fingers, feel it in action, prickling against his flesh.

His chest was heaving by the time he finished replacing the keys, breath ragged, fogging the plastic. His cock was straining in his pants too, growing harder to ignore with each thick drop of precum staining the soaked fabric.

Connecting the keyboard back to the computer, with a shaking hand, he reached for the mouse and opened up a Word document, clicked on the fonts menu, scrolled down to Papyrus and selected it.

His hand dropped from the mouse and slipped beneath the desk without so much as another thought. His free hand was left to type, to bring the font to life in a way Helvetica could never, stirring whatever it was inside him that this blasted, incredible, humble front brought to life.

‘Oh, god… you’re beautiful,’ he moaned, stroking his cock lazily over his pants, trying so hard to take this slow. ‘Ohh, you make me so fucking hard…’

He couldn’t type coherently. Not with the way his mind was racing and clouding with pleasure at the same time, the way his cock was throbbing under the familiar warmth of his palm. He needed those new keys closer, needed to really feel them, hell, to taste them…

He slid down in his desk chair to unfasten his trousers, hastily shoving his hand inside his underwear and quickly wrapping his slender fingers around his thick shaft to pump a little faster. With a groan, he shifted again and dropped himself forward over the desk, mouthing at his keys, at Papyrus, and the result of his passion displayed brightly on the screen above them.

‘You taste… so good… mmmnn-’

He glanced up though eyelids heavy with arousal, witnessing the nonsensical stream of characters bashed out onto the document as he tongued desperately at the keys, free hand now gripping the base of the keyboard to keep it in place while his other hand stroked, slow but firm, just the way he liked it.

‘Papyrus-’ he whined, voice shaky, breaking as he went on, ‘you- look- s-so fucking- good in Papyrus-’

He stood on trembling legs, fist pumping faster for a moment as he shoved his trousers lower, before he let himself go and fucked against the keyboard. The keys were almost shar against his cock, but the sigh of his arousal dragging over that font…

Breathless and weak, a thick, hot rope erupted from his cock, splattering over his desk, some on the screen. A strangled howl tore from his throat as he gave in to the bliss, and when the last wave of pleasure subsided, Steven dropped back into the chair and sobbed, eyes quickly welling up, wetting the keys beneath him with teardrops that he tenderly stroked away with merciful fingertips.

‘You did so good,’ he whimpered, high pitched and cracked from crying, ‘so good for me…’

He got himself together quickly enough, tucking himself neatly back into his trousers and focusing on his breathing again as he scraped his hair back to fasten it loosely at the nape of his neck with the hair elastic he kept on his wrist.

He took hold of the mouse again, this time to save the document he and the keyboard had created as a result of their passion for later, typing softly into the Save As box, Papyrus - the way of Steven.docx

[srmedia]

after being given a few weeks to settle into their new living arrangements and start to get comfortable with one another, the real work will start to begin. the life of a trainee is not all fun and game after all; sooner or later the axe will fall and no one wants it to land on her own neck. but there are no axes today as sukyung lets herself into the project novus dorm early monday morning, just before all the girls begin to stir and start their day.

"project novus, please report to the living area!" she shouts, likely startling the lighter sleepers from their dreams. "wake up your roommates; if i don't see all of you out here in two minutes then you'll all receive a penalty!" she had appeared to be such a nervous, mousey woman in their first encounter. perhaps the aggressiveness of lee eunjeong has started to rub off on her, or perhaps she was this way all along.

sukyung still smiles and greets the girls warmly as they stumble into the shared living space in ones and twos as if feigning that she hadn't been responsible for the assault on their sleep. once they've all gathered, she clears her throat, and one by one asks them questions about their teammates until she's satisfied that they took the last assignment seriously. "i knew you'd do well," she beams, "we've been watching you all month, but we were pleasantly surprised how quickly you all opened up to one another. it's exactly what we like to see in our groups and eunjeong almost smiled when i reported the news back to her."

the woman smiles herself before continuing.

"it won't be all fun and games forever, but we do expect that you continue to get to know one another and bond. actually, before i leave here today and let you all get ready for training, i do have a request. i have paper and pens on the counter, please rank your fellow project group mates, not including yourself, from one to five; one being the girl who you believe will be the most helpful in a debut group, and five being the one who will be the least. don't think too hard about this, it's not our final decision. we just want to see how you evaluate one another at this stage in the project. oh, and please don't share your response with anyone else. i'll wait here by the door and you can hand your papers to me before you head out. please go see ms. lee after check-in, she would like to personally assign the next mission."

later, in lee eunjeong's office, the imposing woman perches herself against her desk, half-standing as she addresses the half-dozen girls fighting for a spot in her newest debut group.

"i need to get all of you in front of a camera." she sighs, as if all of this is one massive headache for her. "you're all pretty girls—you wouldn't be here if you weren't—but what i see in person and what shows up on film can sometimes be two different things. not all of you will have the it factor that shines even through a camera lens, and there's no way to figure out who has it without putting it to the test."

"i've arranged a small photoshoot to take place in this building for you. consider it like headshots, or a camera test. we'll be styling you for this shoot but don't expect anything too fancy. the test will be twofold," eunjeong holds up one finger, "how you conduct yourself in a professional manner at the photoshoot, how you interact with staff and each other, and how you respond to critique and feedback from the photographers. and two," she holds up another finger, "how the actual photos come out. your visuals are your first impression to the world, only a handful of people will be able to experience you in person at a debut showcase or music show stage. so try to impress me."

she hands each girl a printed schedule, showing how on april 26th, at 9:00am, all project novus girls are expected to report to a particular practice room where the photoshoot will be set up. the paper explains that they are to have clean faces with no makeup and be ready to be a blank canvas for the stylists before the actual pictures will start at 11:00am.

"don't think we're just throwing you to the wolves either," eunjeong informs the girls, "you'll be required to take a special modeling workshop once per week until the shoot. and, of course, anything you study on your own time will only help you."

with nothing left to discuss, she dismisses the girls from her office and back into their regular schedules.

welcome back project novus muns!

in keeping with the request made by sukyung, please submit to the sr media blog how your muse would rank her fellow project group members as described in the post above. you have until 8:59pm on april 9th to submit the ranking to the sr media blog. please title the post with your muse's name and "project novus ranking: 1". again, these rankings will not be used to create the final lineup but may be used for in-character prompting.

as for the next mission, the photoshoot will be a relatively simple setup; the set will be a light violet backdrop and the only props available will be a few large matching violet cubes that can be used as steps or seats as the photographer directs. each girl will have her makeup and hair done by a professional stylist. they'll be given an outfit to change into before going in front of the camera, each one at a time. then they'll be split into two groups and photographed together, then all six as a group. the shoot will end around 3:00pm. styling is roughly inspired by this photoshoot.

the groups for the unit shoots will be the following:

GROUP A:

@arabe

@jueunbe

@hannaxbe

GROUP B:

@benayoung

@eunaebe

@beyuji

as this month's mission demands the girls to take additional lessons, extra points will be rewarded in addition to regular trainee points for completing additional threads.

this event is for project novus members only, and will run until may 3rd at 11:59pm EST. any threads or solos posted after the deadline will not count toward points. please send in your points submission before this deadline.

please use the hashtag #sr:projectnovus2 for all posts relating to this event.

FOR + 10 AESTHETIC POINTS, please write a 250-word solo about the photoshoot, be it the styling and makeup process or the shoot itself.

FOR +3 MODELING SKILL POINTS & +5 ANCILLARY SKILLS, please complete a 4-post thread with another project novus member about the special workshop or practicing the skills learned together.

when you’ve completed the requirements, please sent the following form to our points submission blog:

SUBMISSION TITLE: MUSE NAME - PROJECT NOVUS: 2

solo: +10 aesthetic [ link to solo ]

thread 1: +3 modeling, +5 ancillary skills [ link to thread ]

thread: +3 modeling, +5 ancillary skills [ link to thread ]

[st-clements-steps]

So @salty-wench gave me a ship for every one of these so don’t blame me for what follows. Thanks @siriuslythatbitch for reading it through.

"I don't need you." - Dorcas/Marlene

TW - canonical death

Also break up, some kind of age difference, Mature, under 600 words.

Marlene packed a bag 17 hours after the discussion, the accusations and revelations and arguments had taken hours and then she had slept. And then she felt she couldn’t take another moment of this, so she packed. It wasn’t everything of hers, only the essential stuff.

It wasn’t the little waving cat Dorcas had bought her back from her diplomatic mission to China in ‘76. Dorcas had still been head of International Magical Co-operation and Marlene had just been a trainee auror who tried not to bite her lip when Dorcas looked at her. This isn’t appropriate, Dorcas had said, but I thought of you and your poisons and antidotes exam, it’s meant to be good luck. Her fingers had brushed the palm of Marlene’s hand.

She didn’t take the print of the dancing girl she had bought on Place Cachée when she was Dorcas’s personal Auror. This isn’t appropriate, Dorcas had said, as she pushed her against the brocade wallpaper of La Belle Licorne.

Nevermind, Marlene had smirked, undoing the endless silken buttons of Dorcas’ formal robes, dropping to kiss her collarbone, her sternum, her breasts, until she was on her knees, dipping from the kisses she had trailed across Dorcas’ belly, to put her mouth to Dorcas’ cunt.

Her hand hovered over the little onyx moon earring she had been wearing the day Dorcas resigned from the ministry, set alight her wizengamot medal in the atrium whilst the prophet had photographer snapped like his life depended on it. Dorcas had reached to kiss her after the reporters had left. Isn’t this inappropriate? Marlene had found herself mumbling. Dorcas had shaken her head, I think it’s perfectly appropriate, actually, she had said pulling her even closer, kissing her mouth not quite chastely. Marlene left the earring in the jewellery dish.

She wouldn’t take any of those little mementos of them, she decided. So she packed the plainest, most meaningless things.

Once she was done she stood there on the step, canvas bag on her shoulder, mouth set into something she was sure even Dorcas couldn’t read. “Not like this, we still need to talk, you still need to-“

Marlene interrupted her, “I don’t need you.”

She stepped back, apparated to her parents.

She walked through the garden slowly, the last of the hydrangeas were wilting. Her mother raised an eyebrow at her and said, “well I can make stovies, if you’d like.”

She had her wand laid out on her bed with all the other unpacked things, she didn’t reach it before the snap of them appearing, the great crash of them splitting through the house’s wards.

She didn’t go quietly. But there was no one left to tell that to Dorcas.

*

Dorcas read the three lines of copy in The Prophet, and handed the thing back to Alastor. “This isn’t,” her voice faltered, “it’s not even appropriate,” she managed.

Alastor put a hand on a shoulder, and kept it there until she managed to halt the tears for a moment and get up and offer him tea.

[crybabycinna]

Painting + Interesting Mornings

Sugar mama Lin Beifong x sugar baby reader

Summary: again mixing two chapters together so we can get on with the show of new content! To some of yall this is new but if you jump over to AO3 it’s not 🤣 and I’ve written so much while copying and pasting from one site to another like yall I’ve written over 60 parts 😭 also does anyone know how to make a master list thingy so I can put these all together properly for people that are new here idk how to do that I may be 22 but I have the mind of a toddler so break it down for me please 🥺 but anyways these chapters are about somethings that go down while you guys visit Su 💖

Lin and I were unpacking our clothes in Zafou. After we unpacked I went to go paint with Huan and everyone else. I brought Miyuki with me to go paint as well. “You have a cat!” Ikki shouted. “Yes, this is Miyuki say hello.” I told her. Miyuki meowed. “Can I pick her up?” Ikki asked. “Sure.” I said. Ikki picked up Miyuki and she nuzzled her. “She likes me!” Ikki shouted. I nodded. “I want a cat now.” Ikki said. “Can you handle your own cat?” I asked. “Probably.” Ikki said. I shook my head. Ikki put Miyuki down and we all sat down to paint. Miyuki got her own paint set and everything. Miyuki dipped her paws in paint and just walked around on her canvas. “Good job.” I told her. Miyuki meowed. I decided to paint Miyuki. She is my muse. My little baby.

“This is true talent I feel her joy with every paw print. True artistry.” Huan said to Miyuki. “She’s very talented.” I said. I kept watching Miyuki as I painted because I was trying to get her just right. I’m gonna have to hang our paintings in the house. When we finished painting I think I did pretty good. “Wow I like yours.” Ikki said. “Thank you, I did my best. I'm not an artist. Let me yours.” I said. Ikki dragged me over to her pretty sky bison painting. “Oh this is lovely.” I said. “Thank you. I’m a true artist.” Ikki said. “You are.” I said. “Let’s look at Miyuki’s” she dragged me over to Miyuki and we looked at her canvas.

Miyuki meowed. “You did very good princess.” I told her. “She’s an artist just like you.” Ikki said. “She takes after me a lot.” I said. Miyuki meowed. “Oh no. I have to give you a bath.” I said. “I can help you.” Ikki said. “Ok.” I said. I picked up Miyuki and made sure to not have her touch me. Ikki and I put Miyuki in the bath and washed her paws together. “I appreciate your help Ikki.” I said. “No problem.” Ikki said. Once we finished we dried Miyuki’s paw and then she ran to the door. “Where are you going?” I asked. She pawed at the door. “Miyuki.” I said.

I got up and went to open the door. Once the door was open she took off. “Girl where are you going?” I asked and followed behind her. She made her way outside and there was Su and Lin talking. “Oh you wanted to be with your daddy.” I said. Miyuki ran up to Lin and meowed at her. Lin looked down at her. “What?” Lin asked. She meowed again. Lin picked her up. “There, is this what you wanted?” Lin asked. Miyuki purred. “Such a daddy’s girl.” I said. “Daddy’s girl?” Su asked. I nodded. “Makes sense.” She said and laughed. “Oh hush.” Lin said.

When it was time for dinner Miyuki was allowed to sit at the table in her cute new dress. “Aww she looks so cute.” Asami said. “I know right.” I said. Miyuki meowed and spun around to show off her outfit. “Do you think you can make outfits for the baby sky bison’s?” Ikki asked. “Ikki we don’t dress up the baby sky bison’s.” Tenzin said. “Why not? They would look so cute.” Ikki said. “It makes no sense to put them in clothes.” Jinora said. “You don’t make any sense!” Ikki shouted at Jinora. “Fight! Fight! Fight!” Meelo shouted. “There will be no fighting at the table.” Tenzin said sternly.

“You can help me make clothes for Miyuki.” I told Ikki. Her eyes lit up. “Really?” She asked. I nodded. Once dinner was over Ikki held my hand and went back to my room. I let her play with Miyuki while Lin read and I just watched. “When are you guys getting married since you have a baby?” Ikki asked. My brain short circuited for a moment. “What?” Lin asked. “When are you guys getting married? I wanna be a part of your wedding. I'll be your flower girl and Miyuki can bring your rings.” Ikki said. “We won’t be getting married for a while sweetie.” I said. “Why?” Ikki said. “Adult reasons, now don’t you think it’s time for bed?” Lin asked.

Ikki pouted. “Ok, I’ll see you guys tomorrow,” Ikki gave me a hug goodnight then petted Miyuki and waved goodbye to Lin before she left. I can’t believe she put us on the spot about marriage. Lin and I just got together officially. The last thing on her mind is marriage I’m sure. “I hate to say it, I would have really loved to make the baby sky bisons some outfits.” I said. “They don’t need clothes.” Lin said. “I know but they would look so cute.” I said. Miyuki jumped on the bed and rubbed up against Lin. “Yes you look very pretty.” Lin said and scratched under Miyuki’s neck. “She just loves your attention.” I said. “Like you do.” Lin teased.

I stuck my tongue out at her. “Keep that tongue out and I’ll make you put it to good use.” Lin said. I leaned closer to her with my tongue still out. She grabbed my face. “Brats like you never learn.” Lin said with a smug look on her face. Miyuki meowed. Lin let go of my face and I laughed. “Sorry to forget you were here princess.” I said and petted her.

The next morning was a bit of a rough morning. “Su please.” Lin said. “What? I’m just asking when are you going to introduce her to mom.” Su asked. “I’m not introducing her to mom.” Lin said. “Why not? She’s great and I think mom would love her. She’s so sweet.” Su said. “Mom doesn’t even care for your husband, what makes you think she’ll care for my girlfriend?” Lin asked. “Ok yes mom is a little rough but I’m sure she’ll like her.” Su said. “Su just mind your business.” Lin said. “I’m just trying to help.” Su said. “I didn’t ask for your help, just mind your business.” Lin snapped. Su sighed. “I just think,” “I think,” I grabbed Lin’s hand. “Hey.” I said.

Lin sighed. “Give us a minute please Su.” I said. She nodded and I took Lin back to our room. “Linny.” I said as I sat her down on the bed. “What?” Lin mumbled. “Your sister is just trying to help.” I said. “I didn’t ask for her help or opinion.” Lin said and folded her arms. “I know and she knows but she just thinks it’ll be nice for me to meet your mom. I know you guys are indifferent but I get what Su is on about since I met her. She wants me to meet your mom.” I said. “I didn’t want you to meet Su in the first place.” Lin said. “I know baby and I'm still sorry for running off instead of respecting your boundaries.” I said.

“I’m sorry too for how I treated you. It wasn’t right. You meeting my sister made things feel so real like the badger moles. It was just back to back me realizing I’m in love with you and I just couldn’t handle it all like I thought I could. This was never supposed to become serious. I haven't been in a serious relationship in a long time. We all know that but you came along and made me feel love again and it was scary and I’m sorry.” Lin said. “Thank you for apologizing and I didn’t mean to scare you with my love. I think part of me wasn’t thinking. I was just enjoying a form of domesticated life with you.” I said.

“You’re making it sound like we’re married.” Lin said and laughed. “We’re halfway there. We live together, we have Miyuki, all we need now is the rings and a ceremony.” I said. “A small ceremony.” Lin said. “As long as I get a fancy girly dress.” I said. “You can get whatever you want, baby.” Lin said. “Well I guess we can tell Ikki.” I said. “No, not yet.” Lin said. “Why not?” I asked. “Because I haven’t asked you to marry me yet, we're just planning.” Lin said. “Oh yeah.” I said and laughed. “Thank you for calming down.” Lin said and pulled me into her lap.

“Of course my love.” I said. “I’m really sorry that I hurt you.” Lin said. “It’s ok baby.” I said. “I love you.” Lin said and held my face. “I love you too. I’m really happy with you.” I said. “I’m really happy with you too.” Lin said. “Oh! You have to see our paintings.” I told Lin and got off her lap. Lin nodded and I dragged her to the painting room. “This is my painting.” I said and pointed to my Miyuki painting. “Oh that’s beautiful.” Lin said. “Really?” I asked. “Yes you did very good.” Lin replied. “This is Miyuki’s,” I pointed to hers. “It’s just a bunch of her paw prints.” Lin laughed.

“But it’s so cute.” I said. “It is.” Lin said. “We have to figure out where to hang our paintings.” I said. “We can hang them in the room.” Lin said. “You should have painted with us yesterday.” I said. “I’m not much of a painter but I do draw a bit.” Lin mumbled. “You do?” I asked. Lin nodded. “You’ve never shown me your drawing abilities before.” I said. “I don’t really show anyone my drawings.” Lin said. “Well can you show me please.” I begged and batted my lashes at her. “I’ll show you when we get home.” Lin said. I kissed her.

We went outside and ran into Korra and Asami along with Tenzin. “Hey.” Asami said. I waved to her. “So what’s this I hear about you two getting married?” Korra asked. “What?” Lin and I asked. “You two are getting married?” Tenzin asked. He seemed shocked. “Yeah I heard you guys are getting married.” Korra said. “Did you hear that from Ikki?” I asked. “Yeah.” Korra laughed. “She asked us when we were getting married because we have a baby together and she wants to be our flower girl.” I said. “That's adorable but also I was gonna say and you didn’t tell me.” Asami said.

“You know you’d be the first person I tell. You have to help me plan and be my maid of honor.” I said. “I can see it all now. You’ll look so pretty in your wedding dress. Oh I’m gonna need tissues.” Asami said. “I’ll be on standby with the tissues babe don’t worry.” Korra said. “So I’m thinking of a big ceremony,” “Small ceremony.” Lin said. “Small ceremonies are nice.” Korra said. “They are cute and very intimate.” Asami said. “If you need someone to marry you two I could do it.” Tenzin said. “No.” Lin said quickly. Korra and I laughed.

[she-karev]

Mother's Day (Andrew DeLuca x Alex Karev's Sister Imagine)

Age Rating: 12+

Chapters: Two of Three

Fandom: Grey’s Anatomy

Ship: Andrew DeLuca and Amber Karev

Canon Episode: Season 20 Episode 7

AN: Happy Mother’s Day again guys so this is another chapter that focuses on Andrew DeLuca and Amber Karev on this special occasion. Now I don’t know the timeline of season 20 due to the production being held back a year because of last year’s writers’ protests but I imagine it’s still around 2023 so this is where the chapter is set.

Edit: So I decided to change this story because it was a little depressing that Amber's brother isn't in her life anymore so I changed it to just focus on her relationship with her mother.

Summary: Amber is worried about how she is going to tell her and DeLuca’s daughter about their extended and estranged family.

Words: 6739

May 12, 2023

Amber walks down the hallway of her house in her casual gray shirt, jeans and green utility jacket. She put her hair up in a bun and her makeup is done casual. She enters the kitchen ready to get some coffee when an unexpected surprise comes her way.

“Sorpresa!” Andrew DeLuca yells out from the kitchen table holding their 7-month-old daughter in his arms presenting a plate of crepes with a cup of coffee to the left and a bowl of fresh fruit on the right.

Amber chuckles in delight, “What is this? My half birthday was two months ago.” She sits across from them salivating at the delicious looking French pastry that is filled with whip cream and covered in blueberries.

“Well, it’s Mother’s Day today and we felt like celebrating your first with a gourmet breakfast and.” He hands her a pink construction paper that has hand prints painted over it with pink glitter spilled on in and an I Love You written above showing that Lucy made it with the help of daycare, “A Hallmark level card courtesy of our future artist here.”

Amber smiles at the paper, “Aww well thank you both, oh dang she really loves that pink glitter, doesn’t she?”

Andrew chuckles, “Yeah you gotta see what we’ve been working on for daycare.” He pulls out a large white poster from under the table and on it is a family tree that is normally done for an elementary school project, “We’re doing present your family and let me tell you our little girl really likes crafting especially when she gets to spill pink glitter all over a canvas.” Andrew smiles at Lucy who is eating Gerber puffs, “Hopefully they can read all about your family over the pink glitter bambina. They probably don’t need to since your whole family works at the hospital and everybody knows who is related to who.” Amber’s smile falls as she looks at the tree solemnly which Andrew catches, “What’s wrong?”

Amber inhales and composes herself grinning again, “Nothing I’m just anxious about these crepes you made and hope I don’t die from sugar crashing.” Amber puts the poster away and eats her breakfast with Andrew looking at her worried but goes back to feeding their baby.

Later

After checking Dorian Cardenas’s labs and telling him he is gonna move out of the ICU, DeLuca exits the room with Yasuda and Adams behind him. He goes to a nurse’s station to check his schedule for the day. He has two surgeries for today and he has to go to daycare and present the family tree with Amber and Lucy. He found her behavior after she saw the tree strange and is wondering how to ask her what the issue is. Like he summoned her he sees Amber walking toward him in her baby blue scrubs.

“Hey how’s it going?”

Amber groans, “Well my blissful morning took a disastrous turn when I saw that tree our daughter did.”

Andrew’s eyes widen at that, “Honey she’s not even one you can’t expect her to be Artemisia Gentileschi overnight. Besides I helped so it should be me you're criticizing.”

“No, it’s not about how the tree looked it’s about what was on it or wasn’t.”

Andrew raises an eyebrow still confused, “Amber your gonna have to help me out here.”

Amber sighs, “The only photos there are us, her aunts Carina, Maya, Jo, her uncles Alex and Aaron and her cousins Luna and Liam. What are we supposed to say about the rest of her family?”

“Ah I see now.” Andrew finally understands and works to relief his wife’s stress, “We’ll just tell her the truth it’s not a big deal.”

Amber narrows her eyes at him, “Okay so do you want to be the one to tell her about her grandfather who killed four patients in a manic state, her grandmother who had a stroke. Oh, and you also can’t forget her other grandfather who died right here in this hospital after a crazy resident butchered his insides while he was withdrawing from hard drugs.”

Andrew presses his lips at the dark reminder and looks at Yasuda and Adams behind him who look both shocked and horrified by their family history. He shakes his head at them and turns to Amber, “You're forgetting your mother.”

Amber chuckles at him darkly and stops abruptly with a frown, “No she does not count. She hasn’t even reached out when I told her about the pregnancy.”

“Maybe because you usually tell that news with a call and not a text to someone who still uses a home phone.” Andrew reminds her.

Yasuda speaks, “Wait you told your mother you were pregnant through a text?”

Amber glares at Mika who cowers in fear, “What are my rules?”

“Speak when you tell me to.” Yasuda repeats and shuts up.

Amber turns back to Andrew who continues their conversation, “Maybe this can be rectified with a simple phone call?”

Amber raises an eyebrow, “You did not just say that.”

Andrew sighs, “Look you’re asking how we fill the void our parents are leaving her maybe we can fill it with your mother. It’s been over two years since you actually talked to her and you and I both know she’s not gonna reach out because of her routine. She is alive, working on her mental health and sober by our family standards we got the golden ticket.”

“I’m pretty sure you don’t get a famous chocolate factory here.” Lucas quips.

Andrew glares at him, “Speak when your spoken to applies to you as well Adams.” Lucas quiets causing Andrew to focus back on Amber who looks sad at their family situation, “Every family tree has a few nuts in them babe.”

“Some more than others.” Yasuda mutters.

“Do you want a slap to the face Yasuda?” Amber asks viciously causing Mika to swallow.

“I-I’m so sorry my mouth speaks before my brain and I have a dark sense of humor and-”

Amber ignores her and focuses on Andrew, “My mother is out of the question, she’s been a ghost my whole life. At this point I have learned that self-protection is best when others don’t do it for you. No, she lost the right to get to know her granddaughter.” Amber inhales deeply with Andrew looking concerned, “You know what it’s fine we’re fine. Lucy has so many people who love her more than the people cut from her life she’ll be fine.”

Andrew knows her too well to fall for that, “You’re doing that thing where you try to convince yourself everything is fine when it isn’t.”

“I didn’t have doting grandparents growing up, it sucked but Lucy has us and so many other family members within walking distance. It will soften the blow once we tell her about our Clive Barker horror family tales. We’ll flip a coin on who gets to tell her, I gotta go to the pit. I’ll see you later.” Amber walks away from Andrew who looks at her worried while Adams pitches in.

“She really told her mom she was gonna be a grandma in a text?”

“That’s my wife your judging Adams so watch it.” Andrew turns to the interns, “Transport Dorian to a patient room and monitor his vitals and I cannot stress this enough. If one of you ignores your duties again, I will have Amber DeLuca unleash her pent-up rage against her family on you and I think you learned from her brief history recap how brutal we can be especially on lazy interns.” Yasuda and Adams look scared but nod understanding, “Good now go.” The interns leave DeLuca to go inside Dorian’s room while he exhales still worrying about Amber.

Later

Amber gowns up at the pit to prepare for the incoming double trauma in front of Kwan and Millin who start to annoy her as Millin chants.

“Chest tube, chest tube, chest tube, chest tube. I have one left on my procedure log.”

Amber starts to walk out with them and Kwan converses with Millin, “Ah me too. Want to bet who finishes first?”

“Loser buys drinks at Joe’s?”

“You’re on.”

“Game faces people.” Amber reminds them as she approaches Hunt and Link when the blaring ambulances stop at the bay.

“I got this one, Link you got the other.”

“Okay Millin you’re with us, Kwan go with Link.” Amber orders and they separate. Millin follows Amber and Hunt to the ambulance when the doors open revealing a woman on a gurney with a collar on.

“What do we got?”

“Gillian Mendelson, 46. Status post MVC.” The paramedic explains while Hunt does a neuro exam, “GCS 15. Brief LOC. Small head lac. Complaints of headache.”

Gillian is awake and speaks, “I’d think it’s a migraine if I wasn’t just in a car accident.”

“Okay let’s get you inside to check you out.”

Gillian speaks stopping them, “Wait! I-I want to make sure Cassandra’s okay.” They look to their left at the ambulance next to them and see a woman coming out on a gurney in far less severe shape than Gillian. Amber notices her serene expression and glassy eyes, “Cass you okay babe?”

Cassandra responds in a loose voice, “Remember when the kids were at soccer camp and we tried those gummies?”

Amber answers for her, “I think she’s okay.”

“We got to make sure you are too. Let’s go.” Both teams wheel their patients into the pit.

Meanwhile

Andrew opens the door allowing Yasuda and Adams to wheel in Dorian into his new room.

Yasuda tries to hype him up, “Smells of antiseptic, doesn’t have a view, but…”

“It’s not the ICU.” Adams finishes, “And-”

“Surprise” A man and woman jump out of the bathroom smiling and holding a GET WELL SOON, D sign. Andrew smiles at the perfect timing as he helped them plan a surprise jump out for Dorian who needs a little happy in his life. It works because he’s smiling for the first time in a while.

“No way. James? Fiona?”

Andrew explains, “They reached out and insisted on being here. I hope that’s okay.

“More than okay. We’re in the same engineering program. Well, we were.”

“Don’t worry. We brought all your work from last semester so you can catch up.”

“No, we didn’t, jerk.” Fiona lightly pushes him, “We did bring a bunch of cards from people back at school though. Everybody misses you, D.”

“Not entirely sure why.”

Dorian chuckles at James joke as DeLuca inserts his IV, “All right, let’s get you settled here and hopefully you won’t be here for long.” Dorian exhales in relief as DeLuca gets to work.

Later

After they found out that their patient Gillian is married to someone else and that Cassandra is her mistress Owen requested that she get a CT to rule out any neuro injuries. Amber found the situation both amusing and sad, amusing because she had to hide Cassandra’s bra when Aaron walked in and sad because Aaron seemed like a guy who didn’t deserve to be in a situation like this where his wife is sleeping with her friend behind his back. It makes her think about how her own messy family life which brings her back to issue of her nuts in the family tree and how her daughter will handle it.

“How long does this take?” Gillian asks while she is inside the MRI with Hunt and Amber observing from the monitor room.

“It should be quick.”

“Well, I was hoping it would be longer. If my head wasn’t pounding, I’d just as soon stay.”

Amber presses the intercom, “Just try to relax Gillian, imagine you’re lying on a beach getting a suntan. It doesn’t feel like it but that what imagination is for.”

“You want to know how I got in this mess, don’t you?” Gillian asks in shame with Hunt saying no and Amber overlapping with a kind of causing her to explain, “Aaron and I got married right after law school. We had our kids; we did our jobs. And then the kids were older, and work was-Well, I do tax law, and all of it just got so boring. Uninspiring.” Amelia walks in to check the brain scan, “But then I met Cass at the PTA, and she made life not boring. So here I am with a giant headache. Literally and figuratively.

“Complicated.” Amber snaps out of it and turns to Amelia.

“Do you see a subarachnoid hemorrhage or maybe an epidural hematoma?”

“No, her scan’s clear. Situation’s a mess. Well, good luck.”

Amber purses her lips and nods while Shepherd leaves. She presses the intercom so Gillian doesn’t hear her, “No offense to Gillian but I would take boring any day of the week including Sunday. Chaos can be exhilarating but then the high dies and you end up in pain and innocent people suffer the consequences of your mistakes.”

Hunt turns to Amber with a worried look and decides to pry, “Is everything okay with DeLuca?”

“No, we’re fine I’m talking about my family as in the ones who don’t live here.” Hunt still looks confused and Amber sighs at his expression, “I have to figure out how to explain to my precious and innocent child that her grandparents are either dead, manic or schizophrenic. It’s a can of works that’s gonna make her seriously question her sanity and her parents for thinking it was a good idea to mix our time bomb genes together. And my brother who I would go to for this picked this week to go to Nebraska for a peds surgery.”

“Your side has schizophrenia and DeLuca’s is bipolar, those are conditions that can be monitored and treated with the right therapy and medication. And if it makes you feel better medicine is advancing constantly and when she reaches that age the medications, she can take could be more effective with little side effects than it has today.” Amber nods feeling a tiny bit better, “And as for when you tell her you just have to take it one step at a time. If she’s anything like you apart from looks she’ll be fine. Kids are tough and they adjust well to bad situations better than adults. You of all people can understand that.”

Amber looks back at Gillian, “One thing is for sure Gillian’s head is not the only thing that’s gonna blow up.”

Meanwhile

Andrew and Carina walk down the hall to talk about Amber’s concerns as he is also starting to let it sink in. He hadn’t really considered it but now that Amber brought it up, he can see why she was worried. It’s hard to give your child the sex talk when they reach teen hood but how do you explain the whole messy family history that involves murder, death and insanity.

“I tried to tell her it wasn’t a big deal but the more I think about it I start to realize she’s right.” Carina sips her coffee paying attention, “I mean it was bad enough for us with just papa but for Lucy she has papa and so many other family tales that will make her use a nightlight for the rest of her life.”

“It’s not that bad it could be worse.”

Andrew scoffs in disbelief and counts with his fingers as he recaps to her, “Junkie grandpa who was murdered, manic grandpa who killed four patients, grandma who died of a stroke and a schizophrenic grandma who probably doesn’t know she exists. Can you think of a family that’s worse than that? Maybe the Stark’s from Game of Thrones or the Lannister’s definitely the Targaryen’s.”

Carina sighs, “I swear you and Maya are alike sometimes. She told me she was worried her genes were gonna ruin the baby because of how her father treated her. It’s the hormones but I know it’s from a deep-rooted fear that you have as well. We’re not our parents Andrea and neither are our precious babies.”

“Aren’t you worried at all about how Liam is gonna take it when you tell him about his cruel grandfathers and his homophobic uncle living on the streets?”

“Of course, I am but the good thing about growing up the way we did is that we know how to help our children process very shocking information. We just have to remind them of the people who love them and that despite how we were raised we are not gonna do to them what our parents did to us.” Andrew nods processing her advice, “Lucy is gonna be okay and so is Liam you just have to be prepared for when they have questions and answer them as honestly and as gently as we can.”

Andrew nods thankful for having a wise sister, “Thanks, I needed to hear that…You know Liam is lucky to have a mom like you, he’s gonna grow up great.” Carina looks away bashful, “I know this because he’s not the first kid you raised. That was me.”

Carina grins at Andrew gratefully who grins back, “Thank you I needed to hear that too.” Her phone beeps and her grin fall, “911 from Jo I have to go.” Carina runs away leaving Andrew in the dust.

Later

After ruling out neuro injuries in CT, Hunt and Amber moves Gillian back to the pit and gave her an ice pack for the headache. Aaron was waiting for her and is agitated but the news they give him.

“What do you mean her scan is clear?”

“Aaron.”

Aaron persists, “You’re clearly in pain.”

Amber explains, “Her scans showed no obvious hematomas or hemorrhages but we’re gonna find out what’s causing the headaches.”

“We’re gonna keep her in for observation. This could be a concussion. She did hit her head pretty hard.”

Aaron looks confused at Hunts diagnosis, “You did?”

“It’s how she got the cut.” Amber explains as Gillian looks flustered clearly afraid of being exposed.

“Why didn’t the airbag inflate?”

“Oh, uh, it did. I-I hit the door.” Gillian lies, “Can we not talk about this now?”

“But the cut’s on the right side of your head.” Amber presses her lips at Aaron getting closer to the harsh truth with Hunt stepping in.

“Listen, the good thing is-”

Aaron interrupts and keeps pestering Gillian, “If you were driving, the door would be-”

Gillian groans, “Oh, my head is really pounding.”

Amber clears her throat, “Just keep the icepack on the head Gillian, Mr. Mendelson why don’t you take a walk while your wife recuperates, I think that would be-”

Aaron ignores her, “She hit you so hard that it flipped you in your seat? That woman should definitely not be driving our kids around. She’s irresponsible and-”

“WE’RE HAVING AN AFFAIR!” Gillian yells out so loud the whole pit hears her.

“And there’s the blow up.” Amber whispers to Hunt both of them feeling awkward as Gillian spills the dirty beans.

“What’d you say?” Aaron asks in shock.

“An affair! You know, sex? The thing you and I never have anymore. That’s what Cass and I were doing in the back seat, like we’ve been doing for two years. Two years! Any more questions?” Aaron looks at his wife hurt but doesn’t speak instead he leaves in pain with Hunt and Amber as a front row audience to the farce, “I felt a lot better yelling at him.”

Amber nods, “Well, sometimes getting it all out can be a huge relief to the psyche.”

“No, no, I-I feel awful now, but when I’m yelling…MY HEAD DOESN’T HURT!” Amber jumps in shock at the sudden outburst and looks at Hunt who is also confused by this new development.

Later

Amber walks into the lobby rubbing her ear with her finger after getting Gillian back into CT. Her patient was screaming the whole time because it made her head feel better. They were able to diagnose her and sent her to an O.R. before she damaged all of their ear canals. Amber spots Andrew charting by the station in his navy scrubs and navy-blue scrub cap with a constellation pattern on it.

Amber stands next to him leaning against the station on her elbows, “Hey.”

Andrew smiles at her, “Hey I heard about your patient who screamed in your face.”

Amber chuckles, “She didn’t scream at me she screamed so she could relieve her cranial pressure. We sent her up to neuro, it should be a simple procedure. I just hope she doesn’t scream while Shepherd is in her brain.”

“It would be an interesting sight.” Amber smiles at that when they hear a familiar voice yelling at someone behind them.

“Because he was shot!” Amber and Andrew quickly turn around to find Lucas Adams yelling at Dorian’s friends in the middle of the waiting room, “Three bullets went into his body. He’s been hanging on by a thread for weeks.”

Andrew looks on in shock and anger, “Damn it come on.” Amber and Andrew move towards Adams who keeps admonishing Fiona and James who look at him in hurt shock.

“And he’s already feeling disconnected enough not knowing how long he’ll be here. He doesn’t need to listen to stories about people he doesn’t know or graduations he won’t attend. He just needs to know that you’re actually here for him.”

Andrew reaches Adams and sternly orders him, “Adams take a walk right now.”

He ignores him and keeps going, “Maybe it’s for the better that you weren’t here. You obviously have no idea what he’s been through.”

Andrew grabs Adams elbow forcing him to face him as he glares at him in anger and disappointment, “Go find a dark corner somewhere while I clean up your mess again. Now.” Adams stands there with a pissed off look forcing DeLuca to yell, “Now!” Adams leaves in a huff. Amber follows him to get answers while her husband apologizes to the victims of Adams tirade.

She catches up to him in the towel room, “What the hell was that?! Are you out of your damn mind?!”

Adams quickly turns to face her, “Dorian’s been here for 51 days, and they waited till now to visit him?”

“He didn’t want them here!” Amber explains, “Post op day 15 his phone was blowing up with texts from them asking him where he was. He told me to text back that he was okay they didn’t even know about what happened until two weeks ago. But even if that wasn’t the case that doesn’t warrant you to verbally assault his friends, do you really think that’s how a doctor is supposed to talk to his patients loved ones?! You have disappointed me in a new way that I didn’t think even you were capable of.”

“And what are you gonna do huh? Cut me off like you cut your own mom out of your life?”

“Adams watch it!” Amber registers Andrew behind her speaking in a protective tone.

“Can anybody live up to your standards?” Adams asks her in anger, “Are you really such a perfectionist that you toss your own blood in the garbage for what is no doubt a little mistake that you can’t overlook. You didn’t even tell your own mother about your daughter you just assumed she would be fine with you deserting her.”

Andrew opens his mouth to speak but Amber beats him to it as she glares up at Adams in rage, “You have no right to think you know anything about me or my family! You don’t relive the memory of your mother chasing you around the house with a knife and watching your brothers hold her down and force her to swallow pills so she wouldn’t kill me. Or how worried you were every time you saw your mother in bed afraid she was dead. Or how you questioned every relationship you have ever been in afraid you would make the same mistake your mother made and settle for a man who beats you and your brothers. If you had even one moment in your life that amounts to that pain and excuses your outbursts, please tell me!”

Adams looks at her blankly confirming her answer, “I thought so. Now if I hear you yelling at a patient or family member like that or hear this childish tantrum at another superior surgeon, I will personally see to it that you are suspended without pay!” Adams looks down on the floor with a frustrated look at his own dilemma.

“Get out of my sight.” Lucas walks away still furious at both his bosses and Dorian’s friends. Amber pinches the bridge of her nose and turns to Andrew with a frustrated look, “I swear I am close to killing that kid if he keeps pissing me off.”

“We both know he’s gonna keep pissing you off.” Andrew steps closer to Amber and grips her shoulder to bring her back down to earth, “He’s an idiot and you shouldn’t take what he said to heart. You didn’t abandon your mom you just have a relationship that works better long distance.”

Amber sniffles, “I…I had this idea in my head that if I ever had kids, I could maybe understand the mistakes my mom made and be less angry at her but I’m not I’m even more furious with her. I look at Lucy and I go over every scenario in my head and how I can protect her from things I suffered growing up. I hold her in my arms, and I understand even less why she did what she did. I keep wondering why she wasn’t a better mother when my brother and I needed her instead of Alex raising us. And why she got better after we didn’t need her anymore and when all the freaking damage was done.”

Andrew looks at Amber in sympathy and tips her chin up with his finger so he can look in her eyes. He looks into her tear stained eyes and says earnestly, “I’m not gonna defend what she did to you but I am gonna remind you that she was suffering from schizophrenia and trauma from being married to your father. She did things that she normally wouldn’t do on a good day and that is not on you. You can’t erase what she did and you can try to make sense of it but it’s not gonna change what happened. Believe me I learned that the hard way with my own mentally ill parent and when I hurt you too after my own mental breakdown like your mom did.”

“You didn’t choose the mania.” Amber reminds him.

“No but I did choose to ignore your concerns and lashed out when you tried to help me.”

“Yeah but you got better.” Amber defends him, “She didn’t, she never got better when I needed her to and neither did your dad. God, I remember praying every night that my mom takes her meds that is how scared I was of what was gonna come the next day. It’s all the more reason why I think I subconsciously choose to tell her about Lucy in a way I knew she wouldn’t respond because I’m scared of exposing my daughter to that pain.”

Amber sighs while her husband rubs her shoulders comforting her, “Am I a terrible person for basically cutting her out of my life because of something she had no control over.”

Andrew takes a moment before answering with sympathy, “She had no control over the illness but she had control of how to tackle it. You couldn’t force her to get help when you were a kid like I couldn’t force my dad. But we learned from their mistakes and we’re doing better than they did. A lot better because even after all I did and said to you when I was manic I earned your trust back and we moved past it and we’re better than ever. Maybe your mom can work to earn your forgiveness or not it’s up to you but you are not a terrible person for choosing to protect yourself and Lucy from that pain you worked so hard to overcome. It doesn’t make you a bad person it makes you the strong and protective woman I fell in love and had a beautiful daughter with.”

Amber looks at Andrew in awe as she cradles his stubbly cheek, “How did I get so lucky?”

“I ask myself the same thing every time I look at you.” Andrew grins and kisses Amber before pulling her in for a hug that she takes in feeling comfort in his warmth and kindness.

Later

After prepping her for surgery Amber assists Amelia in Gillian’s brain surgery to fix her Arnold-Chiari malformation. During the entire time Gillian was yelling because it was the only thing that could relieve her headache to Amber’s ire as her ears are still stinging from the close proximity. Amber is in the O.R. retracting as Amelia does the craniotomy.

Amber exhales in relief, “I swear I was close to doing the craniotomy myself in pre op just to get her to shut up.”

Amelia chuckles, “Like you’ve never yelled at anyone in this hospital until their ears bleed. Maybe you can consider this karma.”

“I only yell when someone deserves it. Like you nephew this afternoon.” Amelia looks up taken back and Amber explains, “He yelled at Dorian’s friends in the middle of the lobby and told them they were making things worse. I didn’t make that big of a scene when I was an intern and believe me I’ve had visitors in the waiting area that were actually making things hard for the patient.”

“Intern year is hard.” Amelia reminds Amber as she pulls a piece of the skull back, “And his friends are ignoring him and treating him like the plague so there’s that.”

“It doesn’t mean he has to take it out on James and Fiona or me for that matter and I am his chief resident. Maybe you can remind him that tonight with a smack to the head.”

“What did he say to you to warrant a smack?”

Amber keeps retracting with a frown, “He said I was a control freak who abandons her family the first mistake they make. Jackass. I mean look I know I can be a hardass on them but that’s only because it’s the only thing that can get through their thick skulls and actually be doctors. I’m just waiting for Adams to do that but no he makes it his mission to piss me off and integrate himself in my private family matter.”

“You mean about you not telling your mother your pregnant?” Amber looks up surprised that Amelia knows, “Word travels around fast and Adams is just angry right now and when me and his uncle got angry, we just pushed people away when really we wanted them to be there for us in our time of need.”

“And I thought me and Alex sucked in communication.” Amelia chuckles, “But he doesn’t have the right to think he knows why I haven’t actually told my mom the news. He didn’t live my life so he shouldn’t be so quick to judge or take out his issues on me.”

Amelia nods, “Your absolutely right I will talk to him…so how come you haven’t told your mom about Lucy?” Amber raises an eyebrow at her, “I mean don’t get me wrong I have my own issues with my mother to the point where I didn’t tell her I had a brain tumor but that was because she missed my wedding. I guess you got a reason for not telling your mom she’s a grandma.”

Amber chuckles bitterly, “How much time have you got?”

Amelia looks down at the exposed brain, “Well we’re waiting for the cranial pressure to swell down so I got time.”

Amber sighs before starting, “She was never really good with major events or minor ones for that matter. She couldn’t handle bad news at all, she would make it about herself and skip her meds. On the good days she would be in bed staring at nothing and the bad days she would be a human wrecking ball just destroying everything in her wake. My brothers basically had to raise me and hid me from her as best as they could. I know they did their best but she was beautiful, so she didn’t have trouble finding a man. It was easy for her but horrible for her kids, especially her 8-year-old daughter. I would wake up and there would be some asshole of the month in the kitchen and my mom passed out in bed.” Amelia looks at Amber in pity, “I even had a routine where I would sneak out through my bedroom window and run away on my brothers 10 speed bike.”

Amelia frowns behind her mask, “Aww Amber that sounds awful.”

“Yeah, it was. Now you can see why I am reluctant to invite her into my daughter’s life. She’s just gonna make it about herself like she always does.”

“She might surprise you, mine did when I told her, and my son gets a grandma about 5 times a year.”

Amber snorts, “She failed miserably as a mother I don’t think she’s gonna do well as a grandma.”

“Okay are there any moments of your childhood that weren’t straight from a horror story? Was your mom always so awful?”

Amber sighs, “…No she had one good year when I was a kid. She was a librarian so in that year we would hang out and play hide and seek in the stacks and she would let me read on top of her desk. It was the only year I felt like I had a mom and not a mental patient.”

“So, focus on that. Your mom is doing better now and she’s the person she was that year. She might have given you some pretty bad memories, but she gave you some good ones too. Maybe this time she can give your kid more good than bad and thrive in grandmotherhood. Show your kid that even a messed-up family like hers has love and joy.”

Amber looks at Amelia is thought before getting back to the surgery.

That Night

Amber sits on the king-sized bed with Lucy in her lap wearing black silk pajamas and Lucy in a pink onesie. On the bed beside them is an old converse shoe box with photos and other items inside it instead of her black converse that she wore out years ago. She decided to stroll down memory lane with Lucy so she can show her that even in a dark family like hers there’s still happy photo worthy moments in documentation.

“What do we have in here? What can mommy show you?” Amber gasps as she pulls out a photo of her at 15 wearing a Sandy Dee Summer’s Night costume for her high school production of Grease, “Wow look at this Lucy this is your mommy back when she was in theater.” Amber sings the famous song, “Summer loving happened so fast. I met a girl crazy for me.” Amber giggles at the memory, “Let’s hope you get my vocals instead of your dad’s.”

“Hey, come on I’m not John Travolta but I can rock the leather jacket and gelled back hair.” Amber sees Andrew outside the door grinning at them in his black tank top and gray pajama bottoms before hopping in and sitting beside his family. He digs into the shoebox, “Let’s see what else we can make fun of your mommy for.”

“Oh, don’t be so sure buddy because I got some pretty embarrassing pictures of you courtesy of Zia Carina.” Amber pulls out a photo of a young Andrew smiling and covered in marinara sauce causing them to laugh, “She told me how you spilled two jars of tomato sauce on yourself when you tried to reach a high shelf.”

“Yeah, your daddy was a little clumsy as a kid Lucy.” He looks at his daughter in Amber’s lap who holds a photo looking at it inquisitively, “Hopefully you don’t get that from me.”

“Oh, look at this.” Amber shows Lucy a photo of Aaron in his high school baseball uniform, “You know your uncle was so bad at baseball that he asked me to let him play in the sandlot with me and the other neighborhood boys. I tried telling him no because I knew he would embarrass me but he was persistent. He said he wanted to beat the rival baseball team but really, he just wanted to impress the girls in his class. Worked his way up to MVP though.” Lucy reaches out and touches the photo of her uncle Aaron, “That’s your uncle Aaron in a nutshell, loved to prove me wrong.”

Andrew smiles at her and pulls out a small and worn-out Matilda book from the box, “Your mom was a massive bookworm when she was little like you. She used to hang out at the library with your grandma and just scour the shelves for the next read.”

Amber grins and holds the book, “Yeah, your grandma Helen used to read me this during bedtime when I was little. She always liked to read me books about smart girls because that’s how girls are supposed to be written.”

Lucy babbles and Amber pulls out a photo of herself at 8 years old in a hospital bed with white gauze wrapped around her head. Despite this she is smiling wide in the picture with Alex next to her grinning, “That’s when mommy had a crush on Ryan Sheckler and thought she could do an ollie on her board just like him. But a visit to the ER and 12 stitches on the cranium proved me wrong. Don’t let the ‘I’m cool’ grin fool you; your uncle Alex was a mess before we took this photo. He badgered the doctors and the nurses and told them to run tests for any neuro injuries.” Amber grins at that memory, “He acts tough but he’s as soft as a marshmallow once you get past the crusty shell. You’ll see that just like I did.”

Amber kisses Lucy’s head while Andrew grins at the sight holding Lucy’s tiny hand that is holding a photo. Amber digs into her box, “I don’t think we have a picture of your grandma in here…how about we call her and ask her for one?” Amber looks at Andrew who is taken back by this turn but stays supportive.

“Are you sure you want to call her?”

Amber inhales and looks at Lucy who holds a tiny mushroom plush, “Yeah why not. Let’s call her.” Amber pulls her phone out while Andrew moves Lucy from her lap to his as he watches Amber dialing the number and holding the phone to her ear, “It’s ringing…hey mom it’s me.”

Andrew stays quiet as he observes hoping it goes well, “Yeah it has been a long time. I don’t know if you got my last text…” Amber chuckle sheepishly and scratches her head, “No I didn’t think you did, you rely on your home phone more than cell.”

Andrew purses his lips at his theory being proven right while Amber talks to her mom on the phone, “Well listen that text was to tell you that me and Andrew were pregnant…no I’m not pregnant now I was about a year ago and seven months ago we had a baby. A little girl…I can imagine it’s shocking hearing about this just now sorry…her name is Lucia, we named her after Andrew’s mom.”

Andrew grins at that kissing the top of Lucy’s head, “We’re calling her Lucy…Do you want to talk to your granddaughter? I can put her on for you if you want…okay.”

Andrew looks down at Lucy who looks at Amber blankly, “Do you want to talk to grandma?”

Amber moves the phone next to Lucy’s ear and smiles at her, “Say hi to grandma baby.” Lucy babbles over the phone Amber is holding and her parents look at each other with grins on their faces over Lucy finally meeting her grandma.

[magical-glimpse]

A Visionboard, what is it, what for ?

What is a visionboard ?

A visionboard is a set of pictures, images and phrases put together with an intention. They are mostly used in the manifestation community. Their goal is to inspire the maker into taking inspired actions towards their goals and realize their dreams.

Okay, but how does it work ?

Well, I'm guessing it depends on how much you want to believe in it. Realistically speaking, what could be the benefits ?

You know what you want

You are inspired to work, learn, explore and make decision in alignment with what you want

You are more open to opportinities

You are growing more okay with the idea of getting what you want, you have less self-esteem issues, you believe you are worth your dreams

What is the purpose of it ?

The goal is to growingly habituate your mind to see what you want to receive and achieve as possible. You see it as possible more, therefore you take inspired action more, you see new opportunities more, you start living in this world as the kind of person who would receive what you want to receive. You are inspired, you feel thankful, happy, you see the little good things and know how to enjoy them.

So, how exactly do you use it ?

Ah ! Well that is the most fun part.

Take some time for it. Don't rush it, make it a you moment. Set aside some time to make yourself feel good and let yourself dream about what you want. Light a candle, play some music, take a hot shower, whatever you like.

Choose your intention. Would you like to envision your life for the New Year ? The New or Full Moon ? A school year ? Just because ? Do you want to focus on your career, relationships or home life ?

Gather elements : quotes, pictures, tickets, screenshots... Choose intuitively and intentionally what each mean to you, and what they mean to each other in the all. Canva is a great tool for a digital one, or you can get magazines and do a crafty one by hand !

Make it present. Don't forget the file somewhere on your phone or computer, put it as a screen, print it and put it in your room, have a daily practice of looking at it while meditating, dancing, eating or listen to music. Build yourself a tiny little daily practice, so you can remember what is it you want that makes you happy, and you remind yourself of it when you need it.

Listen, don't spend all day on it. live your life and notice all the little things. The free coffee your friend got you, the sales percent from your favorite shop in your email, the person who complimented you. Notice how all the little good things in your life build up. What are you grateful for today ? What made you happy today ? What made you feel at peace ? What little thing can you also today to say thank you for the good things ? What can you do today to go towards the vision of the board ? How can the the you of today become close to the you on the board ? Enjoy the journey. If you need help doing your visionboard, building your own magical practice or a reading, dont hesitate to visit my kofi or tip me !

[godtier]

any advices for a beginner artist pls?

hi there!

i guess it would depend on the medium you're working with or what kinds of things you'd like to do. i'll try to give some general tips that can be applied broadly!

disclaimer: a lot of "beginner" tips are going to be really, REALLY boring. developing an art style relies heavily on patience and repetition. it can get very boring and you will feel like you're not improving. but the more you do it, the more you will improve. that's what everyone says, but it's 100% true.

tip #1: start basic

if you're a super-duper beginner, you could start by taking stock photos of people and tracing over them in an art program. you could also do this on paper if you have any magazines lying around, but i know that's probs less common nowadays lol.

tracing over a human body can give you an idea of what the human form looks like and how it operates. i wouldn't recommend always doing this, of course. this is for practicing purposes if you're super new to drawing.

you could also set up the stock photo side-by-side in a canvas on a drawing program and try to copy it as closely as possible. this is what i'd recommend after tracing. you don't generally want to rely on tracing all the time since that can make your style look super stiff, so trying to copy something freehand develops your drawing style bit by bit.

if you are inclined to look through some books about figure drawing, i would highly recommend books by andrew loomis. they are from the 50s or so, but the methods and recommendations are timeless. the books are still in print for a reason.

tip #2: get a foundational understanding of the human form

another tip that a lot of people kinda roll their eyes at is the whole "get a foundation in anatomy/real figures before trying to draw stylized stuff." people don't want to hear that because, again, it's boring! but it's true: if you have a foundation in how real people look, you can easily apply that to a stylized drawing and have it look nice. beginners who don't develop a foundation can instead lean into mistakes from other artists and it can screw up their entire drawing ability. that's what i did; it took me years to undo a lot of the stuff i learned as a beginner from copying anime and manga because i didn't have the foundations of real figure drawing and i was too stubborn/bored/ADHD-brained to focus on the boring stuff first.

you can also try beginner landscapes to get and idea of perspective and form. again, another super boring tip, but it does genuinely help when it comes to figure placement in a scene and making the background not look like it's on a different plane of existence than the figure that's supposed to be in it.

tip #3: don't splurge on really expensive equipment/art supplies when you're just starting out

this is a big one. a lot of beginner artists (myself included when i was young) think that in order to make great art, they have to buy the most expensive, industry-grade equipment or art supplies. this isn't true. when you are just starting out, using basic stuff is fine to get the foundations down. i still don't use expensive pencils for my sketches! I USE TICONDEROGAS, THE BEST PENCIL EVER MADE (not sponsored).

what matters more than the utensils when you're just starting out is the paper you're using. i wouldn't use printer paper, for example, but sketch paper. here's a pretty cheap and good quality sketch book for pencil work. if you want to use other mediums, like markers, strathmore also sells good quality marker paper for cheap. is this like, PROFESSIONAL GRADE? no, not really. but you don't need professional grade to start with.

and i can say all of that, but why is that the case? well, mostly because when you're first starting out, you're going to make mistakes. a lot of mistakes. and expensive equipment and/or supplies are going to add up fast. do you want to use up all the ink on a 30 dollar set of 5 copic markers because you don't know the proper inking techniques? or do you want to use a 100 color set of crayola sketch markers to get a foundation down of how colors interact with each other for roughly the same price? (granted, copics are alcohol based and crayolas are water based. if you want to try alcohol based markers first, ohuhu makes a 48 color set for around the same price.)

tip #4: don't stress about being the best, just experiment and have fun

this is probably the BIGGEST one. you are not going to be great right away. that's just a fact. don't get hung up on how your art looks just starting out. just keep doing it. draw whatever you want. share with others or keep it to yourself. don't look at your art and give up because it's not an immediate masterpiece. just do whatever you think is most interesting and experiment!

tip #5: don't get offended by good-natured and genuine critique

last tip for today, and it's very important, just about as important as #4. there's a difference between criticizing to bring someone down and providing constructive criticism. if you ask someone who is also an artist to look at your art and have them tell you what they think, don't get upset if they tell you what they think. most artists have been in this situation. most of them are going to try to give you a "compliment sandwich:" start with a compliment, then provide critique, then end with a compliment. this is a pretty standard way of providing criticism because people will generally respond better when the positives of their attempt are highlighted first.

however, some artists or teachers might just come out the gate with criticisms. this doesn't mean they think your art is shite, but that they see potential. the worst thing for an artist is for them to surround themselves with yes-men who only praise them. that gives an artist, especially a beginner, a false sense of their current skill and can be detrimental to improvement.

if you are sharing a piece and for whatever reason don't want critique? just start with that. "i worked on this for x amount of hours and i don't want critique right now, thanks" is usually enough. but don't hide behind that. hiding from critique will make your art incredibly slow to improve.

and that's what i got for now! sorry for the massive response, but i tried to give some really basic concepts for beginners. if this ain't helpful or if you have something more specific, you can send me another ask! i'm happy to help!

[java-dragon]

Bookbinding for Beginners by a Beginner Part 3

*braces self on a door frame* Right there's a lot of information I still need to cover so lets get into it.

I don't recall if I told everyone to set up the document to be booklet type or not but here's how to do that (I'm not re-reading what I wrote my brain stopped working at some point)

But Layout Tab, Page Layout, hit the little arrow pointing towards the document:

I have the sheets per booklet set to 32, but this site is helpful for helping you get the exact number of signatures (a portion of the fic you are printing it is one section of the book, whereas a text block is the whole thing together)

That's if you want to print through the program you're type facing (the text within the pages all of the formatting and indents and everything we started covering in part 2 is type facing). I have totally done printing through the word processor but there is a different option that I will cover later down this post.

For now I'm going to try and remember all of the extra stuff I need to cover. A lot of this is trial an error and fiddling, farting, and sometimes sobbing your way through this.

OH! Right if the fic you're type facing has a fake email. Like.... I don't know "lighthousekeeper@email.com" Word will sensor it automatically when you paste it onto the document. The only work around I have is to have the OG link to the fic you're working on, and try your best to locate the email copy it, and find it within the text of the document using the headers to skip to the chapter in question and scan for the brackets with [Email redacted] or some such, it's usually blue text with "[ ]" going on.

I can't truly think of anything else at this time pertaining to my tips and tricks for Word. There is more I may know but my mind is fizzling out I may circle back to this but I think I'll move on towards downloading and uploading fonts to use in your bookbinding adventures and some Canva stuff.

DaFont and 1001 Free Fonts work

Dafont:

1001:

I'll be using these two Fonts as my examples cause... well I actually quite like them.

Hit "Download"

This will pop up on your screen hit "OK"

Go to your Downloads or where you put your downloads,

Right click on the file in question and hit "Extract All"

Hit Extract.

Click on the folder post extraction. The file type you're looking for is "Open Type Font File" Right Click, "Install" or "Install for all Users" works as well and the font will be available to anyone that has a User key for the computer you're on.

Sometimes the file will look like this:

The Greyed out one? That's the type file.

There will be a pop up that says "Installing Font" give it a few seconds and it will disappear.

You will now be able to open up your word processor and go to the font section and be able to find your newly downloaded font

Enjoy your new found power in getting fancy pants fonts on your word documents!

Now... Canva...

You can download it for free like I said. I have it on my phone and on my computer as a software application:

So I don't accidentally doxx myself this is all you really need to see- you can do much much more than bookcovers, I've done bookmarks, and logos and a few other things.

but for our purposes we'll open up a document and make a few pages:

At the very tippy top that I did not show there's "create Design" I usually hit either "Bookcover" or "ebook cover".

There will be a document with some template examples and you can scroll and see if you like any of those. OR You can just go down to "Elements" and start playing and toying around with that.

You can also grab screen captures of decorative lines to replace the "***" on your document.

How to do this- in elements there should be a search bar type in "decorative lines" and you can refine it "Decorative Rainbow" "brush stroke" "ornate" then open up the application on your computer that allows for screen shots Snip and Sketch for Windows, I don't know for Mac. Sorry.

Select something you like and when it appears on the document click outside of it.

open up your screen grab and grab the line in question

Here's my example.

Now in your word document feel free to go into the Pages tab of the Navigation bar and find whatever the author has used to break up the text. Highlight, right click, hit "search" There will be a pop up on the right hand of word hit the tab that says "Search this document/file" you can see how many times "***" or the equivalent has been used. I would suggest opening this link and reading all of the other tips and tricks since they break it down better than I ever could.

Edit as of November 18th 2023: But the root gist of it all is to highlight the "***" or equivalent divider on the document. Right click, "Search" there will be a prompt that opens on the right hand side of Word hit the "In this Document" and it will bring up every instance of what you have highlighted.

Have the image you intend to replace "***" with right click "Copy". Back in Word, hit "Replace" there will be a box that pops up with "Replace with" Type: ^C . What this does is take the image you've just copied and will override the highlighted "***" Hit "Replace all". You may have to scrub through the document to center it properly but thankfully it's easier to find especially with the Navigation Bar on the "Pages" tab open.

End Edit

Though you can just scroll and find the breaks highlight and drag and drop the image to break up the text if you so choose. Do what works for you.

Now you can also do the same thing with decorative chapter headers, just choose or fiddle and make something that works for the fic in question. Remember when I made you do all of those "Next Page" breaks for the fic? Well on the top of that page with the chapter, double click the header insert an image and "warp image" to "Behind text" and you are free to resize and move the image around.

Just so you know whatever is next to the image will repeat with this example it's the author's name, it will appear no matter the page number odd or even. I don't know the work around and it doesn't bother me much at the end of the day. At this point I'm just trying to pull all of the tips and tricks I've learned over time out of my ass to help people out.

Back to Canva. You can make your Covers if you'd like in this and you can do decorative cover pages. Just go to the page that you want the title page on, insert an image, and warp image to "In front of text" You will be free to stretch and fill the page as much as you please. I do the same thing with my logo placement for the logo page.

Now... if you're still with me... Congratulations I'm not sure I'm still with me or not.

So I'll move on to the "OK I like how this all looks and I've saved everything I've done"

GREAT you can calculate the right number of signatures and print from here OR you can take a few extra steps.

Hit File, Export, hit Create PDF/XPS. I hope you have at least a free Acrobat or PDF reader. Wait. Don't panic if it looks like the processor is freezing up on you. there should be a pop up of a PDF after that minor heart attack.

Now. With your new PDF you're going to go to Bookbinder JS

Upload the pdf file you've created and I'll walk you through the steps.

Letter 612 x 792 is your standard 8.5 x 11 paper.

Printer type- Duplex I hope you have a duplex printer. You'll need it or else you will be manually flipping the pages to make this book bind.

Folio- That is just 8.5 x 11 paper folded in half to make 8.5 x 5.5 booklets. Keep these numbers in mind.

Signature format- there you can select "Perfect bound" AKA Paperback. Or Standard signature. Here I select 20 page signatures. Keep in mind that there will be four pages per one sheet of paper.

Preview output ALWAYS preview output because it will tell you how many signatures will be with the upload. For example:

What this means: Total pages of the file uploaded, since the fic I'm type facing is 300+k words I divided the chapters up.

so you know what a 100+k word fic looks like printed folded and the air compressed (I will cover this as well) Keep this in mind this was Celestial Navigation now add similarly stacked pages atop of what's here. 100+k fics it's wisest and best to split this in half. Keep in mind your wrists. 500-600 pages is comfortable holding. You can get to around 800 pages but if it's 900+ pages I would think about dividing the document up.

After you are happy with the number of everything. Hit "Generate Output" wait for the popup for the save file to appear and hit "Save" this will be in a zip file as well. Head over to your Downloads and hit extract, open up the file and some terminology that will help with this:

Aggregate book means "the whole damn thing" Signature 0 is the first signature.

To spare the wrath and protest of my printer- I print one signature at a time and fold it since I don't have to worry about getting the page numbers to line up.

Take however much time you please. Next post. Folding signatures, pressing signatures, stitching, gluing end bands and ribbons.

aka- welcome to the world little fic. We hope you enjoy your stay. You're going to be a real book soon.

If I wasn't running out of steam I would cover Quartos. But if you wanted to print a smaller fic know this- increase the text size through out the whole document, these things are SMALL. 4.5x5.5 all said and done. I would go to TikTok and Youtube and look up "Quarto Book bind" if you want to see the smallest, cutest most pain in your ass book you've ever wanted to try and make.

I've done those as experiments as well... they can be fun but my god I'm bad at mathing at times.

[princesskarkles]

Nail Beautification - How To Do Up Your Nails

Flashy talons covered with nail art can complete festive look. Green,Nail Beautification - How To Do Up Your Nails Articles red, white and lots of glitter is what will make you glitter through party days. Play with colours and let the girl in you bring out the 'creativity, showing off your femininity by wearing nail art on your nails. You don't need long talons to carry the nail art. Nail art can be applied to both natural learn more nails and nail enhancements, short or long. Show off your artistically painted nails, covered with glitter and shimmer; making everyone dazzle with your diamond encrusted nails.

To get into the festive mood you need not go with loud colours, glitter or rhinestones. You can develop your own ideas and themes. You have the choice to stick to floral, line art, geometrics, art scenes, using dried flowers and setting rhinestone on to your nail paint. It is entirely up to you if you want to add a bit of colour or go wild? If you are a flower lover then let the fabulous floral designs create your own personalised garden! The great thing about nail art is that you can choose any design and let your imagination be the limit. All that matters in nail art is lots of practice and patience. So, pick up your brush and start painting now for the big day.

You even have the choice to match the colour, the print of your outfit, or have the same nail theme in different colours - choice is entirely yours! You have the choice of using water colours as nail paint; just remember sealing them with a top coat for that glossy finished look. A perfect way of matching the nail shades with your outfit when the nail polish colour is not available. Mix the correct colour to match your outfit and let your artistic abilities shine by painting the same pattern.

The best of nail colours can be put to shame if the shape and nail plate is not in good condition. The nail polish will fail to give the desired smooth shiny result if the nails are not well kept. In short, the 'canvas' that you are going to paint on must be smooth and well shaped. Smoothness can be easily achieved with a leather buffer used on the nail, point to remember here is that the buffing strokes must be done towards the free edge - i.e. in the direction of the nail growth. Never use steel files or nail cutters to cut nails as they can damage the nail plates resulting in shattering and causing grooves.

[southernskeins]

Tote-ally Obsessed: The Viral Knitting Bags Everyone’s Talking About!

If you’re a knitter, crocheter, or craft enthusiast, you know that having the right bag is just as important as choosing the perfect yarn. A good knitting tote is more than just storage, it’s a statement piece, a travel companion, and an essential part of your creative process. And guess what? Knitting bags are blowing up online, with social media buzzing about stylish, functional, and eco-friendly options that no crafter should be without.

Why Knitters Everywhere Are Falling for These Must-Have Bags

Gone are the days of stuffing your yarn into a generic tote or flimsy plastic bag. Today’s knitters want style, convenience, and sustainability, all rolled into one. That’s why high-quality canvas tote bags are trending like never before. Whether you’re knitting at home, in a cozy café, or taking your projects on the go, having a stylish and functional bag is a game-changer.

At Southern Skeins, you’ll find a collection of beautifully designed knitting bags that check all the right boxes. They’re sturdy, spacious, and, most importantly, crafted with crafters in mind!

Find Your Perfect Knitting Tote

A knitting enthusiast sets out for the day, ensuring that every essential tool is neatly packed. The Yarn Chicken Notions Bag, a witty and compact organizer, keeps stitch markers, measuring tapes, and small accessories securely in place, preventing them from getting lost in the depths of a tote. This small but mighty bag fits effortlessly into the Valentine’s Canvas Tote Bag- a stylish and eco-friendly carry-all with room for yarn, needles, and even a book or two. Its sturdy canvas material ensures durability while making a statement with its charming design.

For larger projects, the Project Bag for Knitting & Crochet becomes an indispensable companion. With a spacious interior and a secure drawstring closure, this tote keeps skeins neatly arranged and tangle-free, making it ideal for those who love to bring their work wherever inspiration strikes. No more rummaging through an unorganized bag- every tool and fiber has its place, making crafting on the go effortless and enjoyable.

A Cozy Afternoon with the Perfect Tote

One autumn afternoon, a knitting enthusiast packed her Project Bag for Knitting & Crochet and headed to her favorite park. She found a quiet bench, pulled out her needles, and got to work on a cozy sweater. As she knitted, a passerby stopped to admire her bag.

That tote is adorable! Where did you get it? They asked.

She smiled, knowing she had found the perfect blend of function and style. Her Valentine’s Canvas Tote Bag wasn’t just a carry-all- it was a conversation starter, an expression of her craft, and a way to stay organized wherever she went.

What to Look for in a Knitting Bag

Not all knitting bags are created equal. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned crafter, here are a few key things to consider when choosing the perfect tote:

• Size Matters -  If you love knitting on the go, a compact bag like the Yarn Chicken Notions Bag is great for small projects. If you need more space, opt for the Project Bag for Knitting & Crochet.

• Durability & Material - Look for high-quality canvas tote bags that can withstand daily use. Canvas is eco-friendly, stylish, and long-lasting, making it a great choice.

• Pockets & Organization -  A good knitting bag should have compartments or pockets to keep your tools, patterns, and accessories neatly arranged.

• Style & Personality - Your knitting tote is a reflection of your craft. Whether you prefer a classic design or a quirky print, choose a bag that makes you happy every time you reach for it.

Why Every Knitter Needs a Stylish Tote

A well-chosen knitting bag isn’t just a convenience- it’s a game-changer. Here’s why:

• Knitting on the go -  With a dedicated tote, you can knit anywhere, anytime. • Stay organized -  No more searching for missing needles or tangled yarn. • Eco-friendly & reusable -  Say goodbye to plastic bags and hello to sustainable storage. • It’s a style statement - A beautiful bag completes your knitting aesthetic.

Beyond the Bag: Elevate Your Knitting Experience

A great knitting tote isn’t just about storage- it’s about enhancing your entire creative process. But what’s inside the bag matters just as much! If you love surprises and want to build a more exciting yarn stash, you’ll love learning about this fun way to expand your collection. It’s all about bringing joy and mystery to your knitting journey.

Find the Tote That’s Calling You!

Every knitter deserves a tote that matches their personality. Whether you need a compact notions bag, a spacious project tote, or a versatile everyday carry-all, there’s a perfect bag waiting for you.

Imagine effortlessly grabbing your knitting tote, heading to your favorite cozy spot, and pulling out your latest project in style. The right bag isn’t just storage- it’s part of your knitting journey.

Ready to upgrade your knitting game? Explore the full collection of stylish, functional bags at Southern Skeins and find your perfect match today!