#i have a lot of paper bags that i want to reuse

[deanpinterester]

if you bought something from me and in the envelope it's packaged with a slightly rumpled / reused paper bag are you:

a) annoyed, because good presentation is important! and it feels weird to get second hand stuff

b) ambivalent, because it's just the outer packaging that's gonna get thrown away anyway. who cares as long as the merchandise itself is fine

c) glad, because reuse reduce recycle babey

#uhhhh me #i have a lot of paper bags that i want to reuse #but i have no idea if ppl would feel weird abt it #i wish there was a poll option on here #and why does this sound like a uquiz question

[ashmouthbooks]

EARTH IS MISSING! / EVERYONE'S WORLD IS ENDING ALL THE TIME

this spring I entered the Elizabeth Soutar Bookbinding Competition held by the National Library of Scotland. The theme this year was climate change. I didn't win any of the categories (I certainly didn't think I'd win any of the Craft categories, but I thought I had a decent shot at the Creative categories) but I am very happy with how my binding came out anyway!

under the cut is the details of the binding and the process that went into it, plus a full list of the texts included.

this is a modified 3 piece bradel binding - a 3 piece bradel is usually made with leather spine with the spine attached to the textblock and the front and back covers added on after. there's another variety of a 3 piece bradel case where the spine and boards are assembled with a thin piece of paper to later be covered with a bookcloth. I wanted to use some leftover misprint cardstock I had (the same stuff I'd previously used to make paperbacks) and I wanted to print the titles directly onto the covers and spine (specifically I wanted to overprint the titles to imitate the existing misprint), and in order to fit it through my printer I had to have it in three pieces. so I assembled a bradel case as if it were to be covered with a cloth, only the cardstock I was using to assemble the case would also be the cover material.

everything I used to make this book was recycled or reused, with the exception of the greybeards which were new (I didn't have any rescued book boards from secondhand books at the time). the text paper is recycled eco-craft paper, the endbands are re-used macramé cords wrapped in green wrapping paper that came from a gift bag, and as mentioned, the cover material comes from a misprinted running sheet.

a few process photos of getting the case together:

in terms of content, I took care that not only should the binding fit the theme of climate change - by using recycled and reused materials - but the text inside should also fit the theme. there were a lot of considerations there because I could easily have just bought a copy of something like Greta Thunberg's speeches and rebound them, but I wanted the texts to be something that made sense to me. so I went and looked at the SFF magazines I read for climate fiction and essays, I looked for academic papers, and I looked on Gutenberg for older pulp fiction relating to climate change. once I had a selection of texts I pared them down to two categories, fiction and non-fiction, and decided the most fun way to bind them would be as a tête-bêche with fiction on one side and non-fiction on the other, and this then informed how the binding would physically turn out - the modified 3 piece bradel.

here is the full table of contents for each side of the book:

EVERYONE'S WORLD IS ENDING ALL THE TIME and other writings

A Climate of Competition: Climate Change as Political Economy in Speculative Fiction, 1889–1915 by Steve Asselin Published in Science Fiction Studies, Vol. 45, No. 3, SF and the Climate Crisis (November 2018), pp. 440-453

A Century of Science Fiction That Changed How We Think About the Environment by Sherryl Vint Published in the MIT Press Reader, 20th July 2021

The climate is changing. Science fiction is too. by Eliza Levinson Published in The Story, 30th June 2022

’Not to escape the world but to join it’: responding to climate change with imagination not fantasy by Andrew Davison Published in Philosophical Transactions: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Vol. 375, No. 2095, Theme issue: Material demand reduction (13 June 2017), pp. 1-13

Science in Fiction: A Brief Look at Communicating Climate Change through the Novel by Eline D. Tabak Published in RCC Perspectives, No. 4, COMMUNICATING THE CLIMATE: From Knowing Change to Changing Knowledge (2019), pp. 97-104

Everyone’s World Is Ending All the Time: notes on becoming a climate resilience planner at the edge of the anthropocene by Arkady Martine Published in Uncanny Magazine issue 28, May 7, 2019

EARTH IS MISSING! and other stories

Earth Is Missing! by Carl Selwyn in Planet Stories (1947)

Climate—Disordered by Carter Sprague in Startling Stories (1948)

Climate—Incorporated by Wesley Long in Thrilling Wonder Stories (1948)

A Being Together Amongst Strangers by Arkady Martine in Uncanny Magazine (2020)

You’re Not The Only One by Octavia Cade in Clarkesworld Magazine (2022)

Why We Bury Our Dead At Sea by Tehnuka in Reckoning Magazine (2023)

#my binding #bookbinding #Elizabeth Soutar Bookbinding Competition #recycled materials #reused materials #climate fiction #climate action

[sevicia]

you WILL perceive my OC process / thoughts / ETC . had an idea for a game the other day while in the shower (they weren't kidding that shower can think) . two main characters they are sisters , you start playing as the older one ETC , and the idea is that she is withdrawn , nervous , responsible and insecure about where she is in life (she is about to start college this is important to the plot but not for what I'm talking about rn) . first instinct was to give her short spiky black hair

first thing I drew (did a couple alt hairs tho) but I felt like the expression did not match what I was going for at all (she is the type to try her best to look calm and reliable) , and neither did the clothes which I drew with the beauty of the opossum in mind . very prevalent today for no reason still a wonderful animal . I did like the hair though and I wasn't ready to give up on the opossum vibe (lol) , so I decided to do a paper doll type thing and start drawing by clothing layer so I could go slowly and think about what she'd be wearing

did not have the willpower to try & make the hair look the same in the paper doll version , didn't wanna overthink her expression either so I really ended up with a completely different character . . . who I really like !!

I have always wanted to do a story set in a cold climate , really had an idea for a different character back in high school (blonde, earmuffs, cheeks are always pink), but gave up on her when I just couldn't figure out what I wanted her to look like . . .

I got the idea for this character to be either in the 3rd or 4th year of high school , she's pretty much an outcast out of habit at this point , enjoys taking walks and being in places she has no business being in . I thought of her being talked to by a teacher (librarian?) on the subject of not just her grades but mostly her behavior at school, gives me the chance of saying if there is something bothering her and affecting her behavior then there is something she needs to get over but I really dunno how to write (think) about something like that ;_;

^ her & her bag . . . NOTHING IS TO SCALE !!!!!!! she has:

- notebook: ripped the used pages from a previous notebook and just kept the empty ones, the thing is beat up to the point the spiral's coming off and the corner of the cover is peeling off ... the cover design is a cloud castle with rainbows , a bundle was on sale and while she doesn't really like it , she doesn't particularly dislike it either .

- pencil case: heart-themed , the fabric is starting to fray after years of use . in it she has: a highlighter, a ballpoint pen, a regular pencil (chewed up), a tiny colored pencil, a container + sharpener combo, and three erasers: one of them is just a formless little thing, the other is a brand new one that she doesn't really wanna use because it's brand new, and the last is one of those useless decorative ones, shaped like a flower. no white-out because she is very very brave .

- water bottle: literally just a plastic bottle she bought a while ago & keeps washing & reusing . getting more & more crumpled up by the SECOND . . .

- strip of paracematol: self explanatory . doesn't get headaches TOO often, just often enough to justify carrying a strip of it around lol

- juice box + tupperware: her mom cuts apples for her and always gets her apple juice cause apples were her favorite fruit growing up ... she really prefers oranges now but doesn't have the heart to tell her . tupperware also has soda crackers . must be mentioned that this is NOT her lunch, just a snack. she gets free lunch at the school cafeteria ! only tasty less than half the time tho ....

- library card: she uses it a lot and has been doing so for a very long time . usually reads non-fiction about unexplained events (she likes ones involving forests the most), but is starting to enjoy horror & sci-fi a bit more lately

- Frankenstein (borrowed from the library): her current read, which she is really enjoying , though she's not sure if she is really getting the "message" of it . happens a lot with fiction books, which is why she doesn't read a lot of them

- flashlight: permanently borrowed from her dad (he insists he's gonna ask for it back eventually so she needs to take good care of it), she uses it for exploring. it gets dark pretty early and the library closes pretty late, so she just goes wherever she wants while her parents think she's at the library . they believe her because she does spend a lot of time there and she keeps feeling guiltier and guiltier ...

- opossum plushie: pretty much her best friend, she carries him everywhere . very soft fur , nice and squeezable too !!

OK ramble over for neow maybe . . .

MILA

#oc talk #oc tag #my art #long post #oc: paula

[koffing-time]

hey! do you have any tips for a good cup of tea?

-@pokemoncenterofficial

Well, this depends on what exactly you're asking for. but yes. Do you mean brewing a prepared mixture, or are you looking for tips on making your own blend of tea? For both are a few things to consider if you want to go like, high end, but it's really easy if you don't want to bother with the smallest details and can accept like, an 85% perfect tea instead of the full 100.

Brewing Tea:

First, it is important to know what kind of tea you're making. Is it herbal tea? Is it a fruit blend? Or do is it actual tea?

I'll start with some general tips:

the more tea you use, the stronger it tastes

the longer you let it steep, the more intensive it tastes

the hotter the water, the shorter you steep it

fresher tea is generally just "better" (though it won't really "turn bad" for quite a while. you can keep dried tea for years if you keep it dry)

the smaller your teapot, the easier it is to control the taste

i personally really like teapots made from glass because it lets me see the change in colour.

loose tea that you brew with a strainer is most often a better quality than the one you find in paper cartons and tea bags. (this goes for bought tea, the tea bag has no bad effect, it's simply about the industrial process)

use softer water, hard water can cause the tea to not fully develop its flavos. around 125-150ppm would be ideal. if you have something over 275 from your tap or so i would probably even go and buy water from the store.

destilled water is definitely the wrong choice as well though, it makes the tea taste bland.

Now, for some info on actual tea:

we usually distinguish between white, green and black tea

green and white teas are generally pretty similar (some snobs will hate me for this statement) while black tea is very different

black tea is fermented and dried for up to a day. Because of this it can have a quite intensive taste

black tea quite a lot caffeine compared to white and green tea, but still pales compared to coffee

green tea is not fermented and dried for a shorter time, but this varies a lot between different kinds of green tea. The taste is a bit more dry or tart than black tea

white tea is also not fermented and only select, unopened buds are used for it. because of this, it developes the name giving white fluff on the leaves. It has usually a quite mild and flowery taste.

Finally some tips on brewing this tea:

black tea should be brewed directly after boiling the water. Hot tea does not have a bad effect on it, instead it makes it steep a bit faster

green and white tea should NOT be brewed in boiling water. let it cool down a little bit, to about 195°F at least. Depending on the specific tea, you might want to go for 175°F or even 160°F instead

very delicate teas want to be brewed at no more than 140°F though, but make sure you stay above like 125°F. This goes for a few blends from Kanto and Johto specifically

As for the time, i can't quite help, you have to try a bit how you like it best. i'll give you some starting points though.

white teas should steep for around 2-3 minutes. You can reuse the leaves for multiple pots, but let it steep a bit longer each time. (Don't let them sit on the counter for a few hours or so, they become stale and can even get moldy quite quickly)

green teas should steep for around 3-4 minutes. Don't go much longer, they get bitter. (or try it and see for yourself) You can't really use them for more than 1 or 2 pots for the same reason.

black teas can be steeped for up to 5 minutes, but i think 2-3 are enough for most blends. any more and it can also get bitter

Now for fruit- and herbal tea:

i can't give a lot of advice here, since there is just such a large variety, i can't get very specific. Generally, you should use boiling hot water to brew this kind of tea. Most blends need to steep for at least 5 minutes, and up to 10 is usually a good upper boundary. For fruit teas, longer steeping means a more sour tea. This all depends on the specific ingredients of course.

Additions:

If you want to put milk or sugar or something else into your tea is entirely up to you. I personally don't like milk in my tea at all, but i would go with Miltank milk, not Gogoat or Flaaffy. I also wouldn't put sugar into my tea, a nice honey tastes way better in my opinion. A splash of lemon juice can also elevate certain herbal teas. (Not a fan of lemon juice in "real" tea)

Making Tea:

Making your own herbal or fruity tea blends is not difficult at all. Very basically, you take a few herbs or fruits that you think would taste nice, and put them together in hot water.

If you want to be a little more serious, you dry everything first. This makes the whole thing more tasty, less sugary and overall more like actual tea. (I think this part is obvious, but i wanted to make a little joke)

Drying Herbs:

The important part about drying your ingredients is to be careful. For herbs, i would just bundle them up and hang them into a dry and dark spot somewhere. The temperature has to be high enough, at least 75°F, but not much more than 100°F. Don't dry them in the sun, they can actually get burns and will taste bitter. Once you take them down, they should feel brittle and, well, dry. If your herbs take longer than 3 days to dry, you unfortunatly failed, the important substances in the leaves will have broken down by then.

You can also try and dry your herbs in the oven, but you need to be super duper careful. The oven can't be hotter than 120°F. Put them on a baking tray and just put it in for about 2-3 hours. Parts of the plant like roots or stems might be fine with temperatures of up to 150°F.

If you have an air-dryer, you can also use that, there should be instruction for different kinds of plants or whatever.

Drying Fruit:

It's a bit easier to dry your fruit than your herbs. If you don't have an air dryer, i recommend using the oven. Slice your fruit into very thing slices, ideally about 1/8 inch in thickness but up to 1/4 inch should be fine as well. Place them spaced out onto a baking tray. You should put a layer of parchment paper beneath them. Put the oven to around 120-150°F and leave the fruit in there for about 12-24 hours. With a bit of luck you're done in less time, but leaving them in a bit longer shouldn't do anything bad.

Selecting ingredients:

This is less complicated than you might think. You can easily make a good tea with just one ingredient, like chamomille, peppermint or sage.

If you want to make it more interesting, choose one main ingredient. Again, something simple and strong like peppermint, lemon verbena or lemon balm is a good start. This ingredient should make up about half to 2 thirds of your blend. Now you can just think of something that goes well with the taste, like rose petals, razz berries or apple peels. Your imagination is the limit, really. You can add other berries, pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves.

Something that would go to far even for this monster of a post, is selecting ingredients based on their effects. You can make some quite potent natural remedies in the form of tea. I would advise you to check the symptoms or ailments you want to treat and look up which herbs are good for treating this. I have made teas for anxiety, PMS or insomnia before.

That said, almost every herbal tea you drink will have certain effects on your body, but most of these will be just harmless if you're healthy and don't drink them in excess.

... hope this helps!

#tix.txt #pokeblogging #actual advice #//actual advice #//I've used all these tips before #//except i'm not using freedom units but i wanted to stay in character #//also i didn't make these teas by myself #//but i helped make a few before #//one of my friends is a very awesome witch #//judy if you see this i appreciate you #//also sorry for taking sooo long to answer #// i didn't wanna half ass this and i just couldn't find the time before

[dollsonmain]

Random babbling

That lot of dolls with Jetta is on track to arrive tomorrow. It’s in Hagerstown today which is one stop away from our delivery hub.

The other Goodwill buys haven’t shipped, yet.

There’s a mystery package OFD that’s coming from where MiL lives so either she’s sent something for That Guy or Son and forgot to tell me. She usually tells me when there’s a package for Son so I can let her know when it’s arrived, so might be for That Guy. It was his birthday this past weekend.

-

Things have been disappearing lately.

The take out food containers I’d been reusing to work on dolls and ponies all just vanished at once. All of them. Poof. They’re the shallow, plastic ones with lids. One of the boys must have recycled the whole lot of them. Don’t like that. I used them a lot to hold things while working on things, keep them separate, keep them off the counter or touching other things I’m working on if it’s something gross like rusty tails, etc.

It’s frustrating to have something I use a lot suddenly gone.

Another thing is the cleaning cloths. That was a pack of 12 and I can locate about half as many, now.

However, I have caught myself throwing those in the trash without thinking a time or two, like I would a paper towel. I may have thrown them out and not realized.

-

I realized that I have That Guy’s credit score in my hands and that’s very weird. I could easily rack up his card pushing him into over-use (though his credit limit is really high so that would be rather difficult), or not pay the bills without saying anything and let it go to collections.

Not that I would do either of those things. It’s just weird that, in a situation and relationship where I’m very much cut off from money in such a way that I can’t stash any away in my savings or use it to buy what and from where I actually want (like dolls and stuff off of stores like Mandarake), I also have that kind of possible influence.

It seems illogical.

-

I barely ate this past week, and that’s very likely contributed to my hard crash over the weekend.

I did eventually get through the bag of apples other than two that I had to toss because they were prematurely gross. I ate all of the peppers. Ate the loaf of bread and 2 pieces from the bag of pitas. The boys ate a good deal of the pita chips I’d made. I know I ate 1 stove top and 1 microwave ramen at some point, and I think 2 TV dinners.

For a whole week, that’s not much food at all.

But also I’ve noticed things don’t smell or taste right again. The microwave ramen smelled like elephant poop, and lots of different things have smelled and tasted like play-doh. I wonder if I picked up covid again at that school meeting and am just not having many symptoms this time, or if it’s the same occasional Smell Wrong that I’d been experiencing since the first couple bouts of covid a few years back.

But it triggered a memory of having a similar kind of problem causing food aversion a long time ago and now I’m wondering if that bout of diagnosed anorexia was really a months-long struggle with an unrecognized viral infection.

Though I do still have the body dysmorphia (50 pounds ago I felt like I look the way I do now).

-

I’ve been inundated with makeup and hair videos on Instagram again, likely because I interact with doll faceups and styling videos.

It’s.... How to say....

I still find it uncomfortable that so many people feel obligated to go to such lengths to make themselves look different than they are.

Like, grooming is one thing. Being clean, you know? Putting some goop on your skin so it’s not itchy and cracking and you’re not picking up little infections. that kind of thing. Grooming.

But it’s so much of curly haired people straightening it, straight haired people curling it, wear a wig even though it’s itchy, put on those fake lashes, your nose is the wrong shape regardless of the shape it is so change it with makeup, do not dare to have uneven skintone...

I think that I am very lucky to be ok with how I look. Like, I don’t find myself attractive, but I also don’t feel a need to put on makeup or spend lots of time styling my hair into a shape it doesn’t want to be.

I found the haircut that suits my hair and it happens to be a wash-and-wear cut, too. I have lots of pimples and pick at them because they annoy me but don’t feel a need to cover them up.

Which has nothing to do with people that do their hair and makeup in a way that ISN’T meant to conform to “beauty norms” and do it to be more colorful and for fun.

I think I am lucky in that because so many people can’t feel content in their own skin.

(Though, going back to the body dsymorphia thing, I do feel a need to cover up my body because it feels like I’m doing the general public a disservice if I don’t, and that’s silly.)

-

Also thought it was funny that Volks released Tall Wolf Man BJD, and then Luts was like Oh? GIANT Cat Man BJD, then!!!!

[strawbunnycakes]

Previous anon, I missed on the website that it was a Chinese manufacturer. I apologize for the misunderstanding, just trying to be environmentally conscious.

I understand. I also apologize for the misunderstanding and misinterpreting what you meant. A lot of my friends who are also shop owners have faced a lot of assumptions about using Chinese manufacturers for some of their items, and often get told they're contributing to slave labor which couldn't be farther from the truth. That's something that gets stereotyped a lot especially to small shops who use Chinese manus for some things, and I hate that stereotype for so many reasons, so it was a knee-jerk reaction, and I do apologize for that.

As far as environmental concerns, I do know the manufacturer for my stickers, notebooks, the Pip (pink cat) charms and the lollipop charms of Honeybun are especially environmentally conscious and use recycled plastic/recyclable plastic for protecting the merch.

As well, I myself use only recycled plastic mailers (that can be reused and recycled as plastic bags themselves wrt the poly mailers, the instructions are on the mailers) and recycled cardboard for mailers and protective mailers (plus water-activated paper tape for environmental reasons). I also have started using compostable peanuts for protection if need be for more delicate items. Hope that helps! If you want to look into more where I get all of my shipping supplies, I get them from noissueco, who are known to supply only recyclable and/or compostable supplies for small businesses.

Hope that this info helps!

[mitchipedia]

Via Rusty Foster at Today in Tabs.

Foster notes: "Yes this is funny, but Saltz wrote a long story for Vulture at the beginning of the pandemic that’s nominally about his relationship with food, but is actually a pocket memoir and autobiography. I missed it when it first came out, and it adds a lot of depth to both his career as an art critic and his otherwise baffling eating habits."

Here's the Vulture article, which turns out to be both funny and moving. It starts with Saltz's weird eating habits and goes on to talk about his childhood and young adulthood, which were very hard.

In normal times, every few nights I buy six large black deli coffees; three caffeinated and three decafs. I put them in the fridge. Each morning, I combine the two into a 7-Eleven Double Gulp cup, add ice, Lactaid, and stevia. I drink two a day, which I tell myself equals one big cup of coffee. We bought a dozen 7-Eleven cups and tops in 2017; we wash and reuse them; ditto four metal straws. Foodies and the art world are aghast when I post myself drinking these. I grew up in an art world where everyone drank this kind of coffee, but the world has changed, and I get it.

Neither of us really cooks. Roberta can but doesn’t; I can’t but do, in a manner of speaking. We rarely go out to eat. It takes too much time. We can’t plan it with two regular deadlines in the same house — two critics living on the manic edge while trying to write, daily battling the demons that tell every writer “You’re through; quit.” Honestly, being in public at all in those flaky states always seems hair-raising to me. We do go out for pizza slices on weekends, after galleries have closed and the openings are over and people are off to big dinners and after-parties. I haven’t gone to more than five sit-down art-world dinners in ten years. Instead, over slices on paper plates, we go over lists of things we’ve seen, what we missed, gossiping about which dealers wouldn’t leave us to look in peace (hi, Gavin, you know we adore you!) and scraping over each other’s wrong ideas about shows.

We don’t do takeout either. It just seems like an invitation to overeat, which is something I worry about constantly. I haven’t had a pancake, waffle, or piece of French toast in decades — afraid I’d instantly become addicted the same way I know if I took one puff of a cigarette, I’d start smoking again. I did this once in 1986, a month after Roberta and I met. I wanted to show her how cool I looked with a butt in my mouth. I took a drag, and as the smoke filled my lungs, I still remember thinking, I am going to dedicate the rest of my life to smoking. And so I did, for 18 months from that day, before going cold turkey. Do I sound like someone with food or possible substance-abuse issues? I do. But I’ve white-knuckled it this far.

Anyone who has ever heard about how we eat and drink thinks we are insane.

Usually, about once a week at a nearby place called Agata & Valentina, I buy two large boxes of something called chicken paillard — which, now that I think about it, I’m not sure what that actually is. Premade pieces of non-breaded skinless chicken with a teriyaki-ish sauce. The chicken is stored in the fridge in Tupperware containers. We microwave one for lunch, one for dinner. Ditto bags of greens. I boil potatoes and steam Brussels sprouts or broccoli. For breakfast, it’s scrambled eggs and toast. I cook these. Other than snacks, fruit, sugar, carbo binges, and eating while going to galleries and museums, that’s it. I am a hunter-gatherer-microwaver providing for my wife, who is my eyes and mind. We got these lives and learned how to make them talk. We adapt to our environment with our shortcomings and survive.

At least, that’s how I see it. But I know that with food, as with everything else, I have acquired only partial self-knowledge. At different times, I think of myself as a glutton and an ascetic. I can see myself as a person of endless appetites and curiosity, who can imagine going everywhere and seeing everything and eating anything. But I can also straight-facedly say I have no interest in food or any kind of social life other than a monkish one. Barack Obama has talked about narrowing down his clothing — suits of one or two colors — so he didn’t have to think about anything when getting dressed. I get that — doing everything you can to open up time and space in your life for the things you really love. (Bernie Madoff, actually, got dressed the same way.) For me, that thing is looking at art and writing about it. Everything else feels like a wind blowing dead leaves away.

I feel a great affinity to Saltz Like him, I eat simple foods, from a limited set of choices every day. Most days, I have the same thing for breakfast, and same thing for lunch, with a limited number of choices for dinner. I have the same thing every night for a bedtime snack, too. I can't do, or choose not to do, a lot of the things that normal people do. I'm not as comfortable with my choices as Lewis seems to be—but I'm getting there, and this article has actually been a big help.

I can make coffee. I'm actually very good at that.

#coffee #writing #Jerry Saltz #food #twt #living well

[itsdetachable]

I've tried out/trying out/will be trying some products and I want to share my experiences with you bc why not?

DEODORANT

So, first off - if you sweat a lot, or are very averse to feeling sweaty, those natural deodorants without antiperspirant may not be for you. They don't stop the sweating. And I've tried two companies and despite the claims, no they do not last forever and if you sweat heavily - for example, while being outside in the hot sun of summer doing things and sweating it up, they won't Do The Thing. Which is a bummer, because these types of deodorants tend to have a variety of scents unavailable in antiperspirant stuff.

If, however, that doesn't bother you, then they're pretty awesome.

Native - Very nice, nice variety of scents with seasonal variety. I used Native over a year and I really enjoyed their product overall. They have a plastic-free version which is cool! Obv cost more than the stuff at the store, but they last just as long. Can be found in some grocery stores, I saw them at my local Jewel but it's the base scents only. The seasonal scents you have to order. The 3 Choose Your Own pack is a good deal and it'll last you probably most of a year. P.s. my favorite scent is the Amber & Oak tho I don't know if they're bringing it back I hope they do.

Dr. Squatch - I love woodsy scents so this is where it's at - they have Birchwood Breeze and Pine Tar for your woodsy outdoor scent needs. Birchwood breeze is more delicate and open airy, Pine Tar is the Pine tree scent with other outdoorsy notes. Great scent. Goes on easy. I don't think they ha e a plastic free option. Their containers have screw off lids which is annoying in a deodorant. But the product is good and I rec it. Especially Birchwood breeze.

PERSONALLY: I am paying double on deodorant and antiperspirant bc I'm stupid and I hate sweating that much. I get a 'scent free' stick at the store and order my favorite scents and use them together. Stupid but functional and unless Old Spice gets their shit together and brings back the Denali scent it's my current only option for a woodsy scent that isn't offensive to my nose. So that's an option I guess.

SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER BAR

I'm trying out the Flora Flora co shampoo and conditioner bars. Used them three times now and I gotta say - I'm impressed. I have an issue with oiliness and irritated scalp, so I got their Scalp Soother with salicylic acid shampoo bar. Their conditioner bar has silk proteins. No parables no whatever else, you know the natural shampoo stuff. My hair is surprisingly staying nice and fluff and oil free very well. Even though I commuted yesterday and sweated in the sun, my hair and scalp weren't oily. My scalp usually gets itchy very quickly after a wash, but itchiness has dropped to a minimum literally after one wash.

I'm going to keep track of how long these things last, but right now I'm really liking them. Hoping they last a while and justify the price, bc I definitely want to keep buying them.

Cool things: the tissue paper is compostable. The wrapper has wildflower seeds embedded in it. The one thing is that I don't know ow what seeds are in it, so it's up to you if you plant it. I'm going to plant mine indoors and see what happens.

REUSABLE SILICONE BAGGIES

I have had zero luck using these for anything other than dry snacks. Not even things like lettuce or tomatoes etc. The seal always warps no matter how careful I've been hand washing them, never put in the dishwasher, but they all eventually fail. And not like in six months but like a month. One lasted two. It's a great concept but not feasible for me personally. You may be better off reusing any plastic bags you have currently. For example, when I freeze whole pie es of meat (like chicken breast, steaks, that sorta thing) I separate it them with parchment paper and freeze them in one big freezer bag. When it empties I wash it out, dry and reuse. Repeat until it no longer can be used, they last a while.

BAMBOO TOOTHBRUSHES

Fantastic. Any kind works, and they lower your plastic use. You really don't need special toothbrushes unless your dentist specifically tells you to use them. Excellent.

BAMBOO FLOSS

Bamboo floss is cool! Sustainable, tho you might have to look around to find a company that you feel comfy buying from if that bothers you. They often come in little glass bottles that you can buy refills for. Thicker than regular floss, especially if you're used to glide floss. There'll be an adjustment period, but it cleans a lot better than thin flosses.

RASA COFFEE ALTERNATIVE - WILL BE TRYING

I got a deal so I thought I'd give it a try. Coffee isn't good for me anymore (hello hypertension) so I'm looking for other options. They do have various additives that you need to look into if you're using different types of meds/hormones so check on that . It looks promising, can brew like regular coffee, and regular drinking can help boost your focus etc they say. Anyways, I'll update when I've tried it.

#natural deodorant #coffee alternative #sustainable #natural #shampoo bars

[lovemesomesurveys]

What's the last sweet treat you've had? A chocolate chip cookie.  

Would you ever or have you gone golfing? (mini golf counts) I’ve played mini golf when I was a kid. How about bowling? Yeah, I’ve gone bowling a few times. What's something you've been wanting to try but don't have the nerve or time? I kinda want to give a select few seafood foods a try, buuuut. I’m not a seafood fan so i’ve been hesitant and haven’t really cared to give it a try, but not being able to eat actual food (I only get fed some supplements through feeding tube) for well over a month now makes just about everything look and sound good. I keep seeing this commercial for fried shrimp and lobster, which sounds good in theory with lemon and butter. I’ve heard fried calamari is good, too. Plus whatever dipping sauces go with them. I mean, fried makes stuff good, right? Haha. I actually used to eat tuna sandwiches sometimes, but I mixed in a lot of mayo, mustard, and chopped pepperoncini peppers, so it was fine. I can’t eat spicy food anymore, though. :/

Are you able to walk or jog more than 1 mile without stopping? Ha, no. Definitely not now. I can’t go anywhere right now, but even before I had become pretty weak and didn’t have the energy to do much. 

Do you enjoy decorating your home for any occasion? I love decorating for Christmas. That’s when I do the most. What did you last have to drink? Water. What's your favorite color in the rainbow? All of ‘em. Do you tend to stumble over your words when you're nervous? Yes. Are you a fan of Ozzy Osborne? Nah. Have you ever caught Covid19? or any of the variants? I’m pretty sure I did. What color was the blanket that you last covered up with? White. How long do you lay in bed until you get up if you can't sleep? It varied, but it took me awhile. Especially these past couple of years. Just in recent months it was getting more and more and I just didn’t have the energy and was requiring a lot more help. What's a dance move you can confidently do? None. Do you know a Lucy? Nope. Do you ever listen to any A.M. radio stations? No.  Do you stream most of your music? I use Spotify. What is something you dread? The long journey ahead of me regarding my health. I just want to be better. I’m making progress, though. It’s just going to take a long time. Would you say you're an overall nice person? I think so, but I haven’t been the nicest these past few years. I’ve become this irritable, miserable, moody, frustrated person and just not always the best to be around. it’s been a struggle and I feel like it has hardened me. I don’t enjoy things like I used to. I definitely don’t laugh like I used to. I haven’t felt like myself in so long. What was the last argument you got into about? *shrug*  When did it last rain? It’s been so long. Earlier this year some time. Do you use big words in your vocabulary? Sure? I don’t pay attention. I don’t do it purposefully, I just talk how I talk and use whatever words I feel fit.

Do you keep Christmas bags and old wrapping paper to reuse? I often keep the bags. What's a charity you support strongly? I haven’t donated to any in awhile to be honest. :/ What's the first flowers or trees you notice that bloom when it gets warmer? I don’t pay attention to that. Have you ever accidentally punched yourself in the face while pulling your covers up? Ha, yes. Not fun. How about dropping your phone on your face? Yeppp. D: Have you ever been in a mosh pit? No. What's one of your favorite TV shows? There’s so many. What are 3 words or phrases you use most often? ”Like”, “I don’t know”, “oh my gosh.” When did you last trip or fall? It’s been a long time, thankfully. What type of pain pills do you use for a headache or do you just tough it out? I have to just ride ‘em out pretty much cause I can’t take aspirin, and Tylenol and Ibuprofen don’t help me for headaches. In fact, Ibuprofen makes me sick. I sometimes will drink some peppermint or chamomile tea, but usually if it’s really bad i’ll just put a cold washcloth over my eyes and try to sleep it off. What did you last say out loud to a family member? I don’t remember, I haven’t been able to talk for almost 2 months.  Can you remember the last time you dressed up nice for an event? Like 6 years ago for a wedding. What did you last thank somebody for? Helping me with something. Do you see any stuffed animals from where you are? Yes, the teddy bear my bro brought back for me from his vacation. It’s so cute, he’s wearing a robe with the name of the fancy hotel my brother stayed at. Do you or anyone you know suffer from food allergies? I’m just allergic to tangerines. I’m lactose intolerant, but that’s different. Look up from your device. how much black do you see? Not much. What color do you dislike the most? Brown. Can you whistle good enough to get through a whole song? I can’t whistle at all. What did you last tie a knot for? My shoes. How many surveys have you taken so far today? This is the first one today.

#personal #text #survey #surveys

[starrystrawb]

Meet Sky Mother Nature! She is the embodiment of the sky, obviously. Her body represents clouds. Her mane and tail are the sunrise and the night sky! I kept her eyes grey and simple so most of the attention is on her hair!

Sky is one of the oldest epithets. It's often argued that Water is older, but when asked, Sky and Water will tell you they are the same age. Despite her ties to the air, Sky prefers walking. She is often seen flirting and dancing with Water. Though, when pressed, both deny having a relationship.

I just wanna clear up real fast that the Epithets are NOT related unless explicitly stated! Magma and Volcano are sisters, and Wetlands and Water are siblings. Peaceful also has a sibling we have yet to meet! Also, while I use mainly She/Her pronouns for the the Mother Nature Epithets, you can also use they/them! I really have fallen in love with this series and really enjoy making each little pony! Now for our eco-tips!

Many people have probably heard that being vegetarian or vegan is good for the planet. It is (as far as I know)! But there are lots of reasons you may not want to, or be unable to change your diet. And know you don't have to change your whole life to help! You can do one day a week with out meat, like doing meatless Mondays, tofu Tuesdays, etc. You can also buy your meet from small, local farms if you're able! And remember, friends! YOU eating a hamburger is NOT the big issue. The meat industry is.

Speaking of food, lets talk about bulk buying! If you have jars, bags, or containers, you can take them to a bulk-buy store, or to a grocery with bulk buy options, and fill them! Some stores have things like dried fruits, nuts, candy, or granola! Others have things like flour, pasta, sugar, and seasonings. There are also refill stores! Where you can bring your own container and refill it with beauty products like lotion or soap. Of course, not everyone has this option. For me, there aren't stores near me that offer these options, for others the cross-contamination can be deadly, and sometimes these stores can be expensive compared to their regular groceries. Do not feel bad!

If you don't really do the bulk-buy or refill thing, thats fine! When you're doing your regular shopping, try to avoid plastic when you can! Buy pasta in cardboard boxes, look for packaging that can be recycled, or just try to cut back on your plastic bags! There is no reason to feel shame about not keeping up with the bulk-buying insta girlies. They are on their journey, and you are on yours. Both are valid and important!

Speaking of grocery stores, if you don't have reusable bags, ask for paper if you can! Where I live, I often bag my own groceries. So if I ever forget my reusable bags, I ask for paper! Paper is compostable, curb-side recyclable, and is super easy to reuse in your every day life! Sometimes, companies that have recyclable packaging can up their prices just because they're "greener". Other times, plastic is just unavoidable. You are never the villain just for providing for yourself!

You know who the villains are? Politicians! I (very obviously) don't like or trust politicians. Even the "good" ones have their secrets and their own agendas. So contact them! Phone numbers, emails, fax numbers, and other communication pathways are often public information for public offices! So absolutely blast their inbox! Call them! Email them! Write them a letter! DM them online! Fax them! Make yourself clear and be direct. To be VERY clear, do not send threats, harass, or harm these people. They are still people, at the end of the day. I just want everyone to know, there are several ways to make your voices heard. Talking to each other online is amazing. But we must talk to our lawmakers too.

Base

#lol #digital art #drawing #my little pony #base art #base edit #friendship is magic #mother nature #earth month #ecofriendly #eco tips #epithet oc

[tinyshe]

Garden Report & Frugal Living 24.21.02

Yesterday I planted carrot seeds that Jen gave me. They are to be purple skinned and red core. I pulled lanky and bolted radishes so I could lay them gently under the protective leaves of the swiss chard. I then layed a light blanket of pear leaves over the top. I'm not sure this was a good choice: days of rain predicted; favored duff material of the little rototiller birds; damn neighbor's cat who have the whole wide world to shite in but are determined to use my grow boxes. I think every day/ everyother day I will send 5 minutes between rain storms either to plant a small row of things that won't drown/rot or some garden chore. I can't get in too much trouble in 5 minutes ...

The spearmint is freshly growing and ready for first harvest as is the horehound. I'm not sure the lemon balm survived this much wet. Fruit trees are still in need of pruning but too much rain. People don't want to hang out in a storm and trim trees especially up on an orchard ladder than is sinking precariously in the sog. The hens have had enough -- they hate the wind; they hate the rain; they hate being in their aviary; they hate their freeze dried mealworms; they hate the singing little birds with their lusty antics ... just grumpy old hens. They need some tea (yes, people make tea for their chickens ... google it). Personally, my biddy birdies would still complain because they just be that way.

Frugal tip is about buying bulk. Even people that are single can buy bulk and benefit from the savings. Go in with family and friends if you don't want the whole lot, then divie it up or get mason jars and use for storage to build your pantry. Dry Good Things like beans, rice and some grains have a long shelf life. If you go to grocer warehouse during their seasonal sales, you can manage some good buys (look at harvest dates/years on bags). Make sure you transfer info onto your storage containers. If you are using recycled/reused containers, make sure they are tight against moisture (a little insert of wax paper around the container's 'mouth'/opening may help fill the gap). Here's a link to grain storage that may be helpful https://commongrains.com/how-long-can-you-store-whole-grains-or-flours-a-reference-chart/

Encouraging everyone to think about growing your own food as well as thinking about building a pantry no matter what the size. Once you have thought about it, go out and do it! Its not a one size fits all -- make it yours and fit your life. If you need more ideas or encouragement, just go ahead and dm.

#catholic gardener #gradening #frugal living #winter #approaching spring #planting #seeds #carrot seeds #hens #permaculture #urban homesteading #pantry #building a pantry #starting a garden #herbs #tea for chickens #fruit trees #garden chores

[bigheckinbraindrain]

Once-a-Month Meals

I recently found a website called Once a Month Meals (OaMM). The idea behind it is that they have many MANY recipes that you can prep ahead of time and freeze for later. You can create a menu plan, add up to 15 recipes from their site to your menu plan, and then tell the system how many servings you want each meal to be and how many make-ahead meals of each recipe you want, and it guides you through it.

Yesterday was my first attempt at this. I picked 15 meals that looked/sounded like they'd be really good. I made my shopping list (they allow you to download an exact shopping list, but I wanted to write it out to combine a few things, like there would be an entry for Chicken breast and another for chicken thighs, but I only eat breast, another entry was for diced tomatoes and one for diced tomatoes with chilis that I combined together). And when I got home from the store, I started in.

As I understood it, the basic steps for doing a meal plan session are to

Make your meal plan from the available recipes

Print out a shopping list (the website creates this)

Shop for the items on the list

Print out the prep-day sheet

Make all the recipes

Freeze

My experience of last night's endeavor was that it sucked. Hard. The recipes were good and the prep wasn't really that bad, but there are some things I could have done differently that would have made a huge difference.

I learned a lot in my first go-round. Some things I realized part-way through, some I realized once I was cleaning up my disaster of a kitchen at the end.

My tips for my next round will be:

PAY ATTENTION TO PREP TIMES ON THE RECIPE CARDS

Make my meal plan

Shop at a warehouse grocery store like Sam's, Costco, or BJ's because bulk, man

Pre-prepare my cooking by figuring out how much hamburger meat I need to have "cooked" for a recipe, chopped onions, etc. Do all that the night before

Use these little cups to measure out my spices for all recipes beforehand

Figure out what I'm going to eat for the next 2 or 3 days to keep in the fridge instead of freezing.

Make up my Ziploc bags and bowls with their labels

Group similar recipes together (like my Santa-Fe chicken and my taco pasta) because I can reuse some of those mixing bowls without having to wash and dry them in between when a rinse would do just fine

WEAR MY GOOD SNEAKERS FOR ARCH SUPPORT because I didn't last night, and my feet were dead weight about 5 recipes in

Download an audiobook to listen to while I'm prepping. Or a podcast. Or something.

Make sure I do my flash-freeze recipes in a logical order. Somehow, all my flash-freeze ones were near the end. Since I needed freezer room to store the pans before packaging the item, I couldn't do them in succession. Honestly, I'll probably ensure I only do 2 or 3 flash-freeze recipes per prep day, and do one at the start, one in the middle, and one at the end. Or just start and end.

Make an "eat" calendar. I will make a little post-it note and pre-write each individual meal on one note, then add it to my calendar (so I can move them around if I want to). I could also use calendar software to do this, but I like the tactile feeling of placing and moving stickies. I'm a very techy person but this is one thing I do like doing with paper.

Get 11 inches-wide plastic storage bins. I can freeze all my bags lying down, flat, and then put them into these storage bins in order of when I'm going to eat them

#oamm #once a month meals #freezer cooking #freezer food #freezer meals #food prep #cooking #make ahead meals #bulk cooking

[degrowthprojectprocesscolley]

This is the main idea I have for my project. To make recycled paper by using bags collected from fast food chains such as Panera and Taco Bell. I got inspired to do this after watching the "Bag It" film. The scene when he went through the drive through and tried to get them to use his own containers but they refused. My initial thought was "what can the bag be used for?" Then I started thinking about my everyday life and how many paper bags I end up throwing away from the Panera on campus and decided that I wanted to do something about it. This is also a skill that I've always wanted to learn. Paper takes a lot of energy to create and so many times people simply just end up throwing it in the trash. I use a lot of paper to take notes as well as to journal/write short stories, so I am hoping by making my own I can cut down the amount of money I am spending on paper while reusing something that I throw away.

[cricutexplore2setup]

11 Unique Silhouette Christmas Designs for Home 2023

Dear crafters welcome back to my other blog on��Silhouette Christmas designs. I have done a lot of projects with this machine, and it has never let me down. From the moment I decided to add this amazing tool to my craft room, I haven't looked back. I've been using this Cameo machine for the past two years to create free Silhouette Christmas designs for my friends and kids. They always inspire me to make unique projects and keep them safe as cherished memories.

No doubt, it was not easy for me to reach this position as I had to start from the basics, which wasted my precious time. But I won't let you face this situation because, inside this blog, I have shared my favorite and easiest designs that you can create with this crafting machine.

1.Reindeer Bags

I am still deciding whether I will spend this special festive eve by hosting a grand party or just with my loved one. But one thing is for sure, which is that I am going to bid them goodbye with a return gift. It is going to be one of the unique Silhouette Christmas designs for all of them, and they will always cherish it. The primary items that will help me in making this one-of-a-kind personalized craft include a craft machine, design studio, cutting mat, blade, and spatula tool.

2.Tic Tac Snow Game

Have you ever heard of Tic Tac Snow? It's just like tic-tac-toe, with the exception that it has snowflakes and it's holiday-themed. My kids have become addicted to this game, and they never leave any chance to play them. It has kept my kids busy, and I was able to concentrate on my work without any disturbances. However, to make one of these Xmas projects, I bought some essential supplies such as cutting machines, cutting mats, Design Studio, and many more.

3.Paper Card

Seeing the surroundings, I realized that I needed to recreate the idea of creating greeting cards. For the past few years, I have been sending simple Merry Christmas cards to my family members and friends with the exact drawings. But this time, I decided to come out of my comfort zone and create something new. Some of the crucial items that I bought to make another Silhouette Christmas design are as follows: a cutting machine, Design Studio, cutting mat, blade, and many more.

4.Temporary Tattoo Ornaments

Further referring to free Christmas designs for Christmas comes temporary tattoo ornaments. Are you tired of drawing the same ornament and want to try something out of the box? Then, give it a shot in attempting to design temporary tattoo ornaments this year. I was able to create this beautiful and custom Christmas project within 10 minutes. However, to complete this project, I used a Silhouette machine, temporary tattoo sheets, and adhesive sheets.

5.Dining Table Centrepiece

To impress the guests is one of the most challenging jobs to do. Undoubtedly, choosing this project among the rest of the Silhouette Christmas designs is the best decision for me. It is one of the most elegant crafts that helps me in grooming the dining table. The supplies that helped me in creating this DIY craft include this machine, Design Studio, cutting mat, sharp blade, etc.

6.Party Hats

Another one of my favorite Silhouette Christmas designs that will assist me in decorating my home is creating customized party hats. These party hats are just perfect for adding the right amount of glam and are super simple to add together. Other than that, I will reuse these hats on my 31st Dec 2023 night also. Now, to put together this customized Xmas project, I will need to have essential supplies such as a craft machine, cutting mat, Design Studio, blade, and others.

7.Photo Props

Every party is complete with clicking a photograph to capture the moment. The photo booth and party props will attract my guests to click the picture and have a look around the decorations. At first, it was difficult for me to create this project, but as time passed, I came across the complete process. The supplies that helped me in creating one of these Silhouette Christmas designs for the home include a craft machine, cutting mat, Design Studio, blade, and spatula tool.

8.Custom Candles

Add a unique aroma to your house by lighting the aroma candle inside your house. I will design my candle by adding any text or monogram depending on the size and shape. Other than that, I can also give them to my family members, friends, and neighbors. The supplies are as follows: Silhouette machine, cutting mat, blade, Design Studio, candles, etc.

9.Doormat

Further, including the free Silhouette designs for Christmas list comes a customized ginger house doormat. It is one of the best ways to welcome the guests and make them feel the vibe of the festival. One of the best things about the doormat is that they are available in different sizes and shapes, which help me in creating the design as per my choice. The list of supplies that will play a vital role in making this project are the Silhouette machine, cutting mat, blade, and many more.

9.Doormat

Equally important, I am going to club all my spoons and folks inside the dining table napkin pocket and set your dining table for this Christmas Eve. When it is time for dinner, my guests will find everything organized, and it will be easier for them to serve and share the meals. Other than that, I can also share my story of how I made this craft out of the cutting machine. To make this project, all I needed was a Silhouette machine, a Design Studio, a cutting mat, and many more.

11.Pillow

Let's pay special attention to modifying the sofa or couch by placing a layered Heat Transfer pillow. I will remember the pillow in my drawing area, making it look more eye-pleasing and attractive as compared to previous times. However, designing these Silhouette Christmas designs was a minor deal for me. As a professional, I advise you to be very careful while creating the drawing and using supplies such as a craft machine, cutting mat, pillow blank, and others.

In this blog, I shared with you the simple and exceptional projects that you can do at this festival. The projects will help you show your creativity skills and motivate you to share your thoughts with everyone.

FAQs

Question: Can I Start My Own Business by Making Silhouette Projects?

Answer: Yes, you can surely start your business by making Silhouette designs. However, you need to ensure that you have a cutting machine, cutting mat, Design Studio, and other compatible tools. Apart from that, it's your responsibility to ensure that you are paying attention to your consumers' demands. 

Question: What Are Some Projects That I Can Create With Silhouette Cameo for Christmas?

Answer: Being a Silhouette owner isn't a big deal, but the crafter can create multiple crafts out of this crafting machine. Have a look at the projects that you can make out of this machine:

●     Merry Christmas Banner

●��    Table runner

●     Doormat

●     Monogrammed mugs

●     T-shirt

●     Gift tags

●     Etched Ornaments

●     Keychains

●     3D Snowflakes

●     Shrink Print Ornaments

●     Paper Light Garland

Question: What Items Do I Need to Create Christmas Crafts?

Answer: In order to create customized Christmas crafts, all the crafters need to buy some essential supplies. All the DIYers need to ensure that they take care of the supplies very carefully without damaging them. The names of the supplies include:

●     Silhouette machine

●     Cutting mat

●     Tools & Accessories

●     Design Studio

●     Glue gun

Visit: www.cricut.com/setup login

install cricut design space app

cricut.com/setup

Source: https://mannyexplore.com/silhouette-designs/11-unique-silhouette-christmas-designs-for-home-2023

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[firespirited]

Today was the usual mixed bag. Readmore for animal death (not my pets)

Ended the day with another Barbie bad cam viewing as a palette cleanser, noticed more outfits this time around. Such a delight.

Started the day with quick chores then tomorrow's grocery pickup by the replacement carer we managed to find for a full 2h a week 🙃. (Usually we pay someone happy to work off books but thought this agency might be a little more thoughtful). It just is, so we're making do.

I walked one dog after the other at daybreak. I've been slowly taming the very scaredy Gargouille, he now comes slowly close for scritches and a peanut.

Yesterday someone left out a bunch of near new shoes and I carried them home (a small part of why my shoulder hurts) as they were roommate sized. She kept 4 pairs.

The rest was bagged and ready to go to the second hand store. I left the sandals, marrocan slippers and some large boots. As with all previous clothing or electronics dropoffs, they were thrown into the bin even though we have multiple clothes bins and second hand drop off points in town.

I find that very odd, someone clearly wants to share their cast offs and someone else doesn't want that left out more than half a day and tosses it instead of using the two second hand stores (clothes are less than 5€ each like 5€ would be for a coat, the point is to reuse and teach folks repair)

On the second walk for Lily (i can't handle both dogs, they both walk very differently because of the age difference and both have strong temperaments), the walk goes by the cemetery and sis had said she'd seen someone complain about a dead cat. So I went to the bins opposite the gate and there he was, a large ginger cat, flattened by a car and rotting under the bins. We're supposed to take them to the vets for incineration but I'm not able to and he'd been there a while. I acted on instinct, grabbed him with a dog poop bag and placed him inside the bin 1 and started looking for bags to wrap him in. In bin 3 there was a ripped bag of school papers and junk so i emptied it out and gently placed the cat in it, tied knots in the top and tear. It's not the burial or sanitary incineration he deserves but it felt so disrespectful to see him just decaying on the tarmac.

Bin 2 contained 2 stainless steel branded dog bowls - they'll go to one of the local animal rescues. I didn't dig further, I was feeling drained from a dozen different emotions about that ginger cat. This is a caravan parking lot on weekends so it could have been from abandoned dogs. We're a small tourist town on the road to large tourist destinations.

Last week I found a muzzle and collar at the car wash and I don't know if it's one of the dogs that's been spotted loose in town. Animal control has already caught two who are now up for adoption since vacations started in july. The stray cats and dead cats are adding up as people who rent their house out for the summer leave for *their* vacations and holiday makers drop off their cats during a pit stop.

They'll probably do another massive "catch, spay and release" for the cat population in autumn.

As much as I rant about outdoor cats killing wildlife and our neighbours who let their dog roam at night (she's a sweetie who sits most of that time on their doorstep), the fact is that it's easier to talk about than the culture of disposing of pets. Even if the best case scenario works out, it's a huge amount of volunteer work and the new owners have to discover the animals quirks and fears instead of a simple form and a small fee when you surrender them.

The law is very slowly catching up.

I'm far happier with the new age of no-consent laws but it would be nice to see some lawmaking about pet owning : some basics to agree to before you buy and fines for not just the cruelty but the chaos for animal control, drivers, vets and shelters during the summer hols.

I got Lily in july 8 years ago from a local shelter. Talia was a surrender to the same shelter around Christmas. So so so worth the expenses and work.

#saf #Ramblings #Warning dead cat discussion

[harrietblomfield]

13th- 27th of March: Experimentation & conceptual exploration

When reflecting on the print i created the week prior, the string stencil stood out to me as the more dynamic shape. This inspired me to contemplate the possibilities of string, and the complex shapes and scenes i could achieve in my prints.

I created a lighter, more dynamic gradient and began playing with the shapes of string on top of the stencils i had created the week prior.

I chose to have the bulk of the string stencil on the bottom of the print, overlapping the previous layer, as i decided the previous stencils were more of an exploration of texture- and did not contribute any cohesion.

I began soaking and prepping some more pieces of paper to initiate my series. Rolling out inks in shades of red, yellow and those varying in between to contrast the earlier, darker print. I also started contorting the string, varying between tighter curls and broader shapes.

Gaining confidence with colour creating and using the press, I created two new prints. I prioritised brighter colours, leaving space for the addition of many layers and room to experiment.

I found the shapes the string would illicit rather riveting, and pondered how they could be transformed into a landscape. In keeping with my original intent for an exploration into form and colour within abstract landscapes, I considered utilising the mushroom like shapes of the string.

Ultimately i didn't want to restrict the string to my desired shapes, and decided against exploring the fungi symbolism. Instead i reflected on some of my works of inspo, and identified how Paco Knöllers works are simplistic in their visual elements but expressive in the abstracts lines and shapes, and the power and energy of the works lie therein these dynamics.

I pondered on how the contrast of sharp lines would compliment their wiggy counterparts, and began focusing on how to add these shapes into my work.

24/03

Today I explored texture, using tarletan from the classroom that i stretched out and ripped holes in to create a more dynamic shape.

Put this though the press with some newsprint, created a great proof and also inked up one side of the tarletan

I had originally planned to use this day to print with stencils that resembled tall buildings as a contrast to the string, but decided against this as I was running low on time to complete my prints and didn’t want to waste any cutting out more stencils. Especially because I was enjoying the process of using found materials to create shape, and relinquishing control of what the shapes resembled and leaning into my perception of landscapes as abstract.

The last couple of years i’ve enjoyed making art with old clothes. I relish reusing materials that have signs of a life before my time with it, and enjoy the way fabric and ink interact. It felt fitting to explore this in class with my mono typing series, as I’m quite fluent in distorting fabric to create interesting layers and textures, but have also never used a printing press before so haven’t been able to see the full effect.

I put the tarlatan through the press so many times that it started to get frailer. To avoid it ripping prematurely I hung it out so some of the ink could dry, and started inking up some plastic that I ripped of a garbage bag also from the studio to do a similar process with.

plastic bag impression top left

After an exploration with those new materials i began to see an intriguing series forming. I believed they had motifs of similar base colours, and also the string and the tarletan. Although i used the same materials and similar processes i was excited by their differences, how the tarletan had made varying impressions and encouraged dynamic backdrops as well as salient imagery. I also was excited by my proofs, i believe the stencils held a lot of energy in their simple impressions.

I am feeling confidant in my series. I am hoping to get into the studio for a few hours before next friday, to add a few more layers and tighten everything up, but ultimately am satisfied with my initiative. Ive never felt like a strong drawer, so drawing my own stencils didn’t feel right for me, and have always approached art making as an exciting adventure where i try not to plan too hard. So using found materials from the studio environment felt appropriate for an assessment that is intended to represent place. I am representing the very environment I’m practising in. Art studios, especially my own, have always been a melting pot of supplies, half finished works and other traces of humans existing in a confined space. I’ve always been inspired in the ways that different textures and colours initiate relationships in the art studio that they may not have else wear.. paint stained headphones, glue on cloth, cleaning supplies on paper.

#monoprints