#inside crochet magazine

[bleuberrygliscor]

My gender may not be "woman" but it sure as fuck is "domestic wife"

#rem rambles #me teaching myself how to embroider: '' ooooh i can feel the gender tonight lads'' #i can crochet. cross stitch. latch hook. and soon embroider. solid 13/10 trophy wife. #if only the weirdos didnt make ''tr*d wife'' such a horrid word. im sitting here thinking about mushrooms and my tomatoes. #going outside to water my plants like ''ah yes. this is what i was built for''. making my dainty hands do WORK? boo. #there are two wolves inside of you. one of them is well respected within STEM. the other has an active Herrschners subscription #i make the same giddy noise when i get my Lakeside Collection magazine that i do when i get to open Microsoft Visual. #i have like 3 latch hook kits - 2 cross stich projects- 1 crochet scarf unfinished. my MV projects folder is in the same state.

[prismatic-bell]

HEY TUMBLR!!

Guess who you know who fucked up xir paycheck math like never before!!

This particular brouhaha involves me buying concert tickets without realizing a different payment hadn’t yet come out, and I don’t feel comfortable being like “hey y’all, just give me money for my leisure.” BUT. I do have wares, if you have coin, to help me sew up the hole in my pocket.

Please allow me to introduce the CROSS-MY-HEART.

(Don’t mind my facial expression, I was staring almost directly into the sun in a couple of these.)

I first saw one of these in one of my mom’s crochet magazines in the early 90s, and have never seen one since. “Cross my heart” might have even been the name of the pattern, not the item, and this is merely an attempt to reverse-engineer it. But as you can see, this particular heavy shawl does in fact cross the heart, and buttons from the inside in order to adjust wherever you like. (You can also wear it inside out if you want to, but there aren’t two buttons, so it’s not as adjustable in that direction, and also the pattern will look slightly different.)

The cross-my-heart is ideal for times of year when a sweater or blanket is too damn hot and shirtsleeves or bare arms are too damn cold, and is spacious enough for free arm movement. I don’t have access to a wheelchair, but experiments with a kitchen chair show it should also be an ideal length to keep your upper half warm without getting caught in your wheels, if that’s a consideration for you.

The Pumpkin Spice Cross-My-Heart is made of allergen-free acrylic in a smoke-free, dog-free, cat-friendly home, and is available for $120 + shipping (provide an address for shipping calculations). Tips are accepted and appreciated, but not expected.

This particular cross-my-heart was a test pattern due to the whole “had to reverse engineer from something I saw when I was like five” thing, and as such will be entirely unique as I worked out row sizes and, uh, took so long that the entire colorway was discontinued. (Okay, Caron.) In light of this, rather than the usual 12” of extra yarn I normally provide in case of cigarette burns, teething puppies, sharp corners, etc., the Pumpkin Spice Cross-My-Heart will include 24” of spare yarn. I stand behind my work as quality, but also recognize accidents happen.

The cross-my-heart is machine-washable on the delicates cycle. DO NOT WASH WITH ITEMS THAT HAVE HOOK AND EYE CLOSURES, as the item features decorative barrel stitches.

Interested? DM me! Not interested but want to help me fix my mathematical screw-up? Reblog, and keep an eye out later this week for further items!

#crochet #for sale #mutual aid

[overlyenthusiasticfictionreader]

Not a Fanbinding - Crochet Patterns!

One of my other hobbies is crochet. Previously I have printed out patterns to carry around in my craft bag, but the patterns always end up folded and crumpled.

In an effort to keep the patterns in acceptable shape, I figured I would protect them inside a book! I chose an open spine style, a combination of Coptic-style (the center stiches) and two-needle style (stiches on the top and bottom of the spine).

I am a fan of one particular crocheter: many of the patterns in my book I either bought from that artist, or were available online for free. They very much enjoy rainbow colors in their work. In tribute, I chose rainbow colors for my threads: the two-need style allows the color variation, where I couldn’t figure out how to make that work with Coptic-style. I was able to use of some of the embroidery thread stash my mother gifted to me.

The boards are the same material that clipboards are made from, kind of … mini-MDF? I don’t know the name of it. My SO was kind enough to cut the boards to size and drill holes for me. The cover paper is a decorative paper that I bought to cover magazine holders (I have not covered the magazine holders), and the inside of the cover is a paper I originally intended for another book, but this worked out much better!

All in all I’m very pleased with this book! At almost 500 pages, this should keep me busy for a while >.> I do plan at least one more book in a similar style to collect more patterns from other artists, but there are other books in the queue beforehand!

She fits right into the crochet bag! Perfection <3

#book binding #my books #crochet #not fan binding

[mrvelocipede]

Notes on the multicolored doily

Ovale Decke: Ravelry link, Ramona French charts

Knitted using three colors of crochet cotton, on US size 2 (2.75mm) needles. Finished dimensions about 24x18 inches.

The hexagonal units are reasonably straightforward to knit, although I had some questions about the chart. There’s a triple YO that turns into 7 stitches, which is clearly visible in pictures of the finished doily, but which is charted in a way that looks like it would result in two groups of three and a single stitch. Historic Niebling patterns tell you to alternate knits and purls in the same stitch for those huge increases, but I usually alternate knits and YOs instead. It makes fewer twists in the yarn.

Then there’s a round of purl stitches, and I can’t figure out why. The pictures from the original magazine don’t seem to have them, and some of the Ravelry projects don’t have them either, but some do. At what stage of things was this variation introduced? It is a mystery. I swatched it both ways, and decided to leave them out.

Ultimately, I made my own version of the chart, and used that. Here it is, for the record. In the hexagon chart, I included every round, because there are a couple of things that happen on even-numbered rounds, and I didn’t want to lose track of them. The border charts use the more standard notation of only showing odd-numbered rounds.

The 1x1 cable crosses may have all gone the same direction in the original, but I decided to mirror them, and also to not do them as actual cables. Instead, I did a mock cable that I think of as a Fake Decrease, but which is maybe officially called a Twisted Stitch (or Traveling Stitch?) and which I got very tired of by the time I was at the end of the border. All the border leaves are outlined in these crossed stitches as well. There are a lot of them. Bah.

I made four hexagonal units and grafted them together. Then I put all the remaining stitches onto a 24 inch needle, and considered the border.

The hexagon sides each have 17 stitches. In between the groups of 17, you either add a YO or you don’t, depending on whether that corner is convex or concave. I made a little diagram for both the 4-unit and the 9-unit versions, to show the placement of the in-between YOs.

I used several different colors of stitch markers to keep track of which places had the YOs and which ones didn’t. The YOs eventually expand into the triple-leaf shapes, but at first they’re easy to lose sight of.

I re-charted the border as two parts, A and B, and made a few small tweaks. When you’re using chart A, instead of repeating the chart exactly, you work whichever bits apply: the leaf increases happen at the corners where you’ve added a YO, and the former hexagon sides are gradually decreased away.

So you work rounds 1-8 of chart A, knitting any ktbl stitches through the back loop on the plain rounds as well. Starting with round 9, the part of the chart inside the orange outline gets repeated three times. Those sections get much wider very quickly, and it didn’t take very long before I had to switch to a 32 inch needle. And eventually to wish I had a 40 inch one.

On round 19, there are some places in between the leaf sections where there’s one stitch, and some places where there are two. To start chart B, you need three stitches in between the leaves, so you either do one YO (in between), or two YOs (one on either side). On round 20, I decided to knit those single in-between YOs through the back loop, because they seemed a bit too open and gappy. I suppose that more or less turns them into a M1.

I used two different double decreases, as follows:

The angled double decrease is slip 1 stitch, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over: the central stitch ends up on the bottom of the stack, and the diagonal decrease lines are emphasized.

The centered double decrease is slip 2 stitches together knitwise, knit 1, pass both slipped stitches over: the central stitch ends up on top, and the vertical line is emphasized.

The 5-into-1 decrease goes like this: first you slip 2 stitches knitwise, exactly like you would for a ssk. Knit the next 2 stitches together, and pass one of the slipped stitches over. Then move the stitch over to the left needle, and pass the next working stitch over it. Move it back to the right needle, pass the other slipped stitch over it, and you’re done.

Chart B is pretty much normal lace knitting (except for the interminable 1x1 crossed stitches). After round 31, the marked groups of stitches are gathered with crochet chains in between.

The ones on Ravelry all seem to be diamond-shaped, but I blocked mine into more of an ellipse, and it’s kind of interesting to see how it distorted the central hexagons. Dealing with all the loose ends was exactly as terrible as you think it was. Writing the notes took nearly as long as the actual knitting. Hooray!

#knitting #doilies #in which I attempt to explain my methods #charts #long post #Herbert Niebling rides again

[wastelesscrafts]

Project: crocheted D20 plushie

Introduction:

I've been learning how to crochet, as mentioned before. Once I got the basic stitches down I figured it was time to learn how to make shapes.

I took one look at the first triangle I made, then promptly decided to make 19 more. The result was a D20 plushie: a worthy addition to my partner's novelty dice collection.

The project:

I followed this Happily Hooked Crochet Magazine tutorial to learn how to crochet triangles. There are multiple ways to make triangles, but I'm still learning so I wanted to keep it simple.

Once I'd made 20 of them, I embroidered a number ranging from 1 to 20 on each of them using the backstitch.

[ID: four red crochet triangles lying on a black surface. One of the triangles is blank. The other three have the numbers 20, 19, and 18 embroidered on them with a backstitch in yellow yarn.]

A D20 is an isocahedron. If you make one out of fabric and stuff it, it will turn into a ball. That's fine if that's what your project needs of course, but I wanted mine to look a bit more pointy.

After a bit of Googling, I found Ravelry-user Highresmess's take on the D20. They had used felt to shape their dice. I decided to follow their example.

I cut out 20 felt triangles that were slightly smaller than my crocheted triangles, then basted them onto the backs of my crocheted ones.

[ID: a red crocheted triangle lying on a black background. A slightly smaller red triangle made of felt has been basted onto the crocheted triangle with a matching red thread.]

I then started attaching my triangles to each other with a single crochet join, following this D20 3D model by Armor and Rum as a reference which uses the classic Chessex D20 number placement.

I picked the single crochet join because I wanted a ridge along the sides of my triangle to break up the inevitable roundness of the plushie.

[ID: five red crocheted triangles have been joined with a single crochet join. They each have a yellow number embroidered onto them: 2, 20, 8, 10, and 12.]

[ID: five red crocheted triangles have been joined with a single crochet join. A red felt triangle has been basted to the back of each of them.]

I kept attaching my pieces until I had one big flat shape consisting of 20 triangles.

[ID: 20 red crocheted triangles have been attached to each other with a single crochet join. Yellow numbers ranging from 1 to 20 have been embroidered on each of them with a backstitch.]

I then continued joining the leftover triangle edges, slowly building the 3D shape of my isocahedron.

[ID: 20 red crocheted triangles have been attached to each other with a single crochet join, forming part of an isocahedron. Yellow numbers ranging from 1 to 20 have been embroidered on each of them with a backstitch.]

I left the two final flaps of my plushie open, then proceeded to stuff it with light-weight scraps of fabric and yarn cut into small pieces.

[ID: a red crocheted isocahedron lying on top of white floral bedsheets. Each triangle has a yellow number embroidered on it in backstitch, ranging from 1 to 20. The two upper most triangles haven't been joined shut yet. Red felt triangles have been basted to the insides of each triangle.]

When using fabric scraps to stuff a plushie, the fabric weight of your scraps is a useful way to control the weight of your plushie. I used light-weight scraps because I wanted my dice to be light, but you could also experiment with heavier scraps if you're making a pressure-based stimtoy or something.

I also made sure to cut my scraps into small pieces because larger scraps can make a plushie feel lumpy.

[ID: a red crocheted isocahedron lying on top of white floral bedsheets. The two upper most triangles haven't been joined shut yet. The plushie has been stuffed with a variety of small fabric and yarn scraps.]

I then closed up my plushie and weaved in any remaining loose ends. The resulting plushie is pretty round, but has some shaping to it thanks to the felt and the raised ridges.

[ID: a hand holding a large crocheted plushie of a red 20-sided die with yellow numbers. The top-facing number is 20.]

The die rolls pretty well. I wouldn't exactly call it balanced, but technically it could be used to play with.

Conclusion:

I really enjoyed this project. I learned how to make triangles and how to use the single crochet join, and I got a cool gift for my partner out of it. I also learned how to use the grid-like structure of the single crochet stitch as a canvas for embroidery, which opens up a lot of fun options for future projects.

Most of the things I make have some practical use, like clothes or utility items. It was nice to make something silly for once. I ought to do more projects like these.

#wasteless crafts #project #crochet #yarn crafts #diy #how to #tutorial #d20 #isocahedron #dice #dungeons & dragons #pathfinder #crafts #d&d #amigurumi #embroidery #yarn #novelty dice #backstitch #single crochet join #single crochet #plushie #stuffed toy #felt #I really want to try cross stitch on a future crochet project now

[spideybatsy]

A+B | Chapter Five

Summary: GN!reader is falling in love with Bruce Wayne, even if they won’t admit it. Everything takes a turn for the worse when Bruce’s biggest secret comes to light.

Pairing: Bruce Wayne x GN!Reader

WC: 2.1K

Warnings: na

Notes: Can be read as any batsy you’d like, I personally picture Bale bc I’m a slut for him <3

Masterlist

For the next few days, I feel helpless. It’s like I’m on autopilot. Waking up, going to work, coming home, and going to bed. I can tell Stacey is concerned about me but thankfully, she never pushes me to talk. She just gently reminds me that she’s here for me when I’m ready.

“Don’t take no for an answer.”

The voice on the TV catches my attention, it was a cheesy talk show. I don’t even remember it starting, there’d been reruns of Friends playing seemingly seconds ago. I turn to Stacey, who is staring down at her phone screen.

“Some people will try and hold you back from what you want. You can’t let that happen.” The live audience hollers in response as the host walks to the woman on the couch. “What do you want?” She puts the mic up to the woman’s mouth.

“I want love!”

“So, what are you going to do?”

The woman stands up. “Go out and get it!”

The screen turns black as Stacey gets off the couch. “Come on, time to go to bed.”

“Stace.” Her eyes shoot to me, and she turns off the phone. “I have to do something.”

“What?”

“I have to let him know he can’t just cut me out like this,” I said. “That I deserve more than that.”

She takes a seat next to me. “How are you going to do that?”

--

Now that I’m standing outside of Wayne Tower, I’m not sure that this is the best idea. What if he calls security on me?

No, I can’t back out. If he won’t talk to me after today, at least I’ll know I’ve done everything I can. The ball will be in his court.

I take a deep breath and push open the door and walk inside. I’ve never actually been here before, so I take a second to look around. Despite the building having been here for decades, it’s modern and sleek. Clearly renovated recently, it reeks of wealth.

There’s a receptionist at the front desk and a part of me feels the need to hide away. She’s stunning. I’m surprised she isn’t on the front page of a beauty magazine. Or on Bruce’s arm.

“Hi, I’d like to see Bruce Wayne.” I’m grateful my voice doesn’t shake.

She looks up at me through her glasses. “Do you have an appointment?”

“No, I was hoping you could call him and let him know A is here.”

She looks me up and down, and an almost condescending smile crosses her face. “Mr Wayne doesn’t see people without an appointment.”

“Please.” This time my voice does crack. “Just let him know A is here.”

She sighs and picks up the phone, dialling as she stares up at me.

“Good morning, Mr Wayne. I have an A here to see you.” A cruel smile lifts her lips. “Yes, yes. I’ll get security to escort them out.” She flinches, the voice on the other side of the phone is so loud that even I can hear it. “Of course, sir. Sorry sir.” Then she puts the phone down.

“Mr Wayne can’t see you at the moment, but you are welcome to wait.” She gestures over at the couches. I note that she won’t look me in the eyes anymore.

--

I’d been prepared to spend hours waiting for Bruce, having packed several books and even some yarn and crochet hooks. After half an hour I glance up and notice the receptionist looking over at me. She hurriedly looks away and whispers something into the phone before hanging up.

It was only 10 minutes later that I looked up and notice the man making his way to me. It’s not Bruce but I’m happy, nevertheless.

“Alfred!” I stood from the chair.

He smiles and draws me into a hug. I notice the receptionist staring at me again and whispering something else into the phone.

“Good job,” he says as he pulls away. I can tell he’s talking about my showing up here.

I can’t help the smile on my face. “What are you doing here?”

“Master Wayne called me to drive you home.” He must see the conflict on my face because he adds on. “We’ll talk about it more in the car.”

I nod, grab my bag, and follow him out to the car. I’ve been in this car a few times now but something new catches my eye. There’s always been a small assortment of snacks behind the driver's seat but they’ve all been changed out. They’re all my favourite treats.

“Alfred, what happened to the food?” I notice his smile in the rear-view mirror.

“Master Wayne wanted to try something new.”

The warmth that fills my chest is quickly darkened when I remember the situation.

“Why won’t he talk to me?” My voice is so soft that I’m worried he won’t hear me.

“Master Wayne is a strange man.” Alfred takes a second. “He thinks everyone is better off without him, especially when it comes to his alter ego.”

“I don’t feel better off.”

“I know.” We sit in silence for a moment. “Master Wayne has a date planned tomorrow night at Alexandros. It would be a shame if you showed up at 6 pm with a date of your own.”

“A date?”

“Master Wayne is a very… protective man.”

I take his words in for a moment. “Are you saying I should make him jealous?”

“I’d never say such a thing.” I can see his smile in the mirror again. “But we must all turn to dramatic measures when the times call.”

--

Even in my best clothes, I feel underdressed for Alexandros. Nick leads me inside, his hand holding my own. He’s one of the only people from university I kept in contact with. When I reached out about dinner, I was honest and explained the whole situation to him. Well, most of the situation. I left out the whole Batman thing, obviously. He instantly jumped on board, partially to help me and partially to see the great Bruce Wayne in the flesh.

“How are we going to pay for this?” Nick whispered into my ear.

Alfred had insisted that Bruce would pay for dinner and if worst came to worst, I was to call him. I don’t think I could ever ask Alfred for money, so I hoped he was right about Bruce wanting to show off.

“It’s covered, don’t worry about it.”

We smile in unison as we approach the host. He is searching for our reservation when I feel the back of my neck tingle. He’s here.

He says my name and I can feel his shock in every letter. I put on my best-surprised face and turn to him.

“Bruce?”

Nick’s eyes widen as I quickly squeeze his hand in mine.

“What are you doing here?” Bruce takes a step forward, seemingly forgetting all about his date. She’s beautiful, tall with the perfect amount of curves. I recognise her instantly, she’s a lingerie model.

“The same as you, it seems,” I reply.

The guilt in Bruce’s eyes goes as quickly as it comes. He introduces me to his date; her name is Nicole.

“Well, Bruce and Nicole this is Nick. Nick, Bruce and Nicole.”

Nick and Bruce shake hands and I can tell Bruce squeezes hard. Nick's hand is red when he pulls away.

“You must be the friend from university.” I’m surprised Bruce remembers. “Finally made your move?”

“Better late than never.” We share a cheesy romantic look and I’m proud of us for being such convincing liars. I’m also happy I never told Bruce Nick’s gay, otherwise this could’ve gone south very fast.

“Your table for two is now ready.” The host comes to our rescue.

“Nice seeing you again Bruce, until next time.” We go to walk away but Bruce acts faster.

“What if we sit together for dinner? A nice double date.” He says it like a question, but I know there’s no room for dispute.

“Unfortunately, Mr Wayne, there are no tables for four available.” The host responds.

Bruce pulls out his chequebook and starts writing.

“This isn’t a question of money, Mr Wayne. We are fully booked.”

The smirk Bruce responds with is so unlike him that it sends a shiver down my body. I hate it.

He hands the cheque to the host. “I’m the owner now, get us a table for four.”

--

To say dinner has been awkward is the understatement of the year. When Nick had gone to pull out my seat, Bruce had basically sprinted to get there first and help me sit. Poor Nicole looked astonished when Bruce then sat down, completely ignoring her. Thankfully, Nick went over and helped her to her seat. I thanked him when he sat down, which just made Bruce agitated.

I’m not sure what his game is. The only thing I can think of is maybe he wants to show that he’s more interested in me than her. All it does is make me feel bad for her.

Bruce starts asking question after question, basically all of them directed at me. Most of which I know he already has the answer to. As soon as I can get an extra word in, I ask Nicole how her week has been.

While we chat, I can see Bruce staring daggers into Nick. I feel so bad for the guy, I might have to buy him a gift basket after this. I can tell he’s uncomfortable by the way he grips my hand under the table. I try to squeeze back in solidarity.

“How has your week been?” Nicole asks me.

I can’t stop the hurt that floods my eyes but try to blink it away. “I went to see a friend and he wouldn’t talk to me. He just sent someone else to come deal with me.”

At least Bruce has the decency to look down in shame, even if it only lasts a moment.  

“I’m sorry, that’s horrible.” Nicole reaches over the table and takes my other hand. I smile, grateful for her empathy. “Have you spoken to him now?”

I feel Bruce’s eyes on me. “Kind of? We haven’t really spoken. I’m beginning to wonder if it’s worth it anymore.”

Before anyone can respond, the waitress brings out our mains.

We eat mainly in silence, sometimes commenting on the meal. The tension is palpable, everyone can feel it.

“Do you want to try some of the soup?” When no one responds, I look up and notice Bruce gazing straight at me. “I know you love it.”

Nick can’t help but laugh next to me. “You hate soup.”

Bruce’s face scrunches, in the same way I imagine a toddler would mid hissy fit. “No, they don’t.”

“They certainly don’t like pumpkin soup.” Nick laughs even harder, and I can’t help but join him. It’s so stupid but with all the tension that’s been suffocating us all night, something just snaps.

“I-I,” I struggle to get the words out between, “hate pumpkin soup.”

Bruce looks down at his soup, which is definitely pumpkin, and crosses his arms.

“I feel like I’m missing out on an inside joke.” Nicole pipes up.

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I finally gain some sort of composure.

“Back in university, I ate pumpkin soup all the time.” Nick starts laughing again, burying his head in my shoulder. “Then one day I ate an out-of-date can and spewed everywhere. Haven’t touched canned pumpkin soup since.”

Bruce tries and fails to hide the upturn on his lips. “I’m sure this isn’t canned.”

“I’m sure it isn’t. I’m still not willing to risk it, though.” I lean over and place my free hand on his arm. “But thank you for offering.”

This seems to lift his spirits even higher, as he instantly grabs my hand with his own. “I’ll get Alfred to make you some pumpkin soup. He loves making it.”

“That sounds nice.”

We stare at each other for a moment, and it feels like our first real interaction since that night of the robbery. Unfortunately, it’s cut short when Nicole coughs. I quickly take my hand away, even though his remains still.

Nick, sensing the tension beginning to rise again, quickly steps in. “God, I can’t wait for dessert.”

--

As Alfred expected, Bruce picked up the bill for dinner. Both Nick and I thanked him several times, but Bruce brushed it off.

Nick went outside to get the car while Bruce, Nicole and I waited inside. Bruce pulled me aside, just out of Nicole’s hearing range.

“I wanted to say,” he took a breath. “I’m sorry.”

Nick called for me, waiting by the car. As I moved to him, I turned back to Bruce. “Call me later, we’ll talk about it.”

#bruce wayne #bruce wayne x reader #bale!bruce wayne x reader #bale!bruce wayne #bruce Wayne x reader #Christian Bale #batman #batman x reader #gn!reader #bruce Wayne x gn!reader #bale!bruce Wayne x gn!reader

[nuzzle]

hi, i love your blog so much! *⋆˚꒰ˊૢᵕˋૢෆ꒱ out of curiousity, when and how did you become a lolita lifestyler and do you have any tips for someone trying to become one? thank you!! ଯ( ॢᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈)ॢഒ

hello, and thank you so much for loving my blog!! ♡

i'm sure many lolitas have different ideas on what a lifestyler exactly is and what being one means to them personally.. but i think it's as simple as loving the fashion so much that you put forward the effort to incorporate it into other parts of your life.

i first started considering myself a lifestyler about a year ago. around that time, my wardrobe was building up a bit more and i was crossing a bunch of dream items off my list. i also started slowly growing my collection of lolita-related physical media (catalogs from brands, gothic & lolita bibles, lolita magazines, books, dvds and such!) i wanted other factors of my life to match my clothes.

i feel as though a lot of it has to do with your environment. changing up your room a bit.. maybe you want to paint your walls a different color or rearrange things a bit. you could slowly collect the things you love, it could be anything! tea sets, figures, manga, music, games, posters or prints of art.. for me—adorning my closet with my dresses, having a display mannequin, organizing my accessories, including my novelty items in my daily use, displaying my collection of media in my lolita room and surrounding myself with my favorite things helped egl feel more like a lifestyle rather than just a fashion that i love!

other than decorating your living space/room i think dressing up daily is an obvious one. doesn't have to necessarily all be lolita, maybe if your school/work's dress code doesn't allow it you could have some egl inspired elements in your casual everyday outfits. outside of that, having cute roomwear/pajamas comes to mind.. like the nightgown and nightcap momoko wears in kamikaze girls! a cute swimsuit for beach or pool days in the summer, perhaps workout gear and outfits for the gym that matches your aesthetic (i instantly think of the silly bedazzled dumbbell in mister rococo)

occasionally taking some coord pics or making wardrobe related posts, going on outings that feel rococo or victorian inspired (maybe a garden visit, museums, a picnic, or afternoon tea!) having a journal, blog, social media or maybe even your own website dedicated to the topic and decorated with your aesthetic of choice, could all be really fun things for a lifestyler. i find that cataloging your wardrobe is exciting (be it digitally on lolibrary, making your own database for your closet, or building one of those physical books with pictures) along with planning coords. some more hobbies could be sewing, fixing up and restoring items in your wardrobe, crochet, baking or cooking (make some cute sweets or snacks!) studying art history or historical fashions, gardening or tending to flowers, looking into a variety of different teas and tea leaves you may enjoy, making collages or journaling, reading, listening to music, playing an instrument, watching movies, playing games, it could really be anything that you enjoy!

it's also important to remember not everything in your life has to be centered around egl, and not everything has to fit inside an aesthetic box. don't let being a lifestyler burn you out or put you off of trying different things.. you can truly do anything you want to do at the end of the day. your passion and love of lolita won't start disappearing and fading away on days that you choose to live differently!

and thank you for the fun question!! i hope my answer was able to do it justice ^_^

#asks #lolita fashion #egl #lolita lifestyle

[whiskeysmulti]

((This one is like a follow up to the previous one. This is for Gokudera in the default verse. As with the other one and the ones to come after this, do with this as you please! Hope you enjoy!))

-

As it was a weekday, there were classes to attend. A part of her considered dropping by early in the morning, she decided against it because she knew that Gokudera was usually out and about early in the morning.

Sometimes it was to patrol the area, and other times it was probably to escort Tsuna around in the mornings- just to make sure no one messed with him.

With that, she opted to wait until after classes ended. He would either escort Tsuna back home or do whatever was on the agenda in his mind. If Haru had to guess, maybe he was helping Tsuna with his studies or something.

She texted him earlier today asking him to message her when he was done for the day. Haru lived nearby, so it wouldn’t take her long to meet him.

When she received the message, she went into the fridge to take out the things she prepared. Haru noticed that Gokudera wasn’t so keen on sweets, and she did eventually cue onto the fact that he always had a strong reaction when seeing Bianchi’s face or if he was faced with her cooking.

It was hard to know if what she prepared would be something he would find palatable, but she wanted to give it a try. Haru has vowed to herself that she was going to help him form better eating habits so he could be healthier.

Well, she also wanted him to smoke less, but she had to start one battle at a time.

“Hayato, hello~ Looks like I got here before you did. Haru is a fast walker, fufu~” Haru holds up a box that she was carrying. “Haru did say that she’d give you your Valentine’s day gift on the actual day, didn’t she?”

The gift should’ve also come with a crochet charm, but she already gave that to him when she was handing out gifts to everyone else at the Sawada household days ago.

“Haru has some time before she has to go back home. Hope Haru can come in for a bit?” She ask him carefully. “If Haru has to wait out here for a few minutes for you to hide some things, she can.” She cracks a small joke, but was also half-serious.

Who knew if there were things that he would want to hide from her eyes? Maybe some confidential documents, weapons, magazines, or whatever else a teen could be hiding.

Should he tell her to wait, she would until he said it was fine. If he asserted that there was nothing to hide, then she’d trust that. Luckily for him, she didn’t have a strong prying side to her personality, so she wouldn’t go snooping around. She makes no promises that she won’t accidentally find anything though if something wasn’t hidden well.

Once inside, she slips her shoes off and she walks over to the couch and settles down onto it, patting an empty space next to her. She’s very excited from the looks of things. “I know that you normally don’t go for sweets, so I tried to go for something that isn’t too overbearingly sweet. There are two options to choose from.”

She takes two things out of the box and sets them on top of the box. “This one is a fruit parfait. I cut up different fruits, and mixed just a smidge of honey into the yogurt. There’s crunchy granola in there too, for texture. It’s healthy, and what were they called again? Chocolate curls? Basically, shaved chocolate as garnish. It shouldn’t be too sweet. Haru didn’t want to overload it with too much chocolate in case it’d end up being too sweet for your tastes.” Or comfort.

Motioning to the next item, “It’s panna cotta. I’m sure I don’t really have to explain it to you,” it is a classic Italian custard after all, “but it isn’t too sweet. I did flavor this one to taste like vanilla coffee.” Haru taps the little bowl that she’d put the panna cotta in to watch it jiggle.

Mirroring the jiggling dessert, she was wiggling with excitement, “panna cotta is a viral treat on social media because it jiggles. People love to make them with bunny molds or cat molds. Of course, when I saw a cat mold—I knew what I had to do.”

There was a reason why she specifically went for a vanilla coffee flavored panna cotta, because it’s color was similar to the base color of Uri’s fur. “The chocolate syrup is a bit dark for Uri, but it offered enough contrast against the panna cotta. Haru used a toothpick to dab the syrup on there to make it look like Uri. Isn’t it cute?”

Obviously, the treat can’t hold a handle to the real thing, and there was no way she’d be able to find or make a mold that would mimic Uri’s shape. It would be too complicated of a mold to create and hope not to break the fragile dessert during the demolding process.

“I… wasn’t sure if you’d be okay with panna cotta,” it was a classic Italian custard dessert, so maybe he’d already sworn off it due to Bianchi’s influence. “That’s why I also prepared the fruit parfait as a backup. The panna cotta may not be as good as what you could get in the motherland, but Haru did her best to make something tasty for you.”

It would be nice if he would like either of them, but she wasn’t going to force him to eat something if he didn’t like them. “Don’t feel pressured to force yourself to eat either of them if you don’t want to. Haru can always have a revenge match next year.” Ever the ambitious person, she wouldn’t feel daunted by one failure.

“Ah, it goes without saying that these are Honmei and not Tomo-‘choco’. It’s our first Valentine’s day since becoming a couple, so I wanted to spend some time with you.” Normally, Haru would hand off gifts and them trot off because she had a lot of gifts to hand out to people.

That’s the one downside to being a social butterfly, you have a lot of chocolates to give out to people. Things are different this year, because she wasn’t going anywhere- not for the next couple of hours, anyways. “If you don’t like the ‘chocolate,’ then consider me your Valentine’s day gift, okay?” She giggles, pointing to her brown hair.

Brown = chocolate. Valid thought process, no? “Happy Valentine’s Day, Hayato. I love you~”

Valentine's Day asks 2023- accepting! Partner drabble to this!

He'd cut class again as it was boring as usual and was nothing he hadn't already learned anyway. He'd waited outside though until the 10th was finished and stepped outside to smoke until Tsuna and the Baseball Nut got out of class too. Checking his phone, he messaged Haru back. [text] I'm on my way home. He paused as he heard her voice and put his cigarette out, she'd met him there already. He knew she didn't like him smoking and he only had a few hits left anyway. He'd put the little crocheted Uri on a keychain that had his apartment key on it. He took it out and started fiddling with the little cat charm, how she'd crocheted something so small for him he'd never know.

Taking off his shoes and jacket, he went to the fridge and got out a couple drinks for them and joined Haru on the couch. He almost laughed at the fact she made the panna cotta because it reminded her of Uri, he noted how much Haru loved that cat. Gokudera opened his soda and sat next to Haru, handing her one too. He reached for her instead of the desserts and placed a hand under her chin, thumb carefully brushing her lips and tilting Haru's head up so he could kiss her. It was indeed their first Valentine's Day together as a couple and he'd make sure it was a night Haru wouldn't forget. As tempting as the desserts looked, he wanted to see her blush and knew the perfect thing to say to cause it. Don't blame him, Haru, you set the mood with all these desserts and foods. "Can I eat you first?"

#asks #ic #muse; hayato #queenharumiura #nsft tw #valentine's day 2024

[sheloooveswomen]

quarantine - headcanon

masterlist

prompt: this is so two years ago but i felt like imagining it. idk this is kinda boring sorry. working on something else.

includes: billie dean howard, lana winters, cordelia goode, sally mckenna, audrey tindall, ally mayfair-richards, wilhemina venable, diane sherman, alice macray, tammy, and xandra terrell.

☆ billie dean howard ☆

• feels like long needed time off at first but then she doesn't know what to do with herself

• signs up for every streaming service

• hamilton being added to disney is a very good day for her

• learns the art of massage (wink wink), gets a variety of scented oils and lotions, it's a win win

• BILLIE: "If I see any cleavage, a hardened nipple through your shirt- even a sliver of ass or midriff while I'm on this video call, I will have your head."

Y/N: "Billie Dean! You want me to give you head during office hours?! I know we're at home but still."

BILLIE: "I love you but so help me god. I'm a weak woman."

☆ lana winters ☆

• gets an audible membership to stay busy

• listens while reading a kindle copy because although she loves hearing it performed, she neeeeds a 'book' in her hands

• dabbles in watercolor/landscape painting when boredom really hits her

☆ cordelia goode ☆

• supreme immune system

• consistently up to date on all the facts

• always checking on the girls (whether they're staying at the academy or attending virtually)

• casts protection spells and makes remedies for the witches

• tries to have non-school activities planned so no one gets cabin fever, let's them have 'parties'

• big group sleepovers (nail painting, hair braiding, baking, ride a mattress down the stairs, play wii/just dance, karaoke)

☆ sally mckenna ☆

• oh wait she can't leave the hotel anyways lmao

• gains a true crime show/forensic files obsession tho

☆ audrey tindall ☆

• Audi is a real people person so staying inside is hard for her

• starts and stops a crazy amount of hobbies

• puzzles, paint by number, jewelry making, glass cutting, making clay picture frames, crochet, friendship bracelets, resin earrings, nail art, diy-ing clothes she doesn't wear anymore

• does zoom skits with fellow actor/theater friends for fun and to raise money

☆ ally mayfair-richards ☆

• her anxiety doubles during the pandemic

• takes every precaution to keep you all safe and takes setting guidelines for Michigan very seriously

• she distracts herself by making sure Oz is on track for school and isn't ever bored

• orders a lot of board games for all three of you (and some couple ones for just the two of you)

• makes a sapphic/queer movie and show list to go through together

• tries new recipes (puts the best ones on a list to add to the menu when the restaurant opens up eventually)

☆ wilhemina venable ☆

• this woman loves her home and hates interacting with anyone that isn't you

• quarantine is a dream for her

• mina doesn't like to sit and 'relax'

• goes through majority of her library before ordering a shit ton of books to add to her collection

• won't admit it but the great amount of time together opened her up to cuddling more often and listening to/"suffering through" your music

• reading with headphones playing her classical music while you lay with your head in her lap as you watch tv is one of her favorite pastimes

• she will not tolerate distractions while working

☆ diane sherman ☆

• becomes obsessed with podcasts and asmr

• goes hand in hand with her expanding gardening time

• gets more house plants

• rearranges the furniture a lot

• crochet and macramé addict (she's freakishly good at it)

• makes coasters, cup cozies/sleeves, hats, scarves, cardigans, vests, hanging plant holders

☆ alice macray ☆

• home renovation shows/magazines/blogs are her new hobby

• finds projects/little things to fix around the house and researches them before ordering supplies online

• online shopping addict

☆ tammy ☆

• AU where she doesn't have kids

• binge watches all the housewives shows

• quarantining with the gang at Loubbie's fully stocked house (borderline mansion) in upstate new york

• video/board game tournaments with the group

☆ xandra terrell ☆

• at home date nights

• bartender/chef at heart = quarantine cocktail and dessert connoisseur

• mixes drinks to go with dinner, eventually tries to make them blindfolded or with bottle tricks, has you quiz her on the recipes, learns new ones

• makes cake/cupcake flavors you didn't even know existed, tries fancier pastries too

#sarah paulson #x reader #american horror story #ahs murder house #billie dean howard #lana winters #ahs asylum #cordelia goode #cordelia foxx #ahs coven #sally mckenna #ahs hotel #audrey tindall #ahs roanoke #ally mayfair richards #ahs cult #ahs apocalypse #wilhemina venable #mrs america #alice macray #mildred ratched #ratched #xandra terrell #tammy #ocean’s eight

[shipsgaysfordays]

What? (Mary and Sirius POV)

Links to the other chapters here

I’m updating this fic again, I know it’s a shocker. I’m really hoping to get this done over the summer. Also, if you haven’t read any of this fic, I’ll be honest that I think it is totally possible to just jump in in this chapter. Like some shit might not make as much sense, but I’m happy if anyone gets into the fic at any point please.

“There’s a lovin’ in your eyes, all the way. If I listen to your lies would you say, I’m a man, without conviction? I’m a man who doesn’t know how to make a decision. You come and go, you come and go-o-o-o.” 

Mary’s portable radio emits Boy George’s voice, as Harry and her listen along. A stuffed bear in the boys hands, crochet together, sewn up in spots, thin with years of love causing stuffing to spew out.

As the chorus begins and the “karma, karma, karma, karma, karma chameleon” is repeated over and over on the radio, Harry’s leg shakes with excitement and he flops the bear (Mr. Beary) ‘s arms around. 

 Sitting on the couch, Mary hears the sound of a car engine running, driving closer and closer. She grins from ear to ear at Harry, both gitty that his parents would be home in just a few moments. 

The door bangs into the wall with momentum, as Lily bolts inside, running into the living room, and wraps her son in her arms. Kissing him all over, Harry giggles. 

“See, I told you she would be home soon,” Mary smiled.

James walked in to find this scene, his wife and son together, and Mary just kind of there. 

“Well, I was going to ask if I could have my son, but he seems a bit preoccupied. How did things go with babysitting, Mary?” He turned to face her. 

“No fires, accidents, or pranks–so better than babysitting a drunk 16-year-old you,” she remarked. 

“Give him time, greatness wasn’t made in a day.”

“It’s Rome wasn't built in a day,” Lily corrects, brushing her hand in Harry’s hair,“and you better not be insulting this sweet boy, trying to make him a troublemaker like you.”

“Nothing of the sort, just leaving options open,” James grins. 

“Sure James, sure,” Mary winked. 

“I don’t believe McGonagall would appreciate ANOTHER POTTER terrorizing the school with mischief.”

“And I don’t believe Harry should have his head glued to a textbook for his whole schooling experience.”

James picked up a magazine, flipped to a random page and placed it down on his son's head. Harry held onto his new hat, making sure to keep it on as his mother incessantly began swatting it off.

“I’m not saying that–” Lily interjected.

“But it’s his decision.”

“What would you like to do Harry?” Mary cut in, “when you finally go to Hogwarts?”

The kid thought for a moment, his hand on his chin in an adorable yet deep in thought expression, he glanced at his mother and father, “Don’t know…”

“Nothing comes to mind?”

“It’s a secret.”

“A secret?” the three adults spoke in unison.

“Can we know the secret?” James asked as Lily let Harry down, him having gotten a bit too big to be held for super long. 

“You’ll find out later.”

Things went silent for a moment, until the little boy said, “Miss Mary can know.”

The husband and wife made an amused smirk as Harry waddled over and whispered in Mary’s ear, “Magic.”

Mary couldn’t help laughing, “Yeah, I think you’ll get plenty of opportunities to do that there.”

Harry leaned back over, “and quidditch!” He spoke just a bit too loud for the poor woman’s ear drums and for the secret status of the words.

Mary got up and tapped James on the shoulder, “He’s your son alright.”

“I’ve never felt the need to question the paternity of my child, but thank you for letting us know,” Lily quipped. 

“So,” Lily taps the seat on the couch next to her, staring into Mary’s soul while in mom mode, “how did things go while we were away?”

“They went fine, again, he’s eaten and slept, he’s alive and you’re happy, right Harry?”

Harry laid on the floor, playing dead. 

“Oh Merlin, we’ve lost him, noooooooo,” James played, shaking his son, “how could you do this Mary?”

“What did he eat?”  Lily rolled her eyes at the antics.

“Cheese on toast for dinner, some yogurt and fruit for breakfast, and we haven’t eaten lunch just yet but he’s stolen quite a few of my biscuits as a snack so he may not want lunch too soon.”

“How much sleep did he get?”

“We went to bed around…8,” Mary lied.

“Lily, stop trying to interrogate her,” James interjected as he shook Harry’s arms about, still trying to get him up and alive.

“I’m not–”

“You are, lying doesn’t look good on you dear, either of you,” he winks at Mary.

Harry giggles as James begins tickling his stomach. 

“HE’S ALIVE!” Mary gasps. 

“I think I may need to get some tools and experiment on this great discovery of necromancy, if you need me or patient zero, we’ll be up in his room,” James holds Harry’s hand and leads him out the room, turning to Lily and winking before heading up the stairs.

“What was the wink about? Are you guys gonna get into some…interesting stuff of your own later?” Mary smirks.

Lily’s face is redder than her hair. “What? Heh, no, ummm, actually….oh, how do I say this?”

“Probably verbally, you could try sign though, I’m still pretty new to learning it though so I may not get it.”

“You’re learning sign language?”

“Here and there, but that’s beside the point.” Mary leans in holding Lily’s warm cheeks with her hands, “What’s your secret? Would it be better to whisper in my ear like the kid did?”

Lily smiles, “James and I aren’t in a romantic relationship anymore.”

Mary’s eyes go as wide as the world, scratch that, the galaxy. 

“And that’s…okay, that’s good? You’re smiling about it, so…”

“Yes, it’s good, Mary.”

“So, you’re just fucking no strings attached…with a kid?”

“What? No,” Lily laughed, “I don’t–we just don’t feel that way about each other, we’re mates, and despite a long time of both of us denying it, we’re not really into each other.”

“Then why?” Mary asked, sounding as though a rock shattered her glass heart. 

“It made his parents happy, it made my parents happy, everyone expected it. It was some fated love, something that was bound to happen, but when it came down to it there wasn’t much there. James is amazing, he’s the best father any kid could have, but I never really wanted a husband and he never truly wanted a wife.”

“So, no more marriage for Madame Lily?” Mary plastered a smile onto her face.

“Maybe someday, if Harry’s fine with it and it’s not too awkward for all of us. Not to a man though, I’m…a lesbian.” 

“Oh…..did you find some gal here?”

“Sort of, she’s a lot more nearby than you would expect,” Lily leaned in. 

She’s not, she cannot be saying, no.

“Oh,” the sound came out of Mary’s mouth without her even thinking of it, not even knowing as the neurotransmitters had sent signals from her brain right through the larynx and the sound landed out of her lips. 

“I missed you, more than anything else in the world, I missed you,” Lily’s eyes were like moss, beautiful clumps of colors, begging to be seen, to be known, to be loved once more by this viewer of the earth. 

“I missed you too, but–” Mary started.

Rudely she was interrupted by the sound of a loud thud and crackle of wall by the garage entrance followed by a quite loud “DAMN IT.”

(Changing to Sirius’ POV for a bit because it’s necessary for the story)

At  the scene of the destruction as James is transfiguring the wall to be fixed with Sirius next to him, a little bit of blood on zer knuckles. 

“I know that they are hurting and I need to give him time, but I am hurting too. And I love Moony, but…I am hurting too and I want to help him but I’m not even whole. How can I give myself when all that’s left are broken pieces and parts and screams and breaking walls and–” Sirius’ hands moved wildly as ze spoke, all culminating in zer sitting in the fetal position. 

“Sirius,” James interrupted, “you’re fine to give yourself time, we could play some quidditch or do something else that you love, your world doesn’t have to revolve around Moony.”

Sirius stared off.

“I don’t know how to be with them anymore, still I don’t know how to live without them. They’re everything to me, and just yesterday they were trying to kill me.”

“Give yourself space.”

“But he needs–”

“He needs to figure themself out, just the same as you, you need to figure out whether it’s more beneficial to figure yourselves out together or apart.”

“I’ve been away from them for years, I don’t want to waste whatever time…” Sirius started to tear up.

“It’s not wasting time to get out, Sirius, but the decision is up to you.” James held zer hand up and examined it, “episkey,” he mutters softly. 

There’s a moment of silence as the two men look at each other, the years wearing on both of them though more visibly obvious in Sirius, as though ze had been in Azkaban for 12 years rather than simply 3. Bandages still on zer neck. Hair long and knotted. Eyes having lost so much of the light and joy that James loved to see in his friend. 

Their silence was interrupted by an only slightly muffled “FUCK” coming from outside. 

Sirius had been staring off, in a bit of a trance. 

“I’m going to go…check on them, can I? Will you be fine?” James touched zeir shoulder to get zer attention. 

Ze nodded, “Just fine Prongs, just fine.”

(Mary POV once more)

When the women arrived at the sight of Sirius sitting on the ground and staring into space, Lily slowly slipped away as Mary turned to her and made a face. James looked at Mary and waved her off, mouthing “I’ve got this.” And despite Mary’s constant desire to interject, she too backed out of the situation knowing that her presence may make things too much for Sirius. 

“I’m gonna make some tea, and maybe some sweets to go along with it. That would convince Remus, they always loved sweets, right?” Lily looked to Mary for assurance after they were out of earshot from James and Sirius. 

“Yeah…” Mary stared back, are we gonna talk about, her mind wandered. 

Flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, salt, everything that could get on the counters and their clothes somehow did get on the counters and their clothes. Finger sandwiches being made and cut. Store bought croissants being placed on a pan to be warmed up to hopefully fool Sirius into believing they homemade them. Gooey brownies leaving a sweet scent through the room. 

As things were coming out of the oven and cooling off, Lily placed a pot of water to boil and stood next to Mary, both women stacking goodies onto plates. 

“I really did miss you,” Lily said, looking down. 

Unsure of what to say, Mary let the silence afterwards continue. 

“Through all of it, honestly…”

“I missed you too,” Mary finally responded, “but–”

Lily closed the little distance that was between them, her warm breath tingling on Mary’s skin, “but?” she taunted. 

“I–I don’t know if this is right,” Mary’s face was as hot as a furnace, “I don’t know if I can trust you anymore or love you that way anymore after everything.”

“Just be with me now, please, you’re everything to me,” Lily held Mary up against the fridge, and snogged her.

What about James? What about Harry? You have a family that I am not a part of. But Mary doesn’t say the quiet part out loud because she honestly did miss this.

#marylily #marylily fic #mary macdonald fic #mary macdonald #sirius black #post azkaban sirius #post azkaban wolfstar #complicated wolfstar #toxic wolfstar #like i'm sorry but i'll be honest it's a toxic relationship in this fic #little harry potter #james potter #james potter is the best friend ever #lily evans #lily potter #lily is in love with mary #wolfstar fic

[my-msmagpie2018blog]

Who doesn’t love a crocheted bag??

I’m feeling quite proud of this colourful crocheted bag. My crocheting skills are a bit so so. I know that progress will only happen with more practice but find that my patience when crocheting and things go wrong tends to be a bit low and I’ll often put the item to one side while also cursing loudly. When I saw the pictures for this bag within Inside Crochet magazine last year I knew that I…

View On WordPress

#bag #blog #craft #crochet #crocheting #sewing

[izzykits]

—) ★ spotted!! isabella kitson on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 26 year old looks like zendaya, but i don’t really see it. while the actress / photographer is known for being loyal my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be insecure i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song this is me trying by taylor swift 

the basics

Name: Isabella Kitson. Although she likes to be called Izzy or Kitsy by close friends Age: 26 Birthday: 15th April Sexuality: Bisexual Hobbies: Crocheting, gardening, going to the gym Known for: Started out as a photographer for models, building up a huge portfolio, she has worked for vogue, chanel, dior etc. She has slowly made acting the priority now as she had previously done a few roles before landing her first major role in the DC universe. She now is working on a television series for amazon prime in which she is one of the main female leads. Personality: Izzy is the type of person to always be there for you when you need them the most. If you call or text her and ask for help, she will drop everything to be there for you. She makes sure that everyone is kept in contact with and is the type of person to help you out whenever. She remembers every little detail anyone says to her and makes sure that everyone feels welcomed when she's in their presence. Although she is extremely loyal and kind to everyone, Izzy is extremely insecure about everything. Izzy doesn't see herself as a good actress or photographer and she constantly points out things that she could do better in, or look better in. She only ever tends to do this when she is alone or if she is extremely close with someone. It takes a lot for Izzy to open up, but once she does she makes sure that she is never letting those people go.

bio

Izzy had a relatively normal childhood. She was brought up by her two parents, her grandparents and her elder brother of one year. She spent the majority of her childhood chasing after her brother and helping her parents look after her grandparents. Izzy was never one to fuss about school, that was until she had a photography class in high school. After that, Izzy was hooked to a camera constantly. Izzy never really had many friends growing up, she usually just kept herself to herself, headphones always in. She never trusted anyone because as soon as she opened up to them, they would spread rumours about her or ditch her and leave her stranded. So Izzy decided that, in order to protect herself, she was best to be alone. When she turned seventeen, she moved out of her childhood home five hours away to head to L.A as she had heard that if you were to do well in the industry, you better move over there. For the first few years, she worked as a waitress and shop worker, taking on photography jobs on her days off. Izzy slowly began opening up to the people around her, becoming close friends with one person in particular - they would do everything together. One night at a photography opening, she bumped into a famous model and she asked if she could take her photo. Izzy never thought anything of it, the woman told her she could post it online but Izzy never thought she would share it. After that night, Izzy managed to quit her two jobs and focus solely on photography. During this time, Izzy had a boyfriend who she thought was the love of her life. That was until she caught him cheating on her with her best friend. After that, Izzy focused on her work, forgetting about being close with people - why would it make a difference? She quickly became a famous photographer for magazines and touring with bands, her books were completely filled for months at a time. Then, when she thought she was on a date with someone, they asked if she could star in a Netflix show as a minor character. Izzy felt as though she couldn't decline them, so she agreed to it. Then she agreed to another show on Netflix. Then, after a few months, she got an agent and landed a main role in a DC movie. Izzy was extremely confused with how she moved from photography to acting, but she was sure she enjoyed it nonetheless. Now, Izzy is acting in an Amazon Prime show as one of the main leading actresses and taking on a few photography jobs when she can. Izzy wants to become close with others again, but she is afraid of what the outcome will be. Why would it be any different now? Will they be disappointed in who she is? All Izzy wants is to do well in her work and have a partner and friend who love her unconditionally.

wanted connections

best friends

enemies to friends/lovers

secret friends - friends who do not want to hang out in the public eye as everyone around them may not like them together

platonic soulmates

seem like a married couple

former best friends

share a secret - two people who share a secret but are constantly afraid the other will rat them out

negative influence

friends with benefits

ex boyfriend

ex best friend

#( &&. about )

[drgnrder82]

Fictober22: That was not my intention

Original Fiction Based on my romance novel, Christmas Confessions

Warnings: Discussion of bullying

Prompt: That was not my intention

A/N: This takes place during Bella and Lucas' college years and is actually a scene that will take place in the novella I am working on rewrites for but I am sure will be more fleshed out in the novella.

~*~*~*~*

Lucas' sister Lexi idolized Bella Astor. Like 'magazine clippings taped to the wall, knew every inch of Bella Astor's life from social media and the news' idolized. And now… Bella Astor was not only inside the Holt home in Michigan… she was sleeping on… well… 

Lucas had found Bella on the living room couch, blanketed in Organic Chemistry books.  

Lex, however, was not deterred. She'd spent the entire first two days of Lucas' winter break home following Bella as much as humanly possible. When not following Bella, Lex constantly fumed in private that she couldn't just post about every little thing Bella did on the internet. Fortunately, and for Lucas' sanity, Bella made up for it. 

She patiently sat in the bathroom and curled Lex's hair. Showed his sister how to fit a shirt better with a few simple stitches. Bella even dragged Lexi to the grocery store. Lucas assumed an Astor had never once stepped foot in, but he'd been proved quite wrong when Bella pulled Lucas every which way in the grocery store, throwing food into a basket— to get ingredients for cookies. 

So, finding Bella splayed on the couch in the basement, sans Lex, Lucas stole the opportunity to spend time with his friend. 

"Hey, missing your new shadow?" Lucas asked, falling onto a pile of blankets on the couch next to Bella. 

A squeal made Lucas hop back up. 

“Rude!” Lex griped from the folds of his grandmother’s crocheted zig-zag blanket. 

A playful smirk crept across Bella’s lips. 

“Why are you hiding under there?” Lucas snipped. 

“Mom’s,” Lex flicked her eyes away from Bella, “being mom.” 

A sadder look passed over Bella’s face, but she stuffed it down. 

"I just wanted to spend more time with B," Lex's pouty face mashed into the blankets. 

"Oh… we're on an initial basis, huh? I don't even get to call Bella that." 

“The little… witch… goes by many names, Lucas. She answers to B, Bells, Bella-boo," Chris said as he carried three mugs of hot cocoa down the half-flight of stairs into the basement. "Don't throw the pillow if you want hot cocoa. Or… the Holt equivalent of such." 

"Now who's being rude," Bella said, standing and taking two mugs, then kicking her brother in the shin. 

Lucas knew what Lex was complaining about. His mother had been complaining the entire two days Lucas had been home about the heir and heiress' visit. His mother hadn't even believed Lucas was friends with the Astor twins (thankfully, he'd never been caught in paparazzi pictures with them). She thought Lucas was joking when he said he'd invited the Astor twins home for Christmas. 

“Why would billionaire children like them stoop to our little town for Christmas?” 

His mom waited for the shoe to drop. And always had a disdainful frown whenever anyone brought up the twins or they were in the room. 

“Lex?” Lucas tried. “Mom’s just… concerned.” 

"Oh, sure! Take her side. They're your friends!" Lex complained. 

"Yeah, and she's worried about their influence on you." As soon as the words came out, Lucas knew they were a mistake. Hurt seized Bella. "Bella? Oh, God. That was not my intention, Bella." 

Bella blinked back tears as she squeezed her mug. “It’s… well, it’s true, Lex. You need to be careful about how you hold people in your life.” 

Lucas tried to sit up and protest. How could he be so stupid as to say something like that to Bella? Dumb, stupid idiot! 

But Christian sat on the far end of the couch, near Lucas, and put a hand on his shoulder. He even pulled Lucas back to sitting. 

"Everyone thinks they know everything about people in the spotlight. Like our lives are an open book, and everything is right there in news stories.” 

Lex puffed out her cheeks. "It's so dumb. Just because you crashed that car, which was hilarious, Mom thinks you're a 'terrible influence.' Oh… and I guess getting arrested. And punching that guy. She says you do it for the attention. To get in the news." 

A grumbling noise came from Chris. 

“Mmm, so you know what happened that night?” Bella asked, setting her untouched hot cocoa on the coffee table. 

"Sure. You were at that club, Ethereal Eight, and on your way back, you crashed. I mean… the articles said you were drunk, and Mom said that because you’re an Astor you could drink and do whatever you want because no one’s going to arrest you…” 

"Ethereal Eight," Chris scoffed. "First, that club was not worth buying a drink at." 

"You want to know something?" Bella tried to put her regular bounce into sitting back on the couch.

“Yeah!” Lex grinned, letting Bella run her fingers through Lex’s loose bright blond waves. 

Bella said, "I wasn't drunk that night." 

“You weren’t? Then… how’d you get into a crash? Are you…?” 

“I crashed on purpose,” Bella said, twisting Lex’s hair into a low bun. 

Lex scrunched her nose. “Why on purpose?” 

Lucas shifted uncomfortably. In the months he'd known the twins, he never asked about all the news stories from several months earlier. 

“I was dating a boy at our school. We’d known of his family for a while. They weren’t Astors, but Daddy liked them. Anyways, we had sex…” 

"Bella!" Lucas cried, and Chris' laugh made his sister crack. 

Until the crack faded. "… and he taped it…" Bella continued slowly. "And when we broke up… he sent it to his friends and… more people, and well, no one wanted to stand up for me. No one cared. They all blamed me. So, I saw him at Ethereal's opening and…" 

“I swiped his car keys,” Chris beamed broadly. 

“And I wrecked his brand new Porsche.” Bella drew in a long breath. 

“Wait,” Lex said, confused. “That wasn’t in the news or on any of the blogs.” 

"Yes," Chris took over, "because those places are always reputable. They want a story that will sell. But B was also underage at the time, so… The point is, you can't always know who someone is from their socials and news stories." 

Lex whispered, “Oh my God, you’re so much cooler now.” 

"What's going on down here? Is there a party no one invited me to?" Lucas' dad held a massive bowl of popcorn and a hot cocoa mug of his own. His warmth radiated on them all, lifting the sour mood. "Now, I have some embarrassing home videos of Lucas as a baby, waddling around this house somewhere. And I bet you two would get a hoot out of Lucas' little tushy…" 

“Dad!” Lucas shot up. “No!” 

“I think this should be a new family tradition. Every year you two come out here, we watch a new video of Lucas as a wee babe.” His dad had already started rummaging through the videos in the cabinet under the television. 

"For that alone, I will come back next year, too," Chris sighed and took a long sip of his cocoa. 

“Bella? Sound like a plan?” His dad softened. 

“Of course, Mr. Holt,” she answered demurely. 

“Wait? Dad?” Lex bolted off the couch. “Are you saying Bella and Christian Astor can come back for Christmas next year?” 

“I certainly hope they will.” 

An ear-piercing squeal emitted from Lex.

#fictober22 #fictober #Christmas Confessions #original fiction #original romance novel #prequel #romance author #romance novel #writers of tumblr #fictober event #writing challenge

[creative-space]

Started another project yesterday afternoon and have finished it today! I’ve made a crochet bandanna / headscarf from a pattern found in Inside Crochet, Volume 149. I’m pretty pleased with it.

I did stray slightly from the pattern, as I didn’t have the correct weighted wool / yarn available. I ended up making bigger squares with the wool I had, using a 5mm crochet hook instead of a 3.5mm one. A bit of improvisation was needed when it came to the border, as I wanted something a little different from the pattern. I decided to create a border using fans, and then finally created the fastenings using both single and double crochet stitches (or double and treble stitches).

This small project also got me using British crochet terms, which is funny because I’m from the UK but learnt how to crochet via American media. It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be to translate, and this was made easier through the UK Terms vs US Terms grid at the back of the magazine!

P.S. A bee thought he would join in on the last picture 🐝

#overall very pleased with this project #very cute little accessory #crochet #arts and crafts #crafts #handmade #creative #crochet headware #crochet bandana #my work :) #crochet pattern used

[godsjaws]

though i'd share what i'm currently crocheting – it's this shawl which is a slightly modified version of the stitcher's rhapsody shawl from inside crochet magazine

it's a combination of bunch of different stitches, it's a lot of fun and it's actually the third shawl i'm making based on this pattern 😌 i have just a few more rows to go and then i can't wait to wear it <3

#crochet #soliloquy

[westogle62]

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