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#Thanks to Pixabay for some images
roughwighting · 1 year
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Green Hope
“‘Be Bop a Lula,’” he says. “What?” “That’s her name, ‘Be Bop a Lula.’” Jill inwardly rolls her eyes. Jason has been softly pushing her for more during the last year. More time together, more intimacy, more thoughts of moving in together. She’s a ‘less is more’ kind of woman. At least, that’s what she’s become. “Why is that the plant’s name?” Jill asks, pointing to the hanging plant in his…
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fluffbruary · 2 months
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Infinite Fluffbruary 2024: call for prompts!
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Fluffbruarians near and far! We’re a third of the way through Fluffbruary and it's time to a new set of prompts for Extended Fluffbruary.
Officially the 14th of every month, Extended Fluffbruary lets us keep the fluff coming throughout the year.
Hopefully you're inspired to send us some prompts—words or images—to add to the mix from which the prompts will be drawn.
Send us your suggestions in the message or ask boxes of @fluffbruary.
Images need to be your own, or from a royalty-free site (some links below for words and images).
Thanks for reblogging!
LINKS TO COPYRIGHT-FREE / PUBLIC DOMAIN IMAGE SITES
is a lovely site for generating randomness. they also offer options where you can pick the type of word (adjectives, adverbs, etc), or pick images, or phrases, or numbers, and it'll throw things at you. you pick how many results you want at a time and click the button and there you go. If you're looking at images, if you then click on any of the images it takes you through to their source at pixabay.
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genesisgijinka · 6 days
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Do you have any tips for drawing backgrounds? Yours always look so nice
aww thank you! As for tips...
Tip #1:
Find references. I sketched the cover for chapter 4 three different times, because the first two didn't evoke the majesty of the Prism Tower in the way I wanted it to. And then I saw this
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I think you can see how this translated into the cover
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Tip #2:
Do studies. Be it from photos (your own or from a royalty free website like pixabay, but watch out for AI garbage bc the perspective is usually wrong) or from real life. It's not cheating, it's encouraged, and it's industry standard. Idc if you have photographic memory, get something from real life in front of your eyeballs and draw it. Try and keep your reference close to your drawing so that it's easier for your eyes to flick back and forth between the two. This is how you can train your eyes to really see what's going on in an image. Compare angles, shapes, sizes, and distances.
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I use clip studio paint for Genesis, which has perspective rulers and they're super handy for speeding up the process (first image) and again, is not cheating. It's a tool to use in your arsenal. A little tricky to use, but once you get it down, it's fantastic. I also really recommend using other mediums, like a sketchbook and a sharpie (2nd image) or dinking around in Paint (3rd image). Limiting yourself in challenging ways is a great way to grow fast. Experimenting like this is also great for finding a style or technique that you click with
Tip #3:
Be aware of the cone of vision. This is a technical skill, but it's one of those things that you don't necessarily have to draw out every single time (tho I'd recommend doing it at least once to burn it into your memory better). If your drawing is looking wonky, the cone of vision being breached is a likely culprit. I'll link a video to someone who can explain how to do it better than I can.
youtube
Tip #4:
Learn how to draw things the same size in perspective. This is probably the thing I use the most. For example;
You have a tiled floor in a room. The lines going to the vanishing point are easy to do.
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But how do you do the horizontal ones going across the floor?
Step 1: draw two horizontal lines, and put an X in one of them, going from corner to corner
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Step 2: Going from the center of the X, trace a line back to the vanishing point
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Step 3: from one corner, draw a line that goes through where that center line hits the tile edge
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Step 4: at the end of this new line is where the next tile will start
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Step 5: Rinse and repeat as needed
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Ta-da! You now have tiles that are all the same size
This also works for vertical things like windows or telephone poles
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One of the most useful applications I've found this trick for is making sure that everything is the right size. Sticking a person in a drawing is an instantly recognizable way to show scale
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Whilst sketching the cover for ch 4, I'd accidentally made the doors way too small in the buildings in the back, so I slapped some people down to make sure they were the right height (This is in 3-point perspective, so the trick still works, regardless of if it's 1-, 2-, or 3-pt perspective owo b )
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between-thepages · 7 months
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Get to know me!
I was tagged by @gleamingsilence, thank you <3
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Image credits: pixabay, moviedb, witcher.fandom.com, abebooks, discogs.
animal: I've always been a horse girl
movie: portrait of a girl on fire. I need to rewatch it at some point
season: Autumn, fog over fields and golden light
character: Ves, currently. I love her.
colour: green, blue, and everything in-between
hobby: writing. I was plagued by ideas while on holiday.
book: Hotel by Arthur Hailey. Found it in one of those "take a book, leave a book" shelves years ago and finished it in two days
song: Village Green by the Kinks (also the rest of Village Green Preservation Society)
drink: homemade lemonade
tagging @definitely-not-iorveth, @kiriele, @do-androids-dream-ao3acc, @regis-favorite-raven
The Template:
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vexic929 · 2 months
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I love how you make your moodboards - I'm starting to do them myself, but I'd love to know how you construct yours and where you find the images and quotes? I mean do you make the graphics yourself or not?
oh thank you so much! so I have a base I made that I can insert images into which I'll put here if you want to download it <3333
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some of the graphics and images I make myself, a lot of them are from pinterest or pixabay :)
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rpclefairy · 2 years
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hi ! i'm sorry to bother, but i remember seeing once this post talking about how pinterest was not a good source for pictures for photoshop and instead listed multiple of other sites we could use for our editing purposes. as the dummy i am, i never liked it or reblogged it, not thinking one day i would need it.
my question is, do you know of the post i'm talking about and if not, do you know of some good sites like this ? thank you in advance and i'm sorry if i'm not clear !
hi there! i don't think i know what post you're talking about.
usually my graphics are very minimal, think just solid colors and just fc / face edits. so i don't really need to find stock pictures but i do know that pinterest pictures tend to be very low quality and blurry so it's not the best source.
i did a bit of research and found these sites if you're looking for stock / public domain / royalty free images:
smithsonian open access
public domain images
pixabay
wikimedia commons
flickr: the commons
flickr british library
morguefile
unsplash
goodfreephotos
burst
stockvault
pexels
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SUMMARY: Robyn and her friends join Jake and his group for some fun in the sun. Also, Robyn is put in a situation where a hidden talent is revealed.
AUTHOR'S REQUEST: Please reblog this chapter if you like it! No author likes it when their work becomes buried. Also, as always, please comment after reading. I value your input.
SONG CREDITS: "Fast Car," by Tracy Chapman
IMAGE CREDITS:
🌟Cast Pictures: Not mine!! Definitely not mine!
🌟Baseball and Glove: cpastrick @ Pixabay
🌟Karaoke Sign: Nikola Duza @ Unsplash
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     Simone let out a little sigh as she paused outside the door of a small office in Brooklyn. She knew she was a tad early, but with Frank it was best to be prompt. He was a busy man, and he didn't have time to dawdle. And so, after checking her makeup and making sure her clothes were just so, she opened the door and stepped inside. It was an unusually warm autumn day in New York, and she barely felt the slight breeze that came from a standup fan near the door. She stepped up to the receptionist's desk, not taking the time to smile as the petite woman couldn't be bothered to look up at her.
     "Name," the receptionist greeted, her tone flat.
     "Simone Hughes."
     The receptionist checked the schedule, frowning a bit. "You're early."
     "Yes. I know that." When the other woman finally looked up at her, Simone plastered on a smile; the kind that she usually reserved for restaurant guests when she knew they would be big tippers.
     "I'll let Mr. Kessler know you're here," the brunette stated before she got out of her seat and knocked on the door. "Mr. Kessler, Simone Hughes is here to see you," she said as she opened the door.
     "Send her in."
     Not much of a people person. Are you? Simone thought as she brushed past the receptionist, who returned to her station without giving her so much as a smile. As she entered the office, she was a bit taken aback by the mess. Papers were strewn across the desk, and a filling cabinet drawer was left open. The room, unlike the main office, was a comfortable temperature thanks to the air conditioner in the window.
     Frank Kessler was a man in his 50s with salt and pepper hair, and a handsome face bearing age lines and a scar on his upper lip. Dressed in a white shirt and a pair of blue jeans, he looked nothing like the stereotypical vision of a private investigator.
     "Sorry about the mess. You know how it is." Frank stood up from his seat behind the desk, giving her a warm smile. "It's always good to see you, Simone," he said, gesturing for her to have a seat.
     "And you as well," Simone acknowledged with a smile and a nod. She sat down in one of the leather chairs, crossing her legs and resting her hands on her lap. "How is Jackie?"
     "She's great. Taking over the world one restaurant at a time. She sends her love." Frank returned to his seat, eyeing Simone curiously. "So, who do you want me to investigate?"
     Simone reached into her handbag and pulled out a folded-up printout of the Chic Spaces article covering Robyn's career. After unfolding it, she presented it to Frank. "This woman."
     Frank's eyes quickly scanned the article, and he narrowed his brows in confusion. "Why do you want me to look into a interior designer? She rip you off?"
     Having predicted that Frank would ask her this question, Simone decided to go with the truth. Why not? She had nothing to hide. "No. Let's just say that I'm ... concerned." Frank's right eyebrow shot up in curiosity, and she continued. "Jake has become rather close to this woman. I want to be certain that he won't be hurt."
     Not at all surprised by this, Frank considered Simone's request for a few moments. "All right. I can do this for you. My fee isn't cheap." Simone seemed unconcerned, and Frank grinned. "But seeing as you're a friend, we can work out a payment plan. I should warn you, though. This is going to take some time. Especially since she's not from around these parts."
     Simone gave him a nod. "I'm certain it will be worth the wait."
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     Robyn sat in the back of a taxi cab, gently nibbling on her bottom lip as she watched the city pass her by. On her lap was a paper sack, neatly rolled shut to protect its contents. A little flutter formed in her stomach as she realized she was getting closer to her destination. Closer to 22W. Closer to Jake. It had been nearly a week since they'd last seen each other. The driver maneuvered through the city streets, while Robyn's thoughts traveled back to the day Chloe told her about Jake's decision to wait for her. The romantic in her smiled at the thought, but the anxious part of her worried that he would eventually grow tired of waiting. After all, there was no telling how long it would be before she'd be ready to pursue another relationship. What if Jake moved on?
     The cab pulled up to the curb, and Robyn reached for the door handle. "Will you wait for me, please? I won't be long."
     "Anything ya want, doll. It's your money."
     Choosing to ignore that remark, Robyn stepped out of the cab and onto the curb. It had been two months since she'd set her eyes on this place, and she smiled to herself as she took it all in. The outside was decorated for the autumn season, complete with elegantly carved pumpkins and barrels filled with orange and yellow flowers. Through the window, she could see Jake's co-workers in the midst of enjoying Shift Drinks. Nicky was, going by the looks of it, engaging in light banter with Ari. Sasha, Will and Eric were seated a ways down the bar. And then, there was Jake. He stepped up to the bar, dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans, a cigarette between his lips. His dark hair was a little messy, and the soft glow of the lights highlighted his features nicely.
     Damn, he looked good!
     She pulled out her cell phone and accessed the text messages, typing a brief message:
     Jake, I'm outside the restaurant.
     - Robyn
     She pressed SEND and then returned her gaze to the man in question. A few seconds later, he was pulling his phone out of his pocket and looking at the screen. He turned his eyes to the window, giving her a smile and ignoring his co-workers' playful teasing as he made his way to the door.
     "Hey," he greeted as he stepped outside. "You doin' all right? I haven't heard from you since --"
     "I'm fine," Robyn assured him with a genuine smile. "I had myself a good cry. Watched my favorite films. Spent time with my girls. Threw out everything that reminds me of Ethan. Except Luna, of course."
     "And how is the famous Luna?" Jake wondered, taking a drag from his cigarette.
     "Missing you, I think." Jake raised a brow and let out a little laugh. "No. Seriously. She never warms up to a person so quickly. I think you have a fan." She held out the paper sack that she was clutching, and he raised his brows as he took it from her. "Your clothes."
     "You mean, you're finished holding them hostage?" Jake teased.
     "Oh, yes. And I assure you that they were well taken care of. I even laundered them for you. But I must warn you, I used lavender-scented dryer sheets. So you may want to let them air out. Unless, of course, you don't mind smelling like flowers." Jake's expression fell flat, and she grinned at him again. "I'm sorry I didn't return them to you earlier, but I've been busy."
     "Clients keeping you on your toes?" Jake inquired, tossing his cigarette to the cement and grinding it out with the toe of his boot.
     Robyn nodded. "Yes. That, and the girls insist on turning ladies' night into something that occurs every other night. They're afraid that I'll fall into a depression and lock myself up in my flat."
     "They're just worried about you," Jake assured her.
     "I know. And I appreciate it. Staying busy does keep my mind off of ... certain things. My employer, Rebecca, walked in on me as I was in the middle of a meltdown. Seems Ethan thought he could charm his way back into my life with flowers, a stuffed bear, and a pathetic apology card. Rebecca caught me as I was about to murder the poor bear. I was this close to cutting it open with a letter opener when she walked in." Jake had to chuckle at this. "She took me out to lunch and demanded an explanation. And she told me something: I can either feel sorry for myself, or I can pick up the pieces, dust myself off ... and discover new things."
     "So which option are you going with?"
     "Option B. As I told you before, I lost who I was when I was with Ethan. It's time that I find myself again, apart from him." She paused for a moment, not certain how he was going to react when he heard this next part. "Apart from any man." She took note of the flicker of disappointment that passed over Jake's face, and she decided to give him some hope. "That's not to say that I'll remain single for the rest of my life. I'm not a nun, and I've no interest in joining a convent. I simply need to focus on learning about myself. Discovering new things; new passions." She gave him a small smile. "I'm even looking into taking a few classes. Dance. Art. Pottery. That sort of thing. Who knows? If I take that pottery class, there may be a handmade bowl or mug in your future."
     Jake's heart warmed at that thought as his gaze turned in the direction of the inside of the restaurant, watching as his co-workers began to file out of the bar. Looking down at Robyn once more, he said "We're going to Home Bar. Join us. Could be fun."
     Robyn considered it for a moment, but shook her head. "I'm a bit done in. I think I'll pass."
     "But I'll see you tomorrow. Right? Will said he invited you."
     "Yes, I will be there," Robyn confirmed with a nod. "And not just because Chloe said that she'd never forgive me if I were a 'no-show'," she added with a smirk. After sharing a brief moment of comfortable silence, she favored him with another smile. "I'd best be off, then. I'll see you tomorrow."
     Jake gave her a nod, watching as she slid into the back of the cab. As the taxi pulled away, he could feel his heart skipping a beat at the prospect of spending time with Robyn. Maybe tomorrow would be even better than he thought.
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     Jake and Will were the first to arrive at the baseball field, deciding to play a game of catch before everyone else arrived. As they tossed the ball back and forth, the sun casting long shadows along the ground, their conversation meandered between the upcoming game and the topic of a certain British brunette.
     "So, do you think she'll show?"
     In spite of himself, Jake felt a flutter of anticipation build within him. Keeping his response casual, he shrugged. "Yeah. Why wouldn't she?" Will fell silent for a few seconds, and Jake took note of his friend's expression. "What?"
     "Nothing," was Will's response. When Jake gave him a skeptical look, he relented. "It's just ... what are you doing, Jake?" The bartender furrowed his brow in confusion, and Will elaborated. "With Robyn, I mean."
     Jake narrowed his eyes at his co-worker, refraining from tossing the ball back to the other man. "What are you getting at?"
     Will sighed, choosing his words carefully. "Look, Robyn just went through a bad breakup."
     "I know that, Will. I was there," Jake retorted, his voice laced with irritation. "Your point?"
     "My point is ... she's vulnerable. I just don't want her to get hurt again."
     "And you think I'll hurt her?"
     "Come on, Jake. You know how you are with women. You move from one to the next, and --"
     Jake's glower intensified, his grip on the ball tightening. "It's not like that with Robyn. She's different." He paused for a moment, studying Will closely. "You don't think I care about her. Do you? You think I'm going to fuck her and then leave her." He let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head as his annoyance turned to anger. "I don't believe this." He took a few steps toward Will, closing the space between them. Standing face to face with his friend, his voice took on a threatening tone. "I don't have to justify myself to you. What Robyn and I do is our business, and you need to stay the fuck out of it."
     Taken aback by the intensity of Jake's anger, Will swallowed hard. Not wanting to start a fight, he simply nodded in response. He wanted to say something in the hopes of diffusing the situation, but the sound of laughter captured their attention. Jake was the one to end their little staring contest, his eyes moving to look at the three women who had just stepped onto the field. Robyn, standing between Sam and Chloe, was the first to pick up on the tension between Will and Jake. She frowned as Jake turned on his heel and made his way to the bleachers, sitting down and snatching up the catcher's mitt.
     Will let out a weary sigh before he turned to the three women, giving them a smile. "Hey, ladies! Glad you could make it!" he called as he jogged up to the group.
     "I wouldn't miss this for the world," Chloe said, just before she shared a lingering kiss with him. "Happy birthday, baby," she murmured.
     "Ugh! Get a room already!" Sam quipped as she rolled her eyes.
     "Hello to you, too, Sam," Will joked as he cuddled with Chloe.
     Robyn glanced at Jake, who seemed to be stewing on the bleachers. As she stepped up to Will, she softly inquired "Is everything all right?" as she eyed Jake once more.
     "It's fine. Nothing serious. We were just debating pitching techniques."
     Robyn nodded, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story. Wanting to get to the bottom of it, she wished Will a happy birthday and made her way to the bleachers. Jake was staring out into the field, moving the ball from mitt to hand, his jaw clenched tight.
     "Hello, Jake," Robyn greeted as she approached him.
     Jake's expression relaxed a bit, his jaw unclenching. "Hey."
     Robyn blushed as Jake took in her appearance for the first time since she'd arrived on the field. She wore a simple light grey tank top, a pair of black shorts that showed off her legs, some sneakers, and a New York Mets baseball cap. Her face was free of makeup and her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, calling attention to her natural beauty.
     She sat down on the same seat as Jake. Not close enough to touch, but not too far away. She turned her head to look at him, studying his posture and demeanor. He hadn't relaxed much since her arrival, and she couldn't help but be concerned. "Is everything all right between you and Will?"
     With a shrug, he answered "Yeah. Just had a difference of opinion. Are you a fan of the Mets?"
     Robyn grinned. "Yes. I am."
     "Uh-oh. Well, that just may be a deal-breaker," he teased.
     "I take it you're not a fan?"
     Jake shook his head. "Naw. But I'll give you a pass, just this once." He gave her a smile. "I'm glad you made it."
     "So am I. Though I admit I've never played." Jake raised a brow at her, and she chuckled. "You seem surprised. I've watched a few games with Chloe and Sam. So I'm not unaware of what is involved. It's simply that I've never had the opportunity to play. I thought I would wing it."
     "Well," Jake began with a grin as he stood up, "we'd better get started on your first lesson. Pick up a bat and follow me."
     Robyn let out a little laugh and did as she was told, following Jake to the home plate. He positioned himself behind her, a playful glint dancing in his eyes. He knew that what he was planning was, most likely, a very bad idea. Terrible, even. But he simply couldn't resist taking the opportunity to flirt with her. Just because she wasn't ready to pursue a relationship just yet, that didn't mean that he couldn't let her know that he was still an option.
     "First, you need to stand up straight." He gently placed his hands on her shoulders, his touch sending subtle shivers down her spine.
     Trying to ignore what she was feeling, Robyn straightened up a bit. "Like this?"
     His face was close to her own, his breath tickling her ear. A faint blush graced her cheeks as he said "Perfect." He began to move his hands from her shoulders, making sure that one of his thumbs brushed against her skin as he did so. He smirked to himself when he saw the way she was reacting to his touch, listening to the two quiet little gasps that she let out as he rested his hands on her hips. "It's all about balance, Robyn. You need to make sure your feet are in the right spot and your weight is even. Adjust your stance a little."
     Robyn moved her feet a bit, trying to block out the images that barraged her mind. Images that involved being alone with Jake in his apartment, pinned up against a wall with him behind her as he did things to her that made her legs tremble and her heart pound. Off in the distance, she could see Will, Sam and Chloe watching this flirtation. Sam gave her a thumbs up, while Will simply shook his head and exchanged a few words with Chloe before walking away.
     The rest of the players, all of whom were Will's friends and co-workers, arrived on the scene. While most of the group settled for glancing in the direction of Jake and Robyn, Scott could be heard yelling "Are we here to play ball or watch a bad porno?"
     Jake gave Scott the finger. "Sorry about that. He has no filter. Remember?"
     Robyn said nothing, clearing her throat and shaking her head. Like that would erase the erotic thoughts that were bouncing back and forth like ping pong balls? Oh, if only!
     "And last, but not least: the grip. Yours is almost perfect. You just need to overlap your fingers a little more, like this." He reached out and gently adjusted her grip, his fingers brushing against hers and sending a jolt of electricity through the both of them. Jake couldn't help but smile when he saw how his touch affected Robyn, taking notice of the fact that her skin was flushed. "The key is to relax your grip a little," he continued. "You don't want to slow down your swing, so you need to find perfect balance." He stepped away from her, and Robyn felt disappointed by the loss of physical contact. "Now, take a few practice swings. And if it helps, when you're swinging at the ball ... just pretend that it's Ethan's face."
     "I'll keep that in mind," Robyn said with a laugh as she swung the bat a few times. "So tell me something, Jake: how do you know so much about baseball? Were you on a team?"
     "Yes, actually. During my junior year of high school." Robyn stopped what she was doing, only long enough to look at him over her shoulder. "You seem surprised."
     "I am. I didn't realize you were a team player," she answered, just before she went back to taking practice swings.
     He chuckled. "It was all part of the adults' plan to rehabilitate me. I had some aggression that needed to be worked off. Simone insisted that I try out, and so I did. Imagine our surprise when it turned out that I was actually good."
     Robyn stopped swinging when she heard him mention Simone, and she walked next to Jake as they made their way to the bleachers. Tilting her head to the side, she inquired "Her opinion means a great deal to you. Doesn't it?"
     Jake shrugged. "Well, she raised me. I trust her."
     Robyn watched him carefully for a few seconds, an uneasy flutter in her stomach. Something about Simone had her on edge, and she worried about the influence she had on Jake. Though he didn't admit it, Robyn could tell that trying out for the baseball team hadn't been something he truly wanted to do. He'd done it merely to appease Simone, and Robyn couldn't help but wonder about the lengths Jake would go to to please the woman who'd raised him.
     "Jake, I --"
     "All right, people! Time to gather 'round!"
     "Yeah, yeah, yeah! Quit bossing us around, old man!" one of the players called as the group slowly congregated on the field.
     "Have you signed up for Social Security yet?" teased another.
     "Ha, ha! Very funny, guys. I may be 30. But baseball is my game, and I can still kick your ass." Rolling his eyes at the playful murmurs coming from a few of his friends, Will continued. "Okay. First, I want to thank everyone for coming. I know some of you came a long way." He gestured to two of the men. "Mike. Alex."
     Alex grinned. "Why would I pass up a chance to kick your ass?"
     "And besides," Mike began as he eyed Becky, who was standing next to him, "I didn't want to miss out on meeting your New York friends."
     "Hey, can we move this along?" Heather chimed in with a smirk.
     "Yeah! Some of us are still drunk!" Scott added, letting out a belch to emphasise his point.
     "Oh! Is that what that smell is? I thought something died," Sam commented, waving a hand in front of her face.
     "And that's why you're going to be the umpire," Will announced, pointing at Scott. "Less chance of you seeing your breakfast in reverse if you're not running from base to base."
     Scott shrugged. "Fine with me." Eyeing Sam, he added "Gives me a chance to chat this one up."
     "Keep in mind that I'll be armed with a bat, and I won't be afraid to use it," Sam retorted with a roll of her eyes.
     "Armed, gorgeous and dangerous. I like that combination."
     "Oh, please. Like you could handle me."
     Standing between Sam and Scott, Robyn couldn't help but laugh quietly to herself. Should she warn Scott about Sam, or let him find out for himself? Sam had a tempestuous spirit, and it would take a miracle for any man to win her over.
     "All right. Time to pick teams," Will declared. "As always, Jake and I are team captains. And since it's my birthday, I get to pick first."
     "Just don't hog all of the good players this time," Jake remarked with a smirk.
     "Hey. Whose birthday is it?" Will retorted, surveying the group. "Chloe."
     "Big surprise," Sam remarked with a scoff as Chloe moved to stand next to her boyfriend.
     Jake pretended to take his time selecting the first member of his team, acting as though he were considering their speed and skills. Finally, after much fake deliberation, he gave Robyn a nod. "Robyn."
     Just before Robyn moved to stand next to Jake, Sam elbowed her playfully. "Told you he'd pick you."
     Within a matter of minutes, Jake and Will had selected their teammates. Sam, Eric and Heather joined Jake's team. Meanwhile Becky, Alex and Mike were chosen by Will. As the sun beamed down on the baseball diamond, Jake was the first to step up to the plate. Standing next to Robyn, Sam watched with amusement as she noticed the way her friend stared at Jake as he took on the proper batting stance.
     "Look at you. Practically drooling over him," she quietly teased.
     Robyn scoffed. "I am not drooling. I am merely ... observing him. You know, for the purposes of learning."
     "Yeah. Sure. Is that what you call staring at his ass? Learning?" Sam paused for a moment, and then turned her head to the left. "He does have a great ass, though."
     Smirking to herself, Robyn allowed her naughty side to come through. "Mmm. You'll get no argument from me."
     With an air of confidence, Jake swung the bat and made contact with the ball. As the ball soared through the air and Jake raced around the bases, his teammates cheered while the opposition scramble to catch the ball.
     Having heard the friends' conversation, Heather shook her head. "Oh, Lord. Don't tell me Jake's snagged another one," she muttered to herself as Sam shoved Robyn forward, indicating that it was her turn to step up to the plate.
     "Yeah," Eric replied as he took a few practice swings with his bat. "Rumor has it, they were hot and heavy a few months ago."
     Heather lifted a brow. "And he's still interested in her?" she asked with surprise. "I guess some things do change. Back when I was working with him, he bounced around from one woman to the next. I can't tell you how much money I won, betting on whose tail he'd end up chasing."
     Eric and Heather watched as Robyn swung the bat, striking out. "Yeah. Well, must be something about her to keep him interested. It's probably the accent. Some people are into that."
     Robyn could feel her heart pounding as she prepared to swing again, the pressure mounting. She glanced nervously at Will, who stood tall on the pitcher's mound as he wound up for pitch. As the ball hurtled towards her, Robyn instinctively swung her bat. She cursed under her breath as Scott, crouched down behind her, called out "Strike two!"
     "That's all right, Robyn! You got this!" she could hear Sam call out to her.
     Taking in a deep breath, Robyn shook off her disappointment. She adjusted her stance, refocused her gaze on Will, and decided to put Jake's advice into practice. She clenched her jaw as her eyes locked onto the ball, imagining Ethan's face emblazoned on it. The ball flew toward her, and this time her luck changed. She swung her bat, her body moving in perfect harmony with her mind, and struck the ball with a resounding crack that echoed through the air.
     As the ball soared through the field and Jake took the chance to run for home plate, Robyn's heart leapt with joy as she sprinted toward first base. Her teammates cheered her on, their voices becoming background noise as she pushed herself to run faster. When she reached first base, her excitement and pride were evident.
     Two hours later, Robyn shook her head and watched in amusement as a bucket of water was dumped over Will's head. Standing next to Jake, she inquired "Is that how you Americans celebrate a victory? By dumping ice water on each other?"
     Jake chuckled and shrugged. "Well, someone forgot the Gatorade. Guess they had to improvise." He looked over at Robyn, smiling in amusement when he saw the state she was in. Some of her hair had come free from the ponytail, and a layer of dirt practically decorated her from head to toe. "Looked like you had fun out there."
     Robyn took off her baseball cap and wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I did. Though I'm sorry we lost."
     "Don't worry about it."
     They fell into a comfortable silence as they walked across the field, reveling in the breeze that ruffled their hair and cooled them off a bit. As they approached the stairs that led to the locker rooms, Jake came to a sudden stop. When he turned to face her, Robyn's steps came to a halt and she looked up at him curiously.
     "We're going out tonight. You should join us."
     "Home Bar?"
     Jake shook his head. "No. Nightcrawler's in Manhattan. It's this place that Will likes to drag us to every year. This music is shit and the place is a dive."
     "You make the offer sound so tempting," Robyn said sarcastically.
     He let out a little laugh. "Yeah. Well, I'll be there. So ..." And then, dropping his smile and giving her a look that made her heart race, he added "Seriously. You should come. Could be fun."
     She observed him for a few seconds, considering his offer. Although she longed to spend more time with Jake, she knew she had to be careful. Going by the way he touched her during their impromptu batting lesson, combined with the way she reacted to his touch, it was quite clear that their sexual attraction was still high. She wanted him. He wanted her. There was no doubt about that. It seemed that no matter where they were or what they were doing, they were drawn together by some invisible, magnetic force. But she knew that she couldn't afford to jump into another relationship, sexual or romantic, just yet. She had to tread lightly if she wanted to protect herself, as well as Jake. She didn't want to be caught on the rebound. She deserved better than that, and so did he.
     "All right," she relented. "Text me the details, and I'll see you there."
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     The moment Robyn saw the neon sign that bore the word KARAOKE, she wanted to retreat into the relative safety of the taxi and go home.
     "Karaoke? Jake said nothing about karaoke," she commented, staring up at the sign in horror.
     Slinging an arm over her friend's shoulder, Sam grinned. "Relax, Rob. So there's karaoke. Big deal."
     "Yeah. You don't have to sing if you don't want to," Chloe assured her.
     "That's what you said the last time we went to a place like this. That was just before you two dragged me onto the stage and practically forced me to sing that Madonna song."
     "Okay. First of all, you could have escaped at any time," Sam pointed out.
     "I tried, but you kept pulling me back!"
     "Second of all, you know you had fun." 
     "I was faking it," Robyn argued.
     "Relax, Rob. It'll be fine," Chloe began. "Just focus on having fun and enjoying yourself. Let your hair down and live a little." As though able to read her reluctant friend's mine, she added "And if you try to make a run for the door, I will make you regret it. This is Will's birthday, and you're not going to ruin it by being a stick in the mud."
     Robyn stared up at the sign again, feeling as though the word "karaoke," was taunting her. "All right. Fine. But don't even think about signing me up for a song. My singing days are over." She pulled the door open and entered the bar first, completely unaware of the mischievous look Sam and Chloe were exchanging behind her back.
     As the three ladies entered the bar, the lively sounds of laughter and music filled the air. The space was dimly lit, adorned with colorful neon lights flashing on the walls. To their right was a long wooden bar that stretched along a wall that hosted an array of shimmering liquor bottles.
     Robyn's gaze wandered across the crowd, catching glimpses of groups of people huddled around tables and sitting in crowded booths. On stage was a woman who was doing her best rendition of Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody, and Robyn cringed every now and then when the performer hit a note that made her voice sound a tad screechy. She would have felt sorry for the woman if not for the fact that she seemed to be enjoying herself, in spite of her lack of singing chops.
     "Oh! There they are!" Chloe said enthusiastically, leading the way to a booth occupied by Will and his group.
     Will, sitting at one end of the booth, immediately got up when he laid eyes on Chloe. "Thanks for coming," he said, giving her a sweet and chaste kiss. "I saved you a seat," he announced, gesturing to the empty space next to Heather.
     "Aww! Thank you. That's so sweet."
     Sasha grinned at Robyn, waving her over. "Come, Kitty Cat. You sit next to me."
     Robyn gave him a small smile as room was made for her, reluctantly taking Sasha up on his offer. It wasn't that she disliked him. She had grown quite fond of him, really. It was simply that she was never truly prepared for his antics, and she often found herself the target of his embarrassing and crass remarks.
     Taking note of the disappointed expression on Robyn's face, Sasha gave her a pat on the leg. "Don't worry, Kitty Cat. Your scratching post comes soon. Baby Jakey always late."
     "And he always leaves us with the tab," Heather remarked with a shake of her head.
     Sam pulled up a chair and straddled it, making herself comfortable. "Where's Scott? Is he at home, licking his wounds?"
     Will gave her a little smile. "He's at work. He doesn't scare easily, but I think he's terrified of you."
     "I warned him about her," Robyn began. "But he just wouldn't listen. Poor man never saw it coming."
     "That's right!" Sam declared. "I am a wild spirit who will be tamed by no man." She craned her head to the left, her eyes settling on the stage in the center of the room. "Be right back. Karaoke is calling my name. You coming, Clo?"
     Chloe gave Sam a nod, and Robyn watched as her friends approached the man in charge of the lineup of performers.
     "You're not going with them?" Will inquired.
     "I'm afraid not. I'm here to observe only."
     "You and Jake have something in common," Heather commented. "The day he gets up on stage and sings will be the day Howard stops fucking his employees."
     "Ah! Speak of the Devil," Sasha said with a smirk, watching as Jake approached the group. "Baby Jakey, late as always."
     "Fuck off, Sasha," Jake retorted, turning around the vacated chair and settling down in it.
     The Russian brought a hand to his chest, feigning offense. "Such language!" he exclaimed before he suddenly reached over and covered Robyn's ears. "And in front of a lady, no less!"
     "Get your hands off of me!" Robyn protested, swatting his hands away.
     "Ooh! Such attitude from the Kitty Cat." Tapping the tip of her nose with his index finger, he grinned at her. "I like it."
     Robyn laughed. "You are so odd."
     "You have no idea, Miss Kitty."
     Robyn shook her head in amusement and then cast a glance in Jake's direction, locking gazes with him as he gave her a smile. Though he wouldn't tell her this, he was happy to see how well she was settling in with his odd collection of friends. He certainly didn't need or want their approval, of course, but he loved seeing her let her hair down and enjoy herself while outside her comfort zone.
     Chloe and Sam returned, each carrying drinks that they'd ordered from the bar. "So I leave my chair for ten minutes, and you think you can take it over?" Sam playfully clicked her tongue at Jake.
     "Never said I was a gentleman." Jake smirked and took a swig from his beer bottle.
     Sam gave him a lopsided smile before she turned her attention to Robyn. "Here, Rob. I ordered your favorite," she announced, holding out a pink fruity drink decorated with an umbrella.
     Once Sam settled down in a chair, Chloe looked around at the group. "Does everyone have a drink? Good. I'd like to propose a toast to Will." She raised her glass, and everyone followed suit. "Will, you may be over the hill and sporting a few grey hairs. But you age like fine wine, and I'm thankful for every moment I spend with you"
     "Aww! That's so sweet," Robyn remarked.
     "Yeah! So sweet, I think I just threw up in my mouth," Ari said with a sarcastic grin.
     "Okay. Let's wrap this up before we all do that," Heather teased. Raising her glass once again, she exclaimed "To Will!"
     "To Will!" the others repeated, clinking their glasses together.
     The two lovebirds leaned toward each other, whispering sweet nothings before they exchanged a kiss. While most of the group erupted into hoots, hollers, and teasing words, Jake remained silent. His eyes were practically glued to Robyn, taking note of the flicker of sadness that crossed her face as she averted her gaze and fiddled with the blue umbrella in her drink.
     When her eyes met Jake's, she gave him a smile that was meant to be reassuring. She knew that she was being selfish; that her happiness for Chloe and Will should override any sadness she felt at the moment. But she couldn't help it. She missed the days when she had someone she could be sweet and romantic with. Just because breaking up with Ethan was the right thing to do, that didn't mean that she wasn't lonely.
     Sensing Jake's concern without him having to voice it, she mouthed "I'll be okay," and then focused on her drink.
     The group's attention was drawn to the stage once more when the announcer's booming voice filled the room. "And now I present to you ... Chloe and Sam!"
     Robyn watched with amusement as the women in question approached the stage with enthusiasm, the crowd erupting into cheers when the introduction to Joan Jett & The Blackhearts' rendition of I Love Rock 'n' Roll boomed over the speakers. She couldn't help but admire their bravery, wondering if there would ever be a day when she'd cast her fears aside and join them on stage.
     Chloe and Sam's voices rang out, clear and confident, as though they had transformed into rock stars. Their eyes sparkled, their bodies moving with fearless abandon as they seemed to feed off of the infectious energy emanating from the crowd. Everyone in the room seemed to be enthralled by the ladies' performance as they tore through the iconic song, and Robyn's smile grew as her friends danced along to the rhythm of the music.
     When the final notes echoed through the bar, the room erupted into applause. Chloe and Sam stepped down from the stage, their faces flushed as they returned to their friends.
     "You two were amazing, as always!" Robyn commented, raising her glass to her friends.
     "Eh. I could do better," Sasha commented with a dismissive wave of his hand.
     "On what planet?" Ari elbowed him in the side, and he whined in an over-dramatic display of pain.
     As the night progressed, Robyn enjoyed herself more and more. But when she caught Chloe and Sam exchanging a few glances, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She knew her friends well, and she couldn't help but wonder if they were up to something. She chose to brush off her unease, however, assuming it was her paranoia getting the best of her.
     Once again, the announcer's voice blared over the speaker. "Ladies and gentlemen! Up next we have the radiant, the ravishing ... Robyn Hewitt!!!"
     Robyn, caught in mid-sip, nearly choked on her drink as her eyes became wide with shock. After choking and sputtering for a few seconds, she narrowed her gaze at Chloe and Sam. "What did you do?" she growled.
     "Umm ... Robyn Hewitt? Are you here?" the announcer inquired, standing up on stage as he scanned the crowd.
     "Oh, lighten up!" Sam said before taking a sip of her drink.
     "Yeah. Have fun, Rob. If it helps, we chose your favorite song."
     Her name was called once again, and Robyn's heart skipped a beat as she looked to the other group members for help. Not one of them - not even Will or Jake - rose to the occasion. "You will pay for this," she warned, only half-jokingly.
     "Come on. You know you want to," Sam said with a smirk, sliding two shot glasses of whiskey toward Robyn. "We even bought you some liquid courage. So drink up and then get your British ass up there."
     Once again, Robyn looked to the other group members to rescue her. And once again, she was denied. She thought about it for a moment, considering making a run for the nearest exit. But Sam was right. There was a teeny, tiny part of her that was tired of living in fear. Besides, she'd done things that were far crazier than this. Right? She once went sky diving, for crying out loud! And she was afraid of a little humiliation?
     Heaving out a sigh, Robyn relented. She shook her head and made a sound of disgust, her eyes scrunching shut after downing each shot.
     "Robyn Hewitt, this is your last chance!" the announcer warned.
     "I'm coming!" Robyn bellowed grumpily as she slid out of the booth, stomping her way to the stage.
     "And here she is, ladies and gentlemen. The lovely, the --"
     "Oh, enough," Robyn snapped, her reluctance and displeasure overriding her sense of decorum.
     The man seemed to wilt under her angry gaze, and he called out "Robyn!" before he stepped to the side.
     The crowd clapped as Robyn adjusted the microphone, her hands shaking slightly as she took in a deep breath. The blue and pink lights danced upon her face, bathing her in an almost magical glow that outlined her features. The introduction of a familiar song played through the speakers as Robyn closed her eyes, letting out a few calming breaths and holding onto the mic stand for dear life. The crowd hushed as Robyn sang the first few lines of Tracy Chapman's Fast Car, her voice quivering a little as fear settled over her.
     "Louder!" someone bellowed, making Robyn jump a little.
     "Come on, Rob! You can do it!" Chloe called.
     "Go, Rob!!!" Sam chimed in.
     Robyn opened her eyes for a moment, looking over the crowd and keeping her gaze focused on a random wall. This was a technique she'd taught herself years ago. She found that if she sang to a wall or some other lifeless object, as opposed to a group of people, her nervousness wouldn't be so strong. It seemed to work, and she found herself filled with a strange sense of euphoria.
     Gradually, her voice gained strength and began to weave effortlessly through the melody. Though her voice didn't have the quality of a professional, it was pleasant. And when she felt brave enough to look at an actual person, she found her gaze settling on Jake's face. His heart seemed to skip a beat as he smiled at her, listening to the warmth and soul that emanated from her voice.
     When she reached the chorus and the crowd began to cheer for her, she smiled as her confidence grew. The rest of her performance flew by in a blur, and she couldn't help but feel proud of herself as the crowd applauded and her group cheered her on. She returned to the table, blushing furiously as her friends showered her with praise and cheers. And though Sasha insisted that he could do better, she could tell that even he was impressed.
     Robyn settled down in her seat and watched as the server brought over a tray full of freshly made drinks. Sam raised her shot glass in a toast, and the others followed suit.
     "To Robyn! Kudos to her for removing that stick from her ass and having a good time!"
     "To Robyn!" everyone called, clinking their glasses and bottles together.
     Chloe leaned toward Robyn, giving her a smile. "See? Told you you could sing."
     "Yeah. Well, don't think I'll make it a habit. This is a one-time thing," Robyn retorted, taking a sip of her drink. Her eyes drifted over to Jake, who was shaking his head at her. "What?"
     "Nothing. It's just that you surprised me. Again."
     Robyn, quite pleased with herself, sat up a bit straighter. Giving him a proud smile and a wink, she replied "Good. I like keeping you on your toes."
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youtube
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@anastacia-lynn
@peageetibbs
@kimmyiewrites
@mypsychoticlove
@ladyredstar1991
@thepaintedlady00
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ranabluu · 10 months
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Sul Sul!  I have something to share.   I did some recolors of the “Patterned Peacock” from City Living EP.  The pictures can be found in decorations, they are called Earth Tones.  They cost is $150 simoleons.  There are six in total: abstract, silhouette left, silhouette right, landscape, boho art,  and sunrise. Images are from pixabay. Thank you for supporting.  Dag! Dag!
Download: http://www.simfileshare.net/download/3901415/
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obstinatecondolement · 3 months
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I was tagged by @aeide-thea in this. Thanks for passing it along to me!
last song: Washing Machine Heart, I think? I was not, strictly speaking, listening to it though, so much as making sure that sound from my Bluetooth headphones didn't bleed into something I was recording. Basically, the lav mic I was using plugs into my laptop's headphone jack, so I was trying to use wireless earbuds to get around that, but then the audio quality of the recording suffered a lot from streaming music, which indicated to me that it would also suffer if I was on a voice call, which was what I was doing the tests in preparation for—in the end I used wired headphones with my phone for the voice call and recorded my audio on the laptop so that I wasn't crossing the streams.
favorite color: I like purple and green a lot at the moment, so I am going to be very annoying and say octarine.
last movie/show: If we're not counting reality tv, then I'm pretty sure it's still the CBS Ghosts show? Which reminds me, I need to watch the Christmas special of BBC Ghosts before it gets spoiled for me.
sweet/spicy/savory: At the moment probably savory, but this is largely for hernia related reasons as opposed to more fun considerations. Historically though, sweet.
relationship status: Taking the cue from @aeide-thea here to reflect on, and snark a little, at the amatonormativity of this question and the way it stands out from the rest in that it's kind of more likely to be something that would be potentially a vulnerable or alienating thing to discuss. Also, like, I have many non-romantic and non-sexual relationships that are very meaningful to me, but, I mean, for the purposes of this then single I guess, since apparently that's the kind that matters, lol.
last thing i googled: Again, like @aeide-thea, I also use DuckDuckGo now ;) But the last thing I looked up online was Pixabay, because I was making a podfic cover and wanted some royalty free images of space and/or astronauts on space walks to edit.
current obsession(s): I've been having a great time with podfic and audio fandom-y stuff in general recently! I participated in ITPE and created five pods for that (one for my main assignment and four treats) and now I'm doing Voiceteam Mystery Box and am tentatively starting a new podfic challenge based around creating podfic of Yuletide fics written by authors who give permission for podfic of their work called Tide Pod, which should kick off early January.
tag 9 people: @rovermcfly, @robotlesbianjavert, @venort, @kd-heart, @ilthit, @agoldenshinywireofhope, @liandrins-jawline, @translightyagami and @benicebefunny.
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poohsources · 2 years
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Hi this might sound stupid or weird. Do you know any good sites where I can find aesthetic pictures to make edits or use in my promo? I don’t really like using Pinterest but I can’t find other sites. Thank you in advance for replying!
hi there ! google images obviously. i’m only joking, of course, although it may be helpful in terms of finding some good websites. but on a more serious note, there are a few sites that i’ve checked out at least a little bit that do seem to have a wide variety of different kinds of pictures. and even better they’re all free. 
the websites ( in no particular order ) are: pixabay, unsplash, and pexels. there’s also rawpixel which has some nice images but it does require you to sign up for an account and you can only download a few pictures a day but i’ve decided to include it here anyway because i did find some nice aesthetic-y images.
whatever site you think’s best probably depends on the kind of pictures you’re looking for and if they all aren’t your cup of tea ... well, there’s always google images. but i hope this will help at least a little bit !
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karimac · 1 year
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Turn of the Wheel: Ghosts of Christmas Past
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Warnings: Pretty much none on this one. This is the Christmas just before Kari and Bucky decide to give it a go, otherwise known as the Christmas the Hawkeyes went to town at Rockefeller Center.
Although none of the stories so far have ventured into smut, I do consider these 18+ because of violence in other stories.
A/N: This is a submission for @arrthurpendragon's OC Ficmas 2022 event. Please check out her blog to see all the authors participating this year.
Not beta read. All mistake are my own.
Word count: Approx. 4.8K
Banner artwork credit: Image by Robert Jones from Pixabay
The photo is of the Christmas display at the McGraw Hill Building near Radio City Music Hall. It is one of my personal favorites!
If anyone wishes to be added to my taglist, please let me know.
Thanks for reading! Comments and reblogs are most welcome and appreciated!
Happy Holidays!
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And here it was, another Christmas Eve, and you were so lacking in holiday spirit that most people would have stuck you with the Grinch or Scrooge nicknames used so often for those who, more likely than not, felt lost or alone this time of year.
You had done your very best to put on your “holiday face” at your bakery, and everyone except for your closest staff members probably bought your acting job this festive season.
You still didn’t feel connected to anyone, especially Bucky, Sam and his family. You felt like a fraud, but you also didn’t want to drop your massive amount of home truths on them until it was well into the New Year. Like maybe next July? Yeah, that could work, right?
Once the doors on Cutie-Pie-Tutti were locked for the night, you put in your AirPods and found the one holiday tune guaranteed to lift your spirits as you wandered around Manhattan.
“On the High Line I see the skyline Snow falls down on me As I hail the taxi, roll through the city To see the Rockefeller tree”
 “The tree? Sounds like a good idea, Liz,” you said as you looked at your iPhone and saw the smiling face of Elizabeth Chan, singer and composer of “Christmas in the City,” staring back at you.
Once you got there by foot, you didn’t expect to find the tree suddenly falling down onto the ice skating rink below and several crazed Russian men in track suits descending on the fallen evergreen.
A group of cosplayers or LARPers seemed to have joined the fray, as did a man with a sword and a female archer dressed in black and purple. The trick arrows she was using were all too familiar.
“Clint’s arrow? What in the world is going on now?” you muttered as some maniac in a track suit came running toward you, hell bent on making your evening even worse with the baseball bat he was swinging wildly as he ran. “Not so fast, tovarisch,” you said as you threw up your hands and pushed him backward into the side of a car with a magic blast. “Not going to ruin my night, or anyone else’s either.”
“Yo! Avenger! We’ve got another Avenger in the house!” one of the LARPers yelled as you turned to see where the young archer had gone or, better yet, where Clint might be.
You looked down onto the rink, and you noticed a petite blonde, dressed in what looked like the uniform of a Black Widow, talking to Clint, but she ran off just as quickly as you saw her. Then you saw the purple-clad archer running toward Clint, and you decided you had better get down to the ice before any more idiots decided to join this party.
As you ran down the stairs, more of the track suit interlopers were making their way onto the ice in a delivery truck, but one Pym particle arrow took care of them. Or maybe it was the owl that hauled the tiny truck away that did the trick?
Oh, how you wished Steve, Tony and Nat were here to see this. Christmas still wasn't the same without them.
“So, Clint, care to introduce me to your protégé? And how in the name of Heaven did you knock over this tree of all trees? Who were the goon squad in the track suits?”
“You didn’t tell me you were calling in the rest of the team! I’m Kate Bishop. People say I’m one of the greatest archers in the world. And I’m lucky Clint is letting me partner with him.”
“Partner? And here I thought you were retiring, Clint. What does Laura have to say about all this?”
“Very funny. Why did you show up now anyway? Not that I’m not happy for the assist, Kari. Kate, this is Kari MacOrish.”
“Nice to meet you, Kate,” you said as you extended your hand. “Now, maybe I can fix your tree trouble. Can you guys step back a bit? And let me know if Damage Control rolls up. I do not like those jokers, and I do not want to spend my Christmas Eve in one of their detention centers.”
“How are you going to fix this tree? Do you need to call Strange or Wong? I know no one knows where Wanda is,” Clint said as your hands were bathed in green light. You winked at Barton and smiled as you unfurled your wings and took to the sky.
“Unraveling time would probably work best, but I really don’t want to deal with that much hassle. It would undo all the battles you just won and make those bozos come back, and once tonight is enough, even for me,” you replied as you sent a wave of light toward the tree and its broken trunk, slowly lifting it back into place. It hurt like hell, but you were not about to let all these locals and tourists lose the chance to have this tree as the center of their celebrations this night.
Many of the lights were shattered, and some branches seemed broken beyond repair, but the star miraculously survived the fall when it landed on a bale of hay near one of the entrances, a sign to you that this might work out after all.
This was not the first time you had rescued a fallen tree, but this was likely the largest one you ever hoped to put to rights with magic.
“Is it straight?” you asked Clint and Kate as you hovered in the air, the sound of sirens in the distance making your timely completion of your task a necessity.
“I think so, but Laura says I’m not very good with stuff like this,” Clint said as you landed and ran to the base, a final touch of the splintered trunk the deal maker to keep the Norway spruce in place until it would be removed in January. You dug in your pocket and found a ribbon you had taken off a present you got from Cristiano, your head baker, and as you placed it on the trunk, it grew in size and wrapped around the damaged base. It was red and gold and glittered as you magically tugged at the ends to make sure it was snug.
“Clint, ambulances are on the way, so here,” you said as you grabbed both Bishop’s and Barton’s shoulders and started a very rudimentary healing of them both. “Just gave you a head start so you aren’t in a hospital bed for the holiday. Kate, it’s been a pleasure,” you said as you gave the young woman a hug, “and Clint, Merry Christmas to you, Laura and the kids,” you added as you hugged him as well. “Tell Ms. Bishop about the café. Card’s in your pocket, Kate,” you yelled back to them as you ran off the ice and back toward Fifth Avenue, the choir of Saint Patrick’s filling the night with song as you went to the subway to head back to Brooklyn.
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It was just too bad your holiday blahs returned as soon as you got back to your apartment. Sure, you had a tree there, and Hickory was still wearing his festive red and green holiday bow tie on his collar, but things just felt off.
Maybe it was because you and Bucky were seemingly on the outs for what must have been the fifth time this month.
Or it could have been the disappointment expressed by Sarah, Cass and AJ when you declined an invitation to Christmas dinner.
This year just did not seem like the best time to be mingling with anyone.
As you looked at the packages under your tree, you noticed the one for Bucky right away. It was metallic royal blue with big white snowflakes all over the paper, and the silver and white bow gleamed in the light of your tree. You’d gotten him a new leather jacket because his had been trashed during a fight with some Flag Smasher sympathizers, and he wouldn’t let you magic up a fix for it. So finding him one as a gift was the only way to go.
You’d also gotten Alpine a gift or two while you were at it. You were thrilled when Bucky had gone to the local no kill shelter’s cat café to see the felines up for adoption there, and the white Angora he brought home was too cute for words. So you got her a new bed and some treats you knew she liked. Hickory was a tuna fancier, but Alpine seemed to enjoy salmon more.
And a pile of gifts for the Wilsons sat directly behind Bucky’s box. You found some great, tenderly-loved old Motown records in a store in Detroit. You also found some wonderful souvenirs to give to Sam from one of the old recording studios used by the soulful songsters back in the 60s.
The boys wanted nothing more than video games, but you knew Sarah was not the biggest fan, so, along with some new headphones and controllers for each of them, you registered the boys with an “experiences” camp out of New Orleans. They’d have two weeks away this summer at a camp of their choosing, be it space academy, inventors’ workshop or outdoor adventure base.
And Sarah? A week or two away from the boat while the boys were gone was what you thought she could use, but you knew she would likely not accept the present. So you opted for some very thoughtful jewelry made by local craftsmen in Baton Rouge. The pieces were African inspired and screamed “strong, powerful, caring, friend” when you saw the necklace and earrings.
Now you just hoped you’d get to give them their gifts sometime in the near future. Just not tonight.
“Well, Hick, looks like it’s you and me tonight,” you said as you sat down on your floral sofa and invited your orange tabby to join you there. “Merry Christmas, fuzz meister. I just wish I knew what was wrong with me.”
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As Christmas morning dawned, you went into your living room and noticed Hickory had been snooping in a bunch of boxes that were at the back of the tree. You had bought them ages ago and tucked them away. Frankly, you’d shoved them back there because they were too painful to look at.
One was addressed to someone named MJ, and another to a person named Ned. There was another to a woman named May, and the final one was ready to give to someone named Peter, but for the life of you, you could not remember who in the name of the Goddess any of them were.
“I guess I’ll donate these, Hick, because I have no idea why I bought them,” you said as you sat down on the stool in your kitchen, trying to recall any of these people as you made a cup of coffee. But every time you tried, you saw purple lights and felt like hell. You’d been feeling that way since the start of December, but you didn’t want to tell anyone about it. You should have talked to Wong or Strange, but the new Sorcerer Supreme was in Kamar-Taj, and the disgruntled former Sorcerer Supreme was likely holed up in the New York Sanctum and being a bit of an arse about it all.
Nope, those two were a no-go this holiday season.
And Wanda, the one person you likely would have chosen to talk to in the first place, was still off the radar. That didn’t make a damned bit of sense either.
You started to zone out a bit as you drank your coffee, wincing as more weird images popped into your mind. The splintered parts of you in other realms were likely pushing back at you for a reason, but you were not about to deal with them today.
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Meanwhile, down in Delacroix, Sarah was probably ready to toss rolls at her brother and his new “bestie,” but that would have been a waste of perfectly good food. She could hear them getting into it in the living room as she put the finishing touches on Christmas breakfast.
“What do you mean Kari isn’t talking to you? Or are you just mad at her for some stupid reason? What did you do this time, Krampus Claus?”
Poor Sam didn’t know what he was getting into when he decided to find out what exactly was going on between you and Bucky at the moment.
“What does that even mean?” Bucky sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs in the Wilsons’ living room. “Krampus Claus isn’t a thing. Even I know that!”
“Cass and AJ wanted to watch that Christmas horror movie with that German monster guy last week, but Sarah yelled at me because she thought I was encouraging them to watch it. First damned thing that popped into my head, Buck.”
“Of course it was. And I have no idea why Kari isn’t talking to me. And before you ask, I talked to Sharon. She has no clue either. And Sarah doesn’t know, so who next?”
“What about Bruce?” Sarah yelled from the kitchen.
“He’s visiting his cousin in California,” Sam yelled back. “Jennifer. The lawyer. As far as I know, Bruce and Kari haven’t spoken in weeks.”
“Great,” Sarah said as she walked in and looked at Bucky. “You two get this close to each other, and then you repel like a couple of magnets. You are both making me and Sam crazy. Now, which one of you two wants to help pour the coffee while we try to figure out how to fix this mess? On top of the mess about Kari and her crazy past, I mean. Or do you think they’re related?”
“Sarah, if I knew, I’d tell you. Kind of makes me wish Loki were still around,” Bucky said as Sam almost dropped the coffee pot. “They actually got along, and he might have been able to help. I know. I sound crazier than usual.”
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“What do you mean she won’t open the door? Just cast a spell to open the lock!”
Devnet Casey and Enya Sun had been alerted by Darcy Lewis that you had been less than peppy this holiday season, and because she could not be there herself to see what was up, she asked your two oldest friends to check in on you. So now they were more or less bickering at your Brooklyn apartment door.
“Enya, do I look like I haven’t tried that? Herself warded it pretty well. I even called Mina to get her fanged face over here, but she said to leave Kari alone. She said we all know why Kari gets weird at Christmas. Unless you think she finally got pissed about what we are all doing that is technically behind her back? I’ve tried to stall everyone until Kari gets the nerve to explain it all, and it is driving me mad. I thought telling her would help, but no…”
Devnet was referring to the group trying to figure out what was wrong with you and your magic, but she had made sure not to introduce herself to Sam or Bucky just yet. The same went for any mention of Enya, your first husband Galen’s sister.
“Mina said. Mina thought. Blah blah blah. I don’t care if Mina is Thom’s sister. She has no idea what is going on because she was not one of us way back in the morning dew of it all,” Enya said as she tugged on your door handle yet again. “Wait. Is this about that stupid tree?”
“I’d hardly call the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree a stupid tree. And no, it isn’t about the tree as far as I know. At least that’s what that pixie working at her bakery told me. Then again, Kari is probably not telling anyone anything of great value. There is something weird, though.”
“Weirder than the two of you?” a third female voice said as her footsteps came to a halt. “I thought I asked you to leave the lady alone?”
“And are you ignoring your own advice, Mina?” Enya growled as Kari’s other sister-in-law, Mina O’Malley Harkness, stood before them, red scarf tossed casually around the collar of her black coat, black hat and dark hair framing her face, and a tiny drop of blood near her bottom lip.
“You didn’t snack on a taxi driver, did you?” Devnet asked as she crossed her arms and looked up at Mina.
“No, of course not. Dorian and I made a stop at a local blood bank a few days ago. The one near the Village where all the vampires go. I am not going to ruin your holiday. I promise. Now, did you see the lights in the harbor earlier this month? The purple ones? When I called Kari, she told me about them. She…something about them bothered her.”
“And she told you and not us? And not the assassin? Seriously?” Enya asked just as a neighboring door opened, and the trio stepped back into a piece of shadow so they would not be noticed. “Do you have a key, Mina? We can’t stay out here all day.”
“Can’t you just spell it?” Mina asked as the ladies turned in unison at the sound of a click, and the door opened enough for Hickory to pop out. He pawed Devnet’s leg and asked to be picked up. As she scooped up the orange tabby, the trio stepped inside the apartment and saw you just sitting there in your red and green pajamas, coffee cup in hand.
“Sorry I didn’t open up sooner, but things are just…not right,” you said as you set your mug down. “And doing the ‘three spirits visiting you this night’ part is a bit old hat, isn’t it? Do you really not see the ghosts from Dickens’ story when you see the other three of us gathered round this night? Or the ghosts of those we have lost? I do. And to top it off, I know you’ve been hiding things from me, ladies. I’ve been hiding them from you, too. You’d think we’d all learn by now, but we never do, do we?”
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“What do you mean you keep getting into more fugue states?” Mina asked as she sat down in your sage green chair and fiddled with one of the decorations on your side table. It was a small snowman with a cardinal perched on its arm, and it seemed to amuse the vampire a bit. “Your other parts start intruding more? Is that normal?”
“No, it isn’t,” you replied as you looked at Mina. “And it makes things complicated. A stray thought can trigger it, and so can a smell or some particular setting. It’s getting to the point that I don’t want to leave this apartment, and I really can’t live like that.”
“And you haven’t told anyone except us right now?” Dev asked as she finally set Hickory down. “I mean, not Sam or Bruce or Bucky?”
“Not a soul, but I have a funny feeling the Masters of the Mystic Arts might be watching me from a distance. They mean well, but at times, well, it gets annoying.”
“And so do your ‘out to lunch’ moments, Kar,” Enya noted as she walked around your tree. “No offense, but they do get scary.”
“None taken,” you replied to her comments. “I just wish I could stop them.”
“And why the hiding nonsense?” Mina asked as Hickory finally made his way over to her. He had never been too fond of vampires, and you chalked that up to the fact he had never met your brother Ewan. “Go. Have fun. Please, for all our sakes, go down to Louisiana and have a good time. Whatever the purple lights are can wait for a day or two.”
“Mina is right, and you know how infrequently I admit to agreeing with her,” Enya said with a smirk as Mina laughed. “You don’t hate Christmas. You never have. You are just being you again. Taking all this on your back.”
“But,” you started to say before Dev shot you one of her usual withering glares. “What, Dev?”
“Did you get spooked again? About Bucky and that damned dagger you hid in your vault? You said ages ago that Loki looked at the stupid thing and had no idea what it was. Please, for your sake even more than ours, even on your worst day, you would not kill Bucky Barnes. If you were meant to do it with that dagger, you would not have missed the first time. He was brainwashed when he stabbed you, so I am trying to be a bit less judgmental about the man. I truly am glad he got help.”
“Ladies, I am not just showing up on their doorstep. I told Sarah no, and I am not going to mess up her plans. She has enough to handle with her boys, and Sam and Bucky, bless them, are not always jumping in to help her in the ways she might need most. She told me Sam was encouraging the boys to watch Christmas horror films. I’m hoping it was just a misunderstanding. They do not need to see “Violent Night” or “Silent Claus, Deadly Claus” or any other film like that. At least not yet.”
“I am sure Sarah would be more than welcoming,” Dev continued as she grabbed your now empty coffee mug and took it into your kitchen. “Now, out of the chair and into the shower. And what are those things you are wearing anyway? Ugly Christmas pajamas? Seriously? With cats all over them?”
“A gift from my staff at the bakery here. Fine. I’ll shower and get dressed, but I’m still not…going…”
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After you showered and changed, you still resisted Dev’s urging you all to go to Delacroix and forget about the drama for one day. Right now she was acting more like her dog Tyrone with a huge bone. She would not take no for an answer, so down you all went via portal, with Hickory in tow. Mina had bagged up the gifts you needed for the Wilsons and Bucky and handed them to you before Enya literally pushed you from Brooklyn to the Wilsons’ front porch, hitting the buzzer for the doorbell for good measure.
“Kari?” Sam said as he got to the front door, opening it a split second after your friends vanished. No trio from the past. Just you, Hickory and a ton of gifts.
“A few old friends kicked my arse for not being more social this year. They were right. Merry Christmas, Sam.”
Cass and AJ came running up behind their uncle and took the bag of gifts inside. Hickory sniffed around and was happy to see Alpine was there as well, and the two scampered off to make mischief as you turned to see Bucky standing there with a big grin on his face. “So, Cris finally get you to leave?”
“It was another group of old friends. You don’t know them. Not yet anyway. I’ll explain another time,” you said as Sarah came in for a holiday hug.
“I think I know why you’re off,” Sarah said as she looked at the gifts Cass and AJ were digging into. “Darcy told me about her friend Jane. She mentioned you couldn’t help with Jane’s cancer, and that got you pretty bummed. No wonder you weren’t in a party mood. You could have told us.”
With the purple light nonsense you had pushed the Jane Foster fiasco to the back of your mind. Her cancer was too advanced for you to be able to help kick start her own healing abilities. Jane was a wonderful woman and a truly talented astrophysicist, but most of all she was Darcy’s best friend. That was why the whole “Jane story” stirred up so many emotions for you.
“Even people like me have trouble when we hear we can’t do something to help others,” you said as Sarah handed you a cup of coffee. “Thank you.”
“Why didn’t you tell us about Jane?” Bucky asked as he nursed his own mug of coffee. “Is it a big secret? Maybe Doctor Cho could help?”
“I was just trying to respect Jane’s wishes about not making a big deal out of her illness. I’m not even sure Thor knows, and they were a couple. I did not want him hearing from anyone but her. And there is some other magical woo-woo stuff going on, but I don’t think I want to get into that until I've done some more recon. I’ll talk to Stephen and Wong after the holidays. I promise.”
“You better,” Sam said with a slight scowl. “Or your presents go back to the North Pole. I’ll call Santa personally.”
“Oh, Nick? He’d never do that. He’s a sweetie. And the reindeer love me. I make them snacks with carrots and other veggies baked in. Cranberries, too. ”
“Of course you know Santa Claus!” Sam replied as Cass and AJ laughed loudly. “What did I say this time?”
“I was kidding, Sam. Are my jokes falling flat already? That goes for any regional or national version that is not called Santa Claus. Like Pere Noel.”
You kept smiling as you thought back to your actual friend Kristopher Nicklaus Kringle, the sole proprietor of a now massive toy workshop in the northern reaches of the world just past the Canadian wilderness. His space was close to The Rift but not physically in it. It was in a pocket dimension all its own. He was indeed an immortal like you, and he and his family had made Christmas their business for centuries. But you were not about to tell that tale today. Nick needed his day off, too.
“So, can I be of any help?” you asked before you turned to see Cass and AJ checking out their new gaming gear. “There’s more to it than the tech, Sarah. That part comes later. Boys, maybe we should eat first since your mom went to all this trouble?”
As the boys begrudgingly left their pile of gifts and went to the table, Bucky pulled you aside for a minute. “You sure you’re OK? Need to talk?”
“This nonsense can wait. And before you ask, I’ll tell you the Santa story another time. Now, did you eat Sarah out of all her beignets today? Did you try that turducken recipe this year, Sarah?”
“Do not mention that word,” Sarah grumbled as she looked back toward the kitchen. “Regular old turkey for us. That other thing was a nightmare.”
“Marvelous, delicious turkey you mean,” you replied as Sarah just smiled and shook her head. As you looked at her, you started to see the damned purple lights again, and now they seemed to touch everyone in the room. You blinked and pinched the bridge of your nose for a minute to get the visuals and the sick feeling they caused you to pass. “Sorry. We had a few celebratory drinks last night before we closed the bakery. Whatever that was at the end had a kick to it. It was the fairy equivalent of a bar mat shot.”
As you took a deep breath and concentrated on the eggs, bacon and beignets before you, you hoped that the rest of the gifts would be as much of a hit as the gaming gear was for Cass and AJ.
You also couldn’t shake the feeling things were going to keep getting less settling as the purple lights became more and more frequent.
“How do you say Merry Christmas in Irish, Kari?” Sam asked as he grabbed more bacon from the platter. “Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain faoi Mhaise Duit. That’s Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I pray that the next one is a good one for us all.”
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Back in Brooklyn, Enya, Dev and Mina had long since left your apartment and locked things up behind them as they did. They had flicked off the lights on your tree, so the only lights visible were the ones in and around the apartment building across the way and in the street below. The streets were fairly empty for a Christmas night, so no one likely saw the lingering purple light dancing near your balcony window. A figure appeared there briefly and just as quickly vanished. A wisp of shadow form hovered in the air for the briefest of moments before the purple lights blinked out.
Taglist: @arrthurpendragon, @historygeekfics, @starryeyes2000
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roughwighting · 2 years
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The Early Appointment
I asked for an early appointment, but not too early. I wanted the doctor to be fresh, but not still yawning from his night’s sleep. I wanted the nurse to still be enthusiastic about the patient, not looking at her watch to see how long before lunch, or before she got to escape home, take off her scrubs, and pull on her shorts and t-shirt. “9:30,” the scheduler suggested, and I grabbed it like a…
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Where do your ideas for prompts come from? Is it just a matter of a fantastic imagination or do you have a system of some type? Either way, I'm fascinated by them ❤️
I kind of just stare around and hope something comes to me! Have compared my brain to a washing machine before, I put in a detail and wait an indeterminate amount of time for it to come out banged up but clean ✌🏽
If I’m really desperate/brain is not working I go to pixabay and stare at random images until an idea sticks. Thanks for the ask and the kind words!
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rusanya-does-edits · 9 months
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[A moodboard made of five images over a dark pink, wispy background. The five images, top/bottom and left/right are: a hot-pink and black medusa with a neutral to angry face the word "rage" in the same colors; a dark-pink potion bottle with pink flames surrounding it; some dark-pink, glowing headphones; a hot-pink cadillac car; a pink unicorn person with short blonde hair and a lovecore uniform theme, staring to the right as if irate.]
Anyways, I got mad after work the day I made this -- so I made a pink, feminine rage moodboard! One guess which song I listened to while making this for those of you who know me well~
Anyways, I found all of these on pixabay, and I just did some minor editing for the top left and middle images! Hm, let's see...
Angry Medusa
Magic potion
Headphones
Cadillac
Unicorn person
Anyways, thank you for looking at one of my self-indulgence pieces.
~ Shuna
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aludrakijurorin · 1 year
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I really liked working on Nathan for @mollydastoertchen​ ;w; (and also love the comment from the original meme post aaaaa thank you!) It was nice browsing some different clothing on his Pinterest and picking one of the outfits, as well as deciding what image from Pixabay to use as the background. Ended up going with a city image that has both warm and cool colors intermingling, that happens to have a Wine Shop sign which I think is perfect for this guy’s aesthetic (even though he’s more into beer, hehe). I was super proud of getting the expression right too. Not to mention, the reference image I used from Shein looks (to me) like a human version of em, 
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(if ya want me to remove the human image from the post, I can, no worries <3) Anywho I hope you like this Molly ;w; I’m glad you like him so much, and I’m glad to do some justice to one of your newer characters <3 And feel free to upload to Toyhouse! I’m on there as Aludra as well, even if I’m not very active. This goes for everyone’s art I’ve been posting, if ya want =D
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stevensaus · 1 year
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HOW TO Send Me A Request For Changing Attribution For Images
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I usually make a point of putting attribution for the "featured image" on my posts, which occasionally leads to an e-mail from an artist asking me to change the link to a different site that they control. I have no problem with this -- I think creators should definitely control their own web presence whenever possible. That said, I just added a little bit to my "Links and Images" page to clarify something and to make everyone's life easier: Please note: If you originally posted an image to unsplash/pixabay and wish for me to change the attribution link from my blog to your primary portfolio or website, I'm happy to do so IF you - Provide some provenance, such as a link to the image on your portfolio site (to demonstrate you're not just a random person) and... - I don't have to click a link with traffic tracking to get to your website. I get enough scammy and spammy email that such things tend to get filtered out and auto-deleted. Thanks! Featured Photo by Umberto on Unsplash Read the full article
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