Oasis Springs Wedding Venue NoCC

Download on The Gallery at Origin ID: Heckstress17

This is Villa Love, a Mediterranean inspired wedding venue for your sims living in Oasis Springs. It features an outdoor ceremony space overlooking the water, and an upstairs reception hall. There’s also a large kitchen downstairs for caterers to prepare meals, and a photo studio in the basement to capture moments of the special day! Set as a lounge so hopefully all sims arrive in formal wear.

poppy daze

antelope valley poppy reserve, california

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You belong next to me. – Lukas W.

whoever is running the sparknotes twitter account needs a raise

OMG I want to go back in time and send all of these to english-majoring student me. After I explain twitter. And John Mulaney. And later seasons of Parks & Rec.

Caring for natural (curly) hair in a setting with no access to modern hair products

So it’s the apocalypse. Your curly-haired character is on the run.They find themselves on a sudden adventure in a strange world.  It’s the whatever-eth century and they’re in an environment that doesn’t exactly accommodate curly, coily haired types. 

Either way, manufactured hair products are far and few between, or they’re simply not made for afro hair. Considering how your Black character handles their hair in this environment makes their circumstances more realistic and relatable.

Topics Featured in this Guide:

There is a writing takeaway at the end of each topic. 

Brief descriptions provided after images. Contact me for fully accessible version.

Hair Products found in Natural Environment 

Consider the essential needs of afro hair: water and fat.

Many curly-haired folks already use natural resources and plants to care for their hair - aka DIY hair-care. So characters concocting their own products should not be a strange concept. (I personally buy most of my natural hair products, and create my own hair masks, protein treatments, and oil blends.)

What they could use would depend on environment, time, and availability. 

Hair Healthy Produce 

Coconut - The all-purpose hair aid with multi forms, from oil to solid cream. Hardens in cold weather; best not to use when environment has freezing temps. Banana - Typically removed after use (hair masks, conditioners) Avocado -  Applied as hair products, masks, and oils. Strawberry - Mashed and applied directly to hair or mixed with oils.

Hair Healthy Proteins, Plants, Fats

Eggs - Hardens when dry. Strong odor. Removed after use. (protein masks) Honey - Pulls moisture from air into hair - avoid during the dry winter! Shea Nuts -  Made into shea butter. All-purpose hair and body care. Flaxseed - Gel made by boiling & straining flax seeds. Many DIY videos online.

Hair Healthy Herbs and Flora

Hibiscus - Sebaceous = oil-producing gland. Flowers crushed into paste or oil. Peppermint - Can rub out oil from leaves. Often used in oil form on scalp. Lavender - Often used as an oil directly applied to the scalp, or brewed as tea. Rosemary - Often combined with olive oil in use with hair; can be used alone. 

More Hair Healthy Herbs and Flora

Aloe Vera - Succulent. Can extract sap directly from leaf and apply like gel.  Burdock - Contains essential fatty acids and phytosterol compounds. Dandelion - Can use the roots, stems, leaves and sap for hair and skin. Rose - Common use is rose water: steep roses in boiling water to create.

Hair Healthy Products (rare or require effort to make/find)

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) - Diluted before use and often washed out after. Bentonite Clay - Aged volcanic ash. Combined with ACV for best activation. Oils - Key component for sealing moisture. See the next discussion. Yogurt - Base of many DIY hair products like masks and deep conditioners.

Oils for Hair 

Oil is a key component to afro hair care. It nourishes and seals in moisture. Let’s discuss common hair oils and extraction methods that could, more likely, be done using homemade or historical equipment. 

Oil Extraction

If oils aren’t readily available to purchase, the person would need to find or create tools to either extract the oil via pressing or heat the nuts or seeds. Consider the basic tools that have been around since ancient times. For example, the mortar and pestle. What creative use can be made out of existing tools in the person’s environment? 

Hair Oils and Benefits  (by potential ease to extract.)

FYI: These aren’t the only methods or necessarily professional means of extraction. I also left off hair-healthy oils that seemed complicated to extract without high-grade equipment. So, this isn’t an all-inclusive list of oil or methods. 

Natural Hair Product Creation

So what exactly would your character create? Here’s some natural hair products and potential main ingredients. May be used alone or combined. 

More Sources:

Product Storage:

Keeping a small bit of ready made supply may prove time-efficient. If impossible, they may opt to use products that don’t require much time and effort, and are worth their time to make in small batches or to potentially dispose of after.

Writing Takeaway - Natural Product/Oils Creation  

With just the above compounds, I can see creative naturals being able to create styling products and moisturizing leave-ins, shampoos, conditioners and hair masks.

Do consider the following:

Natural Hair and Styling 

LOC Method as base style

Moisture, sealing in the moisture, and protection are the basic needs for natural hair. The Liquid, Oil, and Cream (LOC) Method, or a variation of the steps, fulfills those basic needs. It can be treated as both a care routine and a style in itself. Personally, if my hair is not in a protective style, I use it every week.

Should you use the “LOC method” by name in your work?  

Protective Hair Styles

Protective hairstyles protect the hair by tucking ends away from the elements. For example, heat, air, hand and fabric manipulation. While not forever solutions (except maybe locs which are a permanent style) there’s many benefits to your character’s wearing them.

Benefits:

Considerations:

Protective Styles Short-term (lasting days to weeks)

Protective Styles Long-term (lasting weeks to months+)

Writing Takeaway - Protective Hairstyles

Protective styles are an amazing way to protect the character’s hair and would very likely be the go-to for any natural in an uncertain or fast-paced environment. Just in everyday life they’re highly worn so it would especially be the case! Just remember the character needs to eventually undo whatever protective style they have installed to do some hair maintenance (washing, detangling, etc) and give their strands a rest. Also, even hair in protective styles need some attention.

Curly Hair Type and Associated Needs

Determining your hair type is important to knowing its needs. Certain ingredients work best for certain hair types. However everyone is unique and there are more factors to consider than just curl pattern (Also, most curly folks cross into a mix of hair types). There is hair thickness (width & density) and how much moisture and product your hair absorbs (porosity) to consider as well. 

I will only cover curl pattern and the commonly associated needs here. To learn more about porosity, width, and density check out the FAQ under the read more.

Curly Twirly (3A) 

Defined loopy “S” pattern. Curls well defined and springy. Big, loose and shiny. Size: Sidewalk chalk size. Best Products:  Gels and creams with light moisture and curl definition.

Curly Spirally (3B) 

Well-defined, springy copious curls that range from bouncy ringlets to tight corkscrews. Size: Sharpie size. Best Products:  Gels and styling creams with extra moisture and frizz control.

Curly Kinky (3C) 

Voluminous, tight corkscrew curls. Either kinky or very tightly curled, with lots of strands densely packed together. The very tight curls are usually fine in texture. Size: Pencil. Best Products:  Styling creams, butters, and oils. Needs gentle care.

Coily Springy (4A) 

Well-defined “S” Pattern. Tight, coily, and the most fragile curls. Size: Crochet Needle or smaller.

4A Best Products & Tips: Styling creams, butters, and oils. 

Coily Crimpy (4B)  

Less-defined “Z” Pattern. Tight, coily fragile curls. Hair bends at sharp angles.

4B Best Products & Tips:  Styling creams, butters, and oils.

Coily Ziggly (4C) 

Tight, coily, fragile curls. Curl pattern won’t clump without styling. Little to no visible definition.

4C Best Products and Tips:  Styling creams, butters, and oils.

Writing Takeaway - Hair type and needs

While hair type is just the start of all the intricacies of natural hair needs, it’s definitely a good start. There are other important parts to consider for real life naturals, but going off from hair type and the commonly associated needs should be enough for a story. (But read the FAQ under the read more to keep learning)

Do not get lost in the details, especially for a story that won’t need to cover tons of it. Learn enough to know what you’re talking about and can describe hair care accurately for situations that would affect hair.

Writing Takeaway - Overall:

You don’t have to be lavish in detail, but acknowledging how hair is handled here and there or in a dedicated section is thoughtful and satisfying to see included. It’s also a neutral way to show race without the use of micro-aggressions or racism. Finding the time and means for proper hair care would be a part of their life and potentially a stumbling block on the adventure, so mentioning how hair is handled during these circumstances is a fine idea. 

It’s also a great means for representation.

–Mod Colette

Additional Info:

The following information will be nestled under the read more:

Keep reading

I just want my kids like “wow mommy and daddy are really in love”

How to Fight Perfectionism

1. Delete “ought”, “must” and “should” from your vocabulary.

2. Get rid of all unrealistic goals, and replace them with realistic, achievable goals.

3. Accept and love yourself unconditionally.

4. Recognize that NOBODY is perfect – despite what the media, or other people, say.

5. Love your quirks and value your uniqueness.

6. See mistakes as lessons on the road to success.

7. Notice all the positives, and small accomplishments.

8. Enjoy, and be thankful for, the good things in your life.

save the bees… and save the bats, save the wasps, save the moths. they are all pollinators, and they are all important to the earth, even if our human eyes don’t deem them as charming as hummingbirds. we have to protect them too!

the LITERAL point of this post was that even if we don’t particularly like certain pollinators, we shouldn’t condone their extinction. 

it’s heartbreaking that people are reblogging this with “i hate wasps, they can die!“ wrong! try again! it’s actually not about you, sorry.

Thank you google.

Unthank you google.

Tips to finishing creative writings

If you never finish your novel then how am I going to write fanfiction about it? 

Character Questionnaire (A list of questions you might not ask your characters but can help you get to know them)

I was working on the main character in my WIP “This Is Where You Left Me”, and came up with the idea to create a character questionnaire; A list of questions to ask to help you get to know your characters! You can answer them here, or just write them here, or just write the answers down to think more about later!

1) Introverted or extroverted

2) Talker or a listener

3) Intimate or distant

4) A sexual person or not

5)Interested in relationships or not

6) Positive or negative

7) Big or small hands

8) Tentative or confident

9) Creative or  not

10) Academic or not

11) Glasses or none (Good vision? Contacts?)

12) Clear skin or not (freckles? Birthmarks? Patchy skin? acne?)

13) Innocent or mature

14) Kind or rude to strangers

15) Independent or not

16) Feminine or masculine or androgynous

17) Empathetic or apathetic or somewhere in between

18) Good at making friends or not

19) Sporty or not

20) Stiff or fluid movements

21) Fidgety or still

22) Eats a lot or only a little

23) Messy or neat

24) Early or late riser

25) Morning person or night person

26) Sweaters or coats

27) Socks or no socks

28) One pillow or more

29) Warmth or cold

30) Likes doodling or doesn’t

You can use these questions in any way you like. They can become important parts of you character, or something that you know that never even ends up being mentioned. You can choose a simple answer, or you can write a deep, long answer, if that’s what you want. This is just is just a simple questionnaire to get to know your characters more

You can also reblog this as an ask game if you want.

Tag list: @incandescent-creativity @illiteracy-is-for-woozles @kit-tells-a-story@knox-novels @roselinproductions @writings-of-a-narwhal@kclenhartnovels@elaynab-writing

How to Game of Thrones Your Writing

(spoilers)

I started watching GoT recently in order to catch up before the last season comes out, and it’s made me think about all kinds of writerly things, especially in regards to plot:

Keep reading

@ninshadow asked drarry or hinny

“You are absolutely reckless! What were you expecting to happen when you ran off by yourself?”

“Don’t make that face. It’s fine. I’m fine.”

“You almost died! When they brought you back you were pale as a ghost and there was blood everywhere! I thought I had lost you!”

“You didn’t. I’m here, okay? And I’m not planning on going anywhere.”

How To Write Without Experience

Writing about something you’ve never experienced can be a challenge, but it can be done! To make this task easier, I’ve compiled a list of tips I have found helpful in my own writing.

1. Research, research, research

I know, I know.  You’re probably sick of researching by now, but it’s the only way to make sure any details you add about something you don’t have first-hand experience with are accurate.

Get the facts, then double-check those facts.  It’ll help in the long-run.

2. Read works similar to yours

This goes without saying. Every writer will tell you that you must read in order to develop your skills. This can also help you research without having to comb through hundreds of Wikipedia articles (we’ve all been there).

Obviously, don’t trust everything, and don’t copy or plagiarize any of their work, but use what you read as reference materials. This goes for television as well. Now you can say you’re working when you’re binge-watching Netflix!

3. Don’t be insensitive

If you’re writing about an emotionally-charged situation that you haven’t experienced firsthand, you must ensure that you don’t block out those emotions. Writing something that doesn’t acknowledge all sides to a situation and the accompanying emotions is a sure-fire way to offend someone and create and overall unrealistic story.

Don’t just research facts. You have to research emotions as well.

4. Observe!

Anyone who’s been following me for a while can tell you that I’m a big fan of using real people to improve my reading. It’s a little difficult to explain, so I’ll use an example.

A large portion of important dialogue in my novel takes place between two middle-aged men in a bar. The problem? I’m a female teenager who obviously doesn’t frequent bars. The solution? I observed how people spoke to each other at bars in restaurants I went to, and incorporated that into my dialogue.

Though you might not personally experience what you’re writing about, you’re bound to find someone who does or has. Use your observations to your advantage!

5. Don’t get discouraged

I’ll tell you right now, you might take some heat for writing about something you don’t have personal experience with. You’re going to be told that you don’t know what you’re writing about. Someone will probably tell you that you shouldn’t write about things you don’t know about. If you’re young, you’re going to be told you’re not mature enough.

DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED BY THIS!

It’s so easy to take what people say about us and accept it as the truth. Don’t listen to those who doubt you. Do your research, work as hard as you can, and you’ll be able to prove them all wrong.