What Fantastic (and Janky) Things Do You Do With Leftover Packaging? : asklemmy

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I could start a whole comm on the subject.

Took the plastic holders that we sold sprinklers in and use them to root 21 plants at a time.

Made a sweet display rack from an old pallet. I can go on for ages about pallet uses.

Saved my bread bag for next time I need a food bag. I never purchase plastic bags except for the trash can and aluminum can recycling.

Used the black and green nylon twine that came wrapped around various products. Made new canoe handles (braided) and plants hangers (with an artfully bent, white coated clothes hanger).

Have a huge pile of 1x2 treated wood pieces that were used to pack lumber. Still working on ideas.

I save McDonald's cups for starting plants. Tough plastic, not too UV sensitive.

Shove styrofoam in a pickle jar with a dash of unleaded, boom, ya got napalm. You can start a soaking wet camp fire with that shit. Save your dryer lint while you're at it.

Show me a pic of any packaging, I'll give you a use for it.

[–] user224 12 points 3 days ago (1 children)

As a packaging when selling stuff. At least that's the plan. Unfortunately some things will clearly have to hit e-waste since I can't even sell them for 5 cents.

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago

It's rough when you can make a million things that are beautiful, but they do not have mass appeal or relation to pop-culture so they are a hard sell. Actually, idk if that's the case or if you're a reseller so I guess in my head I made it romantic but you could just be out here thrifting =P! In which case I say - you win some, you lose some.

[–] ExtraMedicated@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I used the cardboard sheets found in boxes of canned cat food to make this little tent:

I miss that cat so much.

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 4 points 2 days ago

Big hugs! I swear to god you never forget the good ones. And they're all good ones =(! Also, you can buy fancy things from the store, but the stinky box that some crap came in will always be the chosen winner for pets. Why? I have no clue. Your old blankets? A bed. Fancy bed from the store? Never goes near it.

[–] volvoxvsmarla@lemm.ee 9 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Pretty obvious but you can use plastic containers from yoghurt, margarine, etc as plant pods (the ones that go inside the pretty ones). Just make sure to put some holes in the bottom for drainage. For seedlings, egg cartons work too.

Packaging paper we reuse as gift wrappings. I like to draw or "airbrush" something on it.

And toilet paper rolls... If you got a child you probably know.

[–] cattywampas@lemm.ee 8 points 3 days ago (1 children)

And toilet paper rolls... If you got a child you probably know.

Stuff them full of dryer sheets and blow your weed smoke through them?

[–] user224 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

"Binoculars" probably. Not sure.

[–] volvoxvsmarla@lemm.ee 1 points 1 day ago

Marble highway, crown, couch for soft toys, bracelets, easter bunnies, caleidoscope, towers of castles,...

Funnily enough I haven't thought of binoculars. I'll try it out today!

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Toilet paper rolls are good for sorting power and usb cords. Just loop them a couple of times and then pull them through the roll. It will act as a band to keep the cord rolled, and you can write on the roll what it is with a marker.

(Saw this on YouTube once)

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 4 points 2 days ago

This is a good idea, and it'll keep your cords in better shape than wrapping them with themselves. I think it's best practice for cords you don't move often though, as lappy cords might not like this.

[–] user224 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

OH, speaking of egg cartons. The larger ones (30 eggs) if clean make a pretty good laptop cooling pad. If you want to use laptop on a bed, this is the way (cheaply).

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 3 points 2 days ago

This is a good idea! I use books because I am lazy as scuzz. The other day we got a fan (it's getting hot) and I cannibalized pretty much all the material outside of the two odd egg-shell kind of super thick end-pieces. I am wondering if I could build something like this with the two together? I think what has stopped me is one is about an inch taller than the other. That way I can stop being a lazy ass and have a dedicated thing =P!

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Legit in one place I was living I cut a tetra pack in half and started glomping plants and tossing them in there. They were self-watering plants and I was a happy person. I used to use them for paint, but I am lazy and I have a friend who is a chaotic painter. They showed me that you can paint on anything, with anything and that pallets are optional. I started keeping/mixing paints on whatever I wanted as I worked. Be it the canvas itself, or whatever I had nearby (that I wasn't planning of keeping). There's these little sake bottles, I forgot what the brand was because I don't drink, but a friend swears they're a perfect travel kit for water color. Those are nice to use. it's one of the major brands and it's pint sized with a little baby cup. Speaking of which, I don't mess with a lot of Japanese products as a whole because they have so much packaging. I love the intent, to experience this one mini thing in all its splendor and not gorge on it. It just is so much packaging, so damn much! Eee!

Can you sprout in egg cartons? That'd be cool af. I gotta look into this. Would make sense, it's a perfect vessel for it.

Hahaha, you're awesome - you know I love people who are smart with this stuff. Sounds like you've got at least one little one too. I feel like it teaches your kid(s) that they can have nice things (the gift) but that they don't have to be absolutely materialistic monsters (the shiny packaging) over what they get. Likewise, I think it helps you as you age, because you're less susceptible to all that fancy design work they've got out there to sell you the same thing as the $10 item, for $100. Two folks in my family have diyed their presents for as long as I can remember. There's nothing better than getting something with a little personal drawing or note on it. I move around a lot, and I don't keep much nowadays, because I figured I've always got one foot out the door. I keep that stuff though, in a lock box actually. Cause that's the real stuff. You're a good parent =)!

We've got weasels and these assholes like to stick their heads into anything and get stuck. So we actually just toss them in the recycling bin. I have been thinking about what I can do with them lately though. Like, could I utilize them by cutting them up into teency tiny pieces little pieces and embed them into a cardboard frame that I then cover with fabric and toss on the walls. The place we're currently living at has some of the craziest sounds crawling through them, so I figured it's time to think about some green-ish sound proofing for peace of mind. Either way, thanks for nice response =)

[–] volvoxvsmarla@lemm.ee 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That was such a cool response, thank you!

I am not sure I have ever seen a weasel in real life (whelp), do they get stuck in a toilet paper roll? I thought they would be small enough to get through. You could make an amazing labyrinth from them! We did try to make something like that for marbles, and it... didn't necessarily turn out well, but it was super fun and taught us grown ups a lot about dynamics I guess! Btw they work well if you use just halfs of the rolls. I mean you probably don't really need it, but you can craft pencil holders from them too, I used to do this as a kid (I was a huge Art Attack fan).

If you want to soundproof a wall, egg cartons are actually supposedly really good for that! I mean it looks weird probably but I remember egg carton walls from the 90s. But the sprouting thing definitely works too! I actually thought of this by myself (I am weirdly proud of that xD) and double checked with a friend who has studied horticulture (and who has very little money because, well, she has studied horticulture) and she said she does this too! So I guess I have a professional approval for that technique!

Your tetra pack use reminded me of using cans for plants as well! Or remember can telephones? My daughter is only 3 years old and I look forward to crafting more and more stuff with her. She still loves commercial stuff though (which we try to buy used at least), she is so much into Frozen it is ridiculous. We shielded her from this stuff and it took one trip to friends who had a girl who was an Elsa fan to get our daughter hooked long before she ever saw the movie. It's crazy. We actually were sewing some "Elsa dresses" for her dolls today. She was so patient with it because she wanted it so much. Parenting is the best thing that ever happened to me.

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago

Oh yeah, no worries and thanks back! The little suckers can get stuck in anything, so I pretty much just try to keep them from killing themselves =P! Their cuteness and love helps. Hahahaha! We craft so damn much for them. I swear 1/2 our brain is forever occupied by their happiness. We like to take sand, rocks, rice and beans and put them together for some solid and crazy digging. Dirt is too dirty, and ends up getting all over the place. We've gone ham with the ping-pong balls. Better ones are those little golf balls with the holes in them, the practice ones. Cause they can be lifted and carried around like prey. It's pretty awesome to watch. I take scraps of clothing and fill em up and sew them into little sack guys and let them carry them around everywhere. I am seriously going to start saving the rolls though and turn them into something cool thanks to you. I was just recycling them with a shrug, my brain was not being creative enough =P!

Aww man, I hear that on studying horticulture. One of the coolest people I have met in my entire life (passionate) was a horticulture instructor. I don't get why we give what we give more pay than other things. It's an incredibly skilled position that can be laborious on the mind and the body. I have a friend who is absolutely brilliant, but an anthropologist and hot damn she gets paid absolute dirt. I really love the sprouting thing though, seriously!

As for the egg carton walls, that would make a lot of sense. It makes me want to go back in time and grab this porch full of egg cartons I saw someone have when I lived in a rural space. I don't know why they were saving them (it was seriously like five feet of cartons stacked) but perhaps they were using them for something and just kept them outside until it was time to have at them.

Aww man, Frozen addiction is a real thing! Hahaha! I have seen it. I have heard from other mothers that one of the nicest/most profound moments of their motherhood is seeing young girls unite in song together, and the joy they feel in sharing the moment. I don't have any kids, but I often think about how I never fed my dog "people food" and then one time my dad met her and slipped her McDonalds fries ad it was game over after that. I think you've gotta balance things really tightly nowadays. On one hand, you can keep your kid sheltered from media but it sort of ostracizes them socially. On the other hand you allow your kid freedom to zombie out on media and their brain kind of rots. It's really rough, I don't do it but I have a couple of friends who have youngins (surprising way less than you'd imagine) and I have seen some scary effects of too much screen time/processed foods.

To be honest, one of the biggest things I lament personally is that I have had to learn pretty much ever skill I have by myself. By that I mean, I had to study relatively solo to gain any knowledge I had. I had pretty absent parents, which I think has sort of made everything a bit more difficult than it has needed to be as a whole. Sorry if that was heavy, but I swear it relates to what I want to say. Which is that when you teach your daughter skills, even if she isn't actively participating but instead watching and witnessing your process - I think these things stay with you for life. I also think learning skills early is really important, because even if you're not terribly interested in them (although it sounds like she loves the results so she probably is) you can carry them with you for life. Sewing is one of those skills that I think a lot of us have forgotten and it's incredibly useful for a multitude of things. Perhaps even the most useful for the abstract knowledge of knowing that if something breaks, you can probably fix it. Likewise that if you want something, you can probably create it with enough thought and know-how. At one point, I was working with a lot of youth, and they severely lacked in an understanding of both of these things and I think it gives your daughter some secret knowledge that links us to the root of what makes humans, human (ingenuity) =P!

Eh! I've gotta say, I can tell you love it from here by the by! My sis(ter from another mister) just had a little girl. The happiness and love overflows and fills my heart, and this kind of stuff is why I think some folks need hugs over anti-natalist pamphlets =P!

Either way sis, keep being you. By that I mean awesome! Seriously, we need more light in this world, so keep spreading it =)! Mental hugs, and I hope to see you around here =)

[–] lucullus@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

When renovating our house we bought new room doors. Though they took weeks to be delivered and we already lived in that house without room doors (also no door for the bathroom).

But we had loads of big cardboard pieces from furniture, so I used them and a lot of glue to build temporary doors. I added handles and used screws to fix them in the frame (I mean the big wooden beams, that are holding the actual nice doorframe in the wall).

They mostly worked surprisingly well, holding in the frame by friction from cardboard blocks, that I glued to them. Though they opened everytime, we had an open outside door, that caught some wind

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 1 points 2 days ago

You freakin' genius! I have been thinking of how to get a door in, cause the place we're at right now is an odd spot and there were about fifty doors in this place at one point and they decided to remove all but the bedroom (which isn't even sized right). Since it's not our place, I told my gal I'm not interested in tossing a sea of cash at it seeing as we'll probably be out the door right after we get everything set-up. I have a couple large boxes and I was thinking of how to integrate them to make a door without making it look like a shanty house or something. I think with those plastic screws I saw on here we could create a faux-door and get it installed in the one area I really would prefer to have one, just for a smidgen of privacy. Thank you!

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 6 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

I was making Minecraft style swords and armor outta styrofoam used to pack and protect from various things my parents bought years before Minecraft even existed.

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago

I've got a buddy who cosplays like...big time. Like big boy cosplaying =P! God that is funny to say. Hahaha! I am always amazed at the stuff this guy can make out of foam, and how cool it all looks. I have seen you on here up and down the joint (your name makes it easy to spot you). You're probably a crafty person as a whole, if you were using your imagination that way back then. I have a friend who makes bank-ass-bucks cause he grew up playing with oh god are they called Kinnex? Kinnecks? Whatever, my guy did that stuff and I swear to god the things he would show me were crazy and he used that big juicy brain of his on just a big tub of this stuff.

[–] snoons@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I use all the plastic bags I get from the grocery store (fruit & vegg, bread, etc.) to keep my pottery projects from drying out too fast. This is especially important when pieces have really thin parts. They would crack if I just let them to dry without something to cover them.

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 3 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I have met all but 1 - ONE! Potter my entire life and you guys are the just I mean - fuck! This isn't English but the way your guys' brains work just blows my mind. You've got such a great understanding of how (I am just sitting here flailing my hands around openly trying to explain what I am thinking but it's not really translating to words). You guys amaze me is all. You've got such a great understanding of how to turn what you see in your minds eye to such a physical scape it blows my mind. I pretended over the pandemic that I was about to make some air-dry sculptures, but nah. I was watching this gal and she absolutely encompass what I mean about sculptors. I (personally) think that all arts require different skillsets. Growing up I figured being strong in one, means you could pick up another pretty easily. That it was all sort of one umbrella, and that creativity was the guide. Nah, son. Not true! I realized they're different camps, even in my own ventures between the arts. I guess this was all jus one giant gush to tell you I love sculptors, and wish I had more in my life. I feel like though, the kind of mindfulness it requires to sculpt would absolutely be holding a little transparent baggie in their hands and thoughtfully think "I can use this to keep my pieces from drying out." Augh! Keep sculpting, I love you guys! Augghhh!!

[–] snoons@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Defos! It something that really takes YEARS of almost daily practise to get good at. I mostly do it for fun, or if I want cup or something... or if someone I know wants a cup (or something). I can't hold a candle to people like the lady in the link, or probably anyone that uploads videos of themselves doing pottery lol. So far I can maybe get a good cup or two every 8 hours where-as professionals can make hundreds in the same amount of time. The skill gap is INSANE.

It's good to know your limits, but IMHO there are virtually no limits to creativity. I took a few pottery courses in uni and the teacher knew a lot of us didn't really think of ourselves as "creative types" (many enrolled in it as an elective), so she always told is to "fake it till you make it". I think it's really awesome that you pretended to make air-dry sculptures, and I think you should keep pretending! It doesn't matter what they look like, it's something you made and you should be proud of it (screw anyone who tells you to give up).

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Hehehehe! So I am a goober about this. I'm adhd af, and I am currently taking a medication that has me having to be off my other meds so I have full blown monkey brain right now. I don't mind, I like to think of it as just my goofy side coming out. I gotta tell you this though sister, brother - whomever. Cause I love your post to death. So the one time. ONE TIME! That I got myself to make something with Sculpey. Cause I have grabbed it before, and it ended up going to other homes because I would just leave it in the little brick or jar or whatever I mixed it into. The one time I got myself to sit there and put together a sculpture, it was beautiful. I was proud of it. I had this painting I made, and I turned it into a sculpture and I was a proud one and it was time to bake it and it ended with that. I cannot tell you why my brain does what it does, but damned if it's not been my best friend and worst enemy my entire life. Hehehehe! It ended up looking like melted goo by the time I lumped it back together and tossed it back in the container I grabbed it from. Writing? I'll do that. Drawing? Yeah. Painting, fuck yeah - where the brushes at? Singing, all day. I'll fill the room. My brain bits just do what they want to do and I have so little control of pushing myself in the opposite direction even medicated. You got some wheels turning though, and maybe I'll get back to giving it a go. Also, I actually lied, *I've known two sculptors in my life. My sister from another mister sculpted in school many moons ago and she too made mugs and she made me one and I still keep my pens and such in that sucker to this day on my desk cause damned if I don't love that she made me a mug. So I bet you that folks you make those for probably feel the same way. Either way big mental hugs and keep spreading the love and the spirit =)!

p.s. - *If this is your work, you're a great sculptor. If this is someone you follow, they are a great sculptor. Growing up, stoneware was seen as like this beautiful artful thing. A thing of reverence in my family. Something used for special times, stuff given as wedding gifts and what not. This stuff reminds me of that, and it's nice =)!

[–] quediuspayu@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I totally get how some people's brain work is mind blowing. I do origami and I've met a bunch of origami creators over the years, I have no words to express the amazement I feel with how they manage to visualise the potential of a few preliminary folds.

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 3 points 2 days ago

Yes, I feel the same way. Half of my family does Origami, and I joke that my brain didn't get that spatial bit. I mean eye measurements, goal! I can do that. Folding paper, yeah okay I can do that. Something gets lost along the way reading those diagrams though, it kind of feels like those old art examples where you followed along and it jumps up too far. Meanwhile I get photos of crazy stuff my folks have made, all these intricate and interwoven patterns. Just sitting around. In fact, when we get together - same thing. Just sitting there making insane things that are just manifesting from their mind to paper. I think it's insane! I like to keep the mysticism of life though, and some things I like to just think of as witchcraft. It makes me happy that way =)!

[–] RowRowRowYourBot@sh.itjust.works 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

I made a cover for my warehouse's dock plate from an old foam mattress topper, the liner of a 44 foot container, and a bunch of cyanoacrylate (Gorilla Glue)

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Old mattress toppers are good for re-stuffing upholstery covers. The old foam in the seats usually flattens over time. But if you have one of those egg carton style, mattress toppers, you can cut a piece to fit and inserted to fluff out the padding again.

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago

This is a solid idea. I think if you mixed it with that fiberfill stuff you'd probably get the same result. The padding on the top would be even, you'd just have to be mindful of the fiberfill to keep it that way.

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I had to look this guy up, but got nothing. Is that one of those old style kinda shed areas that are built over the water with a little entrance to the water built into them? Not sure. Either way, I am glad you found a good way to recycle one of those foam pads. I see them just laying around everywhere, cause once they get too soft people don't really seem to know what to do with them.

[–] RowRowRowYourBot@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Warehouse dock plate aka the thing that extends into a truck so it can be unloaded. They are solid metal and get cold/hot.

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Oh shit okay, I get it now totally! Yeah, there have been a handful of times when standing next to trucks that I have wondered how anyone gets things safetly up and down on their beds without breaking their backs. This makes sense! I am glad you found a way to make a cheap utility out of used stuff because I bet you some kind of official plate has a crazy markup and you probably don't need it often.

[–] RowRowRowYourBot@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)

We need it consistenly but they are 100+ dollars and this cost $8 of glue.

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 3 points 2 days ago

Hahahaha, you've got me cracking up here! Apologies for the assumption! I love the creativity though, seriously!

[–] Libb@jlai.lu 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Plastic package? Unless it's a very well made box (in which case I will find some use to it), it's send to recycling.

Cardboard?

I will keep a few to be able to send stuff myself (why pay for boxes when you're already receiving perfectly fine ones)
I like to use it too to scratch simple little boxes and storage I need for small stuff. One of the last one I made (out of recycled packaging) is this... thing (I don't know the English word, sorry) where I can store pens and index cards, on my desk.

It's not pretty but that's just me not worrying about making it look nice. I care about it doing its job and being cheap (aka, free) and quick to assemble (I will often make two or three attempts before getting it right so I prefer when it can be done quickly).

Along the years, I have made quite a few of those cardboard things and even offered a few to people who wanted one. For example, the very last thing I made is this... I don't know if this even have a name?

It's a portable A6-sized index card holder. Between the two cardboard sheets there is a foldable space that acts as a storage for extra cards. as you can see, on one side it is also a makeshift pen holder. The whole thing is made out of sturdy black paper (the black foldable thing), an old binder (the purplish cardboard) and some pen case part I imagine a kid had thrown away that I salvaged from the recycling bin.

What do I use it for? I take all my reading notes on index cards and it helps a lot having a small flat surface to write on. For years I had been using makeshift solutions but it was never great. So a couple weeks ago I decided I had enough and started working on my own solution. That the second iteration of it and I think it's close enough to being exactly what I want it to be that I won't need to make a third attempt. And, yep, it will stay the ugly duck it is. At least up until it's damaged enough for me to be willing to make a new and a prettier one ;)

I have no idea if anyone else on the planet could ever be interested in using such a thing but to me it's great and I like it a lot. It's small and light enough I can hold it in the same hand I'm holding the book too and I can comfortably take my notes using my other hand. Also, I made it a tad larger than needed to store A6 cards so I can easily clip on one of those battery powered Led readign lamp when I need more light for reading... The hastily sewed on pocket over the pen holder is there to prevent the lead of my red pencil (I use it to underline passages in some books) of smearing everything when I shove it in my messenger bag.

Cardboard can be very sturdy when used properly but that doesn't mean I'm averse to using more traditional and more sturdy materials like, say, wood, or leather, or even fabric. But sturdier/heavier materials also demand a lot more dedicated tools and a lot more space to work with. Living in our small apartment in an expensive city, space is something that comes at a premium so I'd rather not need too much of it.

Cardboard is also great because it's easy to work with and it's mostly free (when using recycled packaging, at least), and because one doesn't need any specific tools: a decent cutter with some fresh blades, a cutting mat, a steel ruler, some imagination, and maybe also some (hot/white) glue to assemble things together. That's all what one needs.

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Believe it or not, I cannibalized the back pad of some watercolor paper when I had finished the lot and legitimately built a micro portable (A6-ish) sketchbook kinda like that. I had some cool boho-y fabrics and I covered the outside with it. I had a little pencil sharpener that I sewed into the inside, along with a pencil holder and then trimmed cardstock (I shit you not!) and put them on the inside in a pocket I made to hold it. Then I sewed a little pocket that wrapped around it to keep it closed (it opened vertically - and put a gummy eraser in it in case I needed it (although I don't really believe in erasing much)). I had that guy for a couple of years, but I am sadly allergic to cats and one of the places we moved had a crap-ton of dander and I really couldn't salvage much of the fabric-based stuff I had. I think it's nice to have a little portable sketchbook you made, it makes you feel connected to it. I tend to work with individual papers too, as I find an entire blank journal to be quite intimidating but singular sheets to be an absolute joy. I too used my led light to clamp on to mine. I think we might be the same person, so you might as well take off your Scooby Doo mask and reveal it =P!

One thing I would really like to get into is wood. I have been thinking about getting a handsaw, because we move a crazy amount and non-compact tools aren't on the agenda right now. Ah, yeah - you get it actually I see that! Also on your caddy, I think it works plenty fine. When living in spaces with limited storage you get really creative with the ways you tend to go about things. Either way thank you for sharing such a detailed response and keep being a practical craftsperson. Cheers!

[–] Libb@jlai.lu 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I hesitated to add a pencil sharpener pouch myself (next to the holder) and I still could but I seldom sharpen that red pencil—the blunter (is this a word?) it is the better it is to quickly underline—so why bother with carrying one? Always that laz... I mean that practical consideration sparing me extra-work ;)

On the other hand, I've started considering adding a closing thingy to help keep those cards neatly tucked inside...

I think it’s nice to have a little portable sketchbook you made, it makes you feel connected to it.

Indeed. It makes it unique and ours.

I tend to work with individual papers too, as I find an entire blank journal to be quite intimidating

Yeah being able to handpick the paper you like (even more so for sketching and watercolors but also for writing) is really nice. BTW, if you're into journaling allow me to promote our very small journaling community. I don't have as much time available to make the community as active as I did for the last 6 months or so but hopefully people will stat posting more without needing my encouragements ;)

I think we might be the same person, so you might as well take off your Scooby Doo mask and reveal it =P!

We might very well be but I don't wear a Scooby Doo mask... If I had to be a an anime, I would be Muttley but I'd much rather be Calvin's best friend (& plush tiger): Hobbes ;)

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Hehe! Hey! I'm a sleepy one, so I might respond with more goob than usual. I like to use these natural wooden pencils to draw and write with. For the longest I would only allow myself to use pens, as I liked the flow of ink (ballpoint sans gel so I guess I would hate monte blanc stuff cause I heard it's buttery smooth) and I wanted to fight my perfectionist tendencies by taking away the ability to erase things. I'm much happier now after years of training doing stuff like that, but revisitng pencils felt like meeting up with an old friend. I like that with a single pencil and some mindful technique you can do quite a variety of work. The pencils came with the sharpener (believe it or not) and I figured might as well have a meet b. Before I was hacking at stuff with an xacto like an animal. Your design is much cleaner and minimalist as compared to mine (although we have parts that meet for sure). I would stick a Japanese style break-off razor on there before I stuck a boxy little sharpener. I think it'd fit the vibe more too. You could always run it across your pants pending they could take it, before putting the knife back after sharpening.

I swear, I started with my design sort of open face sandwich and when I added that flap to enclose the whole thing it all came together and I loved it even more. I like your design, and it probably isn't that thick, so it is something to consider because it does add girth to the design. Which kindaaa, makes it less portable. I mean not too much, but it did take up more space in my bag, which is just a tiny little sling. All space counts in that situation.

I actually secretly love a mean blunt pencil, it glides really well (I think blunter is? Idk. I am not a word-wizard. I figure as long as you convey the idea, eh!) and it has a pleasurable feeling. I don't remember how I got a hold of these things when I was younger, but I had a couple of carpenter pencils (I haven't used them in years, I should give them a go again) and they were blunt as the days are long and damned if I don't miss that feeling so I totally get it if you're just highlighting stuff with it. The reason why I need that mean sharp point is because I like to doodle little fine details and they're hard to get without something you could spear a fish with.

I totally want to join this journaling er...instance? I just literally don't know how and my brain is too sleepy-dumb to figure it out. I journal on the regular, in a half-composition book because I am fancy like that. I have a friend who bu-jos like a boss. I gave it a go and realized I need my journal to be sloppy, because I want it to hold space for me. As in, if I am regulating heavily (which I think bullet journals are) then I am afraid that I will BE afraid to put the things I am honestly thinking and feeling on to the paper and hence will not get the things I need to get out, out. I think if I make it more of a organized reflective process it might just become the flossing of writing and I just don't think I need that in my life personally. However, it's damn near impossible for me to find the things that I have sprawled out on the pages like the organized folks do. So you know, it's more of a splatter piece and that does have its downsides as well.

If you do know how I can join this via piefed, I am absolutely there. Or anyone else, or I will give the docs a lookie loo tomorrow-ish? Sometime soon, depending on plans =)!

I love Muttley, he's such an ass! Hahahaha! I mean, idk if you're an ass - you don't seem it, but damned if that guy isn't a little cheeky bastard. Speaking of cheeky bastards, have you ever seen the movie Harvey? Cause it sounds like you might like Trickster characters, and while it's got some bits of its age I absolutely love this film. I showed it to my gal, who hates "old stuff" and she ended up bewitched by it and just knowing that puts a smile on my face. To be honest, and I feel so damned ashamed saying this - I think if I were translated into a cartoon character I'd end up being like Mr. Peanut Butter from Bojack. I had a friend who was obsessed with the show and I told him as such and he actually agreed. Bubble headed or not. Eh!

Either way, it's been an incredible pleasure to have "met" you and regardless of if we can figure out the link thing or not I thank you very much for all this fun conversation =)!

[–] Libb@jlai.lu 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Edit: sorry for the lengthy reply. I did not realize until after I posted it :p

For the longest I would only allow myself to use pens, as I liked the flow of ink (ballpoint sans gel so I guess I would hate monte blanc stuff cause I heard it’s buttery smooth)

Montblanc does both ballpoint pens and fountain pens. If you're refering to fountain pens yeah, they can be buttery smooth but there are smoother fountain pens and also less buttery smooth ones out there... Despite being a ballpoint and a pencil user, I'm kinda into fountain pens too ;)

I wanted to fight my perfectionist tendencies by taking away the ability to erase things.

Something I can relate too. And a method I can definitely relate to ;)

but revisitng pencils felt like meeting up with an old friend. I like that with a single pencil and some mindful technique you can do quite a variety of work.

Pencils are true overlooked wonders. One could do anything with just one pencil.

The pencils came with the sharpener (believe it or not) and I figured might as well have a meet b. Before I was hacking at stuff with an xacto like an animal.

Beside my portable sharpener that I never use despite it having a neat container to keep the pencil shavings, I use a single side razor blade to sharpen my pencils. It takes a little practice but it’s great (not to be put in kids hands, though as it’s a real razor sharp blade)

Your design is much cleaner and minimalist as compared to mine (although we have parts that meet for sure).

Thx. Would be curious to see yours but if understood you correctly it's a bit too late?

I swear, I started with my design sort of open face sandwich and when I added that flap to enclose the whole thing it all came together and I loved it even more. I like your design, and it probably isn’t that thick, (…) All space counts in that situation.

Indeed. This one is not thick unless you want it to be. Here it is, holding 10 or so cards in its central section (more than I need in one typical session). Next, it’s wide open, and below you can see the folding thingy and holding a bunch of cardboards. I wanted something that would weight nothing and could be used one-handed (book+holder in one hand, the other holding the pen)

I actually secretly love a mean blunt pencil, it glides really well

Nodding approvingly.

I don’t remember how I got a hold of these things when I was younger, but I had a couple of carpenter pencils (I haven’t used them in years, I should give them a go again)

They’re great. And you get two colors in one pencil ;)

The reason why I need that mean sharp point is because I like to doodle little fine details and they’re hard to get without something you could spear a fish with.

That’s why I like fountain pen for sketching, they can be thin as a needle, while being great for general writing too. Magic ;)

I totally want to join this journaling er…instance? I just literally don’t know how and my brain is too sleepy-dumb to figure it out.

I’m afraid I won’t be able to help much in that regard. I even had to check what that piefed was.

I journal on the regular, in a half-composition book because I am fancy like that. I have a friend who bu-jos like a boss. I gave it a go and realized I need my journal to be sloppy, because I want it to hold space for me. As in, if I am regulating heavily (which I think bullet journals are) then I am afraid that I will BE afraid to put the things I am honestly thinking and feeling on to the paper and hence will not get the things I need to get out, out. I think if I make it more of a organized reflective process it might just become the flossing of writing and I just don’t think I need that in my life personally. However, it’s damn near impossible for me to find the things that I have sprawled out on the pages like the organized folks do. So you know, it’s more of a splatter piece and that does have its downsides as well.

I hope you’ll be able to join, pretty sure we could discuss a lot of topics and techniques ;) Also, the more experience we share, the better it is to inspire other people to experiment with their own stuff.

One little tip that may interest you: I index my journals. Not every single page, mind you just the pages I think maybe useful. Some context: I’m a Zettelkasten user (hence me using index cards for note-taking) and I store everything I read and write (and want to keep) is stored in those cards save for my journal. So, for whatever idea or passage I want to be able to quickly find in my journals I will add a reference to it in my Zettelkasten index. Doing that, I can always instantly find back whatever I want.

and just in case you wonder what is a Zettelkasten?. Mine is analog (using index cards) but I know most younger people are into digital ones, using an app of some sort.

I love Muttley, he’s such an ass! Hahahaha! I mean, idk if you’re an ass - you don’t seem it, but damned if that guy isn’t a little cheeky bastard.

Not me at all :p

Speaking of cheeky bastards, have you ever seen the movie Harvey? Cause it sounds like you might like Trickster characters, and while it’s got some bits of its age I absolutely love this film.

Nope, I have not but will watch it. Thx.

I showed it to my gal, who hates “old stuff” and she ended up bewitched by it and just knowing that puts a smile on my face.

I love ‘old stuff’ but I’m an old stuff myself so this may explain :p

To be honest, and I feel so damned ashamed saying this - I think if I were translated into a cartoon character I’d end up being like Mr. Peanut Butter from Bojack.

I don’t know it but don’t be surprised: my spouse and I have not owned a TV since the very early 00s and we’ve kinda stayed out of the loop.

Either way, it’s been an incredible pleasure to have “met” you and regardless of if we can figure out the link thing or not I thank you very much for all this fun conversation =)!

Pleasure is all mine :)

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 1 points 1 day ago (2 children)

No worries, as you can see I love seas of text. I'm a conversationalist, and some of my best moments have been just sitting and talking with folks of all kinds. So eh, I'm loving it =)!

My grandfather he did calligraphy. It was something he picked up in the military, and he kept it with him always. He actually journaled regularly, He told me to pick up the habit, and it's actually why I do it. I don't know if he'd agree with my chaotic manner, but I think he'd be happy that I do it at all. I never looked at his journals, because I think looking at people's personal stuff is rude unless you've got explicit permission. I have heard though, from my mother after his passing that they were practically like records.

Many moons ago I went to school with a bunch of Brazilians and I thank god for their awesomeness! A lot of folk I knew explicitly used pencil sharpeners. They were on the walls of every school I saw. Electric ones in every office. I didn't even know you could pull out a knife and sharpen them, although if you really think about it - of course you can! The Brazilians kept their pencils in tin cases (something I absolutely love to do nowadays), and sharpened them with box-cutters and it gave me that "aha!" moment and made my life! I like that you cut to the chase, and remove the plastic element. I think I might lean into that too, as I am always trying to think of ways to be a more sustainable individual.

Yeah, apologies! I don't take a lot of pictures anymore, because I think phones are creepy fucks. My mother is getting older and she can't/won't learn new things. She loves Apple, and I can't get her to migrate to anything else so I keep a very old (It's pretty much an Iphone 5) phone around to stay in touch with her. I just don't agree with any mega-corporations privacy policies, and so I just decided to pretty much not use my phone unless I am talking/texting with someone I love. It's nice because I never pull the sucker out in public. It's bad because I have stopped visually recording my life in many ways. Yet, I still can't justify an external camera because I just don't think I'd use it enough to keep it. I'm a little mama (as in, I am short and tiny) so when I go into nature, I am not looking to carry something around that can leave me vulnerable. Which kinda scratches that off the list as well. I know most hikers are nice, but that's er...most of them, not all. Eh! People pick victims they know they can take advantage of, and I think a sizeable pre-teen could take me so eh =P!

Quite nice! Hahaha! My secret was that I wanted something I could balance on one knee and be able to draw on without much fuss. I've got a new pad of paper, I think I should start considering making a new guy to take around. You've got me having the itch for it =)! I always cover my things in fabric, because I like to pick out beautiful patterns and utilize them. I also like the soft texture when you grab it. The geeky little stealthy individual in me also likes that people can't really identify what they hey I am holding right off the bat. I really like your design by the by! Looking at that spine "wow-ed" me! It's ingenious! The way I allowed for less/more depth is by sewing a "travel" piece of cloth between the two boards I had. That way if I wanted to add a bit more paper, I could and it had some give, but otherwise the front overlapped the back by just a bit. Not too much, because paper isn't the thickest but I am sure you get the idea!

I have a poor technique when drawing. I wish I didn't. I even trained not to, my hand just NEEDS to touch the paper, I am not sure if it's for stabilization, or what. It's kind of how I have always worked (I have been drawing since I was a tiny little bean) and it's how I am the most comfortable. It drives my partner crazy, because she uses those old masters style of pencil holding (where you hold it by the end) and never touches the paper outside of setting it. So she'll be really loose on the hold, and here I am like a little gremlin hunched over (I know it's bad for the back, but I love feeling "captivated" and this is a part of the process, I am totally going to have a hunch when I am an old lady =P!) and choking the pencil. I feel sort of like a printer, that is jumping all over the place in one area and printing out bits of an image line by line. But damned if that doesn't bite me in the ass if I smudge. I know smarter folks use a piece of paper as a barrier between, but I guess I am not smarter folks because I never seem to learn my lesson =P! I just integrate oopsies into my drawings like tattoo artist do cover ups. I stare at those beautifully thin and gliding pen tips (with that liquidy ink) and I run in terror of them. Just because I have such a messy technique =P! I have trouble controlling them, and a cheap and fat ballpoint does me better than a loose and quick tip because there's still a bit of grip. The friction gives you time to sort of think of where you're going next, and I need that thinking power honestly. I think it might literally be the difference between a second (I just mimed it), but it really does make a difference to me.

Which is quite funny, because digitally I use nibs for art =P! But everything glides digitally, so there it's more so a matter of point.

I have never heard of Zettelkasten, no lie! I think index cards for journaling is quite awesome though! I had thought about it after hearing about my grandfather's passing because they were trying to figure out what to do with his scores of journals. I wondered if there were a process you could follow that could be both neat and compact and that was the system I came up with. I am so apprehensive of digital records for a multitude of reasons. I think it'd clearly be the winner here, but I think it loses both privacy and comfort. I am going to read more about this technique you use, it sounds really interesting. I know this is going to sound psychotic, but when I am done with one of my notebooks, I cannibalize it with a knife until it's little bits and then toss it. Which, probably isn't the best solution for keeping records. Especially because I fill them with not only my feelings but ideas and comments. In a perfect world I'd set them on fire, but it seems dangerous nowadays to do so. I see it as sort of a letting go process, but I should probably look into ways to keep the ideas | records separate from the | raw stuff =P!

My friend who bu-jos by the by indexes everything. She's so freakin' brilliant she blows my mind on the regular.

I am in flux, I am old stuff and new stuff all the same. There is an artist I once heard who described herself as "I never knew I was old, until I went to the doctors and they told me I was." I think I might always be that way. I'm a firecracker by birth, and I think even if I am hobbling around in a rambler or something I will probably still be one. I come from some proud people, and I think there's just a little warrior spirit in my bones. Catch is I see myself slowing down, health issues tackled like they aimed to maim and the hair is no longer a pure beautiful raven black like it used to be =P!

People have always fascinated me, so I have taken in all kinds of interests (media I suppose is what I am talking about here generally) and tucked them away into folds of myself. I like it because most things that I like tend to have a reason, as in a story that I can associate them with that typically ties to a person. I figure that way even if they're out of your life (for whatever reason) you can always bring them with you. And personally, I think appreciation of one's spirit is perhaps the highest compliment you can send to someone =P! Even if they don't know it. That is to say, Harvey is one of those things, but I really do enjoy the flick and I hope (guys?) do as well =)!

Oh yeah, no okay so umm goofabout talk here on the television thing. My partner NEEDS television in her life, I need television away from my life. As in, I cannot think with it in the room, or at least that's sort of how it's been for me. I have gotten used to it, but it still sort of hurts to be honest. I think there's an evil curse that actual televisions cast into the air. I know it sounds woo-woo but they just change the dynamic of a room. I actually welcome them in hospitals and what not, even if it's garbage on because I don't really mess with my phone so instead I just kind of sit around doing nothing for however long it takes (which sometimes can be hours). I tried to get her to meet me on this, but realized she just NEEDS a television in order to function. I really wish I were joking, but it's just how it is for her. So I've invited them back into my life. But also, even when I didn't have one I like media, just in a way that I can control it. So if a buddy recommends something, or if it's something that I am interested in I will watch it. I had a friend (we've gone different ways just because of life) who was a stand-up comedian. He loved, loved, loved Bojack Horseman, so I gave it a go. To be honest it's pretty freakin' depressing and destructive and not totally my bag. There is a character on it who is eternally upbeat but is also a bit of an airhead. I sadly identify about ten folds with his existence and told my friend as such, because he told me he identified with Bojack. While I love positivity, I do recognize that toxic positivity not only ostracizes but also kills. So I think it's good to see the positives but also hold space for others (and all the emotions). Cause otherwise positivity can run everyone and everything out of the room.

My partner had to go do some errands, so I am waiting for her to come back before we go on our little adventure. I'm glad I got this time to respond to you =)! I will look into how to join this instance (?yet again, is it called that? Idk?) and report back! Be well!

[–] Libb@jlai.lu 2 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (1 children)

I like that you cut to the chase, and remove the plastic element. I think I might lean into that too, as I am always trying to think of ways to be a more sustainable individual.

Which is a good thing imho. We’re trying our best to do the same.

I don’t take a lot of pictures anymore, because I think phones are creepy fucks.

I think so too. I distrust the smartphone so much that I don’t even have a social app, or email, not even a game installed on that thing. I need to have one for 2FA, banks and stuff like that but I distrust that thing with all my guts ad I use it as little as I can (which is not a lot)

I used to take a lot of pictures but it has been a few years I seldom take any and never of people or stuff I consider personal. For that, I switched to sketching them.

But for practical stuff like I just did in the discussion, I will simply take a snapshot (trying to remove all metadata, though).

It’s nice because I never pull the sucker out in public. It’s bad because I have stopped visually recording my life in many ways.

Nowadays, I pull out a sketchbook and a small set of watercolors :p

I’m a little mama (as in, I am short and tiny) so when I go into nature, I am not looking to carry something around that can leave me vulnerable.

I can 100% understand that, and I say that as a tall and bulky dude myself. Also, no matter what, when I go for a long walk I try to shave as much useless weight as possible.

I’ve got a new pad of paper, I think I should start considering making a new guy to take around. You’ve got me having the itch for it =)!

:)

I really like your design by the by! Looking at that spine “wow-ed” me! It’s ingenious! The way I allowed for less/more depth is by sewing a “travel” piece of cloth between the two boards I had.

Thx. Yep, if it’s anything, it’s practical. Could easily be improved upon but I’m not yet persuaded it’s worth the time... I will see.

I have a poor technique when drawing. I wish I didn’t.

My skecthes look like nothing. Seriously. And I don’t care the slightest. I just enjoy doing them.

It drives my partner crazy, because she uses those old masters style of pencil holding (where you hold it by the end) and never touches the paper outside of setting it.

I’m using both methods depending the paper size, the place I have to move my arm, and also of the subject. Any method is the right one as long as it works for you. Don’t worry too much ;)

But damned if that doesn’t bite me in the ass if I smudge.

That’s also why I prefer sketching with a fountain pen (using waterproof fountain pen ink) over pencil. It dries in an instant and won’t smudge ever. My brand of favorite waterproof fountain pen ink (never use non-fountain pen ink in a fountain pen, you would ruin it) is from DeAtramentis, their Document line of bottled inks (many colors available, I love their brown, it’s what I use most), or the Platinum Carbon Black ink.

I stare at those beautifully thin and gliding pen tips (with that liquidy ink) and I run in terror of them. Just because I have such a messy technique =P! I have trouble controlling them,

That’s one of the reasons why I use them: it forces me to let go of any semblance of control and perfection since I can’t erase anything every single line is definitive and should be accepted ;)

I have never heard of Zettelkasten, no lie!

I know many people have not, hence the link ;)

It’s a great method provided it fits your mindset but in reality Zettelkasten is just a generic name (it’s German and it means something like ‘box of index cards’) that was given by one scholar who formalized (very efficiently) a technique people have been using for centuries. Unknowingly, I had been using a Zettelkasten of my own for years before I discovered it even had a name ;)

Also, it's method not a religion with one right way one must follow. You’re more than encouraged to tweak it and change it however you see fit.

My only suggestion would be to keep it as simple as possible (don’t try to categorize too much stuff in advance and keep the numbering/ID system as basic as you possibly can) and let it evolves organically with practice as needs arise.

I know this is going to sound psychotic, but when I am done with one of my notebooks, I cannibalize it with a knife until it’s little bits and then toss it. Which, probably isn’t the best solution for keeping records.

For decades, I burnt mine. I started journaling as a little boy but my inquisitorial mum would not allow me much privacy and definitely disapproved the stuff I wrote in my journal, punishing me for that. I qui ckly realized it would be safer to make it so she could not read it and also that it would even be safer to not keep them… And I kept burning mine up until a few years, sadly everything priori to that is lost.

but I should probably look into ways to keep the ideas | records separate from the | raw stuff =P!

A Zettelkasten may help. It’s why I keep my journal separated from my index cards save whatever I deem worthy of indexing ;)

I am in flux, I am old stuff and new stuff all the same. There is an artist I once heard who described herself as “I never knew I was old, until I went to the doctors and they told me I was.”

I’m well into my 50s but I don’t see myself as old. Or maybe I do and I just don’t care how old I’m. I keep doing whatever I want to do, that’s what matter to me. And I keep being excited by stuff,like a kid can/should be.

Catch is I see myself slowing down, health issues tackled like they aimed to maim and the hair is no longer a pure beautiful raven black like it used to be =P!

We all do slow down. I can’t have sleepless nights over sleepless nights like I used to when I was in my 20s (not for partying mind you, to write stuff and paint and do stuff). Nowadays, I need my 4 or 5 hour sleep.

As for the hairs… mine were getting gray at the same time I was getting bald early in my 30s. I used to have long hair but one day I shaved my head and never looked back :p

Oh yeah, no okay so umm goofabout talk here on the television thing. My partner NEEDS television in her life, I need television away from my life.

Our compromise is that we watch DVDs. We just refuse to be force fed ads and/or shitty content. We like whatever movie or series to be a great one (in any genre, I mean) or to be something that will challenge or even disturb us, we’re not much into the politically correct turds that are currently en vogue and produced en masse. So, we don’t miss much of Netflix or whatever.

I know it sounds woo-woo but they just change the dynamic of a room.

Not to me. It not only change the dynamic of a room, it also deeply changes the dynamic of most families and of gathering and how we interact. People aren’t much together anymore, they either are watching the tv screen, or their phone/tablet/computer screen, sitting one next to the other in the same room, barely communicating together. I don’t call that being together I call that being stored one next to the other.

Every time I witness that I feel like we’re losing what’s making us human beings. It’s most probably me getting old but I really can’t help thinking younger people are the losers in that change of habits. And they’re losing big time.

I will look into how to join this instance (?yet again, is it called that? Idk?) and report back! Be well!

It’s a community (journaling) that is hosted on an instance (sh.itjustworks). Hope to see you there ;)

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 1 points 5 hours ago

Hey there! I got it working. We're about to shovel a pound of food into our mouths and then go on an adventure! The missus felt awful after her errands yesterday, so we just kinda chilled out. I still like little adventures though, as I think they're the spice of life. Picking a place on the map and going there, and then regretting picking a place on the map and just going there because you're ill prepared for whatever is happening "there" =P! Hehehehe! I just love that mystique, even if I come out with scratches and said pound of food turned into a pound of sweat =P!

My partner is starting a business with a friend and it revolves around 3D Printing which they're gaga for. I get the utility of it, and I love craftsmanship in all forms. I feel conflicted because I freakin' HATE plastic. I mean, get it out of here! Just get it gone. I know there are some solutions one can do to alter their impact, but as usual the cheapest and most easily replicated solution seems to be the one on the table. I'm not one to squash hopes, dreams or anything like that. We don't sit in opposite camps, but we do have different feelings towards certain things. I think if it's something that interests her and she wants to pursue it, I can't stop her. I don't like the material though, as a whole. I wish we'd hurry up as a people and find better solutions for wide-spread management of materials.

Ah, yes! Me too! I will actually take some pictures every now and then for my own records. My camera isn't good, but for the longest it was worse and I still look fondly back at those picture so I don't really care. I figure as long as they invoke a memory, the rest is really irrelevant. I think you can see I'm no photographer =P! I often see people walking around with their lenses the size of my arm and I ask them about what they've shot that day or whatever. I am envious because it seems so lovely to be able to walk around and capture these little moments in nature that would otherwise go unnoticed (because they tend to be something human eyes can't capture). My grandfather was a lovely photographer, he'd go to botanical gardens and capture these beautiful pictures. Sometimes I feel like I am doing his memory dirty by not picking up the torch, but to be honest two gals on a trail is already a target enough for bad actors. I wish I was joking, but it's just the world we live in. I keep it light, but always bring little snacks and water for the both of us. Especially my gal, who gets cranky if she gets hungry =P!

It's always important to remove meta-data because like I said up there, we just live in a different kind of world. Folks, whether for good or for evil, can be nosey nellies. I actually really loved the pictures, because they conveyed something very tangible. My instance is abstract, and it's harder to grasp the overall concept. I thought, I could sketch it out for you, but figured it wasn't really worth the venture, as ultimately the utility was the most important part of its existence.

I grew up with little guidance, as to be honest with you black schools are fucking horrible. I mean they tried their best but the budgets were just not there. There were a lot of kids to classrooms, and a lot of classrooms split into two in order to sustain them. I often think of how dirty America plays with their educational system. I am so bizarrely thankful that I have always loved books. If I didn't have libraries to go to (school x local) I think I would have been absolutely screwed. Finding my way to forums, and founding one when I was younger really helped too. My father had a computer, and when he slept I could sneak out and do whatever I wanted. Which was apparently to geek out with a bunch of Europeans. Which I kind of feel like a return to form here, because in general it seems that Europeans are far more worried about the ethics of technology than Americans. Le sigh~

I have a health issue that can seize up my hands some times, which actually is why I need that control. I have lost a bit of my faculties in general, and it makes me sad. My sibby has is too, and we're both artist and it's affected us both in profound ways. I'm doing okay right now, as I'm taking some fun-timey experimental medication for it. The window for it is only up to two years though, and to be absolutely honest I am terrified of what's going to happen when I can't take it anymore. Just because in a way losing your ability to control your hands really dampens even the simplest of things. I have a great partner, but I want to be able to do what I want, when I want it. That's the thing that frustrates me the most.

Eeak, she's calling me I've got to go! But I was gunna say - I learned the destruction of my precious things from a gal I had a crush on in high-school and the damn thing never left my brain. She was Mexican-American (she became a famous singer, down there - get out!) and she would burn every damn thing she didn't want anymore that was personal. Basically she romanticized it, and I romanticized her so in my brain it feels right to let go of things in some grand and destructive gesture.

Okay, gtg! Be well and talk soon hopefully! Thank you for everything by the by. I read along, agreed, hummed, made footnotes and the works! Just gotta run!

p.s. - People so often dyed their black hair that I actually didn't know it faded the way it does =P! CHEERS!!

p.p.s. - Got on the forum =)

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 1 points 1 day ago

I don't know why but it's bugged out when I try to edit this post. Maybe it's too long? Idk. But I am reporting back and I got it to work! Success!

[–] wise_pancake@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I put the cardboard from egg cartons underneath potting soil for elevation and drainage

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago

I use rocks for these cause I am always worried about mold. I think ultimately though I have seen a handful of plants coming in paper and it's not that bad of an issue. Especially if you're using them outside, right? Either way, anything to keep the roots safe.

[–] zephorah@lemm.ee 3 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Both of these options involve taking the time to remove all tape, stickers, and other add ons.

I run cardboard through the bandsaw and slap the strips together to make new scratchpad inserts. Walmart now wants $10-13 for a small one, up from $3-5. It also breaks down boxes fast. Use a tiny bit of nontoxic school glue, in the middle of the strips. Too much glue and they’ll be too hard and the cat won’t use them. If I had to do the cutting by hand, I wouldn’t do it.

Break boxes down flat to kill swaths of lawn for garden space. Cover with garden dirt & compost. Alternatively, cover with wood chips, gravel, or rocks for borders or pathing.

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I tried the cardboard trick in the garden one time, but it just rotted after a good rain, and the grass/weeds came through pretty quickly.

[–] Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

We had similar results. Some spots held up better than others, so overall it's not a terrible idea, but it's not 100% effective either.

[–] poppichew@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago

I always think it's so insane the way they charge for scratch pads. It makes my brain hurt, because it's just like you show here - a culmination of cardboard. I am glad you take the precautions you need to make it pet friendly. Speaking of which, I heard if you have an issue with cats scratching up couches putting a scratching post of some kind near the couch keeps the cat from doing so. Not sure, cause I've never had one. But I just figured I'd toss it out there if anyone might need that advice.

Oh, this is a solid idea here too! One time, in one place we were at I decided I wanted a "secret garden" and I took all our moving boxes and blocked out the sun on a small space of land and it actually worked. This is golden, because if you use stuff that doesn't have any glossy exterior or fine printing (er I mean stuff like tv boxes) I am pretty sure you're just being ecological. Of course I could be wrong, but it seemed right.

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