you came in like an elven aaaaaartifaaaaact

In the name of beauty, I ditched all my expensive products to find the drugstore ones that would make me swoon

An afternoon at the dinosaur park.

In the name of beauty, I ditched all my expensive products to find the drugstore ones that would make me swoon

David Vasiljevic photographs Alexa Chung for the November issue of Elle UK wearing an array of simply chic navy and black pieces. Styled by Anne-Marie Curtis,

In the name of beauty, I ditched all my expensive products to find the drugstore ones that would make me swoon

In the name of beauty, I ditched all my expensive products to find the drugstore ones that would make me swoon

Outline for the first arc of my current WIP Until quite recently, I'd considered myself a loud and proud pantser. I had tried outlining in detail once before, it killed my muse, and I declared that I'd never do it again. Then I started getting writer's block more often than not, and would stare at the page and not know what comes next. I mixed and matched outlining methods and ways to structure story to find the one that suited me that best. Right now, I've come up with the spreadsheet method that's shown on the right, but I promise it isn't as terrifying as it looks. This is by no means the best or only way to outline, but it's my way. Quick things to note: I sort of use the three arc structure. I use the scene/sequel structure (if you don't know what that is, click here and here). My current manuscript is told from a singular first person POV (I'll suggest alternatives for people working with dual/multiple POV further down) I'll be using Pride and Prejudice examples taken from K.M. Weiland's Structuring Your Novel to illustrate everything as I learnt a lot from it. Row = Horizontal, Column = Vertical This post is a little long, so I'll put it underneath a cut. Okay! So let's get started. I open up Excel and start to fill in the top row. If I was outlining Pride and Prejudice, it would look something like this: From left to right, my columns are set as such: Arc - I use this column to track where my Key Points are (more on those later) ✓ - I place a tick there when I finish writing that scene Summary (Protagonist POV) - 1-2 sentence summary of the scene, Place - Where the scene happens Time - When the scene happens One column each for significant supporting characters - A line about what they're doing either behind the scenes (if important) or in the scene. If they're not in the scene, whether doing something important behind the scenes or not, I block it out with grey Scene/Sequel - See linked posts above Goal/Reaction - See linked posts above Conflict/Dilemma - See linked posts above Disaster/Decision - See linked posts above Short-term goal - Not the scene goal, but a very minor goal that takes more than one scene to complete (e.g. to steal enough money to pay the dressmaker) Long-term goal - Big Picture things that are needed to achieve the end goal (e.g. to disguise herself as a noblewoman to enter the palace) Overarching goal - The end goal, what the protagonist wants (e.g. to kill the royal family) While the sheet is still empty (apart from the column labels), I copy it twice so I have three sheets which are exactly the same. I name them Arc One, Arc Two and Arc Three. You could keep it all in one spreadsheet, but because I plot out every scene, it tends to get very long and I'd rather click between tabs than keep scrolling. These are columns are completely flexible, I have some characters don't get their own columns until arc two, and some characters who were significant enough to get their own column in arcs one and two, but ends up dying during the third plot point and no longer needs a column. If you don't think it's important to keep track of the location of the scene, you don't need a location column. If the weather is important, add a weather column. One scene in one row. I fill in all the columns, and if major parts that make up the scene/sequel are . missing, I know that I'll have to seriously rethink about whether or not I need that scene. Potential filler scene avoided before it even began. I can move the scenes around, insert new rows if I need a scene to go in-between, and easily get rid of scenes that I no longer want. Then I add another sheet called "Key Points." Pride and Prejudice would have one that looked something like this: In column A, I write down in each row: Hook Inciting Incident Key Event First Plot Point First Pinch Point Midpoint Second Pinch Point Third Plot Point Climax If you have no idea what any (or some) of these points here, click here. In column B, I write down the scene(s) involved involved in that plot structure point. I edit and add to this as I outline-- usually it goes from a vague idea (e.g. Elizabeth rejects Mr Darcy), to an more concrete idea (e.g. Elizabeth rejects Mr Darcy in the rain after he acts like an asshole and insults her entire family before declaring his love). This really helps me keep track of where the story is going. I usually set up empty spreadsheets for all of my significant characters, and everything and anything that suddenly comes to me goes there. Pictures, dialogue, "what-ifs," all the ideas I get during outlining that I'm not quite sure where to put. Same goes for a worldbuilding and locations. Quick Tips: Freeze the top row. Colour is your friend. Colour code everything. Wrapping the text will save you. If something no longer works, change it. If you suddenly feel the need to revamp everything, click Save As and save it as a new file before going on a deleting spree. If you have more than one POV character then one way of adapting it would be to repeat the scene summary column for as many POV characters you have, and add a POV column. Indicate which POV is being used (through colour or column) and keep notes about what your other POV character is doing during that time in their columns. Hopefully, all of this made sense and didn't confuse anyone too much. If you have any questions or want me to expand on something, feel free to leave a comment!

Taille d'épargne, or black enamel tracery, is one of my favorite ornamentation techniques. A French term meaning "sparing cut," this technique is similar to champlevé, where lines are engraved into a metal base and then filled with an opaque enamel, similar to the process of basse taille enameling. Taille d'épargne is particularly gorgeous because it focuses and hi-lights the fabulous contrast between black and gold. The technique reached its pinnacle in England around the mid-1850s, with mass production spearheaded by firms in Birmingham. The technique was also quite popular in the United States, reaching its peak a bit later in during the 1860s. This gorgeous two sided American Victorian Taille D’Epargne bracelet in 14ct just makes me swoon. Particularly notable for its thin size, this is the finest one I've ever seen.  There is a special place in my heart for these simple, dramatic bands of gold, seemingly tattooed with intricate floral and geometric patterning; this piece is particularly intriguing because it contains two designs. Instead of encircling the band with the same design motif, the craftsperson etched two different florals on either side of the band. A knockout addition to any jewelry collection. Materials and Features: 14ct, Black Enamel Age/Origin: America, 1875 Measurements: 7.45g , 6" interior circumference Signed: 14ct, Mary J Chapman Condition: In excellent antique condition with typical associated antique ware. Please view and inspect any photos closely. We endeavor to fully disclose all condition information clearly and concisely, however, please note that what qualifies as excellent condition for historical jewelry differs from modern and contemporary pieces; please take the age of the piece into account when examining the piece. Minor age wear is typical and to be expected for antique and vintage jewelry. Unless otherwise stated, gemstones have not been officially graded for color, clarity, or treatment by GIA; any information provided is our own educated, professional assessment.

They’ll be dreaming of you tonight, guaranteed. 😉

WITH EXCLUSIVE NEW CONTENT FROM THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR 'Keisha the Sket accidentally decolonised literature.' Black Ballad 'Our literary foremother.' Candice Carty-Williams 'Reading Keisha the Sket as an adult makes me swoon at the richness of its nostalgia.' Caleb Femi 'British answer to Gossip Girl.' Dazed 'Keisha the Sket has united a nation and rebirthed a generation of readers who were gripped by the tale of a 'top sket'. The Face Where were you when Keisha the Sket first broke the internet? Keisha is a girl from the ends, sharp, feisty and ambitious; she's been labelled 'top sket' but she's making it work. When childhood crush and long-time admirer, Ricardo, finally wins her over, Keisha has it all: power, a love life and the chance for stability.But trauma comes knocking and with it a whirlwind of choices that will define what kind of a woman she truly wants to be. Told with the heart and soul of the inner city, with an unforgettable heroine, KEISHA THE SKET is a revelation of the true, raw, arousing and tender core of British youth culture. In print for the first time, KEISHA THE SKET has lived in the phones and websites of fans for decades.This timeless coming-of-age story is not just a word of mouth sensation but also a British classic in the making. Complete with essays from esteemed contemporary writers Candice Carty-Williams, Caleb Femi, Aniefiok Ekpoudom and Enny, this is the complete and definitive edition with additional content from the author, perfect for readers - existing and new - to read and fall in love with over and over again.

In the name of beauty, I ditched all my expensive products to find the drugstore ones that would make me swoon

In the name of beauty, I ditched all my expensive products to find the drugstore ones that would make me swoon

In the name of beauty, I ditched all my expensive products to find the drugstore ones that would make me swoon

This recipe made me swoon. I had never made passionfruit slice before, but it’s an Aussie favourite. Rightly so, given all the backyard p...

This New Yorker’s mason jar-sized waste output is enough to make me swoon. Let her eco-friendly excellence serve as motivation, not fuel for resentment

I find myself wishing for a bean boot emoji... Oh my gosh! That would be great! Internet-- how can we accomplish this?

if you follow Rou on twitter, this is what your updates will consist of... @roureynolds

By Slavica Zlatar-Banika

I became obsessed with magnolias ever since I lived in New York and saw them in person for the first time. Seeing a tree completely covered in huge pink flowers made me swoon. My obsession solidifi…

The quick rush of sinus-clearing horseradish-spiciness makes me swoon. I love this sweet dressing recipe so much I'll eat it out of the jar with a spoon.

In the name of beauty, I ditched all my expensive products to find the drugstore ones that would make me swoon

In the name of beauty, I ditched all my expensive products to find the drugstore ones that would make me swoon

In the name of beauty, I ditched all my expensive products to find the drugstore ones that would make me swoon

In the name of beauty, I ditched all my expensive products to find the drugstore ones that would make me swoon