Event hosting can be as intimidating as it is fun. The designing, brainstorming, and creating is one thing. Executing without breaking the bank is quite another. It’s a skill that requires developing like any other. Everything in life has gotten more expensive, and our paychecks and pocketbooks never seem to keep up. Taylor and I firmly believe however, that with a little creativity and some prime prioritization- you can still absolutely host get-togethers, parties, events, and soirees that people will remember without overcommitting yourself. There is pride to be had in creating intentional events while honoring a budget.

Don’t get me wrong- all artists dream of creating amazing art and experiences where they can let their creativity run wild and not be limited by finances, and we’re no different. However, even more so- we love creating unique events for real people. People like us who do have budgets and limitations. There is a specific type of creativity that comes into play when you begin to ask, ‘how much can I do with how little?’. Everybody can learn to be an amazing host, and today I’d like to start sharing the basics.

Setting Your Main Budget:

This technically stating the obvious, but it is the most important step. Set a realistic budget, not a budget that’s going to have you waking up in cold sweats in the middle of the night because you have this idea and it just has to be ‘go big or go home’. I have been there, and I am telling you- the trade off is not worth it.

Define what kind of Event You’re Hosting:

We’re going to prioritize different things depending on what kind of event we’re hosting, so this step is important. A more formal event with a high head count might sacrifice elaborate décor for a bartending service with one to two bartenders, whereas as small or medium get together like an evening soiree or an afternoon cocktail event can focus a bit more on the table accents and décor. A child’s birthday party doesn’t need a huge food budget, but it does warrant more of a focus on décor or activities and things that will grab and hold attention.

The Scenario:

Event planning and hosting to me, is really only half about your own idea and vision. At its heart, it’s about hospitality and pouring in to others. The only thing that really requires is knowing your guests or friends and designing something for them.

To show this better so I’m not just throwing vague guidelines at you, I’m going to give you an imaginary scenario and we’ll use this to build context throughout the rest of this exercise.

let’s say we are planning an evening anniversary party. They’re a social family and love having people over. Their house is set up for entertaining, and they have a beautiful backyard, so we don’t need to factor in a venue. Our budget is $500 for 35 people. The couple is in their late 50’s and are celebrating their 30^th wedding anniversary. It’s a classy group and they want elevated but not stuffy. Smart- Casual. Not a full dinner, but upscale small bites and cocktails. It’s a 4 hour event and they want some structure for the evening, but nothing overly rigid.

Section Out Your Budget:

Decide what is most important to you based on the type of event you have defined. Before you go through Pinterest with the vengeance of a PTA mom, take some time to portion out your budget into different categories. Do this first. This will help avoid unreasonable expectations. Its easier to not overextend yourself if you have a hard number in your head.

I find the “cash envelopes” method as useful now as it was in college for making sure I do not overspend. This can be trickier if you are planning an event over a longer period of time like a wedding, but for smaller events it’s great. If not, just make sure to keep track of receipts. If you go over in one area, you’ll have to move money from another.

Again, I say that excellent hospitality is about prioritizing and anticipating the comfort of your guests. Thinking about the kind of people/ the people in attendance and what is going to be most important to them. That may just be whoever you are having over if you are the host. Or, in the case of the wedding anniversary it’s a combination of meeting the requests of the couple while anticipating the wants and flow of their guests as well.

With our anniversary scenario I would outline something like this:

• Food: 30% or $150
• Cocktails/Beverage: 30% or $150
• Rentals: 30% or $150
• Décor: 10% or $50
• Entertainment: 0% or $0

Let’s go over the reasoning behind each category below so we can get into the nitty gritty of it.

Food Budget:

This couple doesn’t want a full sit-down meal, but they do want some light bites. Think Hor d’ Oeuvres, Sexy Charcuterie, Cocktail bites, and Petite Fours. Depending on your priorities and skill set you can either make these yourself using the $150 to purchase in ingredients or you can split this 60/40 between two vendors to do savories and sweets. Or you can find someone like us, that will help you design both within that budget.

Let’s say in this case the couple or their party planning daughter didn’t want the stress of being responsible for the day-of cooking so they hired us to do a small grazing table with charcuterie, appetizers, and some crostinis as well as a mini dessert table with macarons, eclairs, lemon tartlets. While it requires some creativity- it IS doable with $150.

Cocktails/ Beverages:

This couple is focused more on hospitality and service, so it’s worth reducing the food budget to have a bartender present. This way the couple are free to focus on their guests and celebrating their anniversary, not mixing drinks. AND they get that extra swanky feeling or service. 25 people is EASILY handled by a single bartender, so no need to have a second, and this couple didn’t need or want a crazy full bar- wine and 2 signature cocktails. A red wine, a white wine, a beer option, whisky, tequila, some juice & mixers and you have all you need for a number of drink possibilities at your fingertips.

The couple does have an outdoor bar in their backyard so the bartender didn’t need to bring a set-up, which helps reduce the cost.

Rentals:

This couple cares a bit more about the ambiance and having a little bit of elevation. They don’t want disposable plates and forks but they don’t have fancy China that isn’t Christmas themed. While they have plenty of seating, they do need 2 small tables and some linens to make them look sharp for their small bites and desserts.

In this case we’re going to reach out to a company like Cranberry Sky Rentals and rent some elegant serving wear pieces, and some flat wear, either using an A la Carte option or a small package like their “shower” option. This gives us access to finer quality dishes in an environmentally friendly way, without breaking the bank or needing to store them afterwards.

Décor:

In this scenario, we are leaning into the ambiance of their backyard since they already designed it with an eye to having guests. The couple has a fire pit, string lights, a pergola/trellis covered in honeysuckle, and a gorgeous garden with a small pond.

We don’t need much for this event, just a bit of personality for centerpieces on the tables in the backyard. If you want something really unique that might require some DIYing we will always suggest thrifting and repurposing (YES, even for elevated events!!!). This option allows you to keep it afterwards if it’s something you really love. The other option would be to move this money into your “rentals” budget and rent some centerpieces from someone like Cranberry Sky. Again, this makes it more environmentally friendly, and reduces your need to keep things afterwards.

Candles, candelabras, small table runners, or vintage vases make excellent options. Let the space do the work and highlight as needed.

Entertainment:

While this couple wants some structure to their event, we’re hosting a mature group of people. Unlike a child’s birthday party- where some of your hospitality might need to be funneled into organized entertainment in the form of experiences, or possibly into craft supplies- this group doesn’t need it.

The Couple plans to project the pictures and video of their wedding onto an outdoor screen, allowing for some loose and light entertainment, and freeing up 100% of the budget for the things that really need it.

How to apply this budget model to other events:

This is a relatively small event and is easily broken down into those 5 categories. If the event is bigger- say, a wedding- it may be easier or more prudent to have more specific categories. I.e. photographer, dress, favors, etc.

You are still going to need to start by defining the style of the event, set an overall budget, and then prioritize which items need the most attention to get the most bang for your buck so that you don’t accidentally overspend in an area that isn’t important to you.

Maximizing Benefits for an Efficient Budget:

There is a difference between having a budget, and having an efficient budget that works as hard as you do. An efficient budget almost does the work for you. This comes back to knowing your clients and both parties having clear expectations. You can’t execute an unclear vision, and sometimes people need guidance with this.

What do I mean by that? The more aligned the event is with the lifestyle of the people designing/ hiring/ host/ or executing- the less gaps you will have to fill, and the more you can make of each area of the design.

For instance, in that scenario we discussed, the only thing that could have made that budget even BETTER, is if the clients were the kind of people that already had serving ware/dishes they wanted to use, eliminating the need for rentals and widening their food, décor, or beverage budget.

Think how hard it would be to host a tiki party in a barn. Not that it can’t be done- but that you’re going to have to stretch things to reach the ambiance you’re going for. The best thing you can do for your budget is to maximize your space- whether that is renting a space that feeds your ambiance, or reverse engineering and creating a “style” that matches the space, the less class you have the more wiggle room.

As another example, when I got married and we designed my Forest Fairytale wedding I envisioned big trees and lots & lots of flowers, little hidden walkways that would be great for pictures, and a space that would feel like you stepped right on the boundary between your grandma’s garden and the fae realm in the forest. If you have ever purchased flowers you know that they are EXPENSIVE (and worth every penny). To get the kind of florals and greenery that I had in my head would have required me to chew off an arm, or something equally dear to me.

Instead, we looked for a venue that had an abundance of natural greenery. This led us to Paul George at Moon Mountain Lodge, who has designed what is in my opinion one the most versatile, accommodating, greenery abundant venues in the state. His intentional and well thought out landscape hugely minimized additional purchases and instead allowed me to lean into the landscape and only purchase the florals I really needed.

If you have a Thrifty budget, get Thrifting.

I mean this literally, and the more time you give yourself- the better. Finding the right pieces can be difficult and may take several trips. If you’re new to thrifting, you’ll want to check out Taylor’s article on thrifting for beginners to learn how to set yourself some guide rules.

Goodwill’s & Value Villages are a great place to start, however we always encourage yard sales and local thrift stores when possible. Check out google maps and see what pops up for secondhand stores and thrift stores near you.

If you are a Snohomish or Skagit valley local we love:

• Arlington Pickers
• Bits & Pieces
• Strike Your Fancy
• Stilly Thrift Shop
• Found it
• Bargains Galore Thrift Store
• Again Thrift Shop
• Red Door Antique Mall
• Marysville Value Village
• Mt. Vernon Goodwill

Craft Stores are a Budget’s best Friend

Before you hit ‘add to cart’ on all the décor pieces of your dreams, ask yourself Taylor’s favorite question “how hard could it be?”. No really, ask yourself though- and be honest about the answers.

Take a look at your design wants and needs with a critical eye. A LOT of centerpieces, decorations, and detail work can be DIY’d with time, planning, hot glue, and a few well placed youtube videos.

HOWEVER! Know your limitations. Some things are just better left to a professional. If you think you are biting off more than you can chew- you probably are. You can teach yourself a lot, but play to your strengths. If you know you’re a terrible sewer- then the time to test that is probably not on your wedding veil, ya feel me?

The Bottom Line

Budgeting-like any other skill- is something that anybody can learn with practice. It sounds easy to say to yourself “set an amount, and don’t go over it. Prioritize.” But it’s quite another to do it, the world is expensive- we feel you.

Stick to your guidelines, and flex your creative muscles! With enough creativity, you can in fact, do pretty much anything you want. Remember that at the end of the day, hosting is about hospitality- and what people are really going to remember is how you made them feel. Focus on serving your guests, make them feel welcome, comfortable, and cared for and you can’t go wrong.

Have fun!

Mikaela

Happy July Guild Members! Today is the perfect day to talk about one specific section of our business that is near and dear to my heart: sustainable weddings. Specifically, creating reusable and heirloom pieces for your wedding or event. I touched on this in our wedding sustainability post, but I chatted with a bride the other day and she brought it to my attention that not a lot of people understand what I mean right away.

So What Do I Mean?

One of the questions we get most often is “What do you ladies do?”. With everything RavenWerks does and offers, it can be a challenge to describe all our hopes and dreams in a few sentences. Partially because we cover a lot, partially because said hopes and dreams are BIG, and partially because we don’t yet have the brick-and-mortar space to be able to showcase everything in one place. What it really boils down to though is that we are in the business of sustainable service to people. That can be hard to define because people are unique, and our approach to each service or event is as unique as the people we serve.

Trying to reduce that down to any one part of the whole is a challenge, especially when we’re the kind of people that believe that what we’re really building is a community and a culture- not a business. Communities are complex and cover a lot of things: so do we.

One of the services we currently offer, will continue to offer as we develop our event venue is helping you design your wedding space. Part of how we do that is by working with couples to create things that can be used as part of your wedding day, but also serve a purpose afterwards. This can be as simple as being home decor you actually like but can also include functional home pieces. It is one of the things I love most about what we do. Sustainable Weddings and events are kind of our thing.

The “Throw Away” Problem: Why Sustainable Weddings Are Important

One great way to reduce the impact of hosting a wedding is to forgo single use culture. The number of friends I knew that had to do the “post-wedding purge” or dump run, genuinely blew my mind. The amount of décor for a wedding day vibe that gets thrown away a day later is just mind boggling. Thus, this part of our event services was born.

The “Heirloom Pieces” Solution

So how do you create an elevated, personalized, intentional setting without all the throw away? By making it truly personal. Make sure that the theme and décor are reflective of you and your partner. Select pieces that have functional longevity. Creating sustainable weddings just requires a bit more intentionality, but it can frequently save you money in addition to helping the planet.

We help couples choose, design, and create things that are functional later in life. This can either be for you and your partner or for your guests depending on your needs. If creativity is not your strong suit- this is where we come in. We talk to you about your theme or style, your budget, lifestyle and living space, and your goals. Then, we design pieces that elevate your wedding day décor with unmatched attention to detail and a focus on sustainability.

Do you want something that can be repurposed into something else? We do that. Maybe you want something that is immediately usable as home décor afterwards. We do that. Maybe you want something that you canpass down to your kids as a family heirloom? No need to pressure them to wear your gown. We do that. Whatever it is- you want it to reflect who you are as a couple. And you certainly want it to be memorable for your guests and look professional.

What does this look like?

If we can’t be involved in curating the sustainable wedding celebration of your dreams, or if you’re more of a DIY’er, we can still help. Below are some ideas of what this can look like so you can get your own creative juices flowing. Some of these require design and crafting, but a number of them just require an intentional vision and a little planning.

Custom Designed Heirloom Frames:

During the wedding, the frames were used for all signage and some photos. The couple later used them to hang their wedding photos around their house since they matched their style of decor.

Custom Heirloom Guest Book

Our couple wanted a guest book that would also be their wedding album. They wanted enough space left in it to become a scrapbook for all the things they would do together in life later. This ensured it didn’t just sit on a shelf somewhere and would instead be looked back on and updated regularly.

The guest book portion we scrapbooked with selected pictures of the couple and on-theme pieces so guests could sign around them. Then they had the remainder of the book to fill out with their lives as they move forward.

Custom Heirloom Lanterns

One of our favorites was an evening wedding in the woods. We designed a set of lanterns spilling with moss, ferns, and mushrooms with little LED candles. The bride’s maids carried these in lieu of flowers. it looked stunning in the ceremony and the bridesmaids got to keep them afterwards (it was a very tight-knit group of friends that all had very similar style).

Garden Centerpieces

One of our couples was really into gardening and they were having an outdoor garden party themed wedding. We sourced local handmade garden stakes shaped like mushrooms and butterflies as part of their centerpieces. The bride now has them in her garden at home. She also requested garden gnomes hidden around the venue that are now in her garden as well.

Thrifted Colored Carnival Glass Pieces

This couple was having a 70’s themed wedding and they wanted LOTS of color. The bride loved antiquing and owned a small collection of colored glass cups that they were using for the head table. We got to enjoy the challenge of finding more pieces exclusively from second hand stores. Pieces ranged from vases and candle holders to serving dishes and trivets. These were used for centerpieces and tableware that fit the couple’s home décor so they could use them afterwards.

Thrifted Period Furniture

One of my favorites was a bride that wanted antique style bridal portraits and a sitting space for her guests to take elegant and elevated photos. Very Edwardian style. We found an amazing settee at a thrift store and were able to design a “private photo area.” It reused a piece of furniture, and the couple now has a permanent piece of their wedding in their living room!

Collectible Cake Toppers

Forget the plastic “I do” word or the generic bride and groom statues. We love when couples request things they collect so they can save them forever. Everything from pez dispensers, pocket dragons, and smurfs, to precious moments statues and Disney collectibles. This is a great subtle way to show style and personality without having to necessarily commit to a full theme.

Dress trimmings

This sounds weird. But, almost all wedding gowns need to be altered to fit properly and that almost always involves a hem. Don’t throw your fabric away. Partner with a seamstress to have scrunchies or bows made so you can keep a usable piece of your dress even if you don’t keep your gown.

If you are a Washington local- especially in the Skagit Valley area, we highly recommend the team at The Town Seamstress. This is something Kristin and her team offer as part of their regular services.

Custom Shoes

There are a number of ways to do this, and it may sound out of place on a decor list. But working in bridal alterations, I learned some things. It shocked me the number of ladies that go out and buy “bridal shoes” that aren’t particularly comfortable, or close to their usualy style just to fit a perfect vibe the day of, and then never wear them again.

We have now helped two brides take plain elegant white/ ivory shoes and add a little pizzaz too them so that they showed some personality. My favorite pair was a set of white ballet flats that we embroidered little vines and wild flowers along the edges of.

Decorative Fabric Recycled Clothing

This was by far one of the most abstract and cool things we’ve ever had a couple request. They had fabric draped in trees with flower garlands and they didn’t want to throw away the fabric afterwards. We turned the fabric into a skirt and matching vest for the couple that they can wear whenever they want (they wanted to be able to wear them for anniversaries and we think this is just adorable).

Heriloom Guestbook Ornaments

We had a couple that really loved Christmas. They planned a winter wedding, and wanted to keep everything in natural woods and deep ever greens; as rustic and woody as possible (very Scandanavian/ Nordic style). Instead of a guestbook we placed little flat wooden ornaments at each place setting with the request that each guest sign one and write a little blessing or piece of advice for the couple. At the end of the night we collected them and now the bride and groom have fun looking at them every year when they put up their tree.

Silk Flower Chandeliers

While we prefer realy flowers 90% of the time, silk flowers have a time and a place when used correctly. We’ve had several brides request fake flowers for ceiling décor day of. This prevents all chances of wilting and falling apart, and they make great “chandeliers” as decor at home afterwards.

Custom Candle Centerpieces

You can go any direction or theme with these. We’ve both seen and done them many ways. White candles with flowers, colored candles, carved candles. tapers, pillars, a mix of both. When the day is done- blow them out, take them home, and burn through them slowly. I’ve even seen them used as party favors afterwards.

Quirky planters

The couple really loved house plants because they didn’t have a yard. Their venue was a ballroom with minimal décor and they didn’t want to have cut flowers that would wilt and need to be thrown away. We sourced a mix of thrifted planters from small businesses in their wedding colors and filled them with a variety of cat-safe houseplants (which was very important to them). These became centerpieces and décor around the ballroom, making for an unconventional but much more “alive” space than before; and the couple got to take their plants home at the end of the day.

Curated China

Have a micro wedding? One couple asked us to help them find a specific aesthetic of china for a tiny but luxurious evening dinner wedding so that they could keep the dishes and make that their nice set that they could eventually pass down to their children since neither of them had any family that they would inherit that kind of thing from. The phrase the couple used to describe what they were looking for was ‘old money mobster’, and honestly- it was kind of perfect.

Harry Potter themed hanging chandeliers/ mobiles.

One for each guest table hung from the ceiling. The couple wanted to match the theme of their wedding but have something they could hang in the children’s bedroom someday as they knew they wanted kids. It was important to them to design them to be more like fine-art as a way to elevate their wedding. No one could possibly ever call their day juvenile. This event was honestly a fantasy lovers gothic evening dream- not a party city vibe anywhere in site.

Crystalized book art

At the groom’s request, we crystalized a hardcover, thrifted copy of his favorite book, in borax; and then turned it into a centerpiece for the head table. He’d seen the idea on Pinterest and thought it looked really cool but didn’t have time to try and create one himself. He wanted to keep it as art for the shelf in his study after their wedding. This project always makes me smile because I felt a bit like I was creating real magic at the time- my inner alchemist had a blast.

The Point

The possibilities are endless, and these are just some of our favorite requests, ideas, and previous projects. The overarching important thing is how possible it is to create a memorable day and experience, while still minimizing the impact on the planet and reducing how much you throw away as a by-product of your celebration in a way that allows you to hold on to the magic of the day for a long time afterwards.

There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with creating a stunning, intentional, visually magical experience for your wedding day. You can have beautiful decor and add personal touches and little flourishes. We want you too. That’s what weddings are supposed to be: intentional, meaningful, personal, reflective of your relationship.

Designing sustainable weddings doesn’t mean you have to forgo all of the little extras and details. What’s important is to make sure that things aren’t done needlessly or wastefully, and doesn’t add to the “single use” problem. Go for things that have overlapping or adaptable uses, and things that you will cherish for the rest of your life, or at least the rest of the objects life if it’s something that can wear out.

Reach Out About Designing Sustainable Weddings

Have ideas or inquiries? Leave a comment, visit our services page, or us the “contact us” page to reach out! If you are trying to plan sustainable weddings nd are a washington resident we also always highly recommend looking into or working with a company like Emerald Hour to find other vendors that commit to eco-friendly practices.

All the best,

Mikaela

So, you’re building a costume. You’re going to a party, or hosting a themed event, or you managed to snag tickets to Comicon or the latest immersive ACOTAR Ball (we get it, and we’re jealous). If you’re new to the costuming game, it can be intimidating with all the over-the-top amazing things you see from the cosplay world these days on social media. But don’t let that stop you.

Below we have compiled a list of our favorite tricks to take your costume from Childhood Halloween Trick-or-Treating straight to something the Hollywood prop department would be proud of. Let’s dive into 5 of our favorite tricks of the trade. As we move farther into this series we’ll be able to share in depth tutorials and have you follow along with projects and costume builds. We’ll be able to tell you when to use sculpting foam vs styling foam and what’s really carboard and modge-podge (It’s never what you think). but for now, these are our 5 best general beginner tips.

If You’re Going to Splurge in Cosplay- Splurge on the Wig

Not all cosplays require a wig. Maybe you already look a little like your character, or you’re reimagining a classic with a twist and you don’t need it. If so, that’s great. But for a lot of characters, hair is a defining trait, and cheap wigs are noticeable and an easy make or break. Most things in cosplay you really can do yourself with a bit of creativity and some dedication.

We have found that wigs are not one of those things. Don’t buy the $2 wig on the wish app, or TEMU. Or even the $15 one on Amazon. They don’t hold up well, they tend to be sparse, and flat and they look like plastic. If you’re going to be bougie for anything in your costume- spend the money on a nice wig that works. It’ll last a long time and they can frequently be used for other characters along the way.

Don’t Get Too Caught Up on Wardrobe or a Particular Character Look

I KNOW this sounds weird when we’re talking about killer cosplay. But there is a logic to this- hear me out. For a single photo or a poster- having that outfit matches the OG character picture might make sense. But, if you are cosplaying at a live event or going to a party where you are going to be in this thing for hours- consider comfort.

I don’t mean “I am going to get to hot?” or “are these shoes going to kill me?” though, to some those may be factors. Taylor and I have both been known to suffer the shoes or the overheating for the sake of a bomb costume.

What I do mean is: If you really love a character and you really want to pull it off but their classic appearance is in a strappy skin exposing anime outfit and you’re not comfortable with that much of your midriff showing….. don’t do it. If your favorite character rocks a strapless piece of armor and you’re not comfortable strapless- take some creative license. Notice I didn’t say don’t cosplay that character?

In my experience- there is always a solution that captures the vibe of the character and make sure people know exactly who it is without you feeling exposed or uncomfortable and miserable- which shows. Make your costume livable for you.

Thrift

YES! We love making things from scratch. We love armor, and chainmail, and a good “I made this 100% from scratch and there were a lot of tears and late nights involved but I did it!”. But not all of us are that person, and not all of us are there yet (If we’ll ever be).

Taylor has much more the skill set to be like “I made this pattern myself with the blood, sweat, and tears of my ancestors and my character’s inner rage”. I however, am just learning to sew. And if you’re just beginning it is much easier and less terrifying to thrift something and turn it INTO something else than it is to make a dwarven tunic from scratch in 1 shot by yourself (not like I’m speaking from experience or anything).

Do not be ashamed to repurpose something into something different. It still takes a lot of work and creativity, and you are still a valid cosplayer if that’s your jam. Its really fun to go hunting for the right pieces. We will never say no to an excuse to thrift. If you’re new to thrifting, Taylor has a really awesome guide of things to consider when you’re out digging- you can find it here.

This is particularly useful for shoes that can be used as a base to be turned into anything cool. My favorites of Taylors were steampunk Tinkerbell shoes from a pair of booties, and Satyr hooves from a pair of boots.

The Devil is in the Dirty Details

What is Aragorn without a little dirt, or Geralt without a little blood? Just a really buff guy in cool clothing, that’s what. What takes a costume from looking like you bought it at party city to a living breathing character? You’ve got to make it look lived in.

The good news is, that doesn’t require you to go roll around in the mud or hunt orcs in the woods for months on end without a bath (though you’re welcome to go the method acting route).

This is where antiquing, patinas, weathering, sandpapering, and scuffing are your best friends. We KNOW you just spent weeks putting this together and it feels sacrilegious to ‘rub some dirt on it’- but go on, rub some dirt on it.

Hot Glue is a Hot Commodity for Details

If you have a great base costume and need to create buildable details like embossing on armor, pieces of large chunky fantasy jewelry, or unique accents, but you need them to be flexible for movement; hot glue is your friend.

The coolest hack I have for making Gems and raised details on anything that needs to be movable once its done is a silicon mold (amazon has tons and silicon cake molds for fondant are the best). Fill it with hot glue and then leave it to dry before painting. Sturdy enough to hold up over time, easily paintable, and not prone to damage.

I’ve used this for mushrooms, gems, fake pieces of thick chain, gemstones, texturing, you name it.

Here in the coming weeks we plan to share more tips tricks, and tutorials for cosplay bits and pieces. We’d love to see your favorite cosplays and costumes and we can’t wait to share projects with you!

See you in the craft room!

Mikaela!

Today we’re going to combine two of my favorite things: Crafting and Herbology. In light of the Imbolc Holiday I thought it would be a good time to teach you how to make Sleep Sachets. The beauty of this project is that it’s something you can easily do in the comfort of your own home. There is something therapeutic and old-worldy about working with herbs. It’s calming and I find it helps clear my mind.

Herbology

Herbology and Kitchen Witchery are one of the oldest forms of science in the world. Cultures and nations from all regions have their own herbal remedies and beliefs. Frequently lumped in with “Grandma’s Kitchen wisdom”; they are cures and concoctions that are frequently undervalued.

While modern science may have evolved past herbology in many cases, there is still much that can be done with well-placed plants. Many common ailments and issues find simple clean solutions in the kitchen that can keep you out of a doctor’s office and feeling your best. And they are easy. I promise you- it’s not complicated. Don’t let anybody make you think it’s rocket science, because its not. As you get farther into your study of plants you will discover that not only are there lots of things you can do with plants, but there are also lots of things you can say with plants.

Getting into herbology was one of the easiest things I have ever done. I was already constantly in the kitchen and loved the ‘slow food’ & ‘clean cooking’ concepts. Then I went through this period of finding out as much as I could about specific diets for certain conditions and illnesses after I got diagnosed with lupus. Educating people about their food is a strong passion of mine. Combine that with a sister that has the BIGGEST green thumb in the world- and it just seemed like a natural conclusion. But I digress…

Sleep Sachets for Dream Weaving

Some people will tell you that there is no credence behind dreams and their meanings. However, I have had just a few too many personal experiences with dream journeys to not listen when the universe is trying to tell me something.

Come on, we’ve all had those dreams where we woke up feeling like we witnessed something. Like something was trying to show you a path or point you in the right direction and you wake up going ‘huh?’ and reaching for your dream interpretation book. Then again, some dreams need no translation because you wake up saying ‘message received, loud and clear’. I’ve even had periods in my life where I dreamed in consecutive episodes and each night I got a little further into the story. I know Taylor has had similar experiences. It will be exciting in the future to get into dream interpretation with you all, but that is a project for a different day.

History of Sleep Sachets

Sleep Sachets have been common in some cultures and beliefs since the 16^th century. they were used widely throughout Europe for a variety of purposes. The aromas and energies of certain plants can help induce and maintain deep sleep, lucid dreaming, and even help relax the mind. If you’re one of those people that struggles to let go of the day’s tension to even drift off- then this is for you.

Sleep sachets are a good stepping stone because they can be both generic, and then easily built upon to personalize their influence once you know the basics.  The practice is simple: Create your sachet and then sleep with it under your pillow or in your pillowcase. You can always buy sleep sachets online from places like Etsy. However, sleep is a personal experience and as such; is one of those things that I prefer to make myself. To me, setting the intentions is the most important part.

Most of the common ingredients are things that most people keep stocked in their spice cupboard. If not, many are readily available online. If you like the personal touch like me or knowing where the plants came from- there are a few of my favorite herb shops listed below as well. This is by no means a comprehensive list- especially since in a lot of ways, Dream work, and herbology is open to some level of interpretation.

Herbals for Sleep Sachets:

Lavender:

Probably the queen of all sleep herbs, definitely the most soothing in most kitchen witch gardens. It may seem stereotypical since its modern resurgence, but there is both cultural truth and scientific truth to that. Lavender can calm anxiety, invite deep restful sleep, and ease tension and headaches. Lavender has been a cultural go-to since the Middle Ages. It’s also a great cooking herb and I frequently use it in my incense, so I always have some handy. If you are looking for sleep, Lavender is your friend.

Chamomile:

Chamomile has many medicinal properties when consumed as a tea or infusion. However, the energies and aromas are also attributed to cleansing of negative energy, purifying and calming. They have a slightly sweet apple like scent and are a great building block for sleep sachets.

Rosemary:

With a wide array of medicinal uses, and culinary uses- there is always Rosemary in my kitchen. Rosemary is used to amplify all kinds of magic as well as promote memory and protection. You can add Rosemary to amplify what you already have, but more importantly to protect you from bad dreams, and help you remember your dreams if that is something you struggle with. A member of the mint family, Rosemary is a fragrant perennial and is easy to find anywhere.

Eucalyptus:

Another plant that has its fair share of medicinal purposes, which is what makes it a staple in so many homeopathic kitchens. Eucalyptus is also known for its strong refreshing scent. A little goes a long way, but Eucalyptus has been known to stimulate the immune system, provide clarity in dreams and help induce creativity- if you are looking to add a bit of vibrancy to your resting hours.

Mug Wort:

Is one of my absolute favorite herbs. It is versatile and easy to grow should you choose to do so. Some unknowing people even consider it a weed. Since Mugwort is used in a variety of cuisines around the world it is fairly easy to find in most Natural food stores. She does contain a chemical called thujone that can induce a sense of being “high” in large quantities, as such- some people consider Mugwort to be dangerous. Mugwort aides in providing a restful nights sleep when drank as a tea or tincture, but used in a sleep sachet can also invite lucid dreaming. If you are trying to work through a particularly difficult dream sequence, using Mugwort for lucid dreaming is an excellent way to be able to affect different choices you may need to work through.

Rose Petals:

Most people associate roses with love magic, and there is something to be said for that. However different parts of the Rose flower have a myriad of uses. Roses also invoke creativity, and are again a subtle way to invite creativity into your dreams. My sister learned how to grow beautiful roses of all colors and types from my Uncle Alois when he was still alive so I usually have easy access to different colors of rose petals for different purposes. (you can also just buy rose petals at the floral section of any grocery store or buy them dried either online or from a local shop).

Herbal Shops:

I have a few herbal shops I am familiar with and really like, some of which ship nationwide if you are not sure where to start:

Happy Health High Horny Herbs:

Don’t giggle at the name, just trust me. This store is in Tempe, AZ but also ships nationwide. Their main website is Plant Pleasures (rbbotanicals.com) but you can also find them on a brief google search or on Instagram. I like their web format because you can sort different plants, resins, etc. by what you are trying to do and I think that is a great feature for beginners if you are just learning what does what.

Tenzing Momo:

For my Seattlites- this shop is a local favorite. Located in Pike’s Place they sell a lot more than just bulk herbs. I’ve never had a bad interaction there, the people are great, and it smells amazing. Not only that, but if you are looking for some instructional material (on everything from herbs to mushrooms, and a range of spirituality books), this is the place for you. These guys also ship; however if you are in the area- I highly suggest you go in person. Tenzing Momo | Tenzingmomo.com

Moddejonge’s herbals:

This woman does not ship that I know of, but I highly recommend if you are local to the Seattle area. This private shop does have limited hours (Tuesday- Saturday 12P- 5P) but I not only love the shop but the owner. She is educational, and very kind. You can find her on Facebook @ Moddejonge’s Herbals.

Reminder:

The important thing about making sleep sachets is to set your intentions as you make them. The plants themselves have set properties, yes. But never underestimate the power of energies and intentions. Magic is, in and of itself, the art of manifestation. Sleep sachets can be made from anything: Cheesecloth tied with twine or ribbon, I have a collection of small drawstring bags I have either found or were packaging for gifts, if you are really dedicated to the experience I also know a friend who sewed/ crocheted her own bag and then embroidered it to further set her intentions (plus it was fun). The possibilities are endless.

Hopefully, this helped give you some ideas, or sends you in the right direction. Please feel free to chime in, share your thoughts, or share your projects. If you’re a skagit local, you can come find us at the Mirkwood Magical Bazaar as we’re adding a new set of sleep sachett for begginers to our wares.

All the best, Always,

Mikaela

It’s baking day, and in light of the upcoming festival of Brigid I thought I would share my favorite recipe for Pulla. Traditionally a Finnish sweet bread, there are tons of variations on texture and spice blend. This one happens to be my grandmother’s. Technically, you can prep Pulla into any shape, but I was taught by braiding and I’ve always kind of stuck to that. Since Brigid is frequently associated with Braids and crosses, I somehow always associate the two.

This particular loaf is delicious with coffee, or a bit of honey or butter; not that that is particular shocking since it is traditionally eaten with coffee. It is soft and chewy with an aromatic blend of spices that will always warm my heart.

The Not So Secret of Making Pulla

In my humble opinion, what really makes your pulla next level is the quality/ type of your spices. In this case- spring for green cardamom, especially if you can get whole pods. Black cardamom will work- but green is in its own class. It take only the work of minutes to grind fresh pods into the most amazing flavor you’ve ever tasted. Bread takes hours too make correctly anyways- its worth the 3 minutes with a mortar and pestle/ molcajete. Some grocery stores now sell pods, additionally I know world market sells it and you can also get it online and from some smaller specialty stores.

But enough chat. On to the bread!

Mis en Place (Get Your Shit and Get it Together):

• 2 cups milk
• 1 Tbsp Yeast
• ¾ Cups granulated sugar
• ¼ Cup water
• 2 whole eggs, beaten lightly
• 1 Tbsp cardamom, ground
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 7-7 ½ Cups All Purpose flour or bread flour
• ½ Cup butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten separately for egg wash
• Baking sheet or stone wear (I am partial to stone wear as it leads to better crust).

Pulla Prodecure:

1. Begin by Scalding your milk in a small, heavy bottomed saucepan. You can scald milk in any saucepan- but its easier if its double bottomed as there is less chance of burning. You want small bubbles to be forming around the edge of the pan but not boiling. It will sometimes develop a small film on top- this is okay. Remove milk from heat. Add half of your cardamom to the milk and let it steep as it cools (this step is not necessary but definitely helps increase the flavor). Milk will need to cool to just above room temperature. Warm is okay- but hot will kill your yeast.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle (or a large bowl if you plan on mixing by hand) combine yeast with 1 tsp of the sugar. Add the warm water and let sit 5 minutes to allow the yeast to bloom. DO NOT RUSH THIS STEP.
3. Add milk, remaining sugar, remaining cardamom, eggs, and salt.
4. Begin adding flour, one cup at a time until you reach 5 cups. Let mix 1-2 minutes until mostly smooth. It is important that the dough have a few minutes to mix and develop gluten strands before you proceed to the next step, butter impedes the formation of gluten so if you add the butter to soon you will end up with tough, dense bread.
5. With the mixer still mixing, slowly pour in melted butter and continue to mix until dough is smooth and shiny. Once butter is completely absorbed, add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time until smooth again.
6. Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let sit in a warm, humid place until doubled in size (roughly 45 minutes).
7. Gently deflate and empty out onto a lightly floured surface. Break dough into 3 equal chunks.
8. Working with one third at a time, split each third into either halves or thirds again and braid in a 3 or 4 strand braid (2 chunk= 4 strand braid; 3 chunks= traditional braid).
9. Gently move braided loves to baking pans and let rise again 20 minutes.
10. Brush with egg wash.
11. Bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool Fully before eating. Do not skip the cooling step. I know that it can be tempting to cut into a loaf of bread fresh out of the oven, and you CAN eat it still warm, but it needs to be 90% cool. This is where gluten cells solidify, air cells set, and most of your crust development occurs. Cutting bread early can leave you with collapsed, structureless, and gummy bread.

Feel Free to play with spice blends and amounts. Some people will top their Pulla with sliced almonds or include raisins or dried berries. If you’re looking for more bread tips and tricks, check out the rest of our bread 101 series here!

Have fun and go make a mess!

All the best, Always,

Mikaela

Okay nerds… Buckle up because I have a lot to say this time.

Today I want to talk about creating your own Dungeons and Dragons campaign or more specifically world building. A while back we did a video on our personal experiences from when Mikaela and I were first learning to play DnD where I mention not ever having DM’d. For the uninitiated, that means to be the Dungeon Master or the one creating the world, plot, deciding dice role outcomes, etc.

DM’ing is very underrated. The DM is (for lack of a better descriptor coming to my mind at the moment), the game god. It is a lot of work, prep, blood, sweat, tears, and love to be a good DM. But it is also very rewarding! You get to see your world come alive and be a part of not one character… but EVERY character as you are the playing all the NPC’s but also helping to develop and grow your players characters over time. You are constantly flexing your creativity, quick thinking, organization and, depending on the DM, your acting.

That being said, the prospect of being a DM can be intimidating. I can say that for a loooong time I avoided it like the plague because I knew it would be a commitment and I didn’t feel I would be able to do it justice. Earlier this year I decided to say, “fuck it” and start building my own campaign anyways. It may be a learning curve, but I have wanted to try my hand at being on the other side of the table and was done psyching myself out. Turns out my OCD ADHD self LOOOOOOVES world building and what I should have worried about is getting stuck in a creative concept hole.

That being said, I just want to preface my world building process with a couple notes (big surprise since I always do this).

1. I want to emphasize the distinction that this is about WORLD BUILDING for your campaign.  Writing a campaign is like writing a story whereas the world building is just focusing on building the world the story takes place in. You need to take into consideration things like the Big Bad Evil Guy (BBEG), character deadlines, etc but we aren’t focusing on them as that will develop and change to some extent during game play and I could/will eventually go more into that at some point.
2. I am sure you can find a bunch of other lists and articles that tell you how to world build. They will probably work. At one point or another I looked at some of those lists to make sure I didn’t miss anything. What I want to do today is show you the process that, specifically, I went through and what tools you might use.
3. I will point out that you could definitely buy one-shots, books of campaigns, maps etc and have just as much fun but this is how to build your own world for a new campaign because worldbuilding is just as much fun as playing in my opinion.
4. Again, I also want to preface this with the knowledge that there are MANY ways to go about this and none are wrong. This is just what I did. I will also be using my world as an example, so I do not go off into more tangents than is already inevitable with me.

So, let’s get into my process…

I like to start big and add more details as I go. My thought process behind this is that when writing campaigns, you want to let the world grow with the characters and let the players help build it with you. It was easier for me to consider the bigger picture and start filling in necessaries so they had a starting point with the knowledge that smaller details can, to some extent, be thought of on the spot or become lore through the actions or back stories of my fledgling party.

WHAT TYPE OF GAME PLAY DO YOU WANT?

I am not sure if this first thing is necessarily world building, but the first thing I considered was what kind of campaign I wanted to run. It helps set the tone, what kind of world I want to build, scale of the world, etc. For example, if the campaign you want is going to be a dungeon crawler you might build a high fantasy world OR do a more modern realistic world with Indiana Jones vibes. If you want a suspenseful murder mystery, you could go with a Victorian or a sci-fi space setting. Maybe you really want steampunk political intrigue. The point is that by determining what type of game you want to play; it will hugely affect what type of world you want to build. I also feel like mentioning that you can take inspiration from anywhere and to not avoid mixing and matching things. You are creating a new world so you can have new concepts! But on the flip side of that, do not be ashamed to steal a concept that is already out there and play it with maybe just slight tweaking because your players are going to add their own flavor to it anyways.

In my case, I was building my campaign world off of a book concept I had considered writing. Additionally, I am a huge book worm and also avidly consume Anime and Manga and there were certain tropes and plots that I loved and also wanted to incorporate so I pulled inspiration from a couple places. I decided on a high fantasy style game that combined an adventure/dungeon crawling style with political intrigue. I also love adventurers’ guilds but didn’t necessarily want players in one… maybe just something similar. I also loved the idea of playing something based off either a mirror image of earth or its cultural beliefs. So, imagine if the earth was populated by the myths, legends, and fantasy creatures we write and talk about and in this world, humans and our meta cultures are the stuff of their myths and legends. Again, this was kind of a vague idea at this point, but it gave me a concept to start building everything else on.

KEEP SOME THINGS, CHANGE SOME THINGS.

This is also less of a step, and more of a reminder for me and you; a tip if you will. When thinking about all the following steps, remember to keep some meta things and change some meta things. What I mean is don’t have a world so far removed conceptually that players can’t understand it or struggle with game play BUT also don’t have it be so normal in comparison to our meta world that it is exactly the same. If NOTHING in your world is relatable there is a steep learning curve. Additionally, it makes it hard for the players to have a starting place to be creative. I love being able to use my own meta knowledge about our world in creative ways… like sciencey shit etc but if NOTHING is applicable in that world it makes it hard for me to improvise. On the flip side, if it mirrors our current world exactly… what is the point? You are describing my reality, not a new world. At that point I would just call it TTRPG Sims… or I would go play my Sims… or even better, walk out my front door and interact with my normie neighbors. You need to change at least one thing about our world and then watch how it affects everything else.

START BIG. HOW IS YOUR WORLD LAID OUT?

This was my big map step. You will constantly be making maps of cities, dungeons, encounters etc. but you need to have a larger, general world for those to fit into. I already said this… but I like to start big and narrow down details later so my next step was creating the world or planet itself. Think about how big you want your world to be. You can start with a universe and then add planets that you add continents to and then later country borders to and so on, and so forth. For this world, I started at the scale of a planet. To start, I drew an equator (there is a reason for this) and then started drawing continents. This was easy for me because, though not exact, I based my continents off our meta world, BUT you could draw literally anything. The sky is the limit. Maybe your whole world is only one continent or a bunch of islands or a single spaceship or everyone lives in ships because there is no land. You get the point.

After that, think about if and how your continents would be further divided up by “human” constructs such as territories or state/country borders. Do they have defined borders or is everyone nomadic? Or maybe the world isn’t very populated and is mostly uninhabited wildlands. When I got to this point, I chose to take a bit of a hybrid approach. A planet is large and if there are multiple continents, it stands to reason that not all of them will be the same. Because I was basing my world off of our myths, legends, cultures, etc. I did research on those cultures and made decisions accordingly. The continent corresponding to our Europe has country borders that are not a mirror of but are vaguely reminiscent to Europe’s countries. The continent corresponding to North America is completely different. I chose to base it off of Native American lore and their cultures as a whole had less defined borders. To reflect this, I chose to show the territories where nations are generally found but avoided hard borders and many (not all) of the nations were nomadic or semi nomadic.

I also started adding major topographical landmarks (think major mountain ranges, great lakes, things big enough to show up on a world map) at this point but I didn’t focus too much on it yet. It is a whole planet, and I could easily get super sucked into this FOREVER.

You do not need to pull all of this from thin air either. Think about your inspirations and work smarter, not harder. I pull images and information from the real world and resources already out there. Here are a couple I use(d) on the regular.

• The internet in general- This is obvious. I used this for research and for images. Google search the shit out of everything. I was all about using reputable sources and fact checking but depending on your world and what you are searching for, realism may be less relevant honestly.
• Inkarnate – Create Fantasy Maps Online– This is a favorite resource of mine for several reasons. You can use this site to make your own custom maps fairly easily in multiple styles for free and with paid versions. Additionally, there are randomization options for those who want less work or care less about this aspect or are stuck. This service works for world maps but also for cities and dungeons, so it is VERY useful long term. Finally, many users publish their maps for other world builders to use FOR FREE so you can also find a map that suits your world if map making from scratch is not your thing.
• AI art- AI gets a bad reputation but if you are looking for fun visuals for your world without spending forever, this is the way to go. As an artist, I sometimes (a lot of the time) hate AI art and what it means for me BUT sometimes I go this route. I just find free programs online and sometimes I know what I want or other times I will use the weird things it makes as inspiration. Either way, I love having visuals for my players and myself and while I enjoy hand making things, I will also supplement with this.

THINK ABOUT THE RULES OF A PLANET.

When I talk about thinking of the rules of a planet, I am talking about the laws of nature. Once the campaign is running, this is mostly not thought about in game play because it is second nature (baddump-tsss) to accept those everyday rules. I mean, how often during the day do you consciously think about tectonic plates, gravity, or the tidal currents of the ocean and how that affects landscapes, weather, and where certain things live? The answer is A LOT if you are me but probably not at all if you are the general public. Just think about that for a second though and what this would look like in your world.

I would recommend using our world as a reference for these laws. Remember: keep some, change some. It will make the world more relatable and avoid awkward gameplay. I am not saying that you need to become a meteorologist, zoologist, geologist, etc. to make your world. How in depth you go and how much you change is up to you. I knew I could spend forever creating this new world and never actually play if I got stuck in this. I went VERY DEEP and will probably always be adding to this. What I am saying though is to just put a bit of thought in… I started with these categories for me:

• Tectonics- I went there! You don’t need to. But I just briefly thought about it because it helped me decide where to put mountain ranges and volcanic hotspots. I did use our planet as reference, but I didn’t want placement to be 100% the same.
• Seasons- Do you have the same seasons or are they completely different? I kept the same seasons. Both because of familiarity and because a lot of ancient lore revolves around the seasons, so they were relevant. Also, I knew I was going to focus more in other areas and was avoiding even more work.
• Natural Disasters- What types are there? Are they more prevalent in certain areas? I decided to keep our normal ones and add a couple new ones since I had a highly magical world. For example, I added a Chaotithaumaturg Storm with is basically a big word describing a huge storm event that happens around areas that are particularly dense with magic, and it causes your own magic to react and manifest in weird ways or not at all.
• Gravity- This was easy for me… I kept Earths gravity. This may be different on your planet, spaceship etc. If you are in space, you could have VASTLY different ranges of gravity and that will affect races, game play, technology, flora, fauna, etc.
• Distance from Equator- I told you this would be important! Again, because I used earth as a reference, I knew my rules and could mostly ignore its placement BUT, on your planet, think about how this affects everything. On Earth, closer to the equator means more light and warmer weather which means that the races and flora and fauna there have adapted to that. It also means the water in the oceans is warmer near the equator, leading to more hurricanes.
• Wind and Ocean Currents- Again, for me, Earth was a reference, and this was one area I chose not to mess with. There is one big thing to remember about currents though if you have different terrain/ continents and it is that currents will follow the path of least resistance. This could mean flowing downhill if we have Earth gravity or up if we have a different gravity rule.  If wind hits a mountain range, it will be forced up which will cause different weather on each side of it. Water will flow until it hits an obstacle (like a continent) and then will be redirected to flow along the coast until it is redirected again by another obstacle. When apposing currents meet you could have a strong up or down current or a whirlpool. Just things to think about if you want to make more realistic maps/terrains.
• Flora & Fauna- This is where I chose to make more of my changes and where I am still making new things constantly. Think about what plants and animals are in your world and what/where their habitats would be. I kept a lot of our meta plants and kept them native to areas relative to our world while adding larger carnivorous, magical, and monstrous options as well. For the “animals” or creatures in the world I may have gone a bit far (to the point of dichotomous keys). I did keep some of our animals but for the most part I wanted to make run of the mill animals, like pigeons, the equivalent of a mythical creature like a phoenix. Instead of Pigeons, they have something that looks like tiny rat pigeon gryphons called a Rageon. A shifter that turns into an earth wolf? How magical! What is a cow? Instead, my cultures have domesticated and made a global industry out of Bonnacon farming. I just felt like it really made for an immersive world and opened up opportunities for fun interaction.

You don’t have to focus on all these things, or you can look at other “rules” than I have here. I would recommend though that whatever you are thinking about, consider how they interact and change in relation to each other if you tweak just one thing. How would less or more gravity affect your natural disasters? What if there was only 1 season… or 13? And how would that affect how plants, animals, or even people adapted?

TRIBES: WHO, WHERE, AND WHAT ARE THEIR RELATIONS?

So now we have a planet and need to start adding “people” as it may be. I like to think of this in terms of “tribes” because it is a bit more in depth and pushes me to think about things in different ways. Tribes can be defined as:

a social division in a traditional society consisting of families or communities linked by social, economic, religious, or blood ties, with a common culture and dialect, typically having a recognized leader.

A tribe can be a race in the broadest sense of the word, or we can narrow it down to nationalities, religions, government factions, a club at school, a friend group, etc. I like to start thinking about who my tribes are, where they would be found, and what do their relationships look like. Do you only have 2 races; one that has adapted to water and lives on the coast and an inland hunter gatherer race. Do they get along and trade for resources? Or do they compete and have a long history of conflict? I once again find it easy to start big and narrow it down:

1. What races inhabit your world? I went high fantasy and had a lot of options since each culture has numerous intelligent characters to turn into races. Just think Celtic Fae or Japanese Oni and the variations within those categories alone. Therefore, I have a very diverse world.
2. Where does each race live? In my world I based this generally on what culture the mythos is from, but you may need to look at things like where resources would be available and where their physique would make sense. Or maybe your race has to live someplace odd but there is a relevant reason that you are writing into your campaign (ie. dwarves living in trees because of extenuating circumstances no one will tell you even though they hate it).
3. Next, start dividing into smaller tribes. Maybe it is the scientist in me, but I love to categorize things. First, I started with broader groups that I thought would relate to each other best. In some worlds this could be nationality. I did consider nationalities as a tribe but I actually went with categories of races first such as the fae, shifters, mer people, demons, angels, tauric races, vampiric races, shades and revenants, giants, etc. Within those I then broke them down into subcultures. Take dwarves for example… just to name a few I put in that category I have the Menehune of Hawaii, Duwende of the Filipines, Duergar of Northern England, and the Zwerge of Germany. These were my own categories that I used for my world so I did take some creative license, but you get the point.
4. Think about how these different categories or tribes interact with each other and why it is how it is. Just as a note, I feel that tribes closer together are more likely to have either the most conflict or the most harmonious relationships. It is this duality of naturally wanting to be seen as unique/different and competing over the same resources while simultaneously having a lot of commonalities due to similar environments and an exchange of goods/ideas. If you are in forced proximity you are bound to either love or hate each other eventually.
5. Start adding smaller tribes. Here are some I considered/added: countries/ governments, gangs, organizations, guilds, and religions. Maybe in your world it is fleets or packs. Regardless, make yourself some groups and decide who they like and don’t like. 

I feel like a lot of other articles that talked about world building didn’t really talk about tribes and their relationships, but I think it makes it more realistic. Especially if you are looking to make a very large world and if this is a campaign you plan on making a long one. It adds layers that you may not interact with at first but will add complexity later.

WHAT DOES THE DAY TO DAY LOOK LIKE?

This was actually a suggestion in a Master Class about Fantasy and Science Fiction Writing by N.K. Jemisin. By this point you should have a very clear idea of what your setting is and who is interacting with your world. Think about your daily routine and what that would look like in the world you are creating. This will help you flush out the minutia like transport, money, language, prepping food, bathroom routines… little things. This is probably where I get stuck the most trying to make things consistent and make sense. N.K. Jemisin listed off some different areas to consider how your world is different or the same as ours: Deviance, Military, urban vs rural, gender, politics, inequality, medicine, technology, health, family, stratification, law, conflict, race, economics, culture, education, religion, environmental, ethnicity, science vs magic (how does it work in your world), and industry. I wouldn’t even know where to start to give examples for this step because once again I went a little cray cray at this point. I decided that like different countries in our world had different day to day routines, currencies, socio-economic structures etc…. so too would mine. I will say that I originally started just flushing out the deets in the area my players started in and am building other cultures etc with my players as we go to an extent. It also helps that I am once again basing much of it off of our meta world so if it is an area of the world that historically bartered and was nomadic… the culture in my new world will barter and be nomadic.

MAKE SOME NPCs… BUT NOT ALL OF THEM.

Okay… Now that we have general groups of people, we need to flush out some NPC’s. Your NPCs should constantly be evolving and growing as the campaign progresses. Don’t worry too much about having the info for every person in the world and their whole genealogy. Just focus on some NPC’s you will need either on a regular basis, to progress plot (like your BBEG), or in your next session. When deciding who to initially create, I asked myself a couple questions:

1. Who do my players already know? I try to have at least one NPC per player that would be tied to their backstory and the players themselves can help with that.
2. Who are some of the local vendors?
3. Who are some local figures of authority?
4. Who are a couple NPCs that you may NEVER meet but everyone would know their name? This could mean adding celebrities, higher ups in your star fleet, or the king for example.
5. Who is my main villain?
6. What NPC’s do I need to progress any story I have?

This is just how I started to get the dice rolling and for each one I tried to make note of a couple things that made them relevant and interesting so that I had a starting point to play them later. Things like how they look, likes or dislikes, their role in the world, maybe a couple sentences on their backstory, a quirk, or a skill that isn’t obvious, but your players could accidentally discover and take advantage of.

There are lot of d100 lists, charts, and online generators to help randomize NPC’s. Here are a couple of resources that I like.

• AI art- again, just using free online programs to have visuals for your players.
• Dndspeak– This site has lists and AMAZING generators for everything from names, designations, physical traits, character quirks, etc. They have them for fantasy AND scifi themes. Additionally, they have generators and lists for even more than this… loot, locations, weather, wares in a store, dwarven insults… EVERYTHING.
• Fantasy NPC Generator with 5E Stat Block (npcgenerate.com)– This generator is nice because it lets you narrow down modifiers like age, race, or profession. It still gives a blurb and description of them but gets in depth enough to describe the voice for DM’s who live more role play. Additionally, it creates a stat block in case they end up in combat or so that you can save it.
• Youtube- I watched youtube videos to help create NPC voices. Two in particular that I found helpful were How To Create 100 Distinctly Different Voices by “Improve Your Voice” & Laban’s Eight Efforts demonstration by “David Bareford”.

IS THERE A BASE OR HOME FOR THE PLAYERS?

Now we have a general map, general groups of people, and specific people (NPCs). The next thing I needed was to zone in and become more detailed with my map as we got closer to where the players were based. In my case I followed all my previous steps for map building and still used Inkarnate to get a bit more detailed on a map of their country, adding a few towns for now and some topography. I don’t need to know a bunch about those towns yet. Next, I picked where my players would be based. If this was a city or town, I would then make a detailed map of that as it would be referenced a lot over time. I chose to have a home base outside a town, deep in the woods but there were still multiple buildings, so I mapped that. If your characters have a house or home base you could make a map for that. You could stop at country scale and use theatre of the mind for the rest. Do as much or little as you want. For now, I have not mapped out the inside of shops or their base and instead opted for theatre of the mind, but you never know when that will change.

CONSIDER THAT A WORLD HAS LAYERS AND HISTORY.

This is another one of those steps that is more of a reminder than anything else. To avoid a flat to two-dimensional world, you need to have layers. Here are some things to just keep in the back of your mind and use as you will.

• Worlds have long and convoluted histories (unless it is a new world) and usually there are multiple truths depending on the perspective of the teller. Additionally, the average person does not know everything about that history or remember it clearly if they were educated in it.
• Everything is connected so think about the butterfly effect and how each decision you make in world building will change something else OR what repercussions there will be for gameplay.
• Usually, two of the same things are NOT the same. What I mean by this is that there is always some variation. Unless you are copying and pasting something digitally, there will always be differences and you should play with this. This could be variations between individuals of a race. Or within a pack of wolves where some have different abilities or stats.

So now that I have dumped all of this information on you, I just want to remind you that this was just how I decided to approach it and is way more in depth than some of my friends have done. Some campaigns I have played, they started with just a partial idea of a town and built out from that as we went and another, I have done was a dungeon with a new world on each floor. However, you choose to build your world, I hope this has been at least an inspiration rather than it making it seem more daunting.

Until next time,

Taylor

Well, my days of the week/ the month are all sorts of messed up right now. It’s a combination of my need to adapt to a state that has daylight savings time (I know, I know: EVERYBODY has daylight savings time except Arizona), and the fact that I’m far enough north that its dark by 4PM. I feel like my day is over before it’s started and I have utterly no idea what time of day or day of the week it is anymore. I’m leaning into it. This is my time to hibernate. With no family visiting this year- the holidays are going to be quiet in a way that I’m not 100% sure that I like, but I’m making the best of it by taking advantage of the chance to rest after a long and chaotic year.

I’m not used to the cold and it has me wanting cozy snacks and warm desserts, the kind that make you feel toasty and childlike on the inside. Since I don’t havefamily in town- I’ve been trying to rein in the labor and the compulsive need to bake en masse. Instead, this year I am focused on small batch, fresh made desserts and sweets. Thomas and Taylor appreciate it because it means my kitchen does not quite look like a perpetual war zone this year.

What’s not to Nog?

A few months ago I made my Grandmother’s Rice Pudding for the first time on my own and it came out great. I have only ever had it cold, however, because that’s how she made it for my grandfather. I heard somebody talking about warm spiced rice pudding the other day and it got me to thinking. Holidays, toasty desserts, rice pudding, spices….what says holiday spice more than Egg Nog? So, I nabbed some of Taylor’s bottomless Egg Nog stash and here we are.

Full disclosure:

You will not find any standard rice pudding with a dash of ‘Egg Nog inspired spices’ here. Oh no my friend. What we are about to make is a full fat, clog your arteries, buttery, warm-you-from-the inside-out, sweetly spiced, real cooked-in-Egg Nog creamy rice pudding. So buckle up buttercup. Grab a glass of Scotch, turn on some Nat King Cole, and take your cholesterol medication. We’re gonna get nogged.

Mis en Place (get your shit and get it together):

• 2 Cups Cooked, UNSALTED Rice, you can use brown as it’s more nutrient dense, but I find this is one of the few things that white works better for me (1 cup dry white rice will yield 2 Cups once cooked)
• 2 Cups Eggnog. Any ‘nog will do but I am of the opinion that the thicker the better. Alcoholic is fine, but for family baking purposes, I actually prefer store bought non alcoholic Eggnog. For the consistency we want, Lucerne is king here.
• 1/3 Cup white granulated sugar.
• Pinch of salt (less than ¼ tsp)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla

Procedure:

1. In a medium Saucepan combine all ingredients on medium heat. Stir, to break up clumps of rice and combine thoroughly.
2. Stir until the egg nog begins to simmer and bubbles form around the edges. You do not want a full rolling boil as this can scald your eggnog and cook the eggs.
3. Reduce heat to low and continue to stir gently.
4. Continue cooking until pudding is thick and creamy with an almost porridge like texture but slightly softer (about 15-20 minutes). TRUST THE PROCESS. It’ll seem like it is developing slowly and you may be worried its too thin but it will all come together at once.
5. Can be chilled and served cold which is still delicious but honestly, warm with a dash of cinnamon is the way to go in my opinion. If refrigerating, cover to the surface with plastic wrap or beeswax wrap to prevent a skin from forming.

Have fun and Stay Warm!

All the best,

Mikaela

Calling my resident foodies! This one is for you. Whether you are classically trained, self-taught, or grandma taught. Hell, even if you have no idea what you are doing at all. If food excites you and you want what you eat to always be an adventure. If you are looking for a new way to be creative, and food is not your forte but you want to try, then this is definitely for you. Today I’m going to introduce you to the Flavor Bible with the promise that your life will never be the same.  

A relic of history: 

Much to my general dismay, cookbooks are becoming a thing of the past, even though every celebrity on the planet at some point makes one. With the advent of smart phones and the magic that is Pinterest at your fingertips; who needs to go buy a whole cookbook for one recipe when there is some variation of it for free online? We won’t hate on Pinterest. I fucking love pinterest, it’s a problem. 

It comes with the territory, but I love cookbooks. I love trying new recipes, and different cultural cuisines. They make great inspiration even if I end up changing the recipe eventually. It used to really tick Taylor off because I’d sit in the living room and read them out loud when I got a new one. As if everybody cared as much as I did about “Sausage stuffed Onions!!!!” or “Oh my GOD crème brule crusted cheesecake?!”

But I get it, I do. Despite my own love of cookbooks and my own extensive collection of them, I still find myself frequently turning to Pinterest for a quick recipe dopamine hit. It is much faster to type in exactly what I’m looking for than it is to flip through pages and pages and try to remember. “Is it in the Betty Crocker Better Homes and Gardens or am I thinking of Alice Water’s Green Kitchen Cookbook?” 

I will never tell you that regular cookbooks are obsolete. They have their uses as well as a special place in my heart. However, some are better than others. Most cookbooks are good if you know what you want to cook already and just need to know the how part.  

A different kind of Cookbook: 

The Flavor Bible is a different kind of cookbook. A true bible. Your guide to the divine flavors of the world. This book is the Codex of Cooking, a veritable grimoire for culinary magic. You see, unlike a regular cookbook, which may have a theme or common author but is essentially a collection of recipes to be followed and exprimented from. The Flavor Bible has not one recipe in it. Not one. 

Instead, you’ll find color theory for food. I do not mean the whole ‘eat your color wheel’ food pyramid schpiel. This book is the Rosetta stone of taste buds. It seeks to teach flavor affinities. The Flavor Bible is intended to help creatives getting creating with a tool already in their belt. Three hundred and ninety-two pages of mad science and sheer genius.  

Can you tell this is my favorite cookbook? 

For those of us that have one thing in the kitchen that we know we want to use, but don’t know what to do with it. Or the guy that found the strange new fruit at the farmers market so duh you bought it… but you have no idea what it tastes like or what to use it in. This book is for you.

For the mixologist that has a flavor profile for a new cocktail in her head, and now needs to inspire a dish that compliments it without over powering it. Even for the baker that isn’t sure if that savory is weird to use with that sweet because can you put cardamom in that? 

The Flavor Bible can not only teach you about using and balancing the four basics tastes (salty, sour, bitter, and sweet). But, it can also teach you to brighten flavors by using acids and add nuance to dishes by layering flavors and harmonizing contrasting flavors.  

Confession time:  

And it’s Easy to use. Easy as pie. That’s the make or break for me when I’m recommending something to someone. Confession time: I hate culinary jargon. I love the industry. I love the grit, problem solving and creativity that the food service industry demands. But I hate jargon and I dislike people who give themselves airs over food.

Food is first and foremost sustenance. And yes, it is art. But two things I don’t think should be gatekept are food and art. I believe in teaching people things in simple laymans terms and not over complicating things that don’t need to be complicated.  

You could know absolutely nothing about flavor or cooking, pick up The Flavor Bible and use it. The majority of it pages are alphabetized lists. It starts at A and goes all the way to Z listing off hundreds of ingredients. From when they are in season, and what main profile it fits in to. Down to the cuisine they are most common in, and even sometimes alcohol compatibility.  

Know your ABC’s: 

As an example, let’s say you have pears in your kitchen that you need to use. But you really don’t know what you want to do with them. It’s been a long week, and your creative juices are running low. You flip to the section with all the P’s. Then go alphabetically until you hit “Pear” and you pick the right species of pear (yes, if gets that specific). Underneath pear is a list of all the flavor affinities that compliment pears. Everything from sweet to savory along with a few suggestions of typical dishes, when the best pears are in season, and where they’re from. There’s even a brief list of flavors that do not mix well to save you from making any obscure but terribly unpalatable mistakes.  

Pears not your thing? Or maybe you need to do a little reverse engineering and start with the minor details to pick your main course. You have this Turmeric you’re trying to use, just go to T, find turmeric and work your way through the list of forty-three different things that are complimentary to Turmeric.  

Trouble Shooting

Maybe you’ve already got a complex dish, but something is missing and you’re really trying to elevate it. This book is still your best friend. I can’t tell you how useful it is to be able to cross reference between pages covering the major components of a dish and have a eureka moment because I either found a flavor that complements all six things I’m trying to balance and all of a sudden baby cherubs are singing. Or, I realize that the reason my flavor is a little off is because I missed a major flavor profile, and the dish is out of balance. Suddenly, it’s fixed, and life is good. 

If I never convince you of anything else in your life, I hope I convince you to go get yourself a copy of The Flavor Bible. This is what I would have been burned at the stake for in the 1700’s. Because I will preach this until the day I die.

If ever there was a magic book full of witchcraft and spells- it’s this one. Bible is a fair and accurate term. You want to make potions that don’t taste like Polyjuice? This is your baby. If you’ve ever wanted to be an alchemist- this is the closest to alchemical genius, you will ever get, if only because it is worth its weight in gold in my opinion.  

Now go get Creative! 

Mikaela 

Last time we spoke I had been talking about basic steps for kitchen sustainability. Now it wasn’t nearly a comprehensive list, but it was a good building block to point you in the right direction if you’re starting out.  

In that post I said I would include a basic how- to for making your own stock. And then I didn’t.  

So today is the day. The stars have aligned. This is a pretty simple process, and I’ve included notes on varying it if you need/want to or for dietary reasons. It’s not really a precise recipe as much as it is a concept and process. 

All you need:  

• 1 tub for veggie scraps 
• 1 tub for animal scraps (if using) 
• Salt and pepper (optional) 
• Stock pot 
• Water (quantity varies on size of batch) 

As I mentioned previously, I keep a tub in the fridge for veggie scraps and any time I cook, my veggie scraps go in that bucket. The classic veggies used for Mirepoix are carrots, celery, and onions; but you can use almost any vegetable. ESPECIALLY if you are making a veggie stock and not a meat stock because it will deepen the flavor. Green onions, squash, broccoli, bell pepper scraps, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, asparagus. Anything that is not molding or decaying (let’s not confuse making stock with compositing here).  

I tend to keep my animal scraps in the freezer. This is both because they keep longer, but also because it saves room in the fridge. You can use any animal scraps, but I try to stick to bone and meat. It is up to you if you are just making generic stock, or if you want to specify an animal and keep them separate. Some people just make ‘stock’ if you eat enough meat and are using things regularly enough or have a particular left over you want to use that is fine too. Save all the casings from your seafood as you prep it and make “seafood broth” any time we have a bird of any kind I boil the carcass. “Duck,” “Turkey,” “Goose,” Even rotisserie chicken. The fattier the animal, the more flavor.  

So there’s the concept. Let’s get down to ratio and process. Below is the basic ratio. You can scale it up or down if need be. You can also technically increase the amount of “boiler” to water if you want to for fuller flavor, but it’s really not necessary. 

1 Gallon water 

4 Cups Boiler 

Put your water and filler into a large pot. Bring to a boil. Let boil until meat is broken down and veg is soft. For a small batch this can be roughly an hour. For a higher gallonage this can take up to 7 hours. IF you choose to season your stock, do so at the end as the seasoning will change as it cooks. I tend to not add salt and pepper as I prefer to do so when I cook, and you don’t want to end up with a final product that is too salty. Strain and store in an airtight container. 

*** A note on the ‘boiler’ section: This is at your discretion. If you are completely an herbivore, then this can be 100% plant matter. If you are using an animal element you can play with the ratios as you like. I tend to prefer that 75% of my boiler portion be animal because I want the fattiness as a base for a lot of dishes, but you can do 50% or even less if that’s what you have available and you will still get a functional and flavorful stock.  

**** stock can also be cooked down into a fattier and more concentrated form before straining (if you are making an animal stock it will kind of gelatinize as it cools). This can make it easier to store and then you will just dilute it with water before using.  

Have Fun and get cooking!  

All the best, 

Mikaela 

Hey fellow crafters! 

I am switching gears a little bit today. I want to do a video on loom knitting basics but before we get to that I want to go over why loom knitting is so awesome, some of the tools you might want, and what you can make.  

I am not going to lie… when I was first knitting, I saw loom knitting as cheating or the easy way out. But I also have a policy of: 

“Don’t knock it till you try it!” 

So, I waddled my happy ass down to an art store and purchased my first kit. I can proudly say I am now hooked (pun intended).  

Why? 

Loom knitting quicker, easier to learn for beginners and easier on one’s hands for the elderly, disabled, or arthritic. If you have trouble keeping count of your stitches, I also find that loom knitting is easier to keep track of.  

What can you stitch on a loom?  

Beanies? Check.  

Scarves? Check.  

Bags? Check.  

Blankets? Check.  

Socks? Check.  

Sweaters? Check.  

The point is that anything you can get a knitting pattern for, you can also do on a loom. You can do a knit or purl stitch. The only thing to consider is that you will need to doctor a knitting pattern a bit as loom knitting is always knitting the right side (RS) and regular knitting, every other line is the wrong side (WS) so you need to convert those lines to be the opposite/ backwards.  

What do you need for your project?   

1. Yarn- this seems obvious. 
2. Either your hands or a pen- your hands also seem obvious BUT if you want to speed things up and maybe save your self a hand cramp, I saw a trick online that I love. Take the tip and inside of/out of a pen so you just have a tube (I suppose you could also use something like a straw), thread your yarn through it and literally act like you are drawing with the yarn around the pegs. If you have loom knitted, you know what I am talking about. If not… I will show you when I get to the video.  
3. A pick- you use this to throw stitches over the pegs and create the stitches. The kits come with a pick that looks like a handle with a little metal hook on the end to grab the yarn. If you bought your loom second hand though it may be missing AND I have noticed that those get broken AND they also tend to give me hand cramps over time. Knot as bad as regular knitting but like 3 hours in I can feel it.  I would recommend splurging on one at a craft store that has a bigger and/or cushier handle. I also saw someone use the cricut tool to help clean up cuts that looks like a hook and confess that I will be trying that soon. It looks comfy since it has a longer handle.  
4. A loom- Now THIS is what I was trying to get to because there are different types of looms.  

What types of looms are there and what are they for? 

So I should say first that each of them can be used for multiple things. For example, I have used the smallest circular loom to make tiny hats, stockings, mittens, ‘sponges’, and a placemat. Just because it is circular does not mean you have to knit in the round; you can do a flat piece.  And using the long rectangular looms you can make a flat piece, a circular piece like a hat or get a double layered effect.  

There are 4 main types on these looms:  

Circular Loom– These can and are mostly used to do flat panels, sponges, stockings, mittens, placemats, coasters, hats, bags and even sweaters. Most kits come with 4 standard sizes. The smallest size is mostly for preme baby hats, dish scrubbies, mittens, and little stockings. The next size up would be more like regular baby sized hats or a scarf. The next size up from that would be for adult hats, smaller bags, scarves and the like. The large one is technically a bit large for beanies, but I like it for slouchy beanies. It is also a great size for sweater parts and bags. 

Rectangular Loom– These can also be used to do beanies but it’s better to leave that to the circle and focusing on something else. These are great for sweaters, scarves, double knitting, and some blankets. I also find them easier to store in my drawers when organizing so I think they are a powerhouse.  

Sock Loom– You make socks with this.  Duh.

Infinity or Afghan Loom– This is really just a large rectangular loom but it was big enough they folded it into an infinity sign so that you can knit a larger item; like an Afghan.  

I plan in the near future to do a video showing how to get started and to make a beanie in the round vs making something flat like a pot holder. I am mid way through a move but I have several projects lined up so that we can work along. Anything I will be teaching could be applied to any of the 4 types of looms so why don’t you locate a couple supplies are work along with me next month?

Thank for stopping by,

Taylor