I know you can use food coloring and alcohol to make edible paints, but I have a specific gold paint that I bought that I want to use on some gum paste elements. However, I am worried that it will make them soften. I’ve attached a picture of the ingredient list if that helps.
One thing I’ve noticed from being in this sub and from doing collages for brown-eyed people is that brown eyes really don’t get much love. And it’s weird, because there is just as much variation in color/tone for brown eyes as there is for blue/green/hazel/etc. But for brown eyes, people seem to dismiss them so easily as “just brown,” as if there is only one shade of it.
Anyway, I love my brown eyes. They’re a little slice of autumn golden hour 🤎🍂🌞
I really struggled with smoothing the buttercream on this one, until I decided to give up and embrace the texture because real sharks have sandpaper skin and battle scars 😅
Hi all,
I am making my niece’s cake for her sleeping beauty themed birthday. She sent me this photograph as the design inspiration. I will be making it my own in some ways, but I really like the ruffle texture between the scrollwork on the bottom tier and I’m hoping to incorporate that. I’ve made a lot of cakes, but I don’t usually do hardly any piping work. I bought a set of ruffle tips, but I am wondering which one would be the best one to use and how best to go about achieving that look. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
I’ve been making a ton of eye collage pictures for everyone and have really been enjoying trying to get some nuanced color matching and create an aesthetic for each person. it’s really interesting to see what colors are truly in someone’s iris, versus what colors they give off in combination. Sometimes when I first look at an eye picture, what I think I need to search for color-wise actually ends up being totally different than the final colors I end up using. Really interesting stuff, and eyes are SO much more complex than the very narrow groups of colors we assign them!
I want to do my own again, I did it previously with a sub par photo that the colors were skewed on from me trying to brighten it. This is the clearest shot I’ve been able to get of my eye. Of course in all reality they just look a medium brown 90% of the time, but I think I see (from center to outside), brown, gold, olive green, and maybe even some gray? Curious what you all think, I will be back with my own collage soon!
Edit: This is a repost, I accidentally deleted my previous post like a moron, which is such a bummer because somebody had left such a great comment on it about the colors and lighting!
I really enjoyed making my own, (prior recent post, didn’t want to spam it again) and just did this one for someone else- send me yours!
EDIT: As best as you can, try to get a picture that shows your whole iris! Otherwise either your eyelids will be in the picture, which dampens the artistic effect, or i have to crop in really close which usually ends up cutting out some of the color variations on the outside.
I decided to go all nature inspired because that’s my jam 💚🤎
I just learned Torbie is a thing…this is our little spay and release fail named Ducky. Is she a Torbie? Do we need more pics?
Being hot is exhausting. And I know people are going to come at me with the “steak too juicy” comments. But I’m being serious. There is so much PRESSURE that comes when you are an objectively very attractive person. Now, I’m not saying I’m like Gal Gadot over here. But I know that 9.5/10 people “would.” I turn heads everywhere. I swear I’m not trying to be vain, just honest. I have difficulties in the inside realm that balance the scales, trust me (AuDHD, trauma, and MH so yeah. I’m not saying I’m perfect or anything. Just attractive packaging). Yes, I’m working on my mental health, don’t worry, this is purely a rant not a cry for help.
Anyway, being very attractive, there’s pressure for a lot of reasons. I feel like I have to always be hot, like I’m always striving to stay in that realm. I worry about my appearance, my weight, about people seeing me look like a gremlin in public, I worry as I’m getting older that I might lose my attractiveness. Whereas I feel like if I knew that there was just no way I was ever going to be a 10, I could be happier and less stressed being like a solid 6. But instead I feel like I obsess sometimes over the small imperfections that keep me from being a solid 10.
Friendships can be hard. Other women can be jealous and catty - a lot of my closer friends tend to be men. But men can’t seem to actually be just friends, and it makes me wonder if the friendships were ever real for them. I’ve had male friends who I really valued their friendship at the time, but they crossed the line and I had to end those friendships. I can see it happening with a current male friend of mine, and I’m genuinely so sad over it, I’m trying my best to shut it down subtly and preserve the friendship because I really don’t want to lose this one. But no matter how much I friend zone, the crush bleeds through and he ends up flirting. Knowing I’m married.
It makes you doubt people’s intentions a lot. I feel like people also tend to underestimate my intelligence or not want to take me seriously at first. Being a very intelligent person in a highly intellectually demanding field of work, that gets old really quickly, ESPECIALLY since my industry is male dominated and I’m already underestimated by virtue of being a woman, and a small one.
That’s not to say that I don’t acknowledge that being attractive comes with its own type of privilege too. Of course I know it does. But again, this is just my rant that sometimes, I wish I was just an average looking person so appearance wasn’t such a significant part of my life.
EDIT:
I guess I should have made it more clear in my post- my life does not revolve around my looks. I have a very fulfilling career, a happy marriage, a mini zoo/jungle of pets and plants that brings me a lot of joy, and plenty of artistic and creative endeavors. Despite a recent scare, I also have my health (ish). This was literally just a rant about one issue in a vacuum. I took to Reddit because no matter how you frame it, I know it’s going to elicit an eye roll from most, so it’s not something I’d talk to friends/family about.
A couple years ago, we found a bearded dragon in our neighborhood and ended up keeping him after we couldn’t find any owners. His name is Puff. He was in pretty bad shape and I nursed him back to health. A few of our neighbors knew about that, it’s a pretty social neighborhood.
So about 8 months later, there was a knock on the door while I was at work, and my wife answered. Our neighbor hands her a box saying, “Hey, I found your lizard, it must have gotten out again.” She didn’t realize this wasn’t actually our lizard, but a NEW one (we suspected now they were dumped by another family that used to live nearby).
Long story short, we ended up keeping her too. Her name was Clementine. But it quickly became apparent that she was pretty ill. She also had a very large mass in her abdomen. I took her to the vet, but we ultimately decided the cost of doing all the blood work and imaging and everything was too much for a pet that we never asked for, and decided to just give her the best life we could and some basic deworming/stool softener. She made it for over a year now, and seemed at least fairly happy. I hope.
This morning, she passed. I could tell she was deteriorating rapidly, and I knew it would be soon. She’s never been a very healthy dragon, but the past few days were different.
I’m feeling sad and a lot of guilt. I did grow to enjoy her little personality, she made me laugh, so it hurts of course. But I’m also struggling with feeling like I should have done more. Or maybe euthanized sooner when it was clear she was probably never going to thrive. I know we gave her a home but was she just suffering this whole time? If anyone has any similar experiences or anything to share I’d love to hear it. Even if it’s criticism, please be kind (I know that can be a lot to ask on Reddit, but trust, I already feel bad).
My almost 8-year-old Aspen started limping about 2 weeks ago. I checked her over, nothing in her paw, no obvious injury or wound. She and our Doberman always roughhouse, and I figured she might have strained something and monitored her, kept her activity level down, and she seemed to improve.
However, yesterday they were in the yard and began to play, but Aspen made a pained noise and then immediately refused to bear any weight at all on the injured leg, holding it up and hopping.
I was able to get her into the vet this morning, and they did x-rays. The vet said that obviously a ligament issue can’t be seen on an x-ray, but with the way the injury progressed suddenly and the position of her knee and swelling seen on x-ray, she believes it is at least a partial CCL tear, likely a full tear. We are looking at options, and I’m curious what others’ experiences have been.
Surgery is estimated around 6-7k. Financially we can do it, but obviously I’d prefer not to for the obvious monetary but also safety reasons, if it’s avoidable. From what I’m reading so far it seems like for large heavy breeds, the TPLO surgery is the only realistic and likely way to achieve true recovery. Then there’s the high likelihood of her tearing the other leg, apparently. Plus meniscus injuries if it’s not already there.
I’d love to hear about your experiences both surgical and non-surgical, and what led you to choose what treatments for your babies!
Here’s some photos of the patient for tax purposes 🧡
I had a great time designing and drawing my first coloring page that I posted the other day, so I decided to try my hand at another one. This one is not drawn in a color by number style, and I think I’m going to enjoy it more that way. Excited to color this in! ☺️
This is my first finished coloring page as an adult! I am currently healing from major surgery and there’s not a whole lot that I can do. I was looking into buying a coloring book, but decided to just try drawing my own! I sketched it out with a pencil, then went over all the final lines with black sharpie. I originally designed it as more of a color by number, which I had been doing digitally on apps, but when I started coloring, I really enjoyed doing the gradient style so it kind of evolved.
This is Kiara Sky Medium Pink dip powder with Una Gella clear almond tips. The cat eye polish is two coats of Gaoy 1433. The first coat I used the magnet to remove all the sparkle, to have it as just the translucent color base for a little more coverage. Then did the classic oval on the second coat.
Hi all,
I’ve gotten some great insight and feedback and support from this community, so I just wanted to pay that forward. I am now on day six post-op from an open abdominal myomectomy with a vertical incision. My surgeon removed six fibroids, the largest of which was approximately 15 cm. I’m happy to answer any questions that anyone may have!
I had open myo yesterday, 6 fibroids removed, the largest of which was 15cm. Day one I was on IV Dilaudid, and pain was fairly well managed until later in the evening. I started getting very bloated and gassy, and it just keeps getting worse. I’ve been walking, chewing gum, all the things that encourage, they’re giving me medicine for it (like a gas-x) but it doesn’t seem to be helping. My abdomen is so distended and I’m so uncomfortable. I managed to pass a little gas once, but that’s it. I will happily accept any and all suggestions!
I have a hefty 12-13 lb boy. Not overweight at all, he’s actually long and lean, just a big boy. But when he jumps, he lands SO heavy on his feet! It feels silly to worry about it, but we have wood floors, and I worry over time he will cause himself joint issues. Is that a thing? Does it just sound heavier than it is? I’ve had cats before and idk, he just sounds like he lands harder.
I know this is long, but this is quite a complicated situation.
I’m a 35 year old woman. About four months ago, I started feeling a weird mass in my lower abdomen. At first I thought maybe just constipation or something, and it seemed to go away, so I ignored it, but then a month later I felt it again and it felt bigger. Long story short, I ended up going to my doctor, who seemed very concerned and told me that if anything got worse before he was able to get me in for some Imaging, that I should go to the ER.
I ended up going to the ER, they did imaging and found about eight different masses in my uterus, ovaries, and in my liver as well. And not small masses, anywhere from golf ball to grapefruit sized. The ER doctor tried to give me the news gently, but said at this point it very much looks like cancer.
I went in for a follow up with my primary care doctor the next day, and same thing. He told me he was very sorry, but there was a less than 5% chance that it was NOT cancer. Based on the fact it was already in my liver, as well as my uterus and ovaries, that would put it at stage four, and all initial signs and symptoms pointed at ovarian cancer.
I was devastated, bewildered, and terrified. But I was also prepared to fight. My life became a whirlwind of doctor’s appointments. At my first appointment with hepatic oncology, she also told me it IS cancer, we just need to confirm what kind. I suddenly had a team of multiple doctors, and I was poked and prodded and scanned within an inch of my life.
The breakdown of the pelvic masses is as follows:
Anterior uterine body (intramural)
2.3 cm
Posterior lower uterine segment (intramural)
1.8 cm
Posterior cul-de-sac (exophytic)
2.4 cm
Left adnexa
5.2 cm
Right adnexa
4.3 cm
Left fundus (exophytic)
6.5 × 5.9 × 9 cm
Right fundus superior (exophytic)
6 × 7 × 8 cm
Right fundus inferior (exophytic)
7.6 × 9.7 × 8 cm
Additional myometrial masses
Not measured
We had to start looking into future planning just in case. All the statistics on stage 4 ovarian cancer were grim. I was researching relentlessly because information is how I deal with things. I even used an app to see what I would look like bald after chemo. My wife was having anxiety attacks, which is something she had never experienced before.
We got to the point of doing biopsies on some of these masses after a lot of different imaging and scans. The liver biopsy came back benign. Eventually, so did a biopsy of one of the masses in my pelvis.
Now they are saying I most likely do NOT have cancer. I have a combination of multiple large fibroids, plus multiple benign masses in my liver (focal nodular hyperplasia). Apparently, it all just looked/behaved exactly like cancer but is all coincidental.
Additionally, the presence of multiple of those specific type of benign masses in the liver is strongly linked to some underlying vascular abnormalities, and there is a strong association with brain tumors (potentially cancerous), as well as aneurysms and other vascular issues. The liver oncologist I am currently seeing did not seem as familiar with this condition as I would like, so I am now seeking a different specialist. I’m not leaving anything to chance. I was the one that had to suggest a brain scan, and thankfully, she agreed, so I’m also waiting for a brain MRI now.
I am just at a loss. My entire world was turned upside down. I thought there was a good chance I was literally dying, and I’m not sure how I’m supposed to go back to any type of semblance of normality now. When we got the results of the biopsies and things were benign, I felt like I should have been overjoyed, but I mostly just felt numb and anxious still. I feel like this anxiety is never going to go away.
All of these masses are taking up so much room inside of me and I’m a very small person to begin with, so I can barely eat more than a couple bites of anything right now, and I am losing weight rapidly. I used to struggle with an eating disorder, and so that is just adding another level of mental struggle on top of everything else. I’m in pain and discomfort and nauseated all the time from all this pressure inside me, I have no strength or stamina, and I have nothing but time on my hands to ruminate in all of it. I love running, and I can’t even do that right now which is one of my biggest mental escapes.
And that constant worry is still there that it actually IS cancer. I’m waiting for updated imaging, because I can feel that these masses have grown rapidly. There are so many masses in there right now, and even the doctors have told me that there is a chance it could have been missed on biopsy, as they only spot checked two of the masses. Surgery is tentatively scheduled for June 29. Preserving fertility is a priority. My surgeon said she plans to only remove the ones outside the uterus (the largest ones). But she identified a total of only 3 on the uterus at my appointment this week, two that were farther away, and said I only had one in the uterine wall (one of the main 3). No mention of the ones in the uterus. I had to go back and check my MRI report because I thought I remembered being told there were some in the uterus as well.
She also is planning to do open myomectomy, said she cannot do it laparoscopically. Not a huge deal, but i’ve seen stories of even larger fibroids than mine being removed laparoscopically which is obviously easier recovery.
Of course, all these plans may change if there’s been significant growth, which it feels like it to me.
Does ANYONE have any insight/suggestions? Should I bring up the intrauterine ones now, or wait for updated imaging? CT, not MRI was ordered, which I know is less detailed.
All of this has put me in such a difficult headspace. I am trying to be grateful and positive, but this has just been an absolutely devastating whirlwind of emotions. If you read this far, thank you for listening to me vent. Everything is still so uncertain, and I am at a loss for how to cope. I could definitely use some encouragement. From the very beginning, I promised myself that I would be strong and brave throughout this process, and for the most part I have been, but it is definitely wearing on me.
I don’t even know exactly why I am posting this other than to just vent. I know it could absolutely be worse and I should be grateful. But I am struggling.
I’m a 35 year old woman. About four months ago, I started feeling a weird mass in my lower abdomen. At first I thought maybe just constipation or something, and it seemed to go away, so I ignored it, but then a month later I felt it again and it felt bigger. Long story short, I ended up going to my doctor, who seemed very concerned and told me that if anything got worse before he was able to get me in for some Imaging, that I should go to the ER.
I ended up going to the ER, they did imaging and found about eight different masses in my uterus, ovaries, and in my liver as well. And not small masses, anywhere from golf ball to grapefruit sized. The ER doctor tried to give me the news gently, but said at this point it very much looks like cancer.
I went in for a follow up with my primary care doctor the next day, and same thing. He told me he was very sorry, but there was a less than 5% chance that it was NOT cancer. Based on the fact it was already in my liver, as well as my uterus and ovaries, that would put it at stage four, and all initial signs and symptoms pointed at ovarian cancer.
I was devastated, bewildered, and terrified. But I was also prepared to fight. My life became a whirlwind of doctor’s appointments. At my first appointment with hepatic oncology, she also told me it IS cancer, we just need to confirm what kind. I suddenly had a team of multiple doctors, and I was poked and prodded and scanned within an inch of my life.
We had to start looking into future planning just in case. All the statistics on stage 4 ovarian cancer were grim. I was researching relentlessly because information is how I deal with things. I even used an app to see what I would look like bald after chemo. My wife was having anxiety attacks, which is something she had never experienced before.
On top of all of this, when they did the initial imaging, they also found that I have two bulging discs in my L4 and L5. I had been having back pain at work for quite a while, it had gotten better when I was temporarily under a different assignment that wasn’t as physically demanding, but I had recently returned to my old assignment and it was getting worse again. So I put in for a Worker’s Comp claim for that, and the doctor felt it was bad enough that she took me off of work completely. I started physical therapy, and that actually made things worse. So now they are sending me to an orthopedic doctor and looking at potentially recommending surgery on my back as well, as it is compressing one of my nerves.
We got to the point of doing biopsies on some of these masses after a lot of different imaging and scans. The liver biopsy came back benign. Eventually, so did a biopsy of one of the masses in my pelvis.
Now they are saying I most likely do NOT have cancer. I have a combination of multiple large fibroids, plus multiple benign masses in my liver (focal nodular hyperplasia). Apparently, it all just looked/behaved exactly like cancer but is all coincidental.
We are currently waiting for a consult with a fertility doctor. I just got married last year, and we were supposed to be trying for our first child this year. Now there’s a good chance I may need a complete hysterectomy. And I want so badly to carry a child.
Additionally, the presence of multiple of those specific type of benign masses in the liver is strongly linked to some underlying vascular abnormalities, and there is a strong association with brain tumors (potentially cancerous), as well as aneurysms and other vascular issues. The liver oncologist I am currently seeing did not seem as familiar with this condition as I would like, so I am now seeking a different specialist. I’m not leaving anything to chance. I was the one that had to suggest a brain scan, and thankfully, she agreed, so I’m also waiting for a brain MRI now.
I’ve been out of work for almost 4 months, and I am just at a loss. My entire world was turned upside down. I thought there was a good chance I was literally dying, and I’m not sure how I’m supposed to go back to any type of semblance of normality now. When we got the results of the biopsies and things were benign, I felt like I should have been overjoyed, but I mostly just felt numb and anxious still. I feel like this anxiety is never going to go away.
All of these masses are taking up so much room inside of me and I’m a very small person to begin with, so I can barely eat more than a couple bites of anything right now, and I am losing weight rapidly. I used to struggle with an eating disorder, and so that is just adding another level of mental struggle on top of everything else. I’m in pain and discomfort all the time, either from my back or all this pressure inside me, I have no strength or stamina, and I have nothing but time on my hands to ruminate in all of it. I love running, and I can’t even do that right now which is one of my biggest mental escapes and I need it.
And that constant worry is still there that it actually IS cancer. There are so many masses in there right now, and even the doctors have told me that there is a chance it could have been missed on biopsy, as they only spot checked two of the masses. They seem to be rapidly growing, which is concerning.
All of this has put me in such a difficult headspace. I am trying to be grateful and positive, but this has just been an absolutely devastating whirlwind of emotions. If you read this far, thank you for listening to me vent. Everything is still so uncertain, and I am at a loss for how to cope. I could definitely use some encouragement. From the very beginning, I promised myself that I would be strong and brave throughout this process, and for the most part I have been, but it is definitely wearing on me.