u/anonsmileyface

Hi all. I usually just lurk here. I’ve recently gotten into wearing jewelry and wanted some insight. My Google searches only get me so far.

It seems that the market is inundated with people/companies representing themselves as fine jewelers specializing in goldsmithing and gems. There’s no way that everyone is as reputable as they represent (right?)

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had any tried-and-true recommendations for online fine jewelers that you can purchase quality jewelry in genuine gold and silver. A plus for ethical sourcing of gold and gems. I wear mostly gold jewelry: necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.

For example, I’ve purchased items from sellers on Etsy (after a lot of vetting), Polamai, and babygold. Any recommendations or hidden gems (pun intended) you’re willing to share?

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: pls don’t gatekeep! 🫶 promote the craftspeople whose work you admire or enjoy. ☺️

Hello! I’m in the Tampa area and would like a lettering tattoo, old english style, but I don’t want to go to just anyone. I have a lot of illustrative blackwork, so not necessarily looking for a traditional style artist unless they can do some crisp lettering.

My main concern is can they pull clean lines? Can they pack the color correctly? Are they comfortable with darker skin tones?

I’ve walked into a shop before and it was disappointed with the outcome. I would like to avoid having the experience again. Lol, open to suggestions of artists, studios, shops that accept walk-ins or appointment only.

Thanks in advance!

sigh, i just need to get this written down. i’m a bit of a wallflower here but absolutely a person with bipolar 2, diagnosed a few years ago. it explained so many of my actions and behaviors during my late teens and 20s.

sometimes i feel so alone in this disorder because of a fundamental lack of understanding of it. when i open up to my partner about my indicators of mania/depression and how symptoms affect me, they say things like, “Well, that happens to me too. Everyone gets a little impulsive and irritable at times.”

i understand that, but it feels dismissive and reductionist? i know my partner cares and wants to help, but they don’t understand. not like me, a person who lives with it. everyone understands depression, but bipolar disorders are largely misunderstood. just venting, but i welcome advice. how do you all navigate similar situations?

relatedly, this is why i think it’s almost always a bad idea to disclose.

does anyone else have this experience? sometimes when im depressed its as if my sex drive is like “hello, remember me? cater to me.” this also happens when hypomanic, but to a greater degree. what is your experience like?