Hello everyone! Here is one of my latest creations. A romantic scene of a tiny man offering a tiny woman a bouquet of flowers. It has been built in a small wristwatch case and is to be worn as a pendant. Enjoy!
My latest piece, a necklace made in a small vintage wristwatch case. Inside is a tiny scene where a man is offering a woman a bouquet of flowers. Behind is the night sky with moon and stars.
Check out my Etsy and Facebook pages to see more of my work
I found out that a few weeks back it was the Simpsons’ 30th anniversary and incidentally I have just finished a private commission for a proposal ring featuring tiny Homer Simpson offering a ring to tiny Marge Simpson.
(no, not the movie - though it is very funny, and we did watch it together)
But this is OUR proposal. Or should I say, Joe’s? Either way, here’s the story, the full version, written mostly by Joe with a couple of comments by me (denoted by *’s).
JOE’S PREFACE: We have spent hours and hours of time in the Dartmouth Prayer Room, many more stargazing, and dozens on various physical or electronic puzzle games. With these in mind, please continue reading…
Where to begin… birth of the universe would be classic, birth of Wei and I would be another great place to start… but perhaps it is best to begin with my foolishness. I recently said to a close friend “I don’t expect you to be married soon… you need to be particularly foolish to make it through a long relationship, since Paul effectively says in Corinthians, ‘Don’t do it unless you have to - it will waste your time.’ You’re too smart/wise to get married soon.” So let’s begin with the 'brilliant Ivy-League student’ being dumb, to prove that I’m ready for this marriage thing. ;-)
*** Whenever Joe tells this story in person, he likes to start with, “Every good proposal starts with the guy being stupid, and ends with the two of them engaged.” ***
It was around March 25th, and I knew May 5th - Wei’s birthday - was just around the corner (those who know their months should now be confused). My grandmother was proposed to on her birthday, and I thought it would be a fun tradition to continue, so I began thinking through the specifics of the proposal I mistakenly thought was scheduled a week and a half later… On March 30th while studying with Wei, my calendar happened to show the next month…
*** The exact wording of our dialogues aren’t entirely accurate, but since this is Joe’s side of the story, I figure I’ll let him tell it how he would like to. ***
Joe: Wei! NEXT MONTH ISN’T MAY!!! Wei: No kidding… Joe: !!! What significant dates are there in the next few weeks? Wei: Umm… let’s think about it…
As it turned out, her Chinese lunar birthday converted into the Gregorian/Western/Christian calendar is April 4th, and there were two other significant dates that we discussed. Wei and I set aside time for an evening out on each day, to prevent it being obvious when I would propose.
Friday April 4th rolled around, and I knew Wei would remember we had a date, so I said nothing that morning and went to class dressed nicely, then prepared a few things in downtown Hanover. Fortunately, my smokescreen worked; at around 2pm Wei texted me:
Wei: Are we doing that date tonight? Should I dress up? Joe: I dunno… I have a meeting for Engs 41… and I’d need to go back and shower if we were going to dress up… :-/ Wei: Well we don't have to…? We could skip it? (pauses) Joe: No we’ve had this planned for a while - I guess we can dress up. I’ll try to rush and pick you up at 5pm.
Meanwhile I’m in Hanover prepping… (hit me up: we can discuss the morality of lying during your proposal sometime. ;-)
PUZZLE no.1 : TIME : 5 minutes.
*** Since from our communications, Joe didn’t seem particularly enthused about our date, I wasn’t particularly ecstatic to get ready. I delayed until about 4pm before I decided I should probably put on something nice. Joe texted me at the same time to say he’d be late… ***
A little past 5pm I went over to her dorm room and informed her that 'since all perfect things come in threes,’ this evening’s activities would be similar. Our evening would consist of 3 sections, each starting after she completed a small logic puzzle I had presumably picked up from Thayer (all lies!). She solved it in about five minutes, then we went to Molly’s (a local restaurant) for our favorite tasty fare of spinach and artichoke dip and chicken carbonara.
*** When Joe first pulled out the puzzles, I noticed that there was a price tag from College Supplies, a store in town, but Joe smoothly covered it by saying that the Thayer School of Engineering’s Deans frequently bought stuff from there for their mini-events for Thayer students. It wasn’t until a couple days later that I found out that I was right, he had gotten them from College Supplies, and that he’d been basically lying to me the entire day. >_< ***
PUZZLE no.2 : TIME : 10 minutes. (+ 1 week)
*** Though I took the puzzle apart in 10 minutes, it took me a full week before I figured out how to put it back together. ***
Post-dinner I gave Wei the second more challenging puzzle, which she spent about ten minutes solving, before we left for dessert. We walked towards the college Green, but then she dashed into the Dartmouth bookstore to avoid the rain and complaining of the cold, unaware that I’d already planned for us to go inside.
*** I sat down, expecting Joe to purchase dessert from the store, or that we would go to Morano Gelato or someplace, but he unexpectedly pulled a box of chocolates from his backpack!
Now, I should be clear: I don’t like most chocolate. I am very picky when it comes to most sweets, actually. Other than perhaps ice cream. The fact that Joe took the trouble to find hand-made chocolates that I would appreciate made me suspicious: this was no usual date.
He even picked up white chocolate (my favorite) from Lake Winnipesaukee to reference our much beloved and often referenced comedy, “What About Bob?” I didn’t get the reference at the time, unfortunately, because I don’t do geography (those of you who know me know this is an understatement), but it served to enforce my sense that tonight was a big night. ***
This is the part where Wei picks up the story… PUZZLE no.2 : TIME : 2 weeks. (+ 3 weeks)
While Joe read jokes from a book, I worked on the last puzzle. Then I read, and Joe worked on the puzzle. We traded again. And again.
Forty-five minutes later we were no closer to a solution, and I think Joe decided not to push the issue, so we left and he took me to the Prayer Room where we’ve spent a lot of time together - particularly early in our relationship. In many ways, I’d say this is where our relationship really started.
*** JOE: We opened the door to a private, meaningful space, and I was ready… but not for the sound of Tim Toh’s voice and guitar belting out from inside along with several friends. Always the pragmatic one of the pair (that’s a joke), Wei suggested we go to Rollins to pray instead, or perhaps down by the river, thinking that one significant location was as good as another, but I insisted that we use the Prayer Room. ***
I even recommended that we go in and pray with everyone, which Joe also adamantly refused. I thought he was nervous, or anxious, or something. But to complicate things, because I’d known that Joe would be busy later, and I figured 4 hours was long enough for a date, I was actually scheduled to work that night and needed to go set up at 8:30pm. We arrived at the Prayer Room at 8pm, and they did not look like they would be done anytime in the near future.
We decided to just ask if I could take some time off from the set-up, so he dropped me off at Collis, where I spoke with my supervisor, and promised to pick me up once the prayer room became free. An hour later, I got a text, and - after running through the rain-drizzle - we were back in the entryway.
At this point, my hyper-analytical mind kicked in. I saw a small box on the bookshelf, and felt very snug, like, “yup, I totally saw this coming” (well, at least after the chocolate). But then I became confused: Why would Joe leave the ring outside the room? Was he going to pretend to not propose, and then suddenly do it upon leaving?
Then he asked me to close my eyes, which I did. Oh, there was something set up! As we walked into the prayer room Joe distinctly said “SHOOT!” followed by “Don’t worry about it…” to which I responded, “What? Did I break something? What did I do? You have to tell me, I can’t see anything…” After assuring me it was fine, he turned off the lights, and my theater instincts kicked in. Intimacy vocal exercises in the dark!
It was the first thing that came to mind. I had no idea what else you would do in the dark that could possibly be related to a proposal…
However, he then asked me to walk over some cushions and then lay down on them, in the dark, and I was a bit weirded out. I thought I was supposed to be standing, and he would be kneeling… Who proposes with the girl on her back? What on earth is he doing? Don’t judge, Wei… it’s his proposal…
Then Joe lay down next to me and asked me to open my eyes.
The ceiling was covered in glow-in-the-dark stars… including constellations that he’d set up using star charts. “I know it’s cold and rainy, but you always wanted to be proposed to under the stars…” (I’d told my sister that my ideal proposal was under the stars, and she’d passed on the hint.)
At this point, I started crying… It was truly one of the sweetest things anyone had ever done for me. After some time finding the constellations and star gazing together, Joe turned on a low light so I could see a bouquet of lilies - my favorite genus of flowers - at the foot of the wooden cross on the wall. I started crying again… “Go look at the box under the flowers, Wei. Or look in the box, rather.”
Through a rather teary haze I looked…
And found nothing. An empty box. Crying and confused, I turned around to see Joe on his knees with the ring. “Will you marry me?” I was sobbing like crazy that this point, and couldn’t find the words, so we hugged, and he continually reminds me that I never technically said yes… I did nod though. =P
Either way, two weeks later, after enlisting the help of several brilliant Dartmouth minds to no avail, I solved the last puzzle, and a week after that, I put it back together, and Joe proposed again, and I said yes, properly.
*** JOE: And here we are, several months later! =D ***
I wanted to take one of my favorite Spinearl comics from last fall and finalize it, since I personally love it so much
By the way Volley’s full question was going to be somewhere along the lines of “Spinel, are you really doing this?..” or whatever
Also- they’re not going to fuse, I made Spinel’s gem glow simply to portray how happy she is!
They’re gonna have a great future together, you guys
This isn’t new but I can’t help but to share it again! It’s Valentine’s Day and I couldn’t really draw anything in time (at the moment), so I’m showing y’all one of my personal favorite romantic fancomics :)
Com a roupa que escolhi para minha namorada usar, era inevitável que ela chegasse ao fim da noite sem receber elogios, propostas indecentes e telefones de outros homens. Já em casa, ela puxou do bolso da calça sete papeizinhos amassados com números de telefone diferentes: “Ah, se eu não fosse uma mulher comprometida… teria sete homens dispostos a comer aqui na minha mão” Enlacei-a pela cintura, puxando-a para junto de mim: “Quando a gente casar, meu amor, você pode ter sete homens te comendo aqui nessa cama… se você quiser” A princípio ela pensou que fosse brincadeira, mas como viu que eu falava sério, enlaçou os braços em meu pescoço: “Hmmm, quer me dividir com outros homens, seu pervertido? Como eu não notei antes?”
“Sexo? É isso que você está me propondo?” perguntou minha amada ao meu amigo que a convidara no meio da tarde para um café. “Sim, só eu e você - não consigo tirar os olhos de você e sei que você me deseja também” ele respondeu. Sem se ofender e com um meio sorriso malcioso, ela contrapôs: “Você sabe que eu sou casada e que amo meu marido, não sabe?”. Colocando a mão sobre a perna dela por baixo da mesa, ele responde: “Sei, sim. Admiro seu marido e não quero tirar você dele. Só quero te conhecer intimamente, seu corpo, seu cheiro… só quero um pouquinho dessa mulher encantadora que você é”. Ela larga a taça de café e pousa a mão sabe a dele: “Só sexo. Promete?”
Two weeks ago, John helped Rose move into her new flat. Today, they’re about to meet for the first time. In which Rose’s faulty memory gives them a second chance at a first meeting.
This is for @doctorroseprompts prompt of the Doctor helping Rose move into her new flat, but Rose not remembering that meeting at all. It is also based on the way my parents met, and is dedicated to them on the occasion (last Sunday) of their 40th wedding anniversary.
Thanks to @lastbluetardis for looking over my early draft and helping me with a few things.
John froze just inside the laundry room door when he realised the room was already occupied. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Rose Tyler, or resented time spent with her. The exact opposite, actually. He’d met Rose the day she moved in and been instantly smitten with her.
Her teasing smile and warm greeting when he’d bumped into her on the stairs as she carried a load of things to her new flat had drawn him in. Before he knew it, he’d shelved his own admittedly lacklustre plans for the day in favour of helping her move in.
Over the next few hours, he’d discovered that in addition to being gorgeous, Rose was clever with a sharp wit that more than matched his own. They’d traded so many jokes and puns that her mum had muttered something under her breath about “not knowing she was there for comedy hour.”
It had been the best day of his month, but apparently it hadn’t made any impact on Rose at all. He hadn’t seen her for the rest of the week, and when they bumped into each other on the stairs the next weekend, she’d simply nodded at him, then walked past him to collect her post.
These are the photographs I treasure most. This was the surprise proposal for my best friend and maid of honour, at Leeds Castle, Kent. Hiding in the centre of the maze for them to arrive hiding behind a large rock was difficult but managed to get the moment, then proceeded to congratulate them, of course, and follow them around the grounds for what turned out to be a wonderful shoot and captured their favourite images to date.
Asked by Nick and Charlotte to capture their official engagement party, such a fantastic night regardless of the bitter weather outside! The party was a great night with the alcohol flowing and almost everyone being lifted up and dancing into the morning.
Because you are my happiness. This photo was taken by @jack_bai_ph as part of the surprise proposal for me and @uhmanduhjoh I wish I could go back to this moment and relive that day. . . @prilaga #italy_vacations #proposals #vloggerlife #motovlogger #photographer #photographylover #italytrip #prilaga #proposal #photographerlife #photographyislifee #photography #theproposal #italy #beautyvlogger #italy #marriageproposal #photographers #vloggers #travelvlogger #photographers_of_india #weddingproposal #bridesmaidproposal #photographysouls #italya #photographylife #vlogger #italyiloveyou #photographers_tr https://www.instagram.com/p/Bsmamv2lfrn/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=vprggbcgiarb
I remember the first day I met you. You looked at him with glittering eyes and a smile that was so very enchanting.
The distance between you and him was less than a foot. It looked as if you two were so close to kissing one another, but the two of you were holding back in such a gentle manner. At first, he looked nervous looking at you, but when he saw you smile, he couldn’t help but smile back.
I completely understood why he couldn’t hold back his smile. And you said the words he patiently and nervously waited for.
“Yes.” A soft whisper from your pink lips. “Yes. Yes, Damian. I would love to marry you.” You reiterate, the softness of your words and gaze oddly suffocating for me. It seemed your heart was going to burst from happiness. And oddly enough, I was afraid.
You gazed at me with those gentle violet eyes as you felt the coolness of the metal on your ring finger. You were so ecstatic, so happy that one day you will be called his wife. I could see it in your eyes. The smile not fading even once. You look at him, violet eyes meeting green. Under the sun, it felt as though the sunlight had turned and settled around you two like glittering orbs.
The two of you were a couple that was blinding.
That was the kind of effect you two had towards one another. And, as it was my first time seeing such a thing, it was quite honestly breath-taking.
Your fingers holding his jawline as if you were afraid to put too much force on him. His fingers at the base of your back as he pulled you into his embrace. The smiles you two gave did not waver one bit as the distance between your lips closed.
The kiss looked quite soft and I assume it resonated the kind of love you two shared. It was pure and gentle and yet, so very firm.
So, you probably wouldn’t understand how confuse and hurt I felt when your love turned stale. When the arguments came more often and it started to get louder. This was probably why I was afraid for you. But that fear wasn’t just for you, it was also for him and maybe, just a little bit, for me.
“Raven…” He would call out to you, and you would turn your back towards him. And you would stand there unmoving in his living room.
I had forgotten that I had felt fear the first time I met you Raven. Because I think I had settled into the thought of you two being a happy couple. I had seen it myself, the kind of connection you two had. It was special. But now looking back, I probably should have been more mindful.
Now looking back, I wish you had changed your answer. Then maybe things would be different.
“Damian, just please tell me if I did something wrong.” You beg him. You miss the look on his face because your back was facing him. And I could tell that he was hurt. It was raw and it was clear, he was aching so much.
“You did nothing wrong, beloved.” He whispers to you as he embraces you from behind. I did not understand why you two would become like this. I still recall so vividly how you two were after you said ‘Yes’.
“Then why is it that we are no longer the same?” You wept onto your hands and he buried his face on your shoulder. “Why is it that I can feel you have changed. You’ve become colder.”
I would like to know so too. I listened so patiently for a response, and maybe perhaps, a conclusion to all these arguments. I still had hoped that you two would fix this. I waited and I waited, but I heard nothing.
And then one day, I heard you tell him. “Maybe it’s better if we call it off.”
He looked so heart-broken when you said that, mirroring the exact same expression you had on your face.
I did not understand.
I could not understand.
It clearly hurt for both of you, so why did you say that Raven? And since it hurt, didn’t that mean you two still love each other? So please make me understand.
Why are you two like this?
“You’re not serious right?” He asks, his voice was barely audible as it broke within the walls of the living room. I found it ironic that it was called the living room, and these past few days it seemed that you both were not even alive—not living. His knees were shaking as he looked like he wanted to let his knees give in at what you had just said. And you refused to look at him. You gripped your arm so tightly whilst avoiding his gaze.
I wish you knew that it hurt me too.
It’s clear to me that you two still love one another. Why can’t the two of you see it? I wanted to intervene so badly and just make you two see clearly, that you two still love each other, like that day I met you.
But, how could I? Even though, I wanted you both to be happy together, I knew that this was necessary. At least I felt that this was something that would do you two good. Or maybe in the very least I hoped this would do you two good and that you will still find your way to one another.
“We are just not in the same place anymore.” She says. And all I can really do was hope.
Hope for the better for you and him. And I would often recall the happiness you two shared when you said ‘Yes’.
Every waking moment when you two were near each other, could rival the intensity of the Sun. There was no such thing as sadness and frowns when you see one another. There was always an uplifting aura when you two are together. And it also felt like there was a crackling of lightning in the space, because your connection was undeniable and couldn’t be restrained.
Both your hands kept finding one another as if one could not breath if the other wasn’t skin close. And when you two haven’t seen each other for even just an hour, and you find yourselves beside one another, it was like giving water to a man who was left in a desert for days.
Looking back at that kind of relationship you two had. It made my confusion on the current matter lessen. You two were a couple that was blinding after all—that it hurt. But I still had hope that you and him would still get married. Because if you don’t, I don’t know what I would feel or should feel at this point.
“We can work this out.” He tells you firmly, but I could tell that he was losing hope. And I continued to wait.
“I really didn’t do anything wrong.” He told you. Your back this time is still turned away from him. By your feet were two duffle bags.
“Then why does it feel like you no longer love me.” You couldn’t help but say in such a weak whisper, my heart ached and his must have too. But now the table has turned, I believe him.
You see, the other day he had came to me. He looked reluctant, but he approached me. And I thought that you two had forgotten about me. And I know I have heard you two say you will try and work it out multiple times already, but one of you finally came back to me.
And I was so happy.
He told me what was really in his mind.
“I love her, that hasn’t changed.” He says reaching out to hold me, but instead he found himself kneeling before me and wept. Not even touching me. “It’s me who has changed. I’m scared she won’t like what she sees anymore.”
And that was it. That was what has changed, that was what you kept asking about Raven.
And I wanted to tell him that you two have already reached a point where your relationship will shatter before the marriage. So, why do you continue to be afraid. Tell her now, before it is too late.
You should tell her.
But you kept your mouth shut. And you let her walk away. And I see how painful it was for you to let her go. And I felt—angry.
You would pace around your apartment and would come back less often until eventually you just never came. And she never came back. And my world became so dark.
I was just something anyone could forget, so it seemed. Despite your relationship turning out this way, I will remain sparkling in contrast to the dark turn of your love. Left at the spot where you left me on the first night that you accused him of changing. I will remain sturdy and clear as a diamond should, wishing that that was how your love should have been.
I would recall being apart of the happiness you two shared before all of this, to try and forget the loneliness in the present. I would hope that somehow you two will still gravitate towards each other. I would hope to be worn again on your finger as you walk down the aisle. I would hope that I could see again that scene when I first met you. When he gave me to you.
And while I wait on the same spot where you left me Raven, my sparkle will not fade.
I did not know how many days passed, but one day the door to his apartment was opened. And I was extremely excited. And you walked in Raven. You looked serene. And you approached me, and I was so happy.
You picked me up with a faint smile. I thought you had forgotten me. And you slipped me back on your ring finger. And I felt so elated. There were footsteps behind you and you turned around.
And it felt as though I had gone back into time. This was what I was waiting for. You gaze at Damian the way you did the first time I met you, and he mirrored you to perfection. The connection and love between you two were strong, and both your feet gravitate towards one another.
It really was like I had gone back in time.
Finally. You two have returned.
I recall when I first met him. He looked so anxious, so very nervous.
In front of him laid many, many different kinds of rings. When his green eyes met a certain ring, the anxiety slowly shimmered down. And I knew then, he had found the right ring. And to my surprised it was me.
When the lady asked about the woman you planned to give me to, I remember with great fondness how your nervousness completely dissipated. You described her so beautifully that I was so excited to finally meet her, your Raven.
You said I was perfect, for the most perfect woman you had the opportunity of meeting.
She stood in front of you near the entrance door of your apartment. And she wraps her arms around your neck. And I saw clearly, the same look you had when you described to the sales lady about your future wife, the same look when she said ‘Yes’.
The first time I met either of you, you both had the same expression on your faces.
Finally, you two have returned.
(FIN)
Author’s Note:
I’ve been wanting to write this since July, it was something different for me. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I would love some feedback!
Did anyone expect that it would be an object’s POV?
