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Nicola Black

@nicolablack.bsky.social

530 followers 370 following 1.9K posts

Design, history, knitting, genealogy, gardening, hiking, self-employment, cooking, baking, outdoors. 👩🏻‍💻Ethical Creative Director & Design Strategist: https://nicolablack.com 🚀Community: https://joinwip.com

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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · Feb 18

Work in Progress applications are OPEN! 🥳 If you're running a one-person business and are looking for your people, this is for you! Apply today at www.joinwip.com

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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 16h

I added her name to the alt text, but this is Emily Tull. An incredibly talented thread painter artist. I was in awe with her work. Beautiful.

Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 16h

Been watching “Portrait Artist of the Year” in the evenings (good if you’re looking for something relaxing to enjoy). This hair clip made an appearance. I need it. It was the perfect accessory as she was being seriously interviewed about her process and work. 😄

A screenshot from Portrait Artist of the Year of artist, Emily Tull saying, “Um, yeah.” She is wearing a thinking word bubble hair clip with “I?” inside. It’s perfect.

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Reposted by Nicola Black

Present & Correct @presentcorrect.bsky.social · 21h

Annual PSA. The chemistry of Autumn leaves.
www.compoundchem.com/2014/09/11/a...

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Reposted by Nicola Black

Dwuff 🇿🇦✨ @dwuff.com · 22h

To clarify: this person is gathering information to motivate for better regulation of AI. I'm not sure if they'll be talking to legislators directly or submitting a paper as part of a larger body of research, but they are esp interested in the harms it causes. Testimonies welcome.

Dwuff 🇿🇦✨ @dwuff.com · 1d

Friends: I have a potential contact who's looking into AI regulation. Please share your personal experiences losing work to AI, hearing of others losing work to AI, AI infiltrating your workplace/affecting work flow/income, etc. Also pls share any posts/articles you know of on its negative impacts.

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bleary @bleary.off-the-records.com · 2d

If anyone needs me I will be in the museum, lying down next to the bog bodies.

Did people really memorize phone numbers before cell phones, or is that just a movie thing?
2? Questions
I was watching some old shows from the 90s and noticed people would just dial numbers from memory - like they'd call their friends or family without looking anything up.
Made me wonder if that was actually normal back then? Did people genuinely have all their important numbers memorized, or did most folks keep a little address book or written list nearby?

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Victoria Rose Richards @aerialembroidery.bsky.social · 2d

I've been picking out past designs for a dozen postcard designs and here are a few of the chosen ones! I'm picking out quite a range of my aerial embroidery landscapes from the past few years, its been great to go back and see them all :) which of the 4 below are you most drawn to?

A tilted photo of an embroidered aerial-view landscape. It depicts a rocky moorland scene with shrubs, a brook and boulders made of painted pine bark.

An embroidered aerial-view landscape depicting late summer agricultural fields. The woodland area in the centre has dirt paths running through.

An embroidered aerial-view landscape depicting cherry blossoms and an orchard, all cut through with dirt roads.

A tilted photo of an embroidered aerial-view landscape. It depicts a geometric rose garden with a fountain in the centre made from a repurposed clock cog.

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Reposted by Nicola Black

Julia Lundman 🎃 @paintkatt.bsky.social · 3d

Some pumpkin guys 🎃

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Tammi, yeah, that one. 2.1 @tammi.bsky.social · 3d

I found a 19th century Cat Villain!

A huge chonk of a fluffy cat sitting on a table near an open fire. The cat is cream and grey and appears to be shaped like a barrel in a fur coat. They are scowling fiercely with their moustache and bewhiskered ears apparently flowing back into the cold wind. There's a definite vibe that this villainous cat twirls their moustache as they evict orphans into the aforementioned blizzard and think Scrooge was an easy-going lightweight. They are magnificent.

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Nicole aka Nimasprout @nimasprout.bsky.social · 4d

TLDR my shop sale is still going on

Nicole aka Nimasprout @nimasprout.bsky.social · 6d

Valid this week only, use code "ACORN" for 20% off your entire order in my shop 🫶

Prints, originals, cards, stickers,.bookmarks and more!!!

nimasprout.shop

Print with purple poppy flowers and magical shool

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Reposted by Nicola Black

Rachel Deering @racheldeering.bsky.social · 4d

From American Spiders and Their Spinning Work, Henry C Cook.

The image is a scientific illustration from the late 19th century, specifically from a work titled "American spiders and their spinningwork". It depicts the web structure of an orchard spider.
The illustration is labeled "FIG. 143."
It shows a "Section of foundation lines and orb of the Orchard spider."
The web is shown at "Natural size."

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Reposted by Nicola Black

Maddy Bellwoar @maddybellwoar.com · 25d

Another mushroom studies page in gouache 🌿🍄✨

Photo shows a sketchbook sitting open on a wooden desk, surrounded by painting supplies such as paint tubes, brushes, and a palette. The page displays 5 gouache painting studies of different types of mushrooms growing locally in the Netherlands.

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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 3d

Sometimes, you just need a little bread, cheese, fruit, and honey. 🍎 🍞🧀🍯

Crusty, white home-baked bread topped with mozzarella, apple, honey, salt and pepper.

Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 5d

😂 I miss you, friend.

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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 5d

Matt.

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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 5d

Tried acryla gouache for the first time today. It’s gonna take some getting used to, but it’s fun! I’m enjoying it so far.

A leaf on a page with two in-progress acryla gouache painted versions.

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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 5d

Dinner tonight was a delicious squash curry w/chickpeas, mushrooms, and kale. Topped with roasted butternut squash seeds. So good! 😊

Closeup of squash curry in a white bowl.

Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 5d

It's so decadent. 😋

Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 5d

Frosty morning! ❄️

Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 6d

What a cool project! Looks like they've been providing free, non-commercial maps made by locals for European travelers since 2005. use-it.travel

USE-IT Europe | Free maps, made by locals

USE-IT provides maps made by young locals, not commercial, free and up-to-date. We are a European network of young map-makers sharing the best of tips to help you act like a local in our cities.

use-it.travel

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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 6d

Woke up this morning and put all but two of these into the freezer to stash. They're incredible! But there's no way I'm keeping them in my fridge to taunt me. A good dessert (or sweet breakfast if that's your thing) to have on hand.

...having one w/my coffee this chilly morning. It's so f'n good.

Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 7d

This should be illegal. Pumpkin cinnamon rolls. 🥹🎃🍞

A pumpkin cinnamon roll dripping with icing on a white plate.

Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 7d

Super happy with how these turned out! A few pics of the process. First time making them. They’re probably a once a year thing cause… these are LOADED! 😄

Pumpkin cinnamon rolls, before baking, getting ready for their 2nd proof.

Baked pumpkin cinnamon rolls. Walnuts were added to top during the bake.

Homemade vanilla icing in a plastic container on the kitchen counter.

Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 7d

This should be illegal. Pumpkin cinnamon rolls. 🥹🎃🍞

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Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 7d

Pita bread baked! For the first four, I thought I'd go faster w/two sheets (of two) in the oven. Big mistake. I know better! 😅 Air circulation is a MUST for the puff! Luckily, they still separate with a little help. The last batch, however, puffed up perfectly using one baking sheet at a time. 👍

a batch of pita pockets lined up side by side in a plastic container.

Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 7d

Same! I'm thankful for the case study and process that Gretel provided. Seems like they had a lot of fun with it.

Nicola Black @nicolablack.bsky.social · 7d

Of course! I had to go digging after seeing it. 🙂 It's always interesting reviewing process behind a refresh. I do enjoy the nod to the 1938 logo. Always a fan of incorporating a bit of history/roots if and when it makes sense.

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