Monday Moodboard

Hello lovelies,

The month of May is when our peonies usually start blooming and I love to photograph them, but this year they are late. Instead, I have curated a peony-themed mood board. I do love this flower in all variations, but most of all in pink. I hope you enjoy my picks from around the world. Happy Monday!

Click on the links for more info.

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Monday Moodboard

Hello everyone!

I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend. The weather is finally warming up over here. I'm sharing another birthstone mood board. The April birthstone is diamond, which symbolizes eternal love, strength and clarity. If you're a bullet journaler you'll know that diamond shapes are also popular as stamps or stickers. An affordable jewelry alternative and just as lovely is the zirconia, which I have showcased here as a minimalist pendant and Art Deco style earstuds. Besides, these days diamonds are laboratory-grown. They offer a sustainable alternative and are in no way inferior to natural ones. Have a beautiful week!

Click on links below for more info.

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Monday Moodboard

Hello everyone!

If you have not already guessed today's theme - it's "patterns". As a former fabric store owner I love all kinds of patterns, especially polka dots and gingham. I'm known for sporting bags printed with polka dots. Nautical stripes are also a firm favorite. My choices here include fun stripey earrings and a vintage gingham skirt. The scarf with irregular dots is so pretty and the tote bag would be a great choice on market days. Which one is your favorite?

Click on the links below for info.

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Monday Moodboard

Hello lovelies!

I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend. We're in the middle of a cold spell, which is not unusual for my area. Hopefully the temperatures will have warmed up by Easter at the end of the week. And that's the theme for my mood board today. As in previous mood boards I have chosen a pastel palette once again. Enjoy and happy Monday!

Click on links below for more info.

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Monday Moodboard

Hi there!

I can't believe we are nearing the end of March already! I was going to tend to the garden, but I have more pressing issues on my schedule this week. I'm glad we went for a low maintenance garden that can wait another week or two. But I digress...

Today's mood board is inspired by this month's birthstone. Aquamarine symbolizes serenity, courage and harmony and is connected to the moon and carries the healing and calming qualities of the sea. I feel like my chosen items perfectly reflect this. Happy Monday!

Please click on the links below for more info. 

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Monday Moodboard

Hi everyone!

Today's mood board is "the linen edition" in pastels. Linen is a flax-based textile used for home accessories and clothing, which, unlike cotton, dries quickly and thus it's a very popular fashion choice if you live in a hot and humid climate! These days most clothes are a mix of linen and synthetic fibres which prevents creasing and doesn't shrink when washed. I wish they had had those when I lived in Asia! 

Click on the links below for more info on the items. 

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p.s. I've been battling a rather nasty flu - hope to be back to regular blogging soon!

Monday Moodboard

Hello everyone!

Today is Rose Monday, in other words, the highlight of the carnival in major Germany cities. Back when I used to live in Duesseldorf many years ago, I partook in the festivities and enjoyed watching the procession of the famous floats. As it so happens, this week is also Chinese New Year! 2026 welcomes the Fire Horse, symbolizing vibrant energy, adventure and momentum. I thought it would be fun to curate a mash-up of these two significant events. I hope you enjoy my picks! Click on the link for more info.

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Monday Moodboard

Hello everyone!

The enchanting amethyst is February's birthstone and my theme for this monday's mood board. Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz and is known as the stone of inner peace. Its soothing purple color has a relaxing effect on the mind and soul. Wearing amethyst jewelry can help to bring a sense of peace and balance into everyday life. No wonder it's so popular. I hope you enjoy my amethyst-colored picks! Click on the links below for more info.

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Monday Moodboard

Hi everyone!

Usually, I curate a Pantone Color of the Year mood board, but this year they chose white. There's nothing wrong with white per se, but frankly it's a bit boring in my opinion and reminds me of office walls. Instead I've chosen "patina blue", which is Etsy's color of the year, basically a teal color, which I love and frequently use in my art. Enjoy my picks!

For more info on each item, click on the links below.

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Monday Moodboard

Hello lovely readers!

It's 2026 and I wish you a year of new adventures, unforgettable moments and above all good health!

On the night of winter solstice last year, I performed a little ritual to let go of all things that did not serve me well in that year. I kept it very simple. I lit my favorite rose scented candle, wrote down the things on a piece of paper. Then mindfully let them go one by one and lastly, ripped up the paper. Then I proceeded to set my intentions for the new year. Maintaining good health is a priority, ever since I ended up in the ICU three years ago. I've been working on a new in-house mixed media art course for local art enthusiasts and hope to launch this in spring. Speaking of springtime, I intend to visit one or two gardens in the area, but I also want to spend more time with my niece, who is currently studying here, which will entail a trip to Berlin. Finally, I intend to create little joyful moments for me and others throughout the year. Below is my first mood board of 2026. Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Click the links to view independent shops.

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Monday Moodboard

Hi everyone!

The four weeks before Christmas, which we celebrate on the 24th December here in Germany, is called "Adventszeit" - a time of peaceful contemplation, in which one reflects on the essentials before Christmas, away from the stress of everyday life. Each Sunday we light another candle on the Advent wreath - or in my case, a modern DIY version - gather family members if you're lucky enough to have them close by, and listen to Christmas songs, while eating homebaked cookies. This season is bittersweet for me, as my dear mother passed shortly before Christmas ten years ago. (I can't believe it's been this long!) So, while I like to keep up the traditions she passed down to me, everything is a lot more subdued ever since. I tried to convey this feeling in my mood board today. I hope you like it!

For more info on each featured shop click on the links below.

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Love, joy and peace to all 💖

Monday Moodboard

Hello lovely readers!

Christmas is just around the corner and hopefully you've completed most of your card writing and gift shopping! If not, perhaps today's mood board will serve as inspiration. All of my picks are from small businesses from around the world. Having had a small business myself for well over a decade, I choose to support independent makers when I can. The shops are linked below. Have a great week!

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Monday Moodboard

Hello dear readers!

I've curated a new mood board inspired by the current gloomy weather we're having in my neck of the woods. Admittedly, I'm not the biggest fan of this month, however, the thick blanket of clouds in varying greys and the bare branches do have a certain charm when seen through a photographer's lens! As always, I have chosen items from small businesses from across the globe. Do check out the links below for further information. Have a beautiful week ahead!

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Monday Moodboard

Hello there, lovelies!

We've had quite a grey and rainy autumn season so far (which is typical for my area I might add), so I've curated a mood board with cheerful colors to brighten the day! I, for one, would love to curl up on the sofa with a cozy blanket and a good book, a steaming mug of cocoa and some cookies right about now. Alas, it's Monday and I have errands to run. 😉

The featured shops are linked below.

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Dawanda - Dohero - Life lately!

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*I'm required to add this by law

Hello everyone,

excuse me while I brush off all the dust from my very, very neglected blog. It's been ages, I know. But it's not like I've been twiddling my thumbs all these weeks. Far from it - after Dawanda announced it will be closing its doors permanently it was a mad scramble securing all the data. Customers kept asking me where they can buy my stuff. Sadly, I won't be selling on Etsy. The transfer tool did not work for me and even after multiple emails back and forth with Etsy Support it still did not work. I guess it was not meant to be. Funnily enough, soon after Dawanda's closure, all of these new selling venues started popping up out of nowhere. I spent a good amount of time researching at least six new sites, making pros/cons lists and finally, after careful deliberation I settled for a new site called Dohero. This site is completely brand new and only launched yesterday! I chose this site, because the people who built it already have a huge following on FB and are a driving force in the handmade scene. They also have concrete plans for promoting this site on all media outlets including radio and TV. But most of all I chose this site for their server capacity and compliance to all legalities. Of course it is still a work in progress. They wanted to be sure the technical side functioned before starting on the visuals. They will be adjusting things and optimizing the site from behind the scenes. Bonus: they were able to save all of my reviews before Dawanda shut down! I have a good feeling about this site and I'm thrilled to be right there with them at the start and watch it grow.

Not blogging and not having a second shop to maintain (not by choice, mind!) freed up some time for sewing! Last year I announced I was going to make a quilt with the gorgeous Gazebo fabrics and this year I actually finished it (see top photo). Instead of the traditional three layer "quilt sandwich", I backed it with a really soft micro fleece. With cooler weather approaching I can't wait to wrap up in it while reading a good book.

In other news my body is now able to tolerate the medication I'm currently on due to my health issue. It probably doesn't sound like much, but to me it's huge. In hindsight this forced break was actually a good thing. I got into the habit again of daily gentle exercise and generally being a lot more mindful while going about my day. Thanks to climate change we've had an incredibly hot and long summer this year with temperatures well into the 90s °F. All summer long I went about placing flat bowls of water in our garden and outside for the birds and squirrels and stray cats. Leo got an extra large bowl and boy, did he enjoy it.

My birthday was in August and I was gifted a Spa weekend from my hubby! The Spa (different one to last year) was set in the middle of the woods, included outdoor and indoor pools, sauna area, beauty treatments, sulfur and crystal baths, massages and so much more. Taking a walk in the woods was also wonderful, as there were fascinating stone, wood and metal sculptures dotted all around. Also, it included one of the best breakfast buffets I've ever had. Sometimes it's just nice to treat yourself :)

A while back I purchased a sewing book by Sarah Peel @coolcrafting. I'm loving the projects in this book. I've made the bunny and a few outfits for her to wear. The clothes are tiny, so there's a lot of sewing by hand involved, but I find going slowly is actually quite meditative. I really loved making the French knickers - remember I used to make them in grown up sizes. Here are some pics, some of my readers may have seen these on Instagram already.

So, with my second shop up and running, things will be picking up pace again. Of course my main focus will still be Duni's Studio - there's a new collection scheduled to arrive at the end of this month plus some lifestyle products for Christmas which I'm really excited about. Thank you so much for stopping by and reading along! Have a beautiful day ~

Goodbye Dawanda

So, this past weekend I received news from Europe's biggest online selling venue "Dawanda" that they will be permanently closing on 30th August 2018. As my regular readers know I started my first shop selling fabrics on Dawanda and was pretty successful, until they changed their business model in 2015. As the saying goes, it's best not to put all eggs in one basket - one reason I decided to host my own website a year later. After receiving my official termination notice from Dawanda I'm especially grateful today that I can fall back on my own online shop. However, I have been steadily selling off merchandise, such as kids' fabric, hard to find Amy Butler and Joel Dewberry fabrics not to mention all sorts of ribbons in my old shop on Dawanda. I've sold about half my stock and the abrupt closure  kind of thwarts my effort to sell off the rest. According to the message I received, Dawanda has an agreement with Etsy to provide a tool that will enable Dawanda sellers to move to Etsy. (I'm pretty sure current Etsy sellers aren't thrilled about that). I have 2000+ positive reviews on Dawanda which I don't want to lose. I'm currently undecided. If I use the tool and transfer my shop to Etsy, I will start from scratch but save the reviews. Or I could re-open my existing account (thankfully I secured the Duni's Studio shop name) where I already have around 1600 shop followers, but lose the reviews. Plus, once Dawanda shuts down all of my links as well as my features on their blog will be lost forever. I can live with that, but the bottom line is, I need to sell off the rest of my  stock. Any suggestions??

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Sicherlich hat es die eine oder andere Leserin über die Sozialen Medien bereits mitbekommen. Dawanda - Europas größte Verkaufsplattform stellt ihr operatives Geschäft zum 30. August 2018 ein. Die offizielle Kündigung erreichte mich am vergangenen Wochenende. Wie langjährige LeserInnen vielleicht wissen habe ich bei Dawanda vor vielen Jahren mit meinem ersten Shop angefangen und es lief bis 2015 alles bestens. Dann änderte sich leider das Geschäftsmodell von Dawanda und ich bzw. mein Shop wurde kaum noch gefunden. Mit ein Grund warum ich ein Jahr später meine eigene Webseite Duni's Studio gegründet habe. Dafür bin ich heute natürlich besonders dankbar! Nichtsdestotrotz läuft bislang mein Dawanda Shop nebenher, denn ich habe dort noch einige seltene Amy Butler und Joel Dewberry Stoffe und diverse Kinderstoffe im Angebot. Die Hälfte habe ich davon schon abverkauft, aber mit einer abrupten Schließung von Dawanda habe ich natürlich nicht gerechnet. Wie ich aus der Nachricht von Dawanda eruieren konnte gibt es wohl eine Abmachung mit Etsy sowie ein Tool welches Dawanda Verkäufern ermöglicht nach Etsy zu wechseln, ohne dass dabei die Bewertungen verloren gehen. Sobald Dawanda den Stecker zieht gehen natürlich alle Links und meine Dawanda Blog Beiträge verloren. Naja, damit kann ich leben. Letztendlich geht es mir darum, die Ware, die vom Design her nicht in das Konzept von meinem Online Shop passen anderweitig, möglichst unkompliziert abzuverkaufen. Ratschläge und Tipps willkommen :)

3 tips to avoid social media fatigue

If you own a small business it's probably a good idea to engage in some type of social media to get and keep the conversation going. When I first started out, my blog was my main way of getting the word out about my products. I then created a Facebook page and joined Twitter. I mostly cross-posted  and occasionally tweeted my new items on Etsy. With this method I succeeded in gaining new customers and spreading word about my shop. People began to associate me with fabrics and the shabby chic lifestyle. My blog was (and still is) by far my most loved way of spreading the news. Well things certainly have changed since the early days with ever more social media sites flooding the internet.

Ever since I opened a business account on Instagram I have to admit that I am glued to my phone. Instagram has turned out to be a great business tool for me and I have gained new customers on there that I wouldn't have reached otherwise. But I also know it's so easy to get sucked into that virtual reality and get sidetracked. As a highly sensitive person I'm often  overwhelmed by the sheer mass of information. Plus Instagram is such a highly curated site aiming for perfection. I do at times feel the pressure of posting ever more beautiful and "styled" pictures. As for Twitter, I liked it a lot better when there wasn't an option to post pictures and videos along with the message! Between Instagram, Twitter, Google+ and Facebook it was simply too much. It felt like mental overload. I felt drained, because that's what social media fatigue does. It robs you of your energy, motivation and creativity. At one point I didn't even feel like blogging anymore. Not a good feeling!

I definitely needed to change something, so I contemplated how to remain sane while still reaping the benefits of social media for small business owners. I have been adhering to the following steps for several weeks now. Check out my suggestions (requires a bit of self-discipline).

 Set up specific times during work hours for social media

Example: I post one photo to Instagram in the morning and answer any inquiries I may have received via personal message. I check my feed for a maximum of 15 minutes.

Around midday, I check my post and reply to relevant comments. I do this again at around 5:30 pm. I do not engage after 8:00 pm, because that is my winding down time.

I may post business related information to my Facebook page. Plus I hardly ever open my personal page, unless someone tags me. I may also tweet about my products, but no more than twice a day. Once a day I pin images to my Pinterest boards, but don't remain on the site longer than 20 minutes. Also, last year I cancelled my Snapchat account, since I don't like telling "stories". It seemed a bit pointless as a business owner.

Conclusion: I find my business doesn't suffer if I'm not on social media 24/7. If your products / services resonate with your target audience they will remain loyal. Sticking to this routine really frees up time to concentrate on actual business.

Customize your social media feed and focus on those that generate new leads

Example: by muting certain hashtags and / or phrases I've cleaned up my feed on Twitter. This helps to get the information I want in my home feed while eliminating the junk. Some weeks ago I began unfollowing accounts that I feel aren't relevant to my business and goals. What a relief! I already feel more energized. I try to focus primarily on my blog which allows me to write about my products in detail and show large images, and Instagram. Since I haven't generated real business from Facebook in ages I limit my time there. Pinterest is fun, but there's no real activity that leads to sales. It's more of an inspiration site, although it still refers a good number of visitors to my blog. However it may be different for others. I know some business owners who generate a lot of business on Facebook only.

Conclusion: It helps to analyze the sites. Then choose the top three to focus on.  It is not necessary to be present on all social media sites. Also, choose who you follow wisely. Popularity does not automatically equal great content.

Go offline at least once a week

Example: As an online seller it's difficult to switch off, but for the sake of my mental health I have made it a point to go offline one random day during the week. I use this day to re-group, take a walk, connect to my passion, read, try out a new recipe, create, daydream...

Conclusion: Nothing dramatic happens when I'm offline for a day! Go ahead, try it :)

I do believe that moderation is key to everything! I hope these tips are helpful to any small business owner going through a similar experience or as a preventative measure. Thanks for reading along!

Duni's Studio online shop

It's been a little over six months since I launched my own online shopping site. As things are getting even more complicated (and more expensive) over at Dawanda, not to mention all the technical issues, I am super happy with my decision! The initial cost of building my website was admittedly expensive, but totally worth it. Plus I broke even in the first quarter. I am not saying that it's easy running your own site. In fact, I'm focused on it all the time. Being simultaneously the owner, seller, buyer, accountant, PR person, stock checker, shipping department and now website administrator and techie takes on a whole new meaning! Plus keeping up-to-date with legalities is a must for every online shop owner. So while the maintenance is a lot of work there are so many pro's to owning your own site. For one, invoices are automatically generated, which saves time. Communication with customers is easy via DM and / or the contact form. My site is SSL secure, so all personal information is safe. I have not had any issues whatsoever with my hosting service. What a relief! And I have total control of the design aspect of my site. For years I have been wanting to streamline my "look". Now my website logo is on my flyers, business cards and other promotional material and ties in well with my blog too. Most don't realize though, that many months preceding the launch I already had my strategy and concept in place. Unlike on traditional selling venues I can be much more flexible with what I offer. Part of my concept is to offer originality and exclusivity (at least within German-speaking countries). Using Instagram as a business tool has helped me identify potential customers. I've stuck with my routine of posting one photo daily to keep my followers informed and "entertained". It's all about engaging the customer. These days I average around 20 comments per post, even though relatively speaking I don't have that many followers. However, posts with a higher engagement rate keep showing up at the top of the feed. But I digress. I contemplated my concept for the shop for a very long time. Basically I identified my customer base first, then planned a concept for the next 5 - 7 years, taking economical, social and yes, even political developments into consideration. So, while fabrics are my main business I have added paper goods that fit my concept and have recently added another category, which also reflects my concept and aesthetic. The photo at the top is not random, so three guesses what's new in my shop :) I'm pretty excited about this new line and will be introducing it on my blog shortly. Overall I am very pleased with the progress and expansion of my website. I know there is still room for improvement. I am currently working on implementing more payment methods. This involves third parties, so will take a while longer. In the coming weeks and months I will also need to invest in well-placed ads and generally keep the promotion going. Sometimes it gets a bit much for one person, especially when I'm not feeling particularly well. But despite the long work days and the constant promoting I'm loving all of it. Not many people can say this, but my job truly is my happy place and I am so grateful :)

It's never too late to start branding your small business

I envy creatives who have all ducks in a row at the start of their business. Me? Not so much. I blame that on having too many creative ideas instead of focusing and building up just the one :) 

A handful of you will remember that my website used to be called Lovely Purses. Yup. I started my creative business designing and sewing bags. I even had my own stand alone website - Dunibagz. Then I discovered Etsy and the growing demand (especially in the US) for shabby chic lifestyle products. I christened my first Etsy shop Peridot by Duni. At the same time I changed my website to its current name and opened my fabric store. Later I added two more product lines Duni's Studio Designs and Priya by Duni on Etsy.

While I poured my whole heart and soul into each one I realized soon enough that it was becoming increasingly difficult to handle all of them by myself (I'm currently focusing on the two with the highest revenue). I also realized another thing. My product lines didn't have a cohesive image. They needed a brand. 

© Duni's Studio

In fact, one of my goals this year had been to start branding and streamlining my small business, because it's never too late :) Since my blog has always been and still is the core of my business I started with a redesign. And recently I added a custom logo (see above) which some of you have admired on Facebook and instagram. I kept to a minimum of colors and two fonts. The small flowers add a touch of whimsy and express femininity, which my Etsy customers can relate to. And while red is a strong, powerful color that conveys warmth and dynamic, I toned it down a bit, not to appear too agressive! I incorporated the date of establishment (trust) and added two words that desribe my business best. It ties in nicely with my blog too.

One of my instagram followers and also cherished customer surprised me with a super sweet gift yesterday! Cornelia really liked my new logo and made an embroidered version of it! I was incredibly touched. She also gifted me with a handmade pin cushion (can't have enough of those!). I decided to use the other one as wall art for my studio. So cute!!

As part of my branding project I also recently changed my Etsy shop from PeridotbyDuni to DuniStudio. You will see my new logo popping up there and on my other sites. Btw, on Etsy you are allowed to change your shop name once. Subsequent changes require a written permission.

Other changes include changing my Twitter account and adding a new instagram account just for fabric news and updates! Yay! So, if you love fabrics and sewing as much as I do you may follow me @duni_studio_stoffe or follow my personal account @duni_studio for behind-the-scenes stuff, diy, flower photos, food pics, travel pics, cats, handmade fashion...plus more stuff :) Btw, sometimes I post on IG in German language only, but there is a translation button underneath the text which is surprisingly accurate. Go ahead and try it!

Perhaps most important is that I've initiated the long and tedious not to mention costly process to make Duni's Studio become a registered trademark. For ten years at least. Then I have to renew.

I might be late to the branding game, and I know there's so much more to it than the few simple steps I've taken, but I'm getting there :)

Please share in the comments if you have any additional pointers. Would love to know!

 

Etsy Shop Home [ redesign ]

I'm sure every Etsy shop owner will have heard of the shop home redesign that Etsy is rolling out this month. The purpose of this is to give shop owners more creative control including branding. In addition everything will be on one page. Currently we have until April 5th to edit our shops before the new look will go live for all buyers to see. While I'm all for change if it helps me get more exposure, the timing is a bit unfortunate as the first quarter is typically my busiest of the year. Nevertheless, I made some preliminary changes. Here's an overview.

This is how my shop home page looks right now. Clicking the edit button at the top will lead you to the new shop from where you can fine-tune the new look.

There are now three banner options available.

1. small banner 760 px x 100 px 
2. cover photo minimum 1200 px x 300 px
3. none

I tried all three, but finally went with a large cover photo that shows some of my bestselling work. I made it a little taller to accomodate my larger pieces. The small banner is what I had originally, but it won't be visible on mobile devices and choosing none leaves too much white space for my taste.

Also, since I've received a lot of compliments on the new look of my blog, I'm considering having a custom logo to replace the current shop icon (the two hearts). In my opinion the shop owner picture could be a little larger. It looks kind of lost...

Featured listings are right below the header. They are a bit larger, and same as before you may choose up to four images. I didn't previously have any items featured, because the overall look was much more compact, but in the new shop I wanted to fill that gap between the header and the listings.  Also, the about and policies sections that were previously on the left sidebar are now above the featured listings. These are a bit difficult to spot at first. The shop announcement has moved to underneath the featured listings.

And finally...the actual listings. While editing my new shop I realized that buyers will need to do a lot of scrolling up and down. Not sure how they will feel about it. I know that some don't like scrolling prefering to click through the pages instead. But in the new shop there are no pages! Instead there is a button to click at the bottom of the home page to show more items, much like Google images. Reviews are now visible right beneath the listings. Now more than ever it's crucial that the latest review that most buyers will read when scrolling down that page has a high rating.

Have you finished editing your new shop look yet? Which banner type do you prefer and do you feel these changes will have a positive impact on your sales? Do share in the comments!