support sticks: a world of warmth and whimsy

you can't beat the feeling of being in your preferred stand, knowing that nothing can tumble you, as your interior support stick is safely lodged inside. it is a feeling of freedom and power. an escape from the daily struggle of choosing the appropriate stand and seeing if today will be the day it proves in-appropriate. that's why your choice of interior support stick is integral: it is a toll that, if chosen wisely, can be your greatest comfort and ally.

as i use my ISS almost exclusively for decorative stands, i make sure to get one that is simple and sturdy. simple, so it can be appropriated for any breed of stand (visually and functionally) and sturdy so i know it won't desert me in my hour of need by unwittingly rotating my head around its axis. for pictures, yes, i might use whatever i have lying around, as its purpose is served for a mere couple of minutes, BUT, when i know i have something to do, i make sure to go for one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Wooden-Dowel-Rods-Unfinished-Woodpecker/dp/B01BGZJH2E/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=wooden+dowel&qid=1559829390&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=11/4” x 12” Wooden Dowel Rods, Bag of 25 Unfinished Hardwood Sticks, DIY Photo Prop Sticks, For Crafts and DIY’ers.by Woodpeckers

coming in at around 1/$ inch (about 6mm for you european folks) and a mere $6.35 for a bag of 25, this proves to be a multi-functional and very affordable option. it is, as the website states, excellent quality, great value, smooth and ideal for crafty people. check, check and check! and i sure am crafty. i have been known to use these badboys with everything from multi-layer improvised fashion stands to sturdy but unfortunately ill-fitted medicinal stands. they truly work for everything. as they are often too long, i usually ask someone to cut it down to ¾ or ½ of its original length for me.

https://www.amazon.com/Wooden-Unfinished-Hardwood-Sticks-Straight/dp/B017Y25R40/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=wooden+dowel&qid=1559829390&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1
Wooden Dowel Rods 3/4” x 36” | Bag of 5 Unfinished Hardwood Dowel Sticks | Straight - Smooth and Sanded | for Crafts and DIY’ers - by Woodpecker Crafts
by Woodpeckers

whoa! an exterior support stick in a mainly interior support stick post? you got it! coming in hot with 4.5 stars based on 163 customer reviews, this baby is a real banger. with its impressive girth of ¾ inch (1.9 cm overseas), its measly price of $15.45 for a bag of 5 36-inch rods (around 90 cm) makes it a steal of an exterior support stick option! the unwanted rotation on this baby is a mere 5%. has to be a real windy day for it to malfunction. a bit harder to cut, i should add, but i love this baby so much i'm using it as an extremely-heightening ESS. who said short girls should have all the fun?

https://www.amazon.com/Darice-9162-00-Unfinished-Natural-2-Inch/dp/B004KQS2IC/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=wooden+dowel&qid=1559829390&s=gateway&sr=8-7
Darice 9162-00 Unfinished Natural Wood Craft Dowel Rod, 1/2-Inch
by Darice

these have proven to be a lifesaver. i've never had such a light-weight support system. their unfinished-ness makes them so soft on the skin and their ideal ½ inch size makes them compatible with so many aesthetic/medicinal stand options. it has been a joy to have these around, especially as i've recently been moving, as they are very easy to carry when you're on the go. they've really proven themselves to have no limitations. and – as you might very well know – if the opening of your stand isn't big enough to accommodate these, and you have a similar sized propping limb as me, that 'stand' is a no go and does not qualify as a mobility aid for you. this would mean you would have to insert the ISS and then insert both the stand nozzle and the stick into your PPL (preferred propping limb). this means possible instability, and certain damaging of your PPL! don't do it!

let me know if you tried some of these and how you liked them!