ALPHABET BLOG CHALLENGE: N. New Year: spring cleaning my craft room for an organised 2013

New year is nearly here!

My new year will start with an organised, clean, tidy, sorted craft room!

My craft room is a small bedroom at the back of our tiny house. I am very creative .. well insanely imaginative and messy would be more accurate... and end up designing and crafting all over the house, which drives my husband insane!

In order to get my craft back in my craft room, and organised so i can happily create in the room, i have spent the last two days sorting, dumping, cleaning, building IKEA shelves, and generally getting the cluttered mess under control! My craftroom is also my study, so as well as all my sewing, fabric, beads, and painting supplies, it also has my computer, printer, and desk!

You will see by my before photo that my room was disgusting!!!

After filling up the bins with rubbish, and decluttering, and suffering many bruised fingers from building the shelves, the room started looking tidier, and oh my there is a floor!!! havent seen the floor for a long time!

I

The IKEA shelves look great, and my craft supplies are all organised ready for me to make so many wonderful things!

There is even room for my aquarium! My husband bought me the large fish tank and stand for one of our anniversaries, and i really want to set the tank up with fish again, so im very pleased that my newly organised room has area to set the aquarium up!

Im so pleased with my organised craft room, and i have noticed that a fellow crafter Crypt Creations, has also completed a spring cleaning of their craft area too, have a look at their blog post here!

It takes a while to declutter a messy craft room, but it is well worth it!

............................................................................................................... Please visit me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat handcrafted gothic goodies at bargain prices. see me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat ...Please visit me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat handcrafted gothic goodies at bargain prices. see me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat





 

https://www.facebook.com/Goth.n.Gorgeous

ALPHABET BLOG CHALLENGE: M. Many manicures!

I tend to wear black... Most of the time, ... in fact most of my clothes are black....however my hair and my nails tend to be colourful and at times even creative!

Today i am writing about different nail polishes, colours, styles, and my own franken polishes that i have created for myself to use.

If you wish to read an amazingly informative blog about nail polish and manicures, please visit, More Nail Polish, the lady who creates that blog is very clever, and she reviews heaps of different nail products!

Ok, back to my colourful nails!

FRANKEN POLISH GREEN GLITTER

Wanting a greenish blue glittery polish but not being able to locate the exact pigment i was after i decided to create my own. Using some glitter from my craft supplies, its safe to use with solvents so it doesnt melt or lose its colour when added to nail polish, some powdered mineral eye shadow, a couple of small steel ball bearings and some thick clear nail varnish I set to making my own polish.

STEP ONE I cleaned out a nail varnish bottle, that had a teeny drop of polish in it, using acetone (the strong painter using type, not the diluted cosmetic type) and let the bottle dry upside down, i also cleaned off the brush and inside the bottle cap.

STEP TWO Using a small plastic funnel (it came with a perfume decanter) I carefully poured the clear nail polish into the empty bottle up to about half way. I added two small steel ball bearings to the polish to help it mix. I then cleaned and dried the funnel.

STEP THREE with a plastic teaspoon I carefully took a small amount of the powdered mineral eye shadow (blue) and with the funnel, sprinkled into the clear polish. I repeated this with the light green powdered eyeshadow, and the purple powdered eyeshadow, using very small amounts as the pigments are strong and i did not want an opaque colour. I cleaned and dried the funnel again.

STEP FOUR I took a plastic teaspoon full of the minuscule green solvent safe metallic glitter and using the funnel sprinkled it into the nail polish mixture.

STEP FIVE I replaced the brush and lid to the bottle and carefully shook it gently, not crazily as i did not want air bubbles, i just wanted to move the bottle enough to get the ball bearings in the bottle to move and mix up the polish.

After I cleaned up the mess I made... Note to self, using old newspaper on the table top would have been a good idea, I painted my nails!

Here is a pic of my new franken polish, three coats on a base coat and a clear top coat.The flash drained the colour a bit, but you get the idea!

FRANKEN POLISH PURPLE GLITZ

Another nail polish I wanted was a deep slightly shimmery purple, I happened to have a pot of purple shimmer mineral eyeshadow in just the right tone! So using the technique I outline above, I sprinkled small a ounts of the powdered eye shadow into the remainder of the clear nail polish until the desired hue was reached.

COLLAGE NAILS

The last manicure I will show you is my 'travelling with work bored in a motel room' nail collage. I had a lovely sleek French manicure, but due to severe enui in the motel room while away for work I decided to stick stuff on it and a p my nails up a. notch!

Using nail glue I adhered small nail decals, shiny acrylic gems, and beads to my nails and then covered the lot in a slightly pink hued top coat. I loved the end result although it was a bit difficult to remove at the end of the week even with the foil method!

WHAT NEXT

I have ordered some more solvent safe glitter, in different shapes and colours, as I have ideas for an Alice in Wonderland inspired franken polish.... Stay tuned for that!

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ALPHABET BLOG CHALLENGE: L is for Lace, ribbon, fabric!

Today i am writing about ideas to use up one's craft scraps. I have the week off work for the holiday period, and we are sorting the house out, that includes my study of art and cra supplies! While sorting stuff out i noticed a huge box full of tiny scraps of ribbon, lace, and bits of fabric. Just about to throw the lot away, i had a thought, why not use these scraps!!

Firstly i did a stock take of what i had, from the mess in the box, i divided it firstly into colours, then subdivided them into type. The colours were mainly red, black, green, and purple and after the sorting I realised there was quite a lot of usable lace and ribbon there.

What did i make?

(I will post pix another time)

ROSE HAIRCLIP With some scraps of red velvet ribbon i fashioned a fabric rose, i attached some green satin fabric, cut into leaves, to its base, and adorned it with black lace. I then hot glued the rose i had made onto a hair clip!

LAVENDER SACHETS I had scraps of fabric netting, i cut them into neat circles, added some scoops of dried lavender, and gathered the edges up, and tied the lot up with lace and ribbon! Shoved in the drawers of my dressing table they look decorative, smell lovelyl keeping the contents of the drawers fresh, and keep insects at bay!!

HAIR BOWS with matching lace and ribbon i formed bows, sewed them so they didnt undo, and then attached them to snag free hair ties.

LACEY SOCKS i sewed lace edging to brighten up some of my socks, and added little ribbon bows to the lace!

Ok i could rave on and on here, but the point is, before you throw stuff away have a look at it, work out what is there, and use it! Use, reusue, upcycle and recycle!!!

What do you do with your crafting scraps? I'd love to hear your ideas! Please feel free to add your comments and share your ideas!

 

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ALPHABET BLOG CHALLENGE: K is for Kalaidescope of colours! Lime Crime Cosmetics

Another of my alphabet challenge blog posts, up to the letter K. K s for Kalaidescope colours, swirling into a chaos of glitter and gloss! What cosmetic company provides an amazing kalaidescope of colurs in their pallette? Lime Crime!

Lime Crime is both Vegan and cruelty free, is affordably priced , all products feature beautiful colours and are imaginatively packaged.

The latest of the Lime Crime brush on liquid lipsticks is their new Velvetines range. Available in two beautiful colours Red Velvet and Suedeberry. The Red Velvet appears to be the most popular shade of the two, with it selling out fast from both the Lime Crime site and resellers! The gorgeous soft matte texture of the Velvetines range and the vibrant pigmentation, make these lipsticks beautiful to use and they look beautiful on!

Lime Crime also produces bullet style lipsticks and gorgeous lip gloss! The lipgloss is called Carousel, the packaging is sublime, and the product is smooth, pigmented in beautiful colours, and protects your lips. Team the glosses up with the Lime Crime lipsticks for extra colour!

Another favourite of mine from Lime Crime is there eye liner range, a recent purchase I have made is the gorgeous metallic eyeliners called Rhyme and Reason. Rhyme is a beautiful true gold pigment, it glides on smoothly with a small brush in the cap for ease of precision and has great staying power. Reason is like molten silver, both these metallics look great teamed up with Quill, which is Lime Crime's shiny black eye liner!

In addition to eyeliner, Lime Crime also produces beautiful eye shadow palettes, available in the imaginatively named, Alchemy, Aquataenia, Chna Doll, and Pallete D'Antoinette. Packaged in sleek delightfully decorative containers, the eye shadows may be used both wet and dry. For extra colour stay power, team them up with a primer, also available from Lime Crime. Use the eye shadow primer on your lids first, then apply your eyeshadow; I prefer to use the primer, dus lightly with translucent poweder, then dmp eyeshadow, followed up with a light brush of the eye shadow in its dry form.

Lime Crime is availble online from:

http://www.limecrimemakeup.com/

http://www.beserk.com.au/

http://shopemeraldcity.com/

 

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ALPHABET BLOG CHALLENGE: J is for JEWELS for your hair

Up to J in my alphabet blog! Today's blog is about JEWELS for your hair!

MISS SKELETON'S HAIRBOWS AND ACCESSORIES is a home based business based in Queensland Australia, run by the very talented Samantha, sales are made via her facebook business page.

Samantha often puts up fabric images on her page to ask for interest in them before she makes up bows, i recently expressed interest in bows made out of a particular fabric, and within a week she had ordered the fabric, made the bows, and sent them to me!

I own many clips, bows, and hairbands made by this talented lady, they are well made, bargain priced, and sent super fast! She makes old fashioned 50's style type head scarves, bows on clips, gorgeous fabric frilly hair accessories, hair clips, and is happy to take on custom orders!

If you or someone you knows likes to use gorgeous hair accessories, then please visit her facebook page today!

............................................................................................................... Please visit me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat handcrafted gothic goodies at bargain prices. see me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat ...Please visit me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat handcrafted gothic goodies at bargain prices. see me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat

 

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ALPHABET BLOG CHALLENGE: I. I is for Icarus

Still on my alphabet blog, and up to I.

Today I am waffling on about the Greek myth of Icarus, the son of Daedulus a master craftsman who according to the myths designed and created the labyrinth for King Minos.

Batlings, you may be wondering why I chose to blog about Icarus. Firstly I needed something starting with the letter I for my alphabet blog challenge, and secondly, this myth intrigues me.

To refresh your memories, Daedulus, a fictionional precursor to say Leonardo Da Vinci maybe, is always making stuff. Over active imagination perhaps, but he was always tinkering. One day he started experimenting with how to make people fly. He constructed some human sized wings and glued feathers on his wing frame with wax. Icarus wants to do a test flight, so his dad gives in to his pleas and helps him on with the wings. Daedulus finds a spot for Icarus to try out the flying device, but cautions him to stick to the plan and just fly in the area they had already sussed out as the safest place to try ut these wings.

Icarus, overcome with ambition and eagerness over his first flight, ignored the instuctions o his father, and instead of flying in the predetermined path, he flew up and up towards the sun. So here we hav a guy with manmade wings strapped to his back and arms, and feathers stuck on with...wax.... yes.... wax. So batlings, what is wrong with this picture, wax....the sun... hmmmmm

So say the feathers were glued on with bees wax, which melts at around 45 degrees celcius, and say the average temperature of the surface of the sun is oooooh around 5400-6000 degrees celcius.... (lets not get to how hot it is at the core, lets face it batlings, he would never have got there), what say you as what would have happened to this waxy glue????

OK.. here we have young ambitious eager to show he is a star Icarus, plunging to the earth subsequent to all his feathers melting off in the massive inferno of the sun.... and... splash... he falls into the icy depths of the sea, where he meets his ultimate salty sea water end.

I don't know about you my dear batlings, but this Icarus tragedy reminds me of Lady Macbeth... ok she was neither Greek nor a wearer of feathers, but may i remind you that her ambition led also to her untimely demise? Not to mention how she encouraged her husband to also leap ahead with ill thought out overly ambitious plans.

Macbeth: I have no spur, To prick the sides of my intent, but only Vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself, And falls on th'other. . . .

i have read some moralising theorists rant about the myth of Icarus being about the lesson you must always heed the advice of your elders.... not all the advice of our elders is necessarily correct... so im not going with this idea. To me the ill fated flight of Icarus to me points out the folly of not sticking to the plan making a decision without a proper risk assessment, and allowing the effects of over ambition to rule one's actions.

Nothing worng with having ambition, but take heed my dear batlings, and do not use bees wax as glue if you are going to fly near the sun.









 

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Alphabet Challenge: Happily Handmade Handcrafts

Up to H in my alphabet challenge blogs, and today's post is about Happily Handmade items, beautiful things made by clever artists.

Beaded Webs

There is an amazing artisan creating as Beaded Webs, who makes the most delciate and decorative wire and bead creations! Based in Queensland Australia, she works from home and sells from Facebook.

Starting off with wire sculpting and hand beaded web shapes, she has since branched out (excuse the pun) into tree of life shapes, as well as owls, bats, and cars. Her gorgeous bead and wire art is created in a variety of sizes such as large hanging decorations, pendant or keyring sized and medium sized beaded decorations.

I have purchased a purple, as well as a red and black beaded web from her and they are gorgeous! I also have two gorgeous bat beaded decorations that she made to order for me!

Beautifully made, and unique items, her online store is worth a look, and why not buy yourself something beautiful from her today!

Below are some pictures of her great pieces

.

 

Alphabet Challenge: Great ipad accessories

i am not an Apple fan boi.. or fan ghoul, but i do own an ipod and an ipad, as far as light weight, easily transportable, user friendly, long battery life computing goes, the ipad wins with me!

I own a 64gb, 3G sim + wifi, ipad 2, and have had it for over a year, in that time i have downloaded a variety of different apps, and used different accessories with it; which has led me to write this blog post, to share with all of you dear Batings, the accessories i NEED to have, want to have, and a wishlist for my ipad!

I welcome comments from other tablet computing users on your fave apps, ios or android, or ..whatever os you use, and your fave accessories!

so lets get on with G alphabet challenge blog post, and talk about GREAT accessories... G is for Great....

COVER

First of all, a sturdy cover is a MUST! I am not the most graceful of Goths, and i do have a habit of tripping over my doc martens, while wearing them, and getting my lace skirts caught in whatever i happen to be passing.. i also have a nasty habit of dropping things. i have a few different covers for my ipad, two silicon gel type squishy covers, a zip closure ipad bag type cover and a polyurethene folder type cover. I have recently ordered a hard shell cover for it and hope to recieve that soon! My ipad is well dressed and enjoys a variety of covers depending on his mood.... that reminds me Batlings, my ipad has a name, he is called Newton... after Sir Isaac, and also after Apple Computings PDA attempt which was called Newton... a little in geeky joke you see.. hmmm.ok ..anyway my ipad is named Newton.

SCREEN PROTECTOR

next in my list of ipad MUST have accessories is a stick on screen protector. Sure the ipad has a hardened glass screen with some kind of oily fingerprint repellant, but who wants to risk a scratched screen?? i have a slightly glossy screen protector and it has been on my ipad since i bought it 18 months ago, it is still going well and does not need replacing so far. i feel less fearful about scratching or dropping nail polish or ink or something on my ipad screen and permanently harming it, as the screen protector plastic is cheap and easily replaceable.

ELECTRIC PLUG CHARGER THINGO, SPARES

the ipad needs a full current to charge from, it cant obtain sufficient charge from usb 2.0 to charge, so do not forget to get your self a spare charger that plugs into the electrical socket! that way you can have one for home and one for work.. or for home and for travel... or if you are like me and lose stuff, a spare is a GREAT idea... unless you lose it too of course...

STYLUS

maybe not an essential to many of you, and the late Steve Jobs apparently felt that a stylus was not needed or wanted with an ipad, but i use my ipad for a heap of different things, including drawing ideas for craft projects, so a stylus is a useful addition to my ipad accessories!

KEYBOARD

so, i have struggled with the itty bitty flat unresponsive blah virtual keyboard on the ipad, for 18 months ... until i went to a conference, and while sitting with a mate i noticed he was using a groovy teeny real 3d responsive lightweight uber cool bluetooth keyboard with his ipad!! ihave decided that for long documents, such as for note taking, email, and blog writing, the ipad external bluetooth connecting keyboard is a must have accessory!!!

SPEAKERS

recently i was rather unwell, and alas quite incapacitated and had taken to my bed, i was sick Batlings, oh so sick, but i still needed some fun distraction. Too ill to read, or draw, i decided i wanted to watch some videos... i streamed them from my pc to my ipad, and used my bluetooth speakers to provide better clearer louder sound quality!

SCREEN WIPES

okay back to the screen again, but less face it the ipad is one big screen!! I like to keep the screen clear, un smudged and disinfected, so i use LCD screen wipes on the screen. WOrk well, clean it, and dries clear and unsmudgy!!

MEMORY CARD ADAPTOR/READER

if i want to import pix straight from my memory card to my ipad, i use a nifty little plug in thingo that has a place for the card and it plugs into the base of the ipad where the charger thigno goes. Anoher GREAT accessory as i can transfer m camera pix speedily to the ipad using this!

This is my top list of GREATS for my ipad. What ipad/tablet accessories do you use and think are great???










 

Alphabet Challenge: Fantastic Finds

Up to the letter F in my alphabet Blog Challenge! Today's blog post is about FANTASTIC FINDS: things that i have found online that i think are really cool and want to share with all of you batlings out there!!!

1. Fantastic find one:

Online shop Haus of Zombi hosted as a Facebook page, this store has a great variety of the most amazing vegan lipsticks in a variety of hues! I have just ordered a glittery ruby lipstick, glittery green lipstick, and also a mega black mascara from this shop!!

2. Fantastic find two:

Interesting blog, if you are Goth or interested in reading more about the culture have a look at the blog called The Ultimate Goth Guide. A very well thought out blog, with DIY pages, fashion tips, and general discussion, i am a regular reader of this interesting and informative blog!

3. Fantastic find three:

Little Paws Kitten Rescue is a charitable organisation that rescues 'death row' cats from shelters and fosters them while they await their FURever homes. Additionally they rescue abused or homeless cats and look after them, making them healthy again, fostering them until they are adopted.

They do a wonderful job and the dedicated volunteers put a lot of their time, energy, and money into looking after the kitties! I adopted my adult cat, Phoenix II from them last year, and he is a great cat that has become very comfortable in our household.

If you wish to help this amazing NO KILL cat rescue organisation you can do so at this link: DONATE TO LITTLE PAWS.

For more information about this caring organisation or to learn how you can help them please visit their official website.

Fantastic find four:

4. Beaded Webs is a home run business specialisings in the most intricate, beautiful, decorative webs, bats, and trees of life made from wire and beads. I own three of her webs and three of her bats! They are beautiful and a bargain price for such well made items. Please check her online store out!

5. Fantastic find five:

Needle Noodles/Creepy Cute Crochet provides tutorials on crochet, sells her crochet items and patterns and has written a crochet pattern book, that i happen to have a copy of, called 'Creepy Cute Crochet'. If you are a Goth and want to make some cool gothic characters from crochet, have a look at her site and check out her book.

................................................................................................................ Please visit me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat handcrafted gothic goodies at bargain prices. see me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat ...Please visit me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat handcrafted gothic goodies at bargain prices. see me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat

 

Alphabet Challenge: Eccentric, Eclectic, and Earthworms

Fifth post in the alphabet blog challenge, so yes Batlings, that means we are up to the letter E.

E is for a lot of words that i am fond of!

• Elegant
  
• Eclectic
• Emeralds
  
• Eccentric
  
• Ecstatic
  
• Earth worms....
  

So, which to choose for this blog??

Why choose thought I, this is my blog, and I shall write about any E that i wish to. So Batlings, welcome to this eccentric, eclectic, and .... Well ODD ..blog post!

Elegant: have you seen the gorgeous fingerless gloves made by ScarletRabbit on etsy? They are made from fine soft crochet cotton and enhance any outfit with their elegant lacey beautiful style.

I own several pairs of the fingerless gloves made from this etsy (ooh another E word) store, and i am a total fan of her crochet!

Eclectic... Ok, self promotion here batlings, i have a store on etsy that has all sprts of items that i have hand made, from toys, to jewellery, bags to stationery... My etsy store holds an eclectic collection of goth inspired unique wares!

Earthworms .. Okay, yes, i know there is no neat segue here, but hey earthworms are so cool!! Did you know that earthworms can regenerate themselves? There are around 2700 species of earthworms! In one acre of land, there can be more than a million earthworms!!! The Australian Gippsland Earthworm grows to 12 feet long and can weigh 1-1/2 pounds. There is some really interesting information about earthworms on the National Geographic site, why not have a read??

 

Alphabet Challenge: D ... D is for Demented Faery and she is running a competition!

Up to D in my alphabet challenge blog posts, and this is a great time to tell you about Demented Faery

Demented Faery is an Australian home based business stocking famous Goth brands as well as unique hand crafted Demented Faery Designs! I am a frequent customer and am always pleased with my purchases and the excellent customer service from this business.

Recently i purchased the most amazing purple cyberlox that Demented Faery had hand made, they are absolutely gorgeous, high quality, and a bargain price!

Famous for providing great competitions with super cool prizes for her customers to enter, Demented Faery has exceeded all her previous competitions with this amazing one for June 2012!

S.A.O.S: "Support small Alternative Online Stores" Competition, Starts today, June first and is open to Australian residents. Demented Faery is kindly helping small alternative stores to promote their wares by holding a competition where customers gain an entry by purchasing at least one item from her store PLUS at least one item from one of the particpant stores.

RULES for the competition

1. Open to AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
2. Competition runs from 01.06.12 to 30.06.12
3. All you have to do is buy from one or more of the stores below...Simply quote "SAOS" in the checkout or the paypal notes of the seller to be in the running for this prize.

The more stores you buy from the higher your chances are of winning this prize. Simply quote "SAOS" in their checkout to be in the running for this prize. All sales from 1st June through to 30th June will be in the comp.

• This competition runs for a full month.
• Starts: 1st June 2012
• Ends: Midnight (QLD time)30th June 2012
• The winner will be drawn using http://www.random.org/lists/
• The winner will be announced via Demented Faery blog as well as via email.
• Your prize will be posted out via registered postage also.
• only open to Australian residents.

Stores participating are:

1. Demented Faery
2. Beaded Webs
3. Luna de Sangre
4. Miss Morgue's Creations
5. Countess von Belfry
6. Empress Bat's Emporium
7. Incarnadine Creations
8. Voluptous Corsets Adelaide
9. Haus of Zombi
10. Kitty Made
11. Small Batch Cake Soaps

.......................................................................

~ Beaded Webs

Hand Made Beaded Webs

Donated this gorgeous beaded web




http://www.facebook.com/BeadedWebs

Luna De Sangre
The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood~ Jewellery & accessories

Donated two items: a hand made Lily Munster trinket box, as well as some hand made bat cards & envelope set.



http://www.facebook.com/LunaKaos





~ Miss Morgue's Creations

"hand crafted unique pillows and cushion covers for all unique ghouls"

Helped out with buying this to add to comp...Very cool Batty pillow, matching batty fabric head scarf, 3 mixed fabric hair bows



http://www.facebook.com/BrideOfFrankensteinsPillows





~Countess Von Belfry

Wares for the Discerning Ghoul

Donated The Invisible Man ring, 3D skull in ornate setting + rosary,Real Scorpion Pendant + chain, Eyeball Hair Clip.




http://www.facebook.com/pages/Countess-von-Belfry/10150113713805066?ref=ts




~Empress Bat's Emporium

Hand Made Jewellery & Dolls

Donated bat necklace, Glitter Skeleton hand necklace,Hand made felt toy keyring, Skull Ring,Hand Made & unique gift tags...




http://www.etsy.com/shop/EmpressBatsEmporium




~ Incarnadine Creations

Handmade & custom jewellery for the alternative hearted

I purchased this for comp..Gorgeous hand made Green Skeleton Lady cameo pendant with matching ring, Black heart cameo necklace.







http://www.facebook.com/IncarnadineCreations

~Voluptuous Corsets Adelaide

Quality steel boned corsets




http://www.facebook.com/pages/Voluptuous-Corsets-Adelaide/165552883523434








~Haus of Zombi

Make-up and accessories to die for!

Donated a Awesine $20 Instore Voucher...




http://www.facebook.com/HausofZombi




~ Kitty Made

Fairy Wings, handmade plantbased soaps, crochet and knitted treasures....

Donated this cool mixed soap, Includes

Cold Process Plant Based Soaps. Vegan

Sandalwood, chocolate delight, Orange lovers, Creen/matcha tea, Riceflower & Shea, Orange & Patchouli, Vanilla, Lime & Ginger






http://www.facebook.com/pages/KittyMade/220381694683589


~ Small Batch Cake Soaps

Pure gentle soap - handmade for you

Donated a Instore $10 voucher...Home of the very popular & New Vamp Soap..Expires 31st July 2012.



http://www.facebook.com/pages/Small-Batch-Soap-Cakes/186701811413417


Demented Faery..donated a gorgeous & offical licensed sealed print of the amazing Jasmine Beckett-Griffith "Sea Beacon"



For more information please visit Demented Faery's blog or check out her FaceBook page!

 

Alphabet challenge: crochet

Blog post brought to you by the letter C as part of my Alphabet blog challenge.

My Mother taught me how to crochet when i was about four years old, i remember making massive metres of chain out of yarn! As i got the hang of the whole crochet thing i started making clothes for my toys and granny squares for cushion covers. I enjoy crocheting and recently made myself a scarf, fingerless gloves, and matching beret out of dark sage green yarn. I don't usually bother with patterns and tend to make things up as i go along, or just use the pattern as a guide.

As well as making my own crochet pieces i like seeing the crochet made by others. There is an amazing textile artist on Etsy, ScarletRabbit, who makes the most delicate elegant fantastic crochet accessories, and i have become a fan of her work, having the honour of owning several of her fingerless gloves and wristlets, many which i have custom ordered.

Ruth, from the etsy store ScarletRabbit, is extremely talented and artistic, as well as crocheting, she draws in pen and ink, and also makes beautiful jewellery.

The fingerless gloves I have purchased from ScarletRabbit are delicate fine crochet created with 100% cotton yarn. The designs are unique, and the crochet is perfect; the lacey crochet design makes these fingerless gloves an absolute delight to see and to wear. I also have a delicate lace crochet and ribbon choker that i bought from ScarletRabbit!

My most recent purchase from ScarletRabbit was a custom order of a pair of purple fingerless gloves and a pair of emerald green. Absolutely beautifully made, they are gorgeous and so comfortable to wear! (see picture of them above)

If you appreciate elegant unique hand made crochet, please visit ScarletRabbit !

Alphabet Challenge: Beads Online

Today's blog post alphabet challenge is brought to you by the letter B....

I enjoy making jewellery, which means i need to find places to buy supplies like, chain, cameos, pendant bases, and beads.

Beads Online

There are a few stores i buy jewellery supplies from, but my favourite is the internet store Beads Online, and i am a frequent customer. Beads Online is a family owned and operated business based in Queensland, Australia, originally selling beads on ebay they ventured forth to creating their own website through which to sell their wares.

They offer flat rate postage to Australian addresses and free shipping to Australian addresses when the order is over $200, also posting to overseas addresses at rates according to parcel weight, dimensions and destination, anyone can shop at Beads Online!

Payment options for Australian customers are direct bank deposit, money orders or paypal, while paypal is the payment accepted for international orders.

Why i am a frequent customer

Beads Online has a huge variety of beads and findings and altered art images, the inventory refreshes regularly and i always find something new on offer there to inspire me. The prices are Fair and affordable, and there is a sale section where i have found many a beading bargain! Their turn around is fast, last week i placed an order, paid for the express post option, and recieved my order the next afternoon!

Beads Online is an Aladdin's cave of amazing supplies for jewellery making, with bargain prices, excellent customer service and The orders are all packaged well in bubble wrap and tissue paper and are always a treat to open.

 

Alphabet Blog Challenge: A is for.....

Quick recap, my next 26 blog posts will feature something starting with ... whatever letter of the aphabet im up to... See my intro post here for more information. Feel free to join me in this alphabet blog challenge!!

Alchemy

I like the sound of that word, it conjures up thoughts of dark dingy rooms in castles, full of potions and scientific tubes and beakers and other scientific or magical paraphenalia. Swirling symbols and velvet curtains on the walls and covering the windows, and large leather bound gilt edged tomes balanced precariously on tables and jewel encrusted chairs.

Enchantments and potions, precious metals and acid, books about earth, fire, wind, water ....

Earth, fire, wind, water: the elements that formed the base of the Alchemists world. More than wanting to transform base metals into gold, alchemists were the forerunners of the chemistry we know today. Historically alchemy was a sacred path of learning incorporating, mysticism, science, philosophy, and the constant path to unravelling the mysteries of the world.

The word Alchemy is thought to derive from the Ancient Greek word khymeia, with 'al' the definite article from Ancient Arabic. Al kymeia ~ alchemy... Get it???

Ancient Alchemists produced findings and invented laboratory items and procedures that are still in use today albeit in modern form.

Further Reading

Medieval History on about-com
Alchemy Lab
Alchemy Timeline
Etymology of Alchemy

 

Alphabet Blog Challenge: introduction

Dear Batlings,

I throw down the metaphoric gothic gauntlet and challenge you to an alphabet blog!!! Who is in?

The rules:

1. Each blog post must star a letter of the alphabet
2. There are to be twenty six consecutive blog posts, each with the next letter featured, in alphabetical order
3. Blogs may be daily, weekly, hourly, whatever, as long as each successive blog features the next letter of the alphabet.
4. If you want to play along, feel free to post a link to your alphabet blog posts in the comments threads of my blog!
5. Example: blog 1: apples (a post about apples). Blog 2: burgers (a post about burgers) and so on till the end of the alphabet!!

Whether anyone wants to join me or not, i will be doing the alphabet challenge!!

Please stay tuned, and feel free to comment!

Links to the alphabet blog posts:

A

B

C

D

 

EmpressBat's most loved Apothecaries

Dear Batlings,

Currently as i am feeling most unwell, my mind turns to all the delights that make me feel happy. .which brings me to thinking of some of the beautiful hand crafted wonders made by some of my favourite etsy artisans. Please do not start singing "these are a few of my fav-our-ite thiiings" .. Spare me from "the sound of music"... Please. Its not that i intensely dislike the musical based on the vonn trapp family's exploits, but im not in the mood for a singalong....

Anyway, where was i... Ah yes, a few of my favourite etsy artisans...

PHOENIX BOTANICALS

Firstly let me introduce you to the beautiful creations made by the wonderful herbalist, Irina, from Phoenix Botanicals. My first purchase from this etsy store was in September 2011, i had been searching online for a multi use balm made from natural ingredients. This was when i first encountered the amazing Fairie Balm, created and bottled by Phoenix Botanicals.

Delicately scented by beautiful linden tree blossoms, and other natural ingredients, this balm truly is soothing absorbing quickly into the skin with no unwanted residue, and the scent is uplifting, and delightful. I first used it as a lip balm, and after finding how well it healed my dry lips and then prevented further dry sore lip issues, i started to also use it as a cuticle cream. I am so impressed that my cuticles are all nice, soft, and not all zombiefied any more that i immediately had to buy more of this magical balm!! It has become a makeup lace-pouch staple of mine. (yes batlings, my makeup bag is a lace drawstring pouch, im sure none of you are surprised..)

I use Faerie Balm as:

• lip balm
• cuticle cream
• Fingernail treatment
• Ends of hair preshampoo treatment
• General moisturiser

Recently i was very fortunate indeed to win one of Phoenix Botanicals perfumes called Love Potion, i had seen Irina speak of it on her facebook page, and was so happy to win a bottle! It has a very intoxicating scent and is sublime.

DEEP MIDNIGHT PERFUMES

Speaking of perfumes, i have a neat segue to the second etsy artisan i wish to tell you all about. If you want a unique, carefully created, vegan fragrance, look no further than Cat's etsy store Deep Midnight Perfumes.

My usual purchase from the lovely Cat is her gothically glorious wonderful perfume oil Samhain Nights, blended in jojoba oil this perfume is fragrant and sweet, intoxicating frankinsence swept with the scent of a new season apple, this is another of my makeup pouch staples.

There are many fragrances that Cat creates that i really like and use when im not dabbing on the delicious Samhain Nights.

The perfumes from Cat that i most favour are:

• Samhain nights
• Wee green fae
• Gwenhyfar
• Boudica

Cat is a prolific creator of unique fragrance mixes, and im a total fan!!

For more information on all the SCENTsational perfumes Cat creates please have a look at her etsy store, Deep Midnight Perfumes, and her facebook page.

All of Cat's perfumes are Paraben Free, Phthalate Free, Cruelty Free, and most definitely Vegan.






 

 

............................................................................................................... Please visit me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat handcrafted gothic goodies at bargain prices. see me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat ...Please visit me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat handcrafted gothic goodies at bargain prices. see me on etsy! www.etsy.com/shop/empressbat

 

Support unique artists: say no to mass produced!!

Dear Batlings,

Today's missive may be nothing more than a feverish rant, but i do believe it has some merit: say no to mass produced tawdry trinkets, and start supporting the artisans who put heart and soul into producing beautiful hand crafted items! We will lose our artisans, the skills to create and the option to obtain unique work if we do not support the hand crafts industry!

• Mass produced is cheap
  
• everyone has one
  
• plastic
  
• poorly manufactured
  
• Land fill
• Lacking original thought
• Heartless and soulless

Even those websites advertising themselves as places to buy and sell handmade goods have become prey to sellers offering mass produced, made in timbuctoo, plasticky rubbish!

Personally i love hand crafted things. Unique, quality made, creative items made by those whose joy of imagining and creating shines through the finished product.

I buy many hand crafted things from a variety of artisans from all over the world, and i am the proud owner of such a gorgeous selection of unique accessories as a result of this. I also make a lot of things myself, from jewelery, to clothes, to toys, to bags... I keep some things for myself, i give some away, i sell some.... Beautifully made handcrafted items are rich with the souls of their creators.

• What happens if we stop supporting handcraft artists?
  
• What happens if we want the world Andy Warhol sartired in his famous pop art?
  

Many artisans rely on the sales of their wares to purchase more raw materials to keep creating wonderous things. Others rely soley on sales to make a living and put food on the table and a roof over their heads. Nothing kills a muse of creativity faster than the stress of not being able to pay the bills!

There is a place for mass produced, yes indeed batlings, it has its place, but not at the expense and ultimate death of hand made quality!

Artisans! Stand up for your rights to be heard and to have a place in the merchandise of the 21st century! Support each other. Motivate each other.

Spread the word that not supporting artisans ultimately means that one day the world will be a sterile plastic environment where nobody recalls how to make anything anymore.

I would really like to hear other's views on this.

Please feel free to post your comments!

<end rant>

QLD Museum: MUMMY Secrets of the Tomb, brilliant exhibition!

The mysteries and science of ancient Egypt have long intrigued me, so im sure all you batlings out there will know how excited i was when i found out about an exhibition travelling from the British museum that featured the discovery information, artefacts and mummy of the ancient Egyptian Priest Nesperennub.


We booked ahead so we didn't have to line up on the day to book tickets... I'm not the most patient of goths and really have a string aversion to waiting in long non-moving lines. Tickets were nicely affordable at $21.45 each from Foxtix, and we could pay using Paypal which was convenient.


Prior to entering the exhibit room we were led into a small theatre where, upon donning '3d' glasses printed to resemble the Eye of Horus, we were transported into the world of the Historians and Scientists who had researched the mummy subsequent to it being purchased by the British museum. CT imaging was used to scan the mummy so as to avoid disrupting the wrappings and amulets of the preserved priest. The film took us through the CT scan process and explained the findings. It was a very interesting documentary that made a tasty precursor to the actual exhibition.


We then traversed into the exhibition, greeted with cabinets and shelves of all sorts of amazing original and some replica ancient Egyptian artefacts, we wandered through the exhibit enthralled. At the far end of the room the first mummy we encountered was that of a young female who was apparently a child singer in the court of an Egyptian noble who died at a young age. We also saw another mummy partially unwrapped and no longer sealed in decorated resin. In the last room of the exhibit rested the cartonnage mummy case with mummified body inside of the Priest Nesperenub.


This exhibit was educational, interesting, and a must see!

Im sick, did i catch a computer bug???

Hi dear Batlings


It is Saturday afternoon, i am writing this missive from bed, while draped in bedding (and a small dog), and sneezing repeatedly, my throat is swollen and feels like i have been swallowing coals, and i hurt all over. Flu? Headcold? Computer virus????


Ok yes i do know that computer viruses arent going to make me sneeze, but follow my logic for a minute... If you dare...


i have spent the last three days at a conference about cyber crime, computing, IT security, malware, viruses, software bugs... There were many many people there ... Some were coughing and / or sneezing.. And there were late nights of geeky hilarity...


a bunch of humans shoved together for a few days is bound to mean a sharing of ideas, jokes, ?.. and the inevitable head cold virus....


To sum up... I was at a conference that in part spoke of computer viruses, and i have come home with a nasty cold... Therefore i attest that i have succumbed to a computer virus.. And it is making me sneeze.


And in othere news... I will blog more later about some arty projects im working on, plus stay tuned to my blog about the Egyptian mummy exhibition i attended last weekend.


In the meantime could someone pass me a tissue...? Aaaaaccchhhhhoooooooooo