WiNteR WHirL wiNd (whew!)

Awesome photo by Armene on Deviantart
This season is always pretty bonkers, and this year is no exception. Shopping (almost done!), working, and creating has given me plenty to do. I have a craft show tomorrow, visiting to to on Christmas eve, wrapping wrapping wrapping, and holy crap, some more gifts to make! AHHHH! So here is wishing you and yours a Happy (and safe) Christmahanukwanika.Totally amazing Nightmare before christmas shoes painted by Tozi on Deviantart


Luv,
Vanessa*

Working in a Winter Wonderland

SO I spent my Tuesday helping out at my mom's shop (Southern Comforts) in Concord,NC. She and her friend/business partner run this super cute Vintage and Antique boutique. Being biased aside, it really is my favorite Antique shop. The way they combine their styles to create the most amazing place, Gosh.
It really just blows me away. The romantic, shabby, chic style they have, and the wide range of goodies they carry give them such a mass age appeal. They customers range from 15-90!
They completely redecorate almost every month, and that is no small feat with their location being a two story house. Their Christmas and Halloween set ups are my favorite! And the shop is glittery with magical little trees every where you look. They rest in Antique doorknobs, and are lovingly knick-named "Knobby Pines" They sell for $6.95-$20. I want a whole Forrest of them.

I also love posing for photos there, because there is so much to pose around! I feel like I just fit the decor.Abercrombie&Fitch Sweater(purchased second hand at Honeysuckle Hollow another of my all time favorite shops), Quicksilver Dress, Target Leggings, Vintage Belt, Vintage Dingo boots, Jewelry all my design)

Anyway, I love thier shop. It makes me want to get Christmas-y. I need to go find a tree. Now.
Luv,
Vanessa*

My Computer is Back Online

So yeah, I went a full week without my computer. I made a totally (not) legal attempt to download the Metalocalypse premiere after I had accidentally forgotten about it. I'm really sorry I forgot about you guys! Art by tenshi-sirius

Adult swim.com had not posted the episode yet so I went looking elsewhere. YouTube...nope. Megavideo...nope. Random download site... Oh SH*T! I had accidentally downloaded 9 viruses. 9! Now THAT is brutal. Then Adult Swim.com posted the episode that night. Dildos. The guys are not supposed to be adorable, yet that didn't stop my talented sister from doing this to them. Find her here & here.

Halloween. Without a camera. Blah.

Upon arriving to my destination for Halloween preparation (i don't mean that as a joke, I mean the place I was getting dressed for Halloween) I realized that when I woke up at 2am in a panic the previous night to charge my camera, i didn't do a very good job. Halloween. No camera. Crap. Nobody else had one either. We had to record all the nights event on IPhones. And while the camera on it is not too bad, it's major downfall is poor lighting. In other words, night time. Double Crap. On the upside, we had a swell time, and everyone was adorable. i promise. Thought I can't really prove it. This photo of my mom and dad came out fairy well. My Mom is a Kewpie Doll. Her hair is gelled up into a freakin' mohawk. She wouldn't leave it that way, but she really was adorable. Dad copped out and wore PJ's. He almost rolled Dukt Tape on backwards, rolled in the leaves, and came as autumn (way more awesome), but he just wore Pjs. Poo. At least he was comfy.

The lady's house we went to (her name is Shannon btw) was AMAZING. The entire place was made up like a Martha Stewart Halloween Issue. I wanted to cry at the details she went in to. And her kids we so sweet, adorable, and funny. The youngest was dressed as Cindy-Loo-Who (dr. suess) and nailed it. I really really wish I had a photo. Yummy Zombie Cupcakes made by my mom and Susan. The shiny blood kills me!


One of the coolest parts of the evening was talking to the house across the street. The had LIFE SIZE MODELS (OMG!) of the Nightmare Before Christmas (which is my all time favorite movie. & yes I'm old enough to say that since the original realise.) The Jack and Zero made me so happy! Lock, Shock, and Barrel were being repaired, but I got to see Barrel up close. I still can't believe I didn't have a real camera. EHHHHH.I only got two (bad) photo's of my own costume which I was really excited about posting up here. I owned everything (right down to the trim and ribbons I added) with the exception of the tights (two pairs I stitched together &added the embellishments), the wig (which I borrowed from Brittany), and the white cream make-up (which I would have owned but was out of). The costume cost me less than $20 which I believe to be an all time record for me. Wait no, Tank Girl didn't cost me much but I wasn't accurate, and nobody knew who I was. The dress I wore was actually a beautiful silk Lolita dress I found at (believe it or not) Forever 21. There it was hanging there, the only one, in my size, and only $5! And angel gave it to me. I swear. I have worn this thing like 20 times. One of my all time best purchases. Really. I paired it with a goth black petticoat (also in my closet already. in fact, i had color choices) this one from my Hot Topic days. My make up I messed with my own design and combined elements of these two inspiring photos. I loved the final result. Creepy Dolly. I wish had more time to spend on my make up. I wanted to wear my blue contacs, and make a crack down my face, but I just ran plum out of time. And like I said, I was really (over all) quite pleased.

It was lovely to do something different for Halloween, kinda low key, and I loved spending time with my family (missed you 'Licia) ,espcially Auntie Sandra who I don't get to see often, but i really missed (my best friend) Brittany who is on a cruise right now. I can't wait till she gets back!
Luv,
Vanessa*

Fashion Macabre

I read a lot of blogs and one of my favorites is the Cherry Blossom Girl. Her sweet yet sharp sense of style is a fabulous inspiration to me. And her most recent post is so great that I had to share it. I love the the outfits she pulled inspired by these favorite dark characters.

Beatlejuice
Wednesday Addams (who I have always loved. Both Christina Ricci and the original I always wanted to be her.)
And more Beatlejuice fun. Lydia is such a fun character, and second only to Wednesday as inspiration for my Gothic Streak.
I love these because I would totally wear them. Especially Lydia's. I mean it's pretty close to something I have already worn, both for Halloween and on a regular basis. And speaking of Halloween, I getting geared up. I'm working on my costume. Are you?
luv,
Vanessa*

ick sick

Very slowly I'm beginning to feel human, but I have been knocked flat on my ass by this flu/cold thing. I slept through the entirety of yesterday, and I still feel more or less like dying. At my fever has dropped and I can breathe. Hopefully I'll be back on my feet again soon.

A story about a dress.

As I have previously stated, I don't currently have a great deal of disposable income. So I have been rummaging about the items I own that I don't really wear. I reorganized my closet and got rid of some of the garbage, but I also unearthed a few gems. One of which was this brown dress. I loved that it was a v-neck and empire cut, but it dipped so was so low in the front and back that my bra showed on both sides! Also the brown is a great color but i feel mousey wearing it alone. So it continued to languish in my closest, unworn and unused. Finally, I was playing dress in my room one day (like a big grown up) and I discovered that a beautiful vintage pleated slip fit underneath perfectly. It covered up all the too low dips, and added a bit of sweetness like a dollop of whip cream. I only needed the cherry on top. I set about to make an adorable accessory. Currently, I'm having a deep obsession with bows. Probobly from reaching my mid twenties and desperately attempting to hold on to some form of little girl-hood. Therefore bows. I went for red and cream stripes so it would pop on the dark chocolate back drop. I stitched the bow onto a pin back because I can't commit to the permanace of just stiching it on, topped it off with my favorite red sweater, and voila! Sugary sweetness achieved! I wore lace tights for texture and the heals to grow the while thing up a bit. Too bad the photos were kinda crummy, because I felt adorable!
luv,
Vanessa*

ps- i joined Weardrobe

Knit

I know I'm not the only girl who is simply dieing for real fall weather. Here in Charlotte, it is approaching. Slowly. I will catch a waft of chilly air in an otherwise balmy breeze and can't help but smile. Inspiration to play with warmer colors and multiple layers has hit me hard. I went shopping yesterday(more for looking than buying as one needs money for the later), but for the most part I was disappointed. I was underwhelmed. Particularly by American Apparel. I always get it in my head that they are the holy grail of easy to wear basics. Yet every time i enter the premises I am disappointed. Their t-shirts are great. And they have ok leggings. Beyond that, everything is pretty much cheeply made over priced whore clothes. Except their tights. I need a few of them. Bad. But i digress.
I went in solely to find this skirt. Homerun Ballerina. Love this girl's Blog.
What i found was cheaply constructed, unflattering, and completely see though. All for the low price tag of $30. For some reason it looks lovely on these ladies. I dunno.
SoftSpoken
I think i'm going to turn all my shopping energies toward the vintage, handmade, and local world. I really should be mostly doing this anyway but F21, Marshalls, and Urban's clearence are so cheap. So i'm going to challenge myself to make 80% of my fall purchaces fit within these restraints. I'll be happier for it. I'll start by telling you about a local girl and a fellow Etsyian (and fellow blogger. She is featured above) I'm kinda obsessing over. I am having a fit over all her lovely knitwear, but especially her Bubble Berets. I WANT ONE. They may (probably will) be an upcoming purchase. I also love her Colorblock Cowl! So pretty!

And BONUS(!) she is from Colombia,SC. Like an hour from here! SO excited. What an excellent place to begin my mission.

Luv, Vanessa*