Friday, September 30, 2011

Keep it handmade, keep it original

As most of you probably know, I like to handmake a lot of my outfits, jewelry, and other what's-a-mah-bobbits. I find that my sense of style is not easily attained (or cheap either), so I usually resort to hand making my items to keep everything original and unique looking.

I think this is just what we need more of nowadays, people being original and creative; by doing so, people will be expressing themselves rather than just wearing whatever outfits a magazine tells you to wear.

My friend recently started an Etsy and her designs are really unique. Sometimes she makes fairy dust necklaces that any Ophelia would be glad to wear, other times she makes some really gnarly gothic demon chokers on black velvet with chains. She made the necklace that I bought a week ago, and I'm soooooo happy with it!


I love it! A black lace-and-velvet choker with a dangling heart filled with spiderwebs (and a hidden skull) with dangling crosses AND chains!!! FOR $15!!!!!

As soon as it was posted, I bought it. It's so me! And it's handmade and completely one of a kind, so I KNOW there won't ever be a lace-and-velvet choker this awesome.

The other morning, I was woken up early and didn't have too much time to get ready, so I wore it with a casual outfit and lurve the way it changes what I'm wearing.

I already feel gothier!

I woke up really early and felt like Death, so I did the little Neil Gaiman's Death spiral under my right eye.

I'm also wearing my heartagram underneath it. :3

I'm so happy with it. It automatically changes any black shirt and pants, AND makes my neck look marvelously Victorian when I pull my hair up.

Here is the link to her Facebook page where she posts most of her designs:
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/lackosaniteadesigns

She usually posts her stuff on her Facebook first, but here's her etsy too:
http://www.etsy.com/people/lackosanitea?ref=si_pr

She's a really wonderful, creative, and kind person, and one of the most beautiful people I've ever met. So if you want something done especially for you, I'm sure her creative mind can fulfill your request.

Do you know any creative goths with etsy's or companies? Please share! <3!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Earring Necklace Tutorial (DIY)

Sometimes I get my hands on cheap stuff that I really like, but find alternate uses for said items. I recently bought some spider earrings that were cute, but I couldn't see myself using them as earrings. So! Today, I set out to alter them into a more suitable form.

End result.
This was the earring before I changed anything.

Add caption
But wait! This spider doesn't have a tattoo on it's butt! Well, I did it myself. I'm gonna show you how I did that too. Let me begin by saying that I don't know anything about making jewelry- I have no real tools and just use whatever I have around the house, and so should you! Here's the stuff you'll need:


The earring, needle nose pliers, a white out pen, a fine black marker, a safety pin, and red nail polish.

First things first, your earring must dangle. Meaning, the part that goes in your ear must look like this:


That wire is your best friend. Use your needle nose pliers and start to bend that wire into a loop.
After looping it, wrap the wire around the bottom where the loop begins and squeeze any sharp bits down. It should look like this.
All you have to do from this point on is slip a chain or ribbon through that loop and voila! A necklace! I did say I would show you how I put that hourglass on my spider though, here it is.

Use the white out pen to make a hour glass on the butt of your spider. It's okay if it's bulky or kind of messy, we'll fix that in a bit.

So as you can see, my hourglass shape is kind of bulky. Take your safety pin (or razor blade, anything sharp and small) and use it to shape the hourglass on your spider.

When you think it looks pretty good, take your fine tip black marker and color over the edges. If there was any left over white out on the spider showing, this will cover it all up and make it look pretty neat.


Once that's all dried and cleaned up, take out your nail polish and color over the white with the red polish.

A brighter color is best. It's just a small splash of color, so a dark red will just get lost in your little spider friend. After it dries, use the safety pin to shape the color and color the edges so it looks a little cleaner, and voila!

Your spider friend is now ready for a walk! I turned this one into a necklace and the other into a hair flower, it's so nice when my spiders join me for a walk.
I put red paint on the edges and topped it off with red glitter nail polish. It gives it that fresh blood sparkle I love so much. :3 <3!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Halloween-y Decor

Despite the fact that my walls are covered in dark/goth/faerie stuff and my actual walls are pink (it's kind of like living in a gothic cupcake), I wanted to decorate part of my bedroom to be Halloween-y. I can't use spiderwebs because I don't have anything to put them on, and I can't use pins/tacks on my walls either. I figured that the first thing people see when they enter my bedroom is my computer desk, so I decided to decorate that with my Halloween stuff.

Flash?!  *le gasp!*
I put my newly acquired black/orange candles on the edge of my desk, then added other candles, my coffin case, a little batty, and my pumpkin I decorated with bunny ears (I've had a fondness for bunnies lately. ^^; ).

I love that pumpkin pail. This is what it looks like when the light through the window shines through my pumpkin:


I recently bought some bone leggings from e-bay and I really like them! I don't know how to wear them yet, but this was the maiden voyage outfit.

I really gotta clean that mirror...
I figured bones go with bones, I'm so glad I decided to buy that shirt. :D


Bunny nose-twitching face.

The "Imma bite yer face" look. :3
But wait! Remember I said I had a fondness for bunnies?


Tada!

My bunny backpack.
I like how it clashes with all my gothiness. People always do a double take when they see my outfits anyway, why not send them off with a "wtf" face? :D

Chris and I went to another Halloween store (no photos this time, sorry!) and I bought something I've never seen before. Can you guess what it is?

End of the day make-up. :[

Here's a hint.
Yup, it's a hair clip!


My spider banana clip!
It's a spider! The legs are made of wire, so I can spread them throughout my hairbun as I please. The spider is on a banana clip.



I love spiders. When I was 3 (THREE), I had a pet tarantula. I named him Lenny, and my dad got him for me. He'd put Lenny on me and I would giggle and play with him, my mother unknowing to the fact that my pet was poisonous. Lenny died when my uncle decided to put HIS tarantula in MY tarantula cage and they killed each other, may he rest in peace. :[


I also have a thing for spiders lately, so keep your eyes peeled for a DIY spider necklace (the one I'm wearing with a red ribbon in these photos). <3!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Halloween Shopping

Yesterday, I did a little Halloween shopping! I went to Walgreen's with my boyfriend Chris and was automatically drawn to the Halloween section. There, an impromptu Halloween shopping and browsing took place. Pictures for your eyes to behold!!!
Battery operated candles! They flicker too.

They were well painted for $5.
5 for $2! I bought 3 black, 2 orange. The red ones smelled like Christmas...
$3 FISHNETS. You can't beat that.
Spiders and wall mount spiderwebs, fuzzy!
Battery operated, and they flickered too.

Mask WITH an attached black/purple wig. I want my hair like that...
Cheap make-up kits. Make sure you wash your face really well afterwards, or you shall suffer the wrath of Acne-geddon the day after.
Spiderwebs! I wanted some, but I have no idea where to put them. :/
And you thought your spider problem was bad.  

Here are the things that I bought and took home with me:
The black ones are vanilla maple twist, orange is pumpkin spice. Never before has death smelled so good!
A 99 cent Halloween snow globe for my mom. :3
Blood in a bottle: Now water soluble!
A Halloween card for my uncle.
Spider earrings! One shall be a necklace, the other a hair ornament!
 Okay, this last photo is something that I did NOT buy, but I wanted to.

He was soo grumpy, but so cute! Even when trying to hack off my limbs... Instead of buying him, I did the next best thing- I filmed him for you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cBBch3BNsE

Happy Halloween! <3!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Corset boning

I am a great admirer of corsets, but I don't know too much about them. One thing I know for certain though- I HATE plastic boning! I'm all steel all the way.
Ahh, steel...

Now this is a corset. Look at it! It doesn't need you, it laughs at that thought. It can support itself. Why? Because it's as tough as steel. Hell, it can stand up straight as you would if you were wearing this thing. Thus why I hate plastic boning.

Plastic warps, it bends, it pokes, it wounds my sides, and it doesn't last very long at all. I find full steel corset bones to be more comfortable than this plastic Barbie hell digging itself into my spleen. I did a little research (very little research) and found out some things about different types of steel boning.

Spiral steel bones:
Spiral steel bones are a universal style bone used in many theaters and ballet companies. They support the garment but allow great mobility creating corsets that can be danced in and are comfortable to wear. If using these for bridal or in a white bodice, make sure they are well encased to avoid a shadow effect since the bones are gray.
 http://www.voguefabricsstore.com/6mm-1-4-Spiral-Steel-Bones-Several-Lengths.html

Spiral bones have the most flexibility of all bones, being able to move both forwards and backwards and side to side. They are the best choice for a bodice that requires boning but is going to be worn for dance or other motion activities. They are not a good choice for front panels of bodices/corsets for women who wear a c-cup or more. Spiral bones are the most flexible and least supportive.
https://www.farthingalescorsetmakingsupplies.com/bones.php


Spring steel bones:
The white steel boning, a.k.a. spring steel, flexes only forward and backward, not side to side, and are appropriate for the center backs of corsets where support is needed on either side of the grommets.
http://www.voguefabricsstore.com/White-Spring-Steel-Bones-and-Spiral-Bones

Spring Steel Bones are also known as "white" bones, this is for the obvious reason; they are white. The white however is only a plastic like nylon coating that protects the steel and inhibits rust. Spring steel bones should be quite rigid; able to flex but not easily bent. They flex only forward and back not from side to side. The thickness of the bone is very important, more so than the width *giggle*. Spring steel should be used down center back of all corsets.
https://www.farthingalescorsetmakingsupplies.com/bones.php


Spring steel bones are the good stuff. Sturdy, long lasting, and dipped in a plastic coat so they are washable and won't get all rusty (like the spiral steel bones *leers*).

There are also some other special bones called Lacing Bones:

Basically, you put these suckers down the center back of your corset to reinforce your grommets. If you ever had a grommet that popped out of alignment of your corset, lo and behold your saviour! These are great support for long term lacing or "tight lacing". http://www.farthingalesla.com/lacing_bones.html


And last and most certainly least, plastic boning:
Designed for flexible support, rust resistant, very flexible, not suitable for "waist reducing" corsets but, rather, is used to keep garments from rolling up. These bones cannot be sewn into curver channels, but are great if you live in a high voltage area.
http://store.corsetmaking.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PLASTICBONE&Store_Code=CMS

Hope this has helped, happy lacing! <3!