Shock Stock 2015

What a weekend! What a show! This was my fifth trip to London, Ontario for the craziness that is known as Shock Stock. It is an annual Horror Convention put on by the dynamic duo James and Jake. Every year the Con gets bigger and better. This year was no exception. Special guests included Tony Todd (Candyman) and Eugene Clark (Big Daddy).

I had a great time this year vending with my good friends Scary Kerri from Black Orchid Designs and Zack from The Vault. I even set up a table to read Tarot this year. I had an awesome time doing readings the whole weekend. I will definitely do that again next year. 

I was lucky enough to snag a photo with both Tony Todd and Eugene Clark in it. And I picked up an autograph from both of them as well. There were lots of great guests at the convention this year but I keep autographs to a minimum because Cons can be expensive! Here are a few other guests including Miss Shock Stock, Toxic Avenger, and Zombie Jesus Maggot. 

The best part of Shock Stock this year was the awesome vendors. The first year I went to this small Con it was basically just the Horror Guests and tables full of VHS and DVDs for sale by collectors. Shock Stock is still the best Con for VHS. No other show has so many vendors that bring their personal collections of VHS to sell. I even had baskets full of horror VHS and DVDs to sell as well. 

This year there was a definite shift to more diverse vendors. This year there were artists, crafters, jewelry designers, and clothing designers alongside the tables of VHS. I wanted to showcase a few of my favourite designers and artists from the show below:

Midnight Desires- gorgeous hand made jewelry. Every time I see this designer I have to buy a new piece. What makes her designs so different is the attention to detail. 

Pixie Fashions- I've bought quite a few things from Pixie Fashions now. She has everything for your home including mugs with your favourite monsters on them, embroidered towels, and printed pillows. 

Slay It Mosaic- Painstakingly handmade glass mosaics of horror characters. The display was awesome and huge!

Kit Daven- Horror author who also makes the most adorable brain cupcakes and tiny Lovecraftian monsters. 

Sean Chappell- Gorgeous artwork. I wish I had bought a few prints at the show but I'm sure I will see him again soon. 

Roadkill Jill Creations- this artists sells everything from jewelry to wet specimens in jars. 

Rotten Rags- I couldn't resist picking up a new Elvira tee from this vender. And the glow in the dark tees were pretty cool too. 

Dark Sunshine Skullz- Awesome day of the dead skulls, dead little angels, and funny tees. 

It's Alive- all the zombies you can handle! Everything you need to zombify your home.  

Gracie Klutz- I loved her pinup headbands. She had the best selection of fabrics. Adorable!

So it was a fun show and I hope to see everyone again next year!

Fashion Inspiration: Penny Dreadful

Recently I came across an announcement from Hot Topic that they are doing a fashion collection based on the TV show Penny Dreadful. Considering how much I love this show and how I am inspired by Eva Green's wardrobe as Vanessa Ives I was curious to see what Hot Topic had come up with. Well... The dresses are pretty and I like the jacket but they are not exactly Victorian inspired and I'm pretty sure they are the usual Hot Topic quality. Ugh. Have a look for yourself! All images are from Pinterest and the Hot Topic website.

You can also watch the Hot Topic video here.

As you can see the designs are pretty normal. Nothing special really. I'm not saying I wouldn't wear them. In fact I might even buy a few when they come out but they are certainly not special. Maybe I should design a collection of my own that actually looks like something that Vanessa would wear! 

Here a few pics from the TV show that show the detail and quality of the costumes used on the show. I love her wardrobe! I really want to make that coat this year. All the images used were gathered from Pinterest. 

As for the show, it has moved up the ladder to become one of my favourite new shows. It's dark, gothic, and exactly what I love in a horror themed show. It has all the classic horror monsters like Dr. Frankenstein and his monster, vampires, a werewolf, and evil witches.  The sets and the costumes are top notch. The story lines are interesting, it is well written, and the actors are fantastic. What more do you want from a show? If you haven't checked it out yet, you should give it a go! Here is the teaser video for season 2.

Liebster Award: Discover new blogs!

I've been nominated! Thanks so much Sylvie from Little Corpgoth Girl for nominating for the Liebster Award! The Liebster is given out to new blogs who have less than 200 followers. The following rules apply.

THE RULES:

1. Post the award on your blog. 

2. Thank the blogger who presented this award and link back to their blog. 

3. Write 11 random facts about yourself. 

4. Nominate 11 bloggers who you feel deserve this award and who have fewer than 200 followers. 

5. Answer 11 questions posted by the presenter and ask your nominees 11 questions.

11 Random Facts about myself: 

1- I am an avid MountainBiker and volunteer with my local bike club teaching kids and women how to mountain bike. However this by no means makes me an expert Mountainbiker! I just enjoy being out in nature and helping others. 

2- I dote on my dog Bella. She is a beagle and requires a lot of attention, love, and snacks! She likes to snuggle and tries to eat everything she can get her paws on. So she is quite chubby and adorable. 

3- My husband and I own a classic muscle car. We have have a 71 Camaro and like to go to the local car shows and cruises.  I've always loved cars. I love how the Camaro has crank windows. I feel transported back to a simpler time when we go for a drive. 

4- I started sewing in high school. I've made my own clothes since then. I took a break from sewing for a few years but now I am back at it more than ever before! I also did craft shows in the late 80s and 90s. I used to make dolls, bears, and quilts for sale. Now I make lots of gothic dresses.

5- I love to read! I read blogs, fiction, nonfiction, and magazines. If only there were only more hours in the day I would finally be able to catch up with all my books! 

6- I am a huge Horror Fan. You might have guessed that since my other blog is based solely on Horror Movies. I go to horror conventions, movie premieres, and will talk endlessly about my favourite films with other fans whenever I get the chance. However, I've lost interest in the newer films lately which is why my horror blog is sorely neglected. I have a huge collection of over 1000 horror movies on VHS and Dvds. 

7- I read tarot on a regular basis. I read for my friends, family, and myself. I started reading tarot as a teenager but I only recently started offering readings for friends and coworkers. 

8- I had a 4.0 grade average in high school. I was a smarty pants in high school and I still enjoy reading and studying as much as I can. I love to take classes and learn new subjects. Most recently I'm taking classes on Wicca and Tarot at the Cat, Book, and Candle store. 

9- I grew up in a small town south of Seattle in Washington right on the Puget Sound. I love going to beaches and being around the water. But I hate sunshine! I wish I still lived near the gloomy west coast rocky beaches with their overcast skies.  I would walk there daily if I could! 

10- I own way too many shoes and they are mostly all black! It's shameful how much I spent on shoes over the years. I've cut that bad habit down recently. Maybe I will do a post on it one day...

11- I'm vegetarian. Have been for over 18 years. And before that I really only ate chicken or fish. However, during my pregnancy I craved McDonald's cheeseburgers like crazy. That is the only time period that I ate red meat on a regular basis. I'm vegetarian because I don't want to eat animals not because I'm trying to eat healthy. So I'm a terrible vegetarian. I eat way too much junk food. 

11 Questions from Little Corpgoth:

1.  When and why did you start blogging?
I started out in the blogging world with my movie blog but I soon became bored with the single subject matter and wanted to create a blog that I could discuss anything and everything that was interesting to me.

2.  With MP3s and internet streaming, do you still buy CDs or DVDs?
I still buy both CDs and DVDs. In fact I even still buy VHS!

3.  How would you describe your style  of dress?
I am pretty much a Romantic Goth most of the time. I sometimes throw in a Rockabilly dress or two also.

4.  What religion or philosophy do you ascribe to?
I have never been very religious but I am spiritual. I am a practicing Pagan.

5.  What are your favorite TV shows on the air right now?
Game of Thrones! I love TV shows that are supernatural. My faves right now are Doctor Who, Supernatural, Game of Thrones, Merlin, Walking Dead, Once Upon A Time, and Penny Dreadful. We are in a magical period of time right now that the TV shows are actually better than most movies.  And supernatural ones seem to be all the rage right now. Yay! I also love a good historical TV show.
 
6.  What other hobbies do you participate in, besides blogging?
Sewing, Reading, Mountain Biking, Writing, Tarot

7.  If you participate in the arts, which ones do you participate in?  Are you a hobbyist or a professional?
I'm a dressmaker. If that counts towards the arts? My son is gifted in music though. He plays guitar, bass, and drums.

8.  If a movie was being made about your life, which actor/actress would play you?
Christina Hendricks. If only I had her figure!

9.  Choose one: Coffee or tea?

I drink coffee most of the time but I love tea as well. Coffee gets me going in the morning but I drink tea the rest of the time. 

10.  What colors have you dyed your?

Every shade of red known to man. I am a natural redhead so I tend to stick with that. I've also had pink, dark brownish red, and black before. I think I look the best in the bright red I'm using now. It's Vampire Red by Manic Panic. 

11.  Introvert, extrovert, or ambivert?

I'm definitely an Extrovert but sometimes I need a day or two by myself to recharge. I've been told I'm an Empath and a Healer by a few experts. So I enjoy helping people with their problems. I just get overwhelmed by negative people sometimes and need some time alone to recharge.  Then I'm ready to go help others again. 

Nominate 11 Blogs to follow:

I am going to take this opportunity to mention a few fellow bloggers that I love to follow and read on a regular basis. I'm not completely sure if these blogs all have under 200 followers (in fact I'm sure some have quite a few) but I'm going to list of a few of my favourite bloggers anyway.  

1- Madame Mari Mortem   A great blog to follow if you are a fellow sewing enthusiast. She posts about sewing, fashion, and some DIY. And she has a great sense of style. 

2- Goth Gardening  An entertaining and well written blog about everyday goth life. A pleasure to read! 

3- Little Corpgoth Girl  Sylvie is a Goth mom trying to survive in a world full of Muggles. She is charming and a delight to read. 

4- Gothic Soulflower  I've only recently discovered this blog but I love her style and her enthusiasm for life! 

5- The Curious Professor Z  I can not stress enough how much I enjoy reading about what Franny is up to. She is a beautiful lady inside and out. 

6- Coffin Kitsch  This lovely blogger has loads of retro style! She seems to put together outfits effortlessly. 

7- Bones and Lilies  This blogger posts amazing outfits on a regular basis. She is always perfectly put together.

8- GIY Goth It Yourself   I've followed this blog for a long time. She is also a fellow sewer and very crafty as well. I love all her GIY posts. I just wish she would post more! 

9- Vintage Vixen  Oh how I wish I had this blogger's closet. She loves 70s fashion and has great taste in clothes. 

10- Through The Looking Glass  Here is another blogger that I wish would post more often. I love her style and the photography. We have very similar taste in clothes, books, and music. 

11- This is Corpgoth  I've been following this blogger since she was the Gothic Martha Stewart. She still posts great every day work outfits and she is a very talented costumer as well.  

11 Questions For Nominees: 

I think the original questions posted by Sylvie and Gothic Sunflower should be used.  So I will not add anything new at this point. Thanks so much Sylvie! And I hope this post might direct you dear readers to some new blogs you haven't discovered yet! 

Tea Leaf Reading and Outfit of the Day

Today I had my tea leaves read by a professional reader for the first time. What a lovely experience that was. The room was calm and inviting with candles lit and the tea was hot and delicious. Amy Taylor from The Art of Tea and Tasseomancy has been reading tea leaves for well over 20 years. She reads her clients energy as well as their tea.

My reading was spot on including the fact that I tend to focus too much on doing things for other people instead of taking care of myself. I have heard this before from other psychics. Maybe one day I will learn that lesson! If you are in the Cambridge, Ontario area anytime soon to get a reading by Amy I highly suggest it. 

As for the outfit I wore today, this dress is so comfortable and easy to wear. I love it. It is a design I sell at the store. 

dress: made by me

Corset: Black Orchid Designs

Shawl: Vintage

Shoes: Thrifted

Rosary: The Gift Crypt