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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Tumblr Tuesday!

It's been awhile, so excuse the excess amount of stuff. I have lots to share with you all :D

I wish I could do that!

I went to an EA concert a little over a week ago. Best experience ever! Not my photo though.





I really want these leggings!

Lady Unlaced





Monday, February 27, 2012

Stressed? Then read!

As some of you may know I got a job writing for shebudgets.com recently. Well, my first post went up today and I'm really excited about it. It's nice to see something I've written displayed like that. So what does stress have to do with it? That's what I wrote about, and even if you're not into websites like shebudgets or whatever, I think my advice is pretty solid regardless of who you are.

A Quick Suggestion if You're Stressed Out 
"As most of us know, getting 'stressed out' doesn't take much and at one time or another, we’ve experienced it. Stress is a sneaky beast that creeps upon us, usually at the worst possible time." 

It would mean a lot to me if some of you viewed/read the post. I really want to make the most of this job. I know it's not much but it's the first writing job I've ever had and seeing as I want to make a career out of it, it'd be nice if I was successful here. Thank you all so much!

And also, as a side note, I know I haven't done a Tumblr Tuesday in a few weeks, bu no worries! I plan to catch up with in in an awesome post tomorrow.

Lady Unlaced

Friday, February 24, 2012

Exploring the Tarot: The Emperor

The Emperor
Keywords: influence, material wealth, authority, paternal figure

The Emperor is a card that represents paternal influence and power. It usually depicts a king-like figure in a throne holding traditional symbols of power such as an orb and a scepter. Purple is a common colour as it corresponds with royalty. An image of an eagle is often incorporated into the card as well, as they are a bird that is strongly connected to Zeus.

This card compliments The Empress -as she is a symbol of maternal influence, The Emperor is that of paternal influence. He rules over matters of finance, politics, and material goods. This is a card that is strongly tied to masculinity. The Emperor is a protector.

In a spread this card tells us to pay attention to the material aspects of our lives; money is key here. Business-type projects are on the horizon and you have to be prepared to make the right decision for the most material gain. He could also represent the entrance of an authority figure into your life such as a new boss that will have a lot of influence on you. 

Lady Unlaced

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

My Mason Jar Project Revealed!

I had mentioned before that I was working on a secret project involving a mason jar and now it is time to reveal what I was doing! And why it was a secret in the first place.

I didn't mention what it was when I talked about all the neat things you can do with mason jars because it was a gift -a Valentines Day gift for my amazing boyfriend. I'm happy to say that he loves it and therefore I am confident and sharing my idea and creation with you all.

For the sake of staying awesome we're going to call this project the Jar of Dreams project. That name just kind of came to me and I like the way it sounds, win! Haha, anyways, this is something that is perfect as a gift for the important people in your life, whether they be your significant other, best friend, or close family member. The idea is simple, get a jar and fill it with dreams!

Before we go too much farther, here are the things you'll need: mason jar, paper (unlined will look better, I used sketchbook paper), construction paper/paint sample (in any colour you want), good pen, embroidery thread, a few pretty beads, acrylic paint (again, any colour), and glue (I just used a glue stick.)


I love mason jars, they're very aesthetically appealing in vintage-y kind of way. And glass is always more charming than something like plastic. Although I imagine a Chest of Dreams (wooden) would be just as wonderful as a jar. But a mason jar is probably easier to get a hold of and cheaper as well. I bought mine at a thrift store for 99 cents, and you just can't beat that kind of price.

Alright, so to get going on constructing this dream jar, you'll need to cut up your paper into pieces small enough that they'll fit into your jar but big enough that you can fold them in half. You don't have to fold them, but a lot of the fun in this is being able to pull out the pieces of paper and open them up to see what they say. You can make as many as you want, but it's best to make enough so that the jar is full. No one wants a half full jar of dreams.

As for the "dreams" you're putting on the paper, those are entirely up to you. I wrote down things like "lots of hugs," "live together," and "go on coffee dates." Whatever you hope to do and experience with that person can go on a slip of paper, whether it's a serious life dream or just something silly. 

Now take a part the lid of your mason jar and use the flat(ish) piece to trace a circle on your construction paper or paint sample. I used a red pain sample that I picked up from Home Depot which I prefer to construction paper because of how much sturdier it is. Cut out the circle and then use your paint to write something on it -this is your choice. If you have something cute that means something between you and the person you're giving this too then use that. For mine I wrote "Hope and Wishes" in white paint.

Excuse my bad phone camera picture.

When that dries, glue the edges to the raised part of the mason jar top and then set it inside the screw top part. I hope that all makes sense, I'm not sure what the terminology is for the parts the lid, but if you know your mason jars then you probably know what I'm talking about.

Now take your thread and wrap it around the top of the jar so that it sits below the lid and just above the swell of the glass. Tie it in place and let the excess hang down as that's where your beads come into play. Add your beads and tie them off. I used a few red and pearly seed beads as well as some silver star beads. You can also do this part with ribbon, with or without beads.

All that's left is to fill your jar up with your folded notes and voila! A very heartfelt and cute gift to give to someone you love.

My finished product.

Lady Unlaced




Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Emilie Autumn Concert in Boston

I had the wonderful privilege this past Sunday to see Emilie Autumn and her amazing Bloody Crumpets perform at the Royale in Boston! Me and my best friend got all dressed up and were Asylum ready!

Me!
Sue!

We hit a few snags getting there -my boyfriend got a flat tire and we unfortunately were unable to make it on time for the VIP pre-show. We did manage to make the train into Boston for the regular show though. Let me tell you, walking up Tremont Street in Boston in 4-5 inch platform boots is a bit of a workout. But definitely worth it!

You may recall my "Musical Monday" post awhile back about the very talented Emilie Autumn and how much I absolutely adore her. She is hands down my favourite musical artist and the show she and the Bloody Crumpets (Naughty Veronica, Blessed Contessa, & Captain Maggot) put on was phenomenal! There is no opening band and the whole thing is so much more than a concert. They sing, dance, act out small skits and play games with the audience. And there is tons of glitter, confetti, muffins, and tea! 

I have a few pictures but they're terrible quality as I took them using my crappy phone camera, but here are a few:
Contessa playing her "Fingers & Toes" Game.
The Art of Suicide.
Girls! Girls! Girls!

I have a ton more but these are the best out of the bunch. I really wish I had a good camera so I could have captured the night better, but oh well. It was fabulous regardless!

And the new songs were awesome! EA's newest album, Fight Like A Girl, is supposed to be released sometime this year and she has been performing a bunch of new stuff off of it throughout this tour. I think Take The Pill is my favourite so far. This album will definitely be something I put aside money for.

I was also lucky enough to buy a signed Blessed Contessa poster after the show as well as a "Thank God I'm Pretty" tank top, both of which I looove! It really was an awesome night, despite the rough patches in the beginning. I'm hoping she comes around again sometime soon-ish.

Lady Unlaced






Friday, February 17, 2012

Exciting News! I am Published!

You heard me right! The Sentient agreed to publish a poem I submitted to them awhile back in their next edition, which has been released today. Click to check it out online! And go to the "Creative Writing" section and scroll through to mine. It's entitled "Self."

There is also a lot of other really cool stuff including a calendar section, a gardening section, and a health section. It's an all-positive publication that is released based off the moon cycle. Which of course, being a moon-love myself, think is really awesome. I definitely suggest everyone subscribe to the site. They'll send you email notifications whenever a new edition comes out. You can also order physical copies if you want, but the online version is free! And everyone loves free!

It is so cool to see my name there, knowing that a bunch of people will be reading my work! I am so excited!

Let me know what you all think of the poem and I hope you're having as lovely a day as I am!

Lady Unlaced

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Shop Update!

Three new items have been added to the shop!

Silver-Light Quartz Point Necklace
10.25USD

Spring Garden Necklace
8.00USD

Key to the Underworld Earrings
7.50USD

Tell me what you think! :)

Lady Unlaced



Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Spread the Love

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Before you start moaning and groaning about how you hate Valentine's day and how commercial it is or how you don't have a significant other anyways just hear me out. I used to be just like that and I know how you feel. But it doesn't have to be that way.

So what if Valentine's day is a commercial holiday? No one is forcing you to buy fancy chocolate or Hallmark cards with doily hearts on them. Regardless of all the stuff people buy for others for this holiday, Valentines day is ultimately about love. And that's something I can get behind.

You don't have to be cheesy to celebrate today. You don't have to hand out cards and flowers and chocolate to all the special people in your life. And you certainly don't have to sit around moping about how you're not in a relationship and have no one to share a fancy dinner with. That's not what it's all about. If anything, today is a day to  think about the people and things in your life that you really love and appreciate. Give your mom a call and wish her a happy V-day and tell her how much she means to you. Give your best friend a hug. Snuggle with your cat. Curl up on the couch and enjoy your favourite book.
Just focus on the positive.
That's what today, and everyday really, is about. Why not embrace it? I bet you'll feel much better about yourself and life in general if you throw out all those negative feelings towards Valentine's day that you've had pent up for however long.


But don't limit the love to your friends and family (and pets)!

Valentine's day is a great day to focus on yourself as well. Self-love is so important and something I don't think people indulge themselves in enough! Loving yourself isn't vain or narcissistic, it's a beautiful, freeing experience that can really improve your life. I know I sound like some kind of self-help manual, but I'm speaking from my own personal experience.

I hated myself for a long time and that hate built up in me and tainted my view of the world. Because of my self-loathing I also disliked other people (often for no reason) and I was constantly pessimistic. Honestly, I was no fun to be around. But recently I've gone through a transformation of sorts where I have learned to love my life, regardless of all the crap that's been in it. I look in the mirror and I don't hate what I see. I embrace every little scar. Even on my bad days I don't think I would change myself. I might say that I would, but when it comes down to it, I don't want to be anyone other than me.

And if that's not something to celebrate this Valentine's day then I don't know what is.

So love yourself, be your own valentine! Indulge in chocolate from yourself, pour yourself a glass of wine, pick out your own flowers and spend some quality time with you.
And if loving yourself is still a foreign concept, take a look at Gala Darling's 100 Ways You Can Start Loving Yourself. The woman is a real inspiration.

Love is a powerful force in the world and people shouldn't be afraid to let it into their lives. Commercial holiday or not, take the opportunity to appreciate your life, loved ones, and yourself.

Lady Unlaced




Monday, February 13, 2012

Exploring the Tarot: The Empress

The Empress
Keywords: Growth, Fertility, Motherhood

The Empress is a card of light and abundance. This card usually depicts a woman surrounded by corn which connects her to nature and the Earth as well as the Greek goddess of harvest, Demeter. It is very common for her to be depicted as pregnant and she is usually wearing a crown with 12 points -one for each of the months of the year. In card where the colours of the jewels are distinct enough you will most likely see them in four different colours. Each of these colours depicts the four seasons. 

This is a card of motherhood and fertility. The Empress is a nurturer and deals with the growth of the Earth and its people. She rules over the cycles of the Earth, from birth to death to rebirth. 

In a spread The Empress can obviously mean that it's time for a birthing. This can be a literal birthing or refer to something more creative, like a project of some kind. Whatever you have been toiling away on and thinking over is ready to be born into the world. Keep in mind that the motherly qualities of this card can also represent the pain a mother would feel from the loss of a child. Again, this can be a real child, or a project. Just remember, that with death comes rebirth -everything is a cycle. 

Lady Unlaced




Friday, February 10, 2012

How wonderful are Mason Jars?

Let me tell you, they're pretty awesome. I've collected three of them in the past few days for some fun crafting purposes. I know what I'm doing with one of them but it's a secret that I'll let you all in on when I'm done. I know I haven't really posted any DIY stuff on my blog before but that's something I am changing now. I love DIY projects, nothing is cooler than filling up your personal space with things you've made with your own two hands. Plus, handmade stuff always makes a great gift that people usually enjoy getting.

So here is some cool stuff I've found that you can do with Mason Jars.

Glow sticks are involved in this project and that makes it a winner by me. And look how pretty the end result is! My boyfriend actually linked me to this tutorial and I definitely want to do it sometime.


This tutorial is a little more involved than the one above but the end result is really neat. They'd make great vases, or just as pretty storage devices for things like buttons and the like.


This one is really interesting and is a great way to display photos that I probably never would have thought of on my own. I'd love to have some pictures of me and my friends in jars like this. I bet they look much prettier on a mantle than the standard picture frames.


Well that's what I've found so far for mason jars, but I am always looking. Hopefully I can share my own DIY adventures with you all. I've mentioned before that I make jewelry but I would like to expand on my crafting skills. If you have any tutorials you think I'd like, please share!

Lady Unlaced

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Tumblr Tuesday

Tumblr has seriously been a playground of wonderful things lately! I am excited to share all this cool stuff with all of you!






I really want that bookcase! It's so adorable, I would keep my favourite books and movies on it as well as devote an entire shelf to tea!

I know I posted a bit more today than I usually do and I could probably just keep going to be honest. My dash has been full of amazing pictures, quotes, and funny gifs. Feel free to browse through my tumblr blog if you want to see more.

I hope you're all having a lovely Tuesday!

Lady Unlaced





Thursday, February 2, 2012

Exploring the Tarot: The High Priestess

Before we get started I want to wish all my fellow witches a Happy Imbolc! I didn't even realize it was today until just now. Not having a Witch calendar is a pain. But anyways, on to the tarot!

The High Priestess
Keywords: Intuition, Mystery, Balance, Patience

This card usually depicts a woman, the Priestess, sitting between two pillars. The pillars represent life and death and the Priestess shows the balance between the two. It is most common for her to be wearing white as this is the colour of purity as well as unfulfilled potential. In this deck, the Sharman-Caselli, she is shown holding a bundle of flowers which represent a promise of the future. In other decks she is sometimes depicted holding a pomegranate. Older tarot decks may have called this card "The Female Pope" but regardless of her name she has a strong connection to spirituality, imagination, and intuition. 

The High Priestess is highly connected to fertility, the creative cycle, and the lunar cycle, as well as the underworld. In the Wiccan tradition she would have a very strong link to The Goddess as they share many of the same qualities and indeed this may be a card you could put on your altar when dealing with a rite dedicated to the Goddess.

When the High Priestess turns up in a spread she can be difficult to figure out as she is associated with more shadowy and mystical qualities; she holds her secrets close. Often when this card shows up it is telling you to trust your intuition -go with your gut feeling about something. She also represents the beginning potential of something in your life that if you wait for the right moment can turn into something beneficial. Trust your instincts and you will be rewarded. 

Lady Unlaced

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Wordy Wednesday

I haven't shared a piece of my writing in awhile so I figured it was about time I do that again. I started writing chapter 4 of my novel last night and I'm really excited about it. I am not too far into the story but stuff is about to get messy and I am looking forward to putting my main character in some pain. Being a writer really does make you sadistic sometimes. No worries though, I'm not going to hurt her too bad.

So here is a snippet of what I was writing last night in the library:



My footsteps were heavy as I ran full speed through the thick forest. Branches scratched at my bare arms and face, my hair a wild mane strewn with twigs and leaves. I was trying to shift but I couldn't. My tiger wouldn't come and I was terrified because I wasn't getting away fast enough. I wasn't sure what I was running from but I knew that if I was caught it would kill me. The fear and adrenaline was making my blood pound so hard I was sure I'd go deaf from the sound of it.

I kept running but my feet were getting sore and I was losing my breath. Why wouldn't my tiger come? I didn't want to die like this; alone and afraid, at the mercy of an unknown monster out for blood.

Just as I thought I couldn't possibly keep going the scenery in front of my started to change. The dark trees were morphing as branches became limbs -the arms and legs of people. As they came into focus I realized they were people I knew. I could see the familiar face of my mother smiling at me, her cheeks tinged pink with the same hideous blush she'd worn every day as far back as I could remember. And next to her were the faces and figures of my three brothers, all lean and handsome and smug looking. I was running towards them, aware that my pursuer had not let up, but I wasn't getting any closer. It was like I was on a treadmill, exhausting myself but not even going anywhere. 

And then my father was there, too, his harsh features joining the others. His cold blue eyes were fixed on me, staring disapprovingly. It was the only look he ever gave me. I was suddenly not so sure I wanted to reach my family anymore. They had always tried to hold me down. My own father was responsible for throwing my into the arms of a blood-thirsty monster and who was to say he wouldn't sacrifice me to this one was well? The look he had fixed on me certainly held no sympathy. 

My body was tired and my flesh stung with fresh wounds, blood trickling down my arms. I was out of energy and the beast that was following me was closer than ever -I could feel it. Its presence was thick in the air around me and it was slowing my every step. I searched the figures before me for some kind of aid but they seemed either oblivious or unconcerned with my distress. I tried to scream at them to help me but I couldn't make words come out. It felt as if my vocal cords had been removed.

And then another form appeared next to them, and the shaggy brown hair was instantly familiar as his eyes found me. He moved forward, holding out his hand.

"Jayde."


That's all for now, what did everyone think? I love to get feedback so please leave a comment with your thoughts and whatnot. I am really excited to dive further into this chapter. The nightmare (that's what that was, if you hadn't guessed) is only the beginning!

Interested in what goes through my head when writing this book? Visit this tumblr blog for random snippets of information about my book. It's essentially my digital cork board. I post pictures of what I envision my characters to look like, location photos, myths and lore, and some other stuff.

Lady Unlaced
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