DIY Victorian/Goth-Inspired Brooches

Brooches are on my list of "must-haves". It adds a feminine touch and a little attitude to every outfit I wear: a statement to a bland dress, I should say. While browsing on some DIY inspirations, I stumble upon some Victorian/Goth brooches and thought of doing some projects with my precious crafting hacks.

And here, friends and neighbors is my DIY brooch collection. Time to show off!

My New Brainchild

E-X-C-I-T-E-D. These words were permanently plastered on my face this past few weeks. I've decided to live one of my dreams- owning a book store! While I am aware that this kind of venture is somewhat big enough for neophyte, I pushed through and mindlessly bought some preloved books in Naga City. My ever supporting sister has helped me out even after that lengthy chat about finances, marketing and all that jazz.
Well, I already got the books, I know a little about online marketing and social media moderation so yea, I'm starting an online book shop. Yaaay!  I'm keeping the "real book store" in my chest of to-do list for now.

And here it is folks! My very own Pages n' Love Booktique. Well, I would have named it The Little Black Bookcase or something like Crowdy Library but thanks to Ate, she talked me into making the name neutral and not insert some macabre fantasies into our new venture. And so we agreed in naming it Pages n' Love Booktique. I will be posting updates on my new store soon. Im still in the process of stacking some goodies on the shelf so bear with me on this. :)

Some good marketing campaign eh?

And here are the Booktique Missus!!!

DIY Project: Spinal Back Cut Out T-shirt

Hear hear! I'm feeling crafty lately and have been sporting some awesome ideas on my next cut and no-sew projects- yes, I'm not good at sewing :D. Anyhoo, let's start with this easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy spinal back cut out tee.

More ideas from Boat People Boutique. That's it for now! I'll be posting more of my projects soon. I'm currently snipping some old tees. ;) 

DIY Project: Scraps and Clips

I have been ogling at some pretty good projects for a while now: t-shirt surgeries, modge podge projects, beaded jewellery, refashioning and many more. While most of the projects went to trash, I managed to keep some for the show off.

               Some DIY Victorian-Goth Inspired Hair Clips.

The Charmed Black Rose  ( vintage peach lace with black chiffon rose and aubergine crystal bead)

The Skull Burlesque Queen ( red feathers(cut from boa feathers), plastic skull and  black tulle)

Lacey Victoria (love the name!) ( vintage tea lace ribbon with black chiffon rose, red ribbonette & vintage button)

The Blue Burlesque Clip (vintage lace,feather,clay flower, aubergine crystal bead and black chiffon rose). This could be a mini fascinator! 

Lacey Skull ( plastic skull bead, black lace and ribbonette) 

Stitched Heart (faux velvet heart with cream silk yarn and some stitches(I used black thread), some red crystal bead and red silk rose set on vintage sheer ribbon)  

Hmm looks good!

Another Burlesque-inspired mini fascinator! This is one of my favorites (given as a gift).

The Green Rose (vintage rose button, crystal heart charm, black chiffon ribbon with stitched seed beads and green lace with leaf prints)

Heart Lolita clip. Got the idea from Gothically Yours

Oh look at that!

And there you go. The first wave of my finished projects (sadly, I wasn't able to take a snapshot for the ones I gave as presents). Now, rummage your goodies stash and grip that glue gun tightly! ;)

For more DIY ideas, visit Gothically Yours & Cut Out + Keep

Poetically Unpoetic

Here's a free verse about the ever fascinating aspect of humanity: death.

Mortis



Wake me 
from my slumber
Call my name 
Forsake not 
my grave
Sing a sweet 
lachrymose lullaby
Let darkness 
take over
Risen corpses 
in glee
My soul be 
enslaved

For more of my writings, please check out my in Writer's Cafe profile- Maria Tempesta

Nox Atterima

Tiya Elsa.

Her life’s tortuosity is a high wall between rationality and dementia. And she is but some dawdler facing that wall either sagely or with imbecilic ignorance. She struggled with the last drop of her might, not to cross the solid-standing demarcation of the so-called state of mind. She is a brave woman for she managed not to cross the other side of the wall longer than expected.

She was halfway through her life when one day, the fates offered her a ladder of japery, grief, tragedies and misfortunes. She became jaded enough to be proselytized. She did it, she climbed and reached the other side of the wall. Her new life then became a paroxysm of enigmatic existence separated from herself. She became a helpless creature who stands in a gruesome boulevard clutching her purse of sanely sweet memories while looking at the blurry image of the wall.

She craved for hands to give her a ladder and pull her back to where she once belonged but she failed. No one seemed to care for the rough-hewn old woman from behind; sick weary and dying. As the other half of her life passed by, she faced that cold, bleak wall engraving her epitaph without a tombstone. And now, with faltering soul, she smiled for she knew she will suffer no more. No more walls.

via Notes from the Katesian Theater

It is sometimes an appropriate response to reality to go insane. ― Philip K. Dick, VALIS

Late Night Rants and What Ifs

It’s 1 AM, a nice time to ponder on things while angry raindrops are nailing the roof. A thunderstorm! I am deprived of light, the current transformer gave up a while ago. Mosquitoes are feasting on me. I am a copious banquet of haemocytes. I can’t sleep because I got these big fat what if’s around here:

What if you didn't say “I love you” to her?  Would you dare to say the same phrase to me?
what if she didn't say” I love you too”?  Would you still hold her hand and kiss her in my face?
what if you are not so charmed by her? Would you run at breakneck speed just to see me?
What if I am strong enough to shake you off from myself?  Would you still haunt me even in daylight?
what if I didn't get the chance to fall for you? Would I be scribbling these words?


Akh! Sometimes, things just bump into each other without reasons at all…..