Stay Fanatic,
Megh, Aaron, and Isaac
Showing posts with label archive2016. Show all posts
Showing posts with label archive2016. Show all posts
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Stay Fanatic,
Megh, Aaron, and Isaac
Monday, December 8, 2014
Megh's Indie Artist Gift Guide 2014
Greetings Fanatics!
It's gift giving season and I personally can't think of a neater thing to give than a special piece of art from an independent artist or small business (except for something you made yourself, of course).
Buying something handmade or locally produced is a terrific gift to give - for everyone involved! It allows you to give a friend a hard to find, unique gift with a very personal touch, it is good for the -local- economy, and it supports and encourages artists to share their art!
Here's a list (ordered by location) of artists and small businesses that I've purchased from or had items purchased for me in 2014, along with a link to where you can order from them, a short description of their shop, and what I got from them. I hope you find something cool!
WORLDWIDE:
Sugar and Vice (UK):
A terrific shop that features laser-cut acrylic charms in necklaces, rings, earrings and more! Aaron surprised me with this sweet magpie necklace.
CreepHeart (AUSTRALIA):
Talented artist Ella Mobbs makes creepy-cute, Halloween inspired illustrations and offers them as prints, jewelry, shirts, and bows! I got this sweet bat button to add to my button board.
Yu Kitten Me (AUSTRALIA):
Old school cool tattoo styled prints! Often featuring Kewpie dolls doing decidedly non-Kewpie doll things. The print below was a collaboration between Yu Kitten Me and Ella Mobbs!
UNITED STATES:
For Strange Women:
Lovely and unique scents for the strange woman inside of you. Sells hand-mixed perfume oils, solid perfume lockets, and other necessities. I got a sample set of several of their scents and reviewed them here.
Black Quartz Alchemy:
Hand crafted, sustainable, loose leaf tea blends. Yummy!I got a sample set of their tea blends and reviewed them here.
Michelle Coffee:
Creepy and cute tattoo styled art. Most of her pieces are only sold as original art and get snatched up quickly, so keep and eye on her Instagram!
Crank Bunny:
Magical handmade paper art. Great for unique cards and wall decor! I got this Senor Devil mask for the 2014 Comicpalooza ball, only to find out that there was no ball this year. :(
Pity Party Corporation:
Irreverent zines, patches, buttons, shirts, and stickers that will make you nostalgic for the 90's.
Evil Supply Company:
"Better living via questionable morality." Paper goods, shirts, and stationery for every villain. I got one of their "Mister Ghost’s Highly Enviable Monthly Parcel of Simple Yet Amazing Wonderments" earlier this year, and the review for that is here.
Sugar Bunny Shop:
Cute merchandise inspired by Japanese art. Check out their bags!
Pretty and Cute:
Not so much an indie artist, but a small business based in Portland dedicated to providing affordable and accessible Korean and Japanese cosmetics and skincare.
TEXAS:
Black Widow Balm:
My favorite lip balm / lip tint maker. Try a tube of Voodoo color balm and I guarantee you that you won't be going back to Chapstick. She offers nut free formulas as well!
Tiny Art Shop:
Lovely watercolor paintings and prints inspired by nature and human anatomy.
Cult Grrrl Creations:
Cute and creepy crocheted creations! I got the black version of the cat below; I had to take a photo from the artist's website because my phone refuses to focus on my cat.
Solo Cosmo:
The artwork of Jessica von Braun, a Texas based artist. I picked up a print and a button from her at a few different Houston conventions we were both vending at.
Johnnie Rosales Jr:
Texas based artist. Picked up a very cool ink Xenomorph postcard from him at this year's Comicpalooza!
Houston readers! If you would rather shop in person, The Tinderbox carries some of the above Texas artists' and several more local artists' items at their location in Mid-Main!
Stay Fanatic this season,
Megh
It's gift giving season and I personally can't think of a neater thing to give than a special piece of art from an independent artist or small business (except for something you made yourself, of course).
Buying something handmade or locally produced is a terrific gift to give - for everyone involved! It allows you to give a friend a hard to find, unique gift with a very personal touch, it is good for the -local- economy, and it supports and encourages artists to share their art!
Here's a list (ordered by location) of artists and small businesses that I've purchased from or had items purchased for me in 2014, along with a link to where you can order from them, a short description of their shop, and what I got from them. I hope you find something cool!
WORLDWIDE:
Sugar and Vice (UK):
A terrific shop that features laser-cut acrylic charms in necklaces, rings, earrings and more! Aaron surprised me with this sweet magpie necklace.
 |
| Taken from artist's website. |
CreepHeart (AUSTRALIA):
Talented artist Ella Mobbs makes creepy-cute, Halloween inspired illustrations and offers them as prints, jewelry, shirts, and bows! I got this sweet bat button to add to my button board.
 |
Yu Kitten Me (AUSTRALIA):
Old school cool tattoo styled prints! Often featuring Kewpie dolls doing decidedly non-Kewpie doll things. The print below was a collaboration between Yu Kitten Me and Ella Mobbs!
UNITED STATES:
For Strange Women:
Lovely and unique scents for the strange woman inside of you. Sells hand-mixed perfume oils, solid perfume lockets, and other necessities. I got a sample set of several of their scents and reviewed them here.
Black Quartz Alchemy:
Hand crafted, sustainable, loose leaf tea blends. Yummy!I got a sample set of their tea blends and reviewed them here.
Michelle Coffee:
Creepy and cute tattoo styled art. Most of her pieces are only sold as original art and get snatched up quickly, so keep and eye on her Instagram!
Magical handmade paper art. Great for unique cards and wall decor! I got this Senor Devil mask for the 2014 Comicpalooza ball, only to find out that there was no ball this year. :(
 |
| Taken from artist's website. |
Pity Party Corporation:
Irreverent zines, patches, buttons, shirts, and stickers that will make you nostalgic for the 90's.
 |
| A grab bag of the goodies I got from them! |
Evil Supply Company:
"Better living via questionable morality." Paper goods, shirts, and stationery for every villain. I got one of their "Mister Ghost’s Highly Enviable Monthly Parcel of Simple Yet Amazing Wonderments" earlier this year, and the review for that is here.
Sugar Bunny Shop:
Cute merchandise inspired by Japanese art. Check out their bags!
Pretty and Cute:
Not so much an indie artist, but a small business based in Portland dedicated to providing affordable and accessible Korean and Japanese cosmetics and skincare.
Black Widow Balm:
My favorite lip balm / lip tint maker. Try a tube of Voodoo color balm and I guarantee you that you won't be going back to Chapstick. She offers nut free formulas as well!
Tiny Art Shop:
Lovely watercolor paintings and prints inspired by nature and human anatomy.
 |
| Taken from artist's website. |
Cult Grrrl Creations:
Cute and creepy crocheted creations! I got the black version of the cat below; I had to take a photo from the artist's website because my phone refuses to focus on my cat.
Solo Cosmo:
The artwork of Jessica von Braun, a Texas based artist. I picked up a print and a button from her at a few different Houston conventions we were both vending at.
Johnnie Rosales Jr:
Texas based artist. Picked up a very cool ink Xenomorph postcard from him at this year's Comicpalooza!
Houston readers! If you would rather shop in person, The Tinderbox carries some of the above Texas artists' and several more local artists' items at their location in Mid-Main!
Stay Fanatic this season,
Megh
Friday, October 24, 2014
The Market at Mid-Main and Houston Halloween Festival/Horror Con!
Greetings, Fanatics!
The month of October has certainly been a busy one for us. We attended two shows, The Market @ Mid-Main on Oct. 9th and Houston Halloween Fest on the 19th.
The Market is a seasonal, monthly craft market where Houston's local artisans and makers come out and display their wares for sale.
The month of October has certainly been a busy one for us. We attended two shows, The Market @ Mid-Main on Oct. 9th and Houston Halloween Fest on the 19th.
The Market is a seasonal, monthly craft market where Houston's local artisans and makers come out and display their wares for sale.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Update and tomorrow a post on October's markets!
Greetings, Fanatics!
How have you been? I've been better. This morning, our beloved cat Conspiracy passed away, due to our ignorance of cat health and inability to get him to a vet quickly enough once we realized what was going on. You will be missed, you loyal, loving beast.
We're still settling into our apartment (we're slow unpackers) and trying to find a place for everything; further hindered by the fact that we had two markets this month and I use our living room as a booth staging area. I'll be doing a write up on our two October markets tomorrow.
If you're interested in the Texas Renaissance Festival, we'll be attending this Saturday and doing a write up on that as well. Last year, Aaron and I went in costume and it was a disaster. Aaron has a lovely supply of real and faux fur and leather and wanted to wear it, but it turned out to be unreasonably hot. I went as a semi - burned witch, but my costume ended up being too long and tripping me constantly. Plus, I think my thick lensed prescription glasses ruined the whole effect. :( This year, we'll be going with my sister and dressing in casual clothes so that I can FINALLY ride an elephant.
Well, that's all for today.
Stay Fanatic,
Megh
How have you been? I've been better. This morning, our beloved cat Conspiracy passed away, due to our ignorance of cat health and inability to get him to a vet quickly enough once we realized what was going on. You will be missed, you loyal, loving beast.
We're still settling into our apartment (we're slow unpackers) and trying to find a place for everything; further hindered by the fact that we had two markets this month and I use our living room as a booth staging area. I'll be doing a write up on our two October markets tomorrow.
If you're interested in the Texas Renaissance Festival, we'll be attending this Saturday and doing a write up on that as well. Last year, Aaron and I went in costume and it was a disaster. Aaron has a lovely supply of real and faux fur and leather and wanted to wear it, but it turned out to be unreasonably hot. I went as a semi - burned witch, but my costume ended up being too long and tripping me constantly. Plus, I think my thick lensed prescription glasses ruined the whole effect. :( This year, we'll be going with my sister and dressing in casual clothes so that I can FINALLY ride an elephant.
Well, that's all for today.
Stay Fanatic,
Megh
Thursday, September 18, 2014
*squirms uncomfortably*
Greetings, Fanatics!
Oh dear. It seems we have neglected you for a month. :(
We have excuses though!
Oh dear. It seems we have neglected you for a month. :(
We have excuses though!
- We moved! We're now living in a different place and still living out of boxes. Our focus is slowly returning to the blog however, because I think one of the apartments in our complex is haunted.
- Halloween season is here and September - January is TIM and BEN's busy season.
- Our Kickstarter project was funded! All this past month I've been focusing on trying to get enough backing to order a supply of mugs to keep in the shop and to take to shows; our Kickstarter project was funded a few days ago, so now I can focus energy on writing about spooky happenings and monsters (and shopping)! On another note, if you ordered one of our mugs, I've ordered them from our supplier and I should have them within two weeks.
Monday, August 18, 2014
BOILING HOT! Monster Mug Kickstarter project
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/17162194/boiling-hot-monster-mug
My Kickstarter project is live! I'm raising funds to start producing a collection of color-changing mugs featuring one of my monsters to sell online and at conventions.
I've already ordered myself one and I think it's pretty neat.
It starts off as a plain black mug and when hot liquid is added, fades to reveal a white background and my Boiling Hot Monster screaming warnings about how hot the liquid is.
Check out the page and share it with your friends! And maybe get a cool mug too?
My Kickstarter project is live! I'm raising funds to start producing a collection of color-changing mugs featuring one of my monsters to sell online and at conventions.
I've already ordered myself one and I think it's pretty neat.
It starts off as a plain black mug and when hot liquid is added, fades to reveal a white background and my Boiling Hot Monster screaming warnings about how hot the liquid is.
Check out the page and share it with your friends! And maybe get a cool mug too?
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Shop Review: Evil Supply Company
Greetings, Fanatics!
This latest Shop Review is for Evil Supply Company, a company that I stumbled upon while looking for stationery. This small business's slogan is "Better living through questionable morality" so naturally I had to check it out. I fell in love with it almost instantly and found it difficult to stick to my budget while looking through their shop.
In addition to having Halloween themed shirts and art prints, Evil Supply Co. features a Notary Noir program, a neat little program where you can register yourself with them as a "Notary Noir" for free and order custom calling cards and seals with your name and title. They also have wonderful evil merit badges and pins that called out to me. Evil Supply Company, you're going to bankrupt me.
I settled on getting July's special : "Mister Ghost’s Highly Enviable Monthly Parcel of Simple Yet Amazing Wonderments" that promised me "a curated collection of postcards, pins, greeting cards, postcards, small illustration prints & assorted artifacts". July's theme was "Dracula". I also ordered a 5 pack of 3"x3" stickers to seal packages with and, because I ordered on Friday the 13th, a special Friday the 13th print.
The monthly parcel ships out at the end of every month and, due to my not wanting to spend extra on shipping to have my stickers and print shipped to me separately, I had to wait about a month and a half to get my package. It isn't that long, considering that Evil Supply Company designs each element of the collection during the month while the order list fills up, but I was very anxious to get it.
Finally, it arrived! I also happened to get several other packages that day, but saved my Evil Supply Co. for last.
This latest Shop Review is for Evil Supply Company, a company that I stumbled upon while looking for stationery. This small business's slogan is "Better living through questionable morality" so naturally I had to check it out. I fell in love with it almost instantly and found it difficult to stick to my budget while looking through their shop.
I settled on getting July's special : "Mister Ghost’s Highly Enviable Monthly Parcel of Simple Yet Amazing Wonderments" that promised me "a curated collection of postcards, pins, greeting cards, postcards, small illustration prints & assorted artifacts". July's theme was "Dracula". I also ordered a 5 pack of 3"x3" stickers to seal packages with and, because I ordered on Friday the 13th, a special Friday the 13th print.
The monthly parcel ships out at the end of every month and, due to my not wanting to spend extra on shipping to have my stickers and print shipped to me separately, I had to wait about a month and a half to get my package. It isn't that long, considering that Evil Supply Company designs each element of the collection during the month while the order list fills up, but I was very anxious to get it.
Finally, it arrived! I also happened to get several other packages that day, but saved my Evil Supply Co. for last.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Slow as mud in the Texas heat.
Greetings, Fanatics!
Our loyal readers will notice that we have not updated our blog since after Comicpalooza in May. Sorry.
We've been busy packing up our house to move a little closer in town, which means we've had to slow down on our Fanatic note taking, typing and crafting. But don't fear(!) - our move does not mean that Aaron has slowed down on his cryptid hunting nor me on my small business shopping. If anything, I've purchased more prints, decorations, and stationery in anticipation for our new move, because I still haven't grasped the concept that more stuff = more stuff to PACK.
I will take the time to do a Shop Review in the next few days, however, and I believe Aaron will have a witty observation for you as well. In the meantime, keep the faith and stay Fanatic.
Our loyal readers will notice that we have not updated our blog since after Comicpalooza in May. Sorry.
We've been busy packing up our house to move a little closer in town, which means we've had to slow down on our Fanatic note taking, typing and crafting. But don't fear(!) - our move does not mean that Aaron has slowed down on his cryptid hunting nor me on my small business shopping. If anything, I've purchased more prints, decorations, and stationery in anticipation for our new move, because I still haven't grasped the concept that more stuff = more stuff to PACK.
I will take the time to do a Shop Review in the next few days, however, and I believe Aaron will have a witty observation for you as well. In the meantime, keep the faith and stay Fanatic.
-Megh
Friday, May 30, 2014
We're back from Comicpalooza!
... and we're both sick. This is my first case of 'con crud' (the slang for any myriad of illnesses, usually colds or coughs, that vendors or artists are especially susceptible to because of contact with large number of people), so I'm keeping this entry short. But! You can expect a number of posts in the next couple of weeks including a review of this year's Comicpalooza, our experience at the booth, and a few tip filled posts on setting up booths.
Today, I'm going to show off what Aaron and I purchased for ourselves. One of my favorite things to do at cons is to look for things to decorate our house with (and the occassional stuffed toy). I especially like getting art from local artists, and avoiding the mass made posters and big box wall art. I'll actually be replacing my "Button Board" on the blog with our "Art Wall", and I hope you'll enjoy that and maybe decide to get something from the artists for yourself.
I always wait until the very last days of conventions to buy stuff. It isn't great when there are one of a kind or limited edition items that I want that then run out, but it's easier to get around huge convention centers and take my time to look at booths. This year, I got this stuff:
I forgot the name of the booth that I got the faux-leather bat bag, but the tag on it says Far Nine. It's the perfect sized bag for me and surprisingly roomy. It fits TIM, my wallet, notebook, and phone quite easily and is a nice change of pace from toting around a giant neutral colored diaper bag. The angler fish print is from artist Jessica Grundy and was my second choice after a very cute dragon print I wanted was out of stock. The 5x7" Xenomorph is going on my bedroom wall (instead of the Creature Wall) and is from artist Johnnie Gonzales. Aaron grabbed me this Itty Bitty Hellboy mini comic from a random comic book booth for a dollar when he was walking around.
This year, Comicpalooza had a Game of Thrones guest: Miltos Yerolemou, who played Syrio Forel. The armory that created the wooden practice swords used in his Game of Thrones scenes is actually based in Texas and they had replicas for sale at his booth. Aaron decided to go see Miltos on the first day and since it was fairly early in the con, got a chance to talk with him for a few minutes.
Aaron doesn't usually buy things at conventions, but getting a wooden sword signed by Miltos and an autographed picture was an opportunity he didn't pass up. He also found a Savage Worlds rule book (something I know nothing about) and the man at the booth he got it at was so excited that Aaron played Savage Worlds, that he gave him some dice for free.
Anyway, I need to trundle off to bed now and see how many cough drops I can eat before my tongue goes numb.
Stay Fanatic,
Megh
Today, I'm going to show off what Aaron and I purchased for ourselves. One of my favorite things to do at cons is to look for things to decorate our house with (and the occassional stuffed toy). I especially like getting art from local artists, and avoiding the mass made posters and big box wall art. I'll actually be replacing my "Button Board" on the blog with our "Art Wall", and I hope you'll enjoy that and maybe decide to get something from the artists for yourself.
I always wait until the very last days of conventions to buy stuff. It isn't great when there are one of a kind or limited edition items that I want that then run out, but it's easier to get around huge convention centers and take my time to look at booths. This year, I got this stuff:
I forgot the name of the booth that I got the faux-leather bat bag, but the tag on it says Far Nine. It's the perfect sized bag for me and surprisingly roomy. It fits TIM, my wallet, notebook, and phone quite easily and is a nice change of pace from toting around a giant neutral colored diaper bag. The angler fish print is from artist Jessica Grundy and was my second choice after a very cute dragon print I wanted was out of stock. The 5x7" Xenomorph is going on my bedroom wall (instead of the Creature Wall) and is from artist Johnnie Gonzales. Aaron grabbed me this Itty Bitty Hellboy mini comic from a random comic book booth for a dollar when he was walking around.
This year, Comicpalooza had a Game of Thrones guest: Miltos Yerolemou, who played Syrio Forel. The armory that created the wooden practice swords used in his Game of Thrones scenes is actually based in Texas and they had replicas for sale at his booth. Aaron decided to go see Miltos on the first day and since it was fairly early in the con, got a chance to talk with him for a few minutes.
Aaron doesn't usually buy things at conventions, but getting a wooden sword signed by Miltos and an autographed picture was an opportunity he didn't pass up. He also found a Savage Worlds rule book (something I know nothing about) and the man at the booth he got it at was so excited that Aaron played Savage Worlds, that he gave him some dice for free.
 |
| "What do we say to the God of Death? Not today..." |
 |
| "Aaron, Fear cuts deeper than swords." |
Stay Fanatic,
Megh
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Comicpalooza 2014 : We'll be there.
Greetings Fanatics!
So, you may have notices that our posting has been rather sporadic these past few months. Our main excuse has been, "We're prepping for Comicpalooza!", "Sorry guys, Comicpalooza!".
What exactly is Comicpalooza?
Comicpalooza is Houston's largest multi-media pop convention. It takes place over Memorial Day weekend, spanning 4 days (May 23-26). It's fairly young: this will be Comicpalooza's 6th year running and its 4th year in Houston's George R. Brown convention center. Guests this year include Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, Princess Bride star Cary Elwes, the cast from the show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and many more that I'm not going to name here because there seems to be an endless amount and they add more everyday. Comicpalooza is also hosting a number of panels, including several featuring different science professionals.
This will be our second year vending at Comicpalooza and our first time selling in the Dealer's Room rather than the Artists Alley. (Artist Alley? Artist's Alley? Artists' Alley? I never know.) We get a 10x10' space to work with, which is quite a bit of room that I can experiment with, so I've been working on booth layout since January. We're also releasing a new line of stuffed toys that I'm really excited about.
If you've ever exhibited at a convention, or even been to a convention as an attendee, you know how much work goes into preparing for one. It's exhausting. I'll have more info about our booth and giveaways for Fanatics attending Comicpalooza this May, so keep an eye out for that. We should be back to regular blogging after May 26th, so be patient!
Stay Fanatic,
Megh
Buy tickets for Comicpalooza here!
So, you may have notices that our posting has been rather sporadic these past few months. Our main excuse has been, "We're prepping for Comicpalooza!", "Sorry guys, Comicpalooza!".
What exactly is Comicpalooza?
Comicpalooza is Houston's largest multi-media pop convention. It takes place over Memorial Day weekend, spanning 4 days (May 23-26). It's fairly young: this will be Comicpalooza's 6th year running and its 4th year in Houston's George R. Brown convention center. Guests this year include Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, Princess Bride star Cary Elwes, the cast from the show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and many more that I'm not going to name here because there seems to be an endless amount and they add more everyday. Comicpalooza is also hosting a number of panels, including several featuring different science professionals.
This will be our second year vending at Comicpalooza and our first time selling in the Dealer's Room rather than the Artists Alley. (Artist Alley? Artist's Alley? Artists' Alley? I never know.) We get a 10x10' space to work with, which is quite a bit of room that I can experiment with, so I've been working on booth layout since January. We're also releasing a new line of stuffed toys that I'm really excited about.
If you've ever exhibited at a convention, or even been to a convention as an attendee, you know how much work goes into preparing for one. It's exhausting. I'll have more info about our booth and giveaways for Fanatics attending Comicpalooza this May, so keep an eye out for that. We should be back to regular blogging after May 26th, so be patient!
Stay Fanatic,
Megh
Buy tickets for Comicpalooza here!
Friday, March 14, 2014
DIY Stationary
Greetings, Fanatics!
Recently, I've become obsessed with sending mail and collecting cute stationary. Stationary can get kind of expensive though, personalized or unique stationary even more so ($8 for 5 sheets of paper!?); so I've been experimenting with making my own. It's really easy to make your own as well!
Here's what you'll need:
- Paper or card stock in your choice of color or pattern
- a ruler
- scissors or paper trimmer
- pencil
- pen in a color that compliments the color of your paper
- (optional) stamps and ink pad
- (optional) deco or paper tape
- (optional) stickers
Recently, I've become obsessed with sending mail and collecting cute stationary. Stationary can get kind of expensive though, personalized or unique stationary even more so ($8 for 5 sheets of paper!?); so I've been experimenting with making my own. It's really easy to make your own as well!
Here's what you'll need:
- Paper or card stock in your choice of color or pattern
- a ruler
- scissors or paper trimmer
- pencil
- pen in a color that compliments the color of your paper
- (optional) stamps and ink pad
- (optional) deco or paper tape
- (optional) stickers
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Shop Review: Black Quartz Alchemy
Greetings, Fanatics!
This week's Shop Review is on online shop BlackQuartz Alchemy. Black Quartz Alchemy specializes in unique, orgnaic loose tea blends with quirky titles such as Third Eye, Blue Baron, and Skooma. Being people who drink copious amounts of tea, Aaron and I immediately decided to order a few samples.
BlackQuartz Alchemy offers a sample pack that starts at $1.00 for one 1.5 teaspoon sample and $0.50 for each extra sample. Each sample provides enough tea leaf for about 2 cups of brewed tea. We got 5 samples for $3.00 plus $3.50 for shipping. After we ordered it, it arrived to us within the week which was great. It came to us as a box within a box, a lovely thin cardboard container that held wax paper packets of our samples. A BlackQuartz Alchemy sticker and brewing instructions were also included. I really love the packaging from this shop.
This week's Shop Review is on online shop BlackQuartz Alchemy. Black Quartz Alchemy specializes in unique, orgnaic loose tea blends with quirky titles such as Third Eye, Blue Baron, and Skooma. Being people who drink copious amounts of tea, Aaron and I immediately decided to order a few samples.
BlackQuartz Alchemy offers a sample pack that starts at $1.00 for one 1.5 teaspoon sample and $0.50 for each extra sample. Each sample provides enough tea leaf for about 2 cups of brewed tea. We got 5 samples for $3.00 plus $3.50 for shipping. After we ordered it, it arrived to us within the week which was great. It came to us as a box within a box, a lovely thin cardboard container that held wax paper packets of our samples. A BlackQuartz Alchemy sticker and brewing instructions were also included. I really love the packaging from this shop.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Meghsie
Happy Monday, Fanatics!
I've started a new shop on Storenvy called Meghsie. It's a design shop that I'm hoping to get off the ground where I share my cute, spacey version of fashion. Right now it only holds accessories, but I'm hoping to soon have clothing listings up as well (as soon as I can get an adjustable mannequin). Check it out and if you see anything that you like, use code QFAN to get 10% off!
I've started a new shop on Storenvy called Meghsie. It's a design shop that I'm hoping to get off the ground where I share my cute, spacey version of fashion. Right now it only holds accessories, but I'm hoping to soon have clothing listings up as well (as soon as I can get an adjustable mannequin). Check it out and if you see anything that you like, use code QFAN to get 10% off!
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| Add caption |
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Shop Review: Fat and the Moon
This week's Shop Review covers a couple of products from Etsy shop Fat and the Moon. Fat and the Moon focuses on organic, non chemical replacements for body care essentials. The store offers a range of products from natural antiseptic wound care to baby/mother care to beauty products.
For this post, I decided to focus on the base of beauty that is often ignored or ill treated: the skin. So, I ordered a tin of Tooth Polish and a jar of Pimple Mud. Lately, I've noticed that my skin has been prone to breakouts, an upsetting development from after my pregnancy because as a teenager my skin was naturally clear. Due to my sensitive skin, washing it with even the most gentle over the counter cleansers dries it out. I also noticed that my teeth could use a pick me up (I drink tea pretty heavily), and having crooked teeth makes the standard whitening trays pretty much ineffective, not to mention all of the gum irritating chemicals are very annoying.
My package came within a week after it was shipped. The box was surprisingly heavy to me when I pulled it out of our mailbox and I was excited to see my products. When I first opened the box, a lemony, clean smell wafted out and filled the room. The box was compactly packed, it wasn't larger than it had to be, and any space not taken up by my jars was filled in with plain tissue paper.
(The review for these products come from about 1 week of use)
Tooth Polish: The tooth polish came in a cute 2oz metal tin with a screw off lid. The front of the tin had Fat and the Moon's signature font labelling it as tooth polish and the back had the ingredients and instructions. The instructions warn you not to scrub your gums with it.
Unscrewing the lid allowed a slightly lemony baking soda smell to waft out. The tooth polish looks like fine, very light brown dust. I really love this stuff. It says to only use it once a week, but I
scrub my teeth (gently!) with tooth polish every other day. My teeth
feel very clean and have gotten noticeably whiter in just a few days. The
taste is something to get used to.
Pimple Mud: The Pimple Mud comes in a small glass jar that can hold 2oz of it. It holds what looks like green mud: very thick and slightly grainy. It doesn't have a very strong smell, but there is a very weird subtle smell when you put the mud on your face. I first used it as a mask. It was a little tough to spread it over my face; the mud is very thick and I didn't thin it out with water. I let it sit for about 15 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water. I would recommend wiping it off with a warm, damp washcloth. My skin felt very smooth, clean, and tight after using it as a mask. My blemishes were significantly less red and seemed smaller. When I used it as a spot treatment, I got the same result.
(Bonus!) Shampoo Bar Sample: The shampoo bar sample that was included in my package was a very welcome surprise. I have been wanting to try a shampoo bar for a while, but didn't want to commit to getting a whole huge bar in case I didn't love it. The sample that I received was more than enough for a few washings. Although it can be a little tricky to use, (it doesn't lather up) it got my hair very clean and soft.
I'm very impressed with this shop. Although it's a little pricey, it's totally worth it. Fat and Moon's products last longer and work better than their cheaper supermarket counter parts and have less chemicals, to boot. My goal is to get through all of Fat and Moon's products. Next time, I will be trying their Anise Tooth Soap and Dream Weaver Spray.
Look forward to next week's Shop Review!
For this post, I decided to focus on the base of beauty that is often ignored or ill treated: the skin. So, I ordered a tin of Tooth Polish and a jar of Pimple Mud. Lately, I've noticed that my skin has been prone to breakouts, an upsetting development from after my pregnancy because as a teenager my skin was naturally clear. Due to my sensitive skin, washing it with even the most gentle over the counter cleansers dries it out. I also noticed that my teeth could use a pick me up (I drink tea pretty heavily), and having crooked teeth makes the standard whitening trays pretty much ineffective, not to mention all of the gum irritating chemicals are very annoying.
My package came within a week after it was shipped. The box was surprisingly heavy to me when I pulled it out of our mailbox and I was excited to see my products. When I first opened the box, a lemony, clean smell wafted out and filled the room. The box was compactly packed, it wasn't larger than it had to be, and any space not taken up by my jars was filled in with plain tissue paper.
(The review for these products come from about 1 week of use)
Tooth Polish: The tooth polish came in a cute 2oz metal tin with a screw off lid. The front of the tin had Fat and the Moon's signature font labelling it as tooth polish and the back had the ingredients and instructions. The instructions warn you not to scrub your gums with it.
Pimple Mud: The Pimple Mud comes in a small glass jar that can hold 2oz of it. It holds what looks like green mud: very thick and slightly grainy. It doesn't have a very strong smell, but there is a very weird subtle smell when you put the mud on your face. I first used it as a mask. It was a little tough to spread it over my face; the mud is very thick and I didn't thin it out with water. I let it sit for about 15 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water. I would recommend wiping it off with a warm, damp washcloth. My skin felt very smooth, clean, and tight after using it as a mask. My blemishes were significantly less red and seemed smaller. When I used it as a spot treatment, I got the same result.
(Bonus!) Shampoo Bar Sample: The shampoo bar sample that was included in my package was a very welcome surprise. I have been wanting to try a shampoo bar for a while, but didn't want to commit to getting a whole huge bar in case I didn't love it. The sample that I received was more than enough for a few washings. Although it can be a little tricky to use, (it doesn't lather up) it got my hair very clean and soft.
Look forward to next week's Shop Review!
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Shop Review: For Strange Women
Good evening, Fanatics!
In my many hours of browsing Etsy, I happened upon a scent shop called For Strange Women. The exact circumstances of how I discovered it are lost in my memory, most likely because once I went through the different perfumes they offer, I was enchanted. I knew I had found something wonderful.
You won't find the usual offering of scents at For Strange Women.
For Strange Women's owner, Jill, strives to make high quality, unique, natural perfumes using traditional techniques. All of her perfumes are 100% natural, vegan, and handmade in small batches.
I ordered two sets of samples to try and find the scent that would work for me. The solid perfume sample (set of 3) comes with three ribbons, each packaged in its own wax envelope and imbued with one application of scent infused wax. I chose to go with a few uncomplicated perfumes: Frankincense & Cedar Single Note, Jasmine Single Note, and Tuberose Single Note.
Frankincense & Cedar:
I don't believe I've actually ever had the chance to smell Frankincense before (although I do love Myrrh body butter) and living in Houston affords me few chances to be close to cedar, which is why I tried this one first. Houston winters fade quickly and I wanted to enjoy this fresh smelling perfume in the setting it deserved while I still had a chance. I took a moment to warm the sample ribbon in my hands before rubbing it on my pulse points because it was rather cold and overcast. This perfume is very subtle and stays close to the skin, rather than blooming outward. I can definitely smell the cedar, which is very fresh smelling and a sweet undertone that I am guessing is the frankincense. The For Strange Women website recommends this perfume be used with layers of other perfume, and I can see why. It is VERY subtle and soft on it's own and seems to make a good, light perfume to wear on days spent relaxing. My personal experience with this particular perfume, however, means that I unfortunately cannot order it again. Since all of the scents are natural and I'm assuming that this has real cedar essence, I've discovered that I have a slight skin allergy to cedar. It's important to know your body and how you might react to any extracts or ingredients before you buy any perfumes!
Jasmine:
Choosing Jasmine as a scent to sample was an easy choice. Jasmine is my favorite flower and I hoped that this perfume would bring back the memories of the garden at my childhood home. I was not disappointed. This solid perfume stuck close to my skin and really had the warm, honey-ish tones of fresh jasmine. I'll definitely be reordering this.
Tuberose:
With many other lovely scents available as my last sample, I decided to go with Victorian Tuberose. It comes highly recommended by the maker and is in fact, her signature scent. This one was the most subtle at the beginning of the application. It smelled faintly of honey and a fresh field with a suggestion of a rose.
The second set of samples I chose was a set of three Strange perfume oils. Each sample comes packed in a small plastic tube containing enough oil for five applications.I was eager to try these because they are a combination of smells that is meant to invoke a memory or transport you to an exotic place. I decided to go with Astral Projection, Moss & Ivy, and November in the Temperate Deciduous Forest as my samples, although I may have to order samples of Bollywood and Winter Kitty later on.
Astral Projection:
The description of all of For Strange Women's scents are vivid and wonderful, but Astral Projection lured me with promises of a combination of scents designed to help relax the mind. This smelled rather lemony to me, with a little bit of lavender. I couldn't apply this one to my skin, however, because it had cedar in it.
Moss & Ivy:
The Moss & Ivy has a very clean scent. It is reminiscent of walking through a muddy, heavily wooded park after the rain. It's wonderful for anyone who wants a light, fresh aroma surrounding them.
November:
November in the Temperate Deciduous Forest was the first oil that I tried and I have to say that I did not expect what happened. When I first applied the oil to my wrists, I was a bit overwhelmed with the smell. However, once it settled into my skin and warmed, it felt like a woodland scene was blooming before me. Pine trees and fallen leaves greet you as the perfume dries and warms on your skin and as you wear it throughout the day, it fades into an earthy and spicy musk. It brought to mind memories of walking in a wooded park in the autumn, with the smell of bonfires and crumbling leaves swirling though the air. The scent of (fresh) pine is very strong at the beginning of application and made my nose a little itchy, but fades into a very tolerable back note as you wear it.
All in all, I really liked the perfumes I got. They were different than the perfumes I am used to and I like that they are more intimate than just putting on a body spray.For Strange Women is a great place to get perfume if you like earthy, savory fragrance or subdued floral scents.
In my many hours of browsing Etsy, I happened upon a scent shop called For Strange Women. The exact circumstances of how I discovered it are lost in my memory, most likely because once I went through the different perfumes they offer, I was enchanted. I knew I had found something wonderful.
You won't find the usual offering of scents at For Strange Women.
For Strange Women's owner, Jill, strives to make high quality, unique, natural perfumes using traditional techniques. All of her perfumes are 100% natural, vegan, and handmade in small batches.
Frankincense & Cedar:
I don't believe I've actually ever had the chance to smell Frankincense before (although I do love Myrrh body butter) and living in Houston affords me few chances to be close to cedar, which is why I tried this one first. Houston winters fade quickly and I wanted to enjoy this fresh smelling perfume in the setting it deserved while I still had a chance. I took a moment to warm the sample ribbon in my hands before rubbing it on my pulse points because it was rather cold and overcast. This perfume is very subtle and stays close to the skin, rather than blooming outward. I can definitely smell the cedar, which is very fresh smelling and a sweet undertone that I am guessing is the frankincense. The For Strange Women website recommends this perfume be used with layers of other perfume, and I can see why. It is VERY subtle and soft on it's own and seems to make a good, light perfume to wear on days spent relaxing. My personal experience with this particular perfume, however, means that I unfortunately cannot order it again. Since all of the scents are natural and I'm assuming that this has real cedar essence, I've discovered that I have a slight skin allergy to cedar. It's important to know your body and how you might react to any extracts or ingredients before you buy any perfumes!
Jasmine:
Choosing Jasmine as a scent to sample was an easy choice. Jasmine is my favorite flower and I hoped that this perfume would bring back the memories of the garden at my childhood home. I was not disappointed. This solid perfume stuck close to my skin and really had the warm, honey-ish tones of fresh jasmine. I'll definitely be reordering this.
Tuberose:
With many other lovely scents available as my last sample, I decided to go with Victorian Tuberose. It comes highly recommended by the maker and is in fact, her signature scent. This one was the most subtle at the beginning of the application. It smelled faintly of honey and a fresh field with a suggestion of a rose.
The second set of samples I chose was a set of three Strange perfume oils. Each sample comes packed in a small plastic tube containing enough oil for five applications.I was eager to try these because they are a combination of smells that is meant to invoke a memory or transport you to an exotic place. I decided to go with Astral Projection, Moss & Ivy, and November in the Temperate Deciduous Forest as my samples, although I may have to order samples of Bollywood and Winter Kitty later on.
Astral Projection:
The description of all of For Strange Women's scents are vivid and wonderful, but Astral Projection lured me with promises of a combination of scents designed to help relax the mind. This smelled rather lemony to me, with a little bit of lavender. I couldn't apply this one to my skin, however, because it had cedar in it.
Moss & Ivy:
The Moss & Ivy has a very clean scent. It is reminiscent of walking through a muddy, heavily wooded park after the rain. It's wonderful for anyone who wants a light, fresh aroma surrounding them.
November:
November in the Temperate Deciduous Forest was the first oil that I tried and I have to say that I did not expect what happened. When I first applied the oil to my wrists, I was a bit overwhelmed with the smell. However, once it settled into my skin and warmed, it felt like a woodland scene was blooming before me. Pine trees and fallen leaves greet you as the perfume dries and warms on your skin and as you wear it throughout the day, it fades into an earthy and spicy musk. It brought to mind memories of walking in a wooded park in the autumn, with the smell of bonfires and crumbling leaves swirling though the air. The scent of (fresh) pine is very strong at the beginning of application and made my nose a little itchy, but fades into a very tolerable back note as you wear it.
All in all, I really liked the perfumes I got. They were different than the perfumes I am used to and I like that they are more intimate than just putting on a body spray.For Strange Women is a great place to get perfume if you like earthy, savory fragrance or subdued floral scents.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Shop Review: Le Petite Zombie and High Heorot
Good evening, Fanatics! This week's Shop Review is on two shops that I have recently traded with on Etsy. Please excuse the change of the font into bold later on, as this was unintentional and I can't seem to change it.
We'll begin with Etsy shop Le Petite Zombie. Le Petite Zombie specializes in handmade Goth and pinup accessories, bags, and artwork. In a trade I did with her, I got a dainty scissors necklace. My package arrived swiftly from California and the owner of Le Petite Zombie is very quick to respond to any Etsy convos.
The mailing sack that my necklace came in was very cute; the purple envelope and handmade stickers adorning it really made it stand out when I opened my mailbox. None of the photos I took of the package would upload, unfortunately. :(
It only got better once I opened it. My necklace was wrapped in black tissue paper with green ribbon tied around it and, once I opened it, revealed to include a pack of handmade stickers along with my professionally packaged necklace. These stickers are awesome and will be included in giveaway packs along with Le Petite business cards.
The necklace itself is very beautiful. the scissors charm is very dainty looking and the dark chain adds a lovely contrast to the scissors silver tone. The length is great and the scissors sit right on my chest without going into my shirt.
Here are a few of my favorite items from Le Petite Zombie.
Our second shop is HighHeorot on Etsy. The owner of the shop, Erica, contacted me about trading a piece from her shop for my hand decorated pirate chest. I chose her Steampunk Winged filigree wrapped Jewel necklace. I got the Sky Blue color scheme because she was out of the Amber, but it's just as beautiful.
The roses are made of what looks to be very sturdy cotton paper and sit right on the edge of my shoulders. This might be because of my weight and I think that the roses would be a little lower on someone slimmer. The winged jewel sat right between my collarbones, which was nice.
Communication with Erica was quick and friendly and all of my questions were answered. I highly recommend HighHeorot to anyone looking for Victorian inspired jewelry with a spooky edge. Here are a few of my favorites from the shop.
If you are looking for a great gift for the dark hearted lady in your life, check out Le Petite Zombie or HighHeorot for cute accessories, great customer service, and fast shipping!
We'll begin with Etsy shop Le Petite Zombie. Le Petite Zombie specializes in handmade Goth and pinup accessories, bags, and artwork. In a trade I did with her, I got a dainty scissors necklace. My package arrived swiftly from California and the owner of Le Petite Zombie is very quick to respond to any Etsy convos.
The mailing sack that my necklace came in was very cute; the purple envelope and handmade stickers adorning it really made it stand out when I opened my mailbox. None of the photos I took of the package would upload, unfortunately. :(
It only got better once I opened it. My necklace was wrapped in black tissue paper with green ribbon tied around it and, once I opened it, revealed to include a pack of handmade stickers along with my professionally packaged necklace. These stickers are awesome and will be included in giveaway packs along with Le Petite business cards.
 |
| Taken from Le Petite Zombie's Etsy shop. I got a few finger stickers, some eyeballs, and some brains. My photo of them didn't want to upload. :( |
The necklace itself is very beautiful. the scissors charm is very dainty looking and the dark chain adds a lovely contrast to the scissors silver tone. The length is great and the scissors sit right on my chest without going into my shirt.
 |
| Meeeee |
 |
| Taken from Le Petite Zombie's Etsy shop. |
Here are a few of my favorite items from Le Petite Zombie.
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| Day of the Dead French Skeleton Toile Pinup Accessorry Bag Clutch |
 |
Hellsing 2 toned Black and Burgundy Rose |
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| Pinup Mermaid Bow on a Stretch Headband |
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| Shrunken Voodoo Head Acrylic Painting |
Our second shop is HighHeorot on Etsy. The owner of the shop, Erica, contacted me about trading a piece from her shop for my hand decorated pirate chest. I chose her Steampunk Winged filigree wrapped Jewel necklace. I got the Sky Blue color scheme because she was out of the Amber, but it's just as beautiful.
 |
| Taken from High Heorot's Etsy shop |
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| Taken from High Heorot's Etsy shop |
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| Me! |
The roses are made of what looks to be very sturdy cotton paper and sit right on the edge of my shoulders. This might be because of my weight and I think that the roses would be a little lower on someone slimmer. The winged jewel sat right between my collarbones, which was nice.
Communication with Erica was quick and friendly and all of my questions were answered. I highly recommend HighHeorot to anyone looking for Victorian inspired jewelry with a spooky edge. Here are a few of my favorites from the shop.
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| Key to my heart necklaces |
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| Adjustable filigree Jeweled Scarab Ring |
 | |
| Down the Rabbit Hole Adjustable Ring |
If you are looking for a great gift for the dark hearted lady in your life, check out Le Petite Zombie or HighHeorot for cute accessories, great customer service, and fast shipping!
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