What I have been up to and will be up to

So I have been decently inactive on here recently. I thought I would just kind of update you all on what I have been up to.

So first off, I am getting married!
Yes I know you all probably knew I would at some point, but I have actually been planning the wedding. We are getting married Oct 13th of this year. (Mind you I just started planning for this in July... Yea its been one hell of a crazy ride for the planning part but its worth it. Funny enough my AMAZING victorian-esk fairy tale wedding gown was easier to find than the shoes were, funny that.
After some bumps we finally found a venue thats perfect within our budget. Ended up we got the more expensive ballroom for the event room price by a fluke haha. I am not complaining.
Found Caseys outfit pretty easily. (No, not a tux, or a suit.. much better than that ^^)
I have had the most wonderful bridesmaids/and friends ever who are really helping me with all of this.
Still lots to do before the wedding itself but we have a lot done already. The major stuff at least. Did I mention I really like my ring? Which to me is very fairytale like (at least thats what I think of when I see it)


I will probably post up wedding pics sometime after the wedding and I get them from the photographer.


I have also been going to lots of scrap booking/stamping classes. One of the craft stores around here offers a few free classes a couple times a month and I have been loving going to them. I can't believe how much I have learned in such a short period of time. Because of this I am going to make my own wedding invitations instead of just buying generic ones. Its going to be a fall themed wedding of course ^_^ favorite time of year!
I have won a bunch of cool prizes from going to the classes too. Last time they gave out TONS of scrapbooking paper and then a scrap happy water bottle with a chill core. I made a wizard of oz plaque, a honeymoon card, some stamped candles.. its awesome how many things we get to make (all supplies are free for the projects too!)
I won’t post a picture of the honeymoon card so my love does not try to sneak a peak at it, but here are pictures of some of the paper I have gotten, as well as the candle projects we did.

 


I got a ton of 6x6 chipboard that I am going to use to make smaller blank books. I currently am working on a chart/correspondence book that is going to have pages and pages of info in the elements, times, places, etc for magical uses. I have been looking up altered books for page inspiration. There are some really amazing altered books out there.

I have also been working on slowly making my own tarot/oracle deck. I have painted one card so far that has to do with an underworld/otherworld necropolis. I think making my own deck will have more meaning and make it easier to understand than using my faery deck I currently have.
This card is not quite finished but almost.


Also in the process of making a chart/correspondence book.
This is the day of the week page and the earth element page.
 
I am going to be doing every page as intricate and creative as these three. I have many more pages to go but it will look awesome in the end.

I have been working on a couple of clothing articles now that I know how to use my sewing machine. I haven't finished them yet, kind of stuck on how I want to finish them but I think stepping away from it and letting the ideas flow for a bit will help me come to a decision.
At some point I need to make my own dress form/bust. I know how to do it, just need the materials/time/space to do it. It would help me a lot in making clothing for myself.
Here are some of the ones I am working on.
   
Started the corseting on the shirt. Matching skirt in the works. Beginnings of a top. I love the green clover fabric I had for this.  It will be corseted in the front later.

This brown orange shirt I found online.
Is the inspiration for the gray shirt I am making.
I mis-measured the tapered point (due to not having any sort of pattern whatsoever)
So I will need to add another panel there, but it will work. I just need to figure out how to cut the fabric for the hood the way I want it and then sew it on the back. It is going to be really cute when it is done.

I used a shirt of mine that was form fitting to kind of use as a pattern for the upper shape of the shirt… though that was interesting to try to manage haha. Still, was better than nothing I guess. I used the same shirt to make the pattern for the clover top too.
I just wanted to make some cute fall clothes. I will probably make more/finish these later.

The vampire photoshoot I am supposed to be in has been postponed again. This time its set much further back then the time before, so I won't have pictures of that until next year. It will still happen though.
I have another photographer interested in doing some shoots with me and we are discussing possible ideas for future shoots.

I have been watching my brothers friend for the past several days... lots of people in one house.. let me tell ya..

I am also debating on having a small Halloween Samhain party in October if I can swing it after the wedding with planning and such.. Not to mention possibly a bridal shower potentially before the wedding. Lots to do..

I will be making Samhain kits for those who pre-order them from my shop. I figured with everything going on it would be much easier to do it this way then to make up a bunch and have no idea how many people want them. I have a posting about the kits here. Keep in mind I currently only ship to people in the USA just because for right now it is easier.
http://lotusmoonapothecary.blogspot.com/2011/09/samhain-kits.html
Anyways, I think that covers most of what I have been up to..? lol it's good enough at least.

Been busy

So many things going on in the past few months as well as the months to come.

I had to prepare for and run a booth for my shop, Lotus Moon Apothecary, at the Satin Dolls Fetish Ball. Which was really awesome aside from being super warm in there.
Lot of fun. I got to work with a friend who I hired to be my fortune teller for the night.
Same friend who is also helping teach me how to sew. Yes I finally know how to use my sewing machine for some things. First thing I was being taught was how to sew a corset. Fun times.

I also have shop space down at Alchemy Spa in Boise now. ^_^
Though you can still order anything I make online whether it is in Alchemy or not and it will be shipped to you. So don't forget to look my shop page up on Facebook to see all I have to offer.

I started going to a scrap booking class and soon a stamping class; because I thought it would be fun and broaden my knowledge with paper stuffs.  I am already learning some fun things and they give you the supplies for each project for free so its awesome.

one of the non paper projects we had to do was paint and decorate a tile in the Wizard of Oz theme. This was mine.

I did a lot more painting on the tile than most do in the class… but I can’t help it. I am a painter after all. I even cheated and painted on strips of paper for the sign and the tree on the far right. The trees with the raised look were painted, then I put glue and its going to sound funny but tissue paper to make the raised bark look before I painted over it. I like the way it came out. I was going for the wizard of oz forest scene.


This is an oil painting I am working on that I had to pause work on it to get some other things done. I am thinking of putting either a creepy house, a house and lighthouse, or a combination of the two to make two in one… Tossing around ideas.
This is what I have on it so far. Its loosely based off the Oregon coast.

I also got to work on making a new book of shadows. I decided that the cover would resemble my A Grave Night painting. It’s not finished yet, but its getting there. Looking better than I thought it would considering I had to downsize and free hand the same painting. Never been great at it so I guess I am improving my painting skills in that way.

It is a little farther along than in this picture, I basically just need to add the tombstones and the yellow to the lantern. All the pages are burnt and ready to be inserted as soon as I am finished painting.

I also finished the commissioned painting awhile ago but I haven’t gotten permission to post pictures of the painting yet. I will most likely be able to get some up around the beginning of September.

I have a vampire photo shoot coming up at the end of this month I am going to be in. There is still much to be done in prep for that shoot. I am sure the pictures will turn out wonderful though :)


I went over to see a friend on the 8th and we made a random spur of the moment trip to the forest. It was probably an hr or so drive out… a really bumpy but fun drive. My car sure couldn’t have made it that’s for sure.
It was gorgeous up there though! we got there around 4am or 4:30. I got to see all of Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Eagle lit up. The stars were amazing. I saw the milky way, the seven sisters, drako, more than 5 shooting stars, and a bunch of others. I wish my camera was powerful enough to get shots of the stars. I did get shots of the city though.

This is maybe 1/3rd of the city lights. I took tons of pictures of the city lights but I figured posting one should be enough.
Here are some other photos from that day once the sun came up.


View from the drive back down
 
Twilight over the city.

  

Little hobbit hut we found. I was really excited to find this… I think its awesome!

View from not far inside the forest. Being that this was a spur of the moment trip, neither of us thought to bring food… So we got hungry and had to leave before too much of the area was explored. I did however come back with quite a good yarrow harvest. I also got a couple of sunflowers.

I have been harvesting peppermint, mugwort, and a small bit of sage from my own garden.

I got to work on trying to organize my book I am writing a bit better. I am at a point where I need it clear and easy to find certain points. Its slow going but I am getting a lot done. I need to add certain things at certain points for the various events within the book. It did not matter if it was organized before but it does now so I am working on that. Hopefully before I get the writing kick again lol.

I am also working on a new skirt design with the new fabric I found. I have not made a skirt like this before. I saw one like it and have the basic understanding of how it is made so I am just kind of going with it. I will post pictures if it turns out at least wearable.