Please be aware that we do not permit swap-related content on profiles or in blogs. Please post this content only in the For Sale, Swaps, and Wanted forums, or in the Wishlists topic. ~from Swapping 101
Thanks!
Today’s creepy novel, also mentioned as “horrid” in Northanger Abbey, is The Necromancer; or, The Tale of the Black Forest (1794) written by Carl Friedrich Kahlert (under pseudonym) and translated by Peter Teuthold.
Read it here.
Quote: “…a dreadful chilliness seized us, we felt the grasp of the icy fangs of horror, being in a burying vault surrounded by rotten coffins. Skulls and mouldered bones rattled beneath our feet, the grisly phantom of death stared in our faces from every side, with a grim, ghastly aspect. In the centre of the vault we beheld a black marble coffin, supported by a pedestal of stone, over it was suspended to the ceiling a lamp spreading a dismal, dying glimmering around.”
ALT
View the full post.
Some of the Gothic works deemed “horrid” by Jane Austen in 1818’s Northanger Abbey (“are you sure they are all horrid?”) are available online, so let’s shift this countdown to those dark and delicious novels. (One is The Children of the Abbey, already covered on Day 7.)
Today’s title is The Castle of Wolfenbach (1793) by Eliza Parsons.
Read it here.
Quote: “My Lord came here once or twice, but the ghosts made such a noise he could not stay. Several gentry have slept here at times, but no body would stay a second night, and so we have all to ourselves by day, and the ghosts, or what they be, have got all the rooms by night and then they be quiet enough.”
ALT
View the full post.
We’ve reached the last post in the portion of this countdown devoted to the creepy Gothic books beloved by the women working in 19th-century mills in Lowell, Massachusetts. Today’s entry is the controversial autobiography of Maria Monk (1836).
Read it here.
Quote: We all believed in ghosts.
ALT
View the full post.
Another dark and dreadful novel that women working in 19th-century mills in Lowell, Massachusetts reported enjoying was Alonzo and Melissa (aka The Asylum) by Isaac Mitchell (1804/1811).
Read here the later version attributed to Daniel Jackson, Jr.
Quote: The person in her room then uttered a horrible groan, and gliding along by her bed, took his stand behind the curtains, near the foot. The noises below, the cry of murder, the firing of the second pistol, and the running up stairs, were all corresponding scenes to impress terror on her imagination. The pretended ghost then advanced in front of her bed, while lights were slowly introduced, which first shone faintly, until they were ushered into the room by the private door, exhibiting the person before her in all his horrific appearances. On her shrieking, and shrinking into the bed, the lights were suddenly extinguished, and the person, after commanding her to be gone in a hoarse voice, passed again to the foot of the bed, shook it violently, and made a seeming attempt to get upon it, when, perceiving her to be springing up, he fled out of the room by the secret door, cautiously shut it, and joined his companions.
ALT
View the full post.
Another Gothic novel that was a favorite with women working in 19th-century mills in Lowell, Massachusetts was The Three Spaniards (1801) by George Walker.
Read it here.
Quote: “That unhappy phantom will ever pursue Fernando, till he shall be pacified. He ever attends him invisible, and at this moment sits at the foot of the corpse of Almira.”
The Inquisitors and the prisoners shuddered, and turned their eyes towards the spot; but they could see nothing, except the pale body of the murdered maid.
“… I will command this unhappy spirit to become visible, and say what are his particular desires, and how he shall be tranquilized in the grave; then shall Fernando enjoy that uninterrupted repose he so well merits.”
ALT
View the full post.
Another Gothic title very popular with women working in 19th-century mills in Lowell, Massachusetts was The Children of the Abbey (1796) by Regina Maria Roche.
Read it here.
Quote: The horrors of my mind I cannot describe; I seemed to stand alone in the world, without one friendly hand to prevent my sinking into the grave, which contained the dearest objects of my love.
ALT
View the full post.
A second Ann Radcliffe novel read and savored by women working in the 19th-century mills in Lowell, Massachusetts was The Mysteries of Udolpho (1994).
Read it here.
Quote: “… I am not so much afraid of faeries, as of ghosts, and they say there are a plentiful many of them about the castle; now I should be frightened to death, if I should chance to see any of them. But hush! ma’amselle, walk softly! I have thought, several times, something passed by me.”
ALT
View the full post.
Another title very popular with women working in 19th-century mills in Lowell, Massachusetts was The Romance of the Forest (1791) by the mother of the Gothic, Ann Radcliffe.
Read it here.
Quote: “She saw herself surrounded by the darkness and stillness of night, in a strange place, far distant from any friends, going she scarcely knew whither, under the guidance of strangers, and pursued, perhaps, by an inveterate enemy.”
ALT
View the full post.
9/5/2024
Anything in Paintbox Soap Works Halloween release that you'd like?
Oooh. Fairytale!! Jack-of-the-Woods sounds interesting except I'm scared of the mushroom part. Ask Tarty how heavy that part is?
Let me in at your Window? The Grey Hound?
The products I like are bath streusel, sorbetto, hot process soap -- the partner would totally try some of the shaving soap (Black Sun, Wayfinder.)
Anything hand knit or embroidered you might like?
I would love embroidered things! Especially snarky gothy embroidered things.
As far as hand knits go, I am WAY too picky about stretchy cast on/bind off, sizing, yarn, etc. since I am also a knitter. I make my own things.
I make shower steamers, salves, candles, soaps and other such. Are you interested in any such homemade goodies?
yes please. All of the above except salves, I already have a brand new tin of it from Winterblizzard.
9/7/2024
Would you like a small watercolor painting? I'm talking 3×5". If so, would you like it based on your preferred Halloween motifs or something else?
oohh yes! Bats and the moon? Spooky trees? Whatever speaks to you.
I make light-weight hair falls ( I can do single or double, if you have a preference for pony tail or pig tails)- I make them out of things like soft yarns, up-cycled silk and bits of lace. Is this something you'd like? If so, tell me up to three colors and a length in inches you'd like.
Only if you show me how to wear them with my super short hair! (pony tail, purple / black / blurple, ummm long enough to go past my neck and shoulders?
Anything from the Haus of Gloi Fall update?
I love their Ghost Puffs in body powder!! And/or Bubbling scrub or sugar exfoliant.
How about the Nocturne Alchemy Halloween update?
So I don't really want anything with cinnamon, coconut, oak, moss, or oakmoss. That leaves out a LOT of their Halloween offerings. I'm also not a huge fan of florals or fruits, but I really like their vanilla, amber, patchouli, other woods/resins, rose, lavender, and musks.
From Halloween Limited '24:
Black Vanilla Kulfi
Candy Corn Wraith
Black Amber Incense
Black Patchouli Amber Incense
Black Rose Amber Incense
Blood Moon
31 Bats Pandora
31 Bats Morticia
31 Bats Mircalla
9/8/2024
Milk, Dark, and or white Chocolate?
Milk! (I will not go into the "white is not chocolate" debate, look at my restraint!)
Would you like a gently-used tarot or Lenormand deck?
Sure! If it fits my wishes/aesthetic.
I'm going to Disney World all next week!!! Can I get you something? (Maybe you have a favorite Disney / Star Wars / etc character or fandom? Maybe you're a Pin Trader? Maybe you like cute kitchen-wares / tea pots / nice English tea / pot holders tea towels?)
YESSSSSSSSS All of the Nightmare Before Christmas things!!! I love kitchen stuff!!!! Anything would be awesome but I have a skeleton themed kitchen so any towels, teapots, canisters, pot holders, kitchen stuff in general. I love 20oz or larger mugs. I like pins too!
This is has been alluded to in other questions, but feelings about candles/wax tarts/incense and scent profiles?
I love all of them! New place will have a huge jetted tub with lots of room for candles and good air circulation, I love beeswax candles and candles from Sea Witch Botanicals or other places that don't put a lot of synthetic fragrance or additives in their wax.
I have a few wax tart melters, same with the synthetic fragrance and additives.
I love good quality low smoke incense like Shoyeido but if you can find other good quality low smoke incense with a great fragrance throw, I'd be down to try it.
(I have major respiratory issues, so I prefer places who use really safe products in their candles and incense, like Sea Witch Botanicals. Here is an article about breathing in things from additives: https://seawitchbotanicals.com/pages/what-are-synthetic-fragrances I guess this applies to perfume and room spray as well!)
are you interested in skincare, such as trying travel sizes of various types? (would be cruelty-free, cleaner options coming from over here, if that matters to you!)
Not really, I never use them and they aren't usually large enough to see if my skin likes them or not. (I would need to use for a week or more.)
9/9/2024
Let's talk earrings. Pierced? Stud, dangly, hoop? Any ear wire preferences? Large or small? Other preferences?
I think I talked about this in my questionnaire. Right now my ear piercings are closed up and I'm hoping to get them pierced again but gauged up (I don't know how large yet, so with a hollow needle at a body piercer place. So I'll be looking for larger than normal earring wire (but not huge) spirals and things. I'd prefer 304 stainless steel (if not sterling silver) or 316L surgical steel (low nickel content) -- please no 316lvm surgical steel as that has more nickel. Titanium is also supposed to be nickel free, as is Niobium (non-plated.) No color plating on anything, that irritates my ears and causes infection. I'm PROBABLY going to go with 16g as that is the lowest size available in most of the jewelry that I like.
If there is something extravagant on your wish list, would you like one large gift and the rest of your gifts quite modest, or would you rather forego the lavish item in favor of more of a mix among your other gifts?
Totally up to my sender, I'm good with both. I'm going to use the same caveat that violetchaos used on hers -- I don't have room for things that just sit on shelves or flat surfaces. A figurine of a bat, no thank you. A box or tray shaped like a bat? YES PLEASE. (or mirror, or --- Joann Fabric has garden stakes with bat spinners on them, I laughed, I cried as I put them back in the rack.)
The Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer is out with all of their autumn offerings. Is there anything you would like?
I've already picked up the Maple Butter but would take more... sadly my store didn't have All the Fall Things yet. I'd love the Maple Spiced nut mix, Milk Chocolate Covered Honey Comb, Apple Shortbread Cookies, Hold the Cone Tips!!, the dogs love their cookies (preferably grain free.)
9//11/2024
I have in my possession a selection of real Bakelite bangle bracelets! Definitely from the 1940s-1960s era. Would this be an exciting gist for you to receive?
My vintage collection is solely neodymium items that change from purple to blue in different lights. Not into bakelite or vaseline glass. Thank you for asking!
Would you like anything from sock dreams?
I *have* a Sock Dreams wishlist but I almost literally never wear socks so they really would be wasted on me. (I wear Madrid Birkenstocks everywhere. Kidney issues = swollen feet/ankles = most of my shoes don't fit.)
9/13/2024
Would you be interested in a spooky mini waffle maker or spooky playing cards?
I have *so many* playing cards, so no please. A regular size waffle maker would be cool but not a mini one I don't think. Sorry!
Does anything from SnagTights strike your fancy?
I never wear tights, sad face.
What about from Michaels or JoAnnes?
I love so much of their Halloween offerings! Everything bat! (prefer things that are not plastic or flimsy.)
do you like Ren faires? Might there be a fun little thing I should find for you there?
I love Ren Faires!! Most of the things I want would probably be too spendy. Hand thrown mugs / drinking horns / vases / bowls / coats / corsets / etc. Maybe some cute buttons (bats?) Or if drinking horn holders (that sit on a table) aren't too expensive?
9/14/2024
Weather permitting I'll be going to a witchy Florida themed night market next week! Is there anything you may want from it?
Oooh sounds great! I love lots of things from markets but I don't know specifically what I'd want that would mail well. Whatever you think I would like?
9/17/2024
Do you desire any Samhain ritual-type items, if so, what?
ooooh. Sadly my brain fog is a thing and I can't think of anything specific but I love this season so ... anything you think I'd like and would fit my spook.
Tell me, my ghoul-friend, would you love to see things from these places (and what?) as you unwrap your gifts? I will be going to the Pacific coast soon, and there are witchy stores (one with serious occult supplies, many handmade including inks, quills, books, etc), a HUGE gem & mineral store, a huge yarn shop, shells and way too much sasquatch stuff, also an amazingly diverse mercantile in Yachats, OR, and the Green Salmon, where unique PNW teas, coffees are sold
I could use some rose quartz or blue rose quartz palm stones or towers. I could also use some more selenite sticks (at least 8 or 16 of them) to grid my new room(s). Or pick some palm stones or beads (or cabs) for intent for me. I'm needy, haha. (I can make bracelets or necklaces from the beads and wirewrap the cabs.)
I love coffee and have a grinder, so whole bean. Prefer dark roast and I don't mind flavored. Also can do k-cups.
I love yarn (fingering, sport, dk, worsted weights), (merino, silk, merino silk cashmere, etc. no acrylic please.)
I really have a LOT of tea so unless it's from Damman Freres or Mariage Freres, pass for now.
Handmade Ink, quills, and books sound interesting. I love handmade sealing wax and seals as well.
9/18/2024
Would you like spooky-themed stationary supplies? What kinds if so?
Nice pens?
What about unanointed spell candles?
I think I'm ok on those right now.
Could you use any clever storage boxes like these?
nope, I've had those and given them away.
9/22/2024
If I were to place an order from Cellar Door, what strikes your fancy - they're having a fast 20% off sale through Monday so I'd need an answer fast
I think I had a wishlist for Cellar Door for a while. I'd love a candle but would also take soap.
* Black no 1
* Farmhouse Pumpkin
* Lavender Pumpkin
* Once Bitten
* Sanderson Spice
* Spooky Season
non seasonal:
* Acadian Driftwood
* Lavender Fields
* Midnight Rider
* Sex Machine
10/2/24
Would you be down for baked goods as a day zero gift? If so, are there any you particularly enjoy that travel well?
Of course! Shortbread (chocolate or flavored), pumpkin bread? Open to more but in a hurry and no brain.
Is your perfume wishlist up to date?
Sadly, probably not!
10/4
Do you need herbs? Rosemary, thyme, winter savory, oregano, sage or such? Mugwort for tea/burning? I grow lots of herbs and I'm happy to share!
Sure, I love dried herbs!
9/5/2024
Anything in Paintbox Soap Works Halloween release that you'd like?
Anything hand knit or embroidered you might like?
I make shower steamers, salves, candles, soaps and other such. Are you interested in any such homemade goodies?
9/7/2024
Would you like a small watercolor painting? I'm talking 3×5". If so, would you like it based on your preferred Halloween motifs or something else?
I make light-weight hair falls ( I can do single or double, if you have a preference for pony tail or pig tails)- I make them out of things like soft yarns, up-cycled silk and bits of lace. Is this something you'd like? If so, tell me up to three colors and a length in inches you'd like.
Anything from the Haus of Gloi Fall update?
How about the Nocturne Alchemy Halloween update?
9/8/2024
Milk, Dark, and or white Chocolate?
Would you like a gently-used tarot or Lenormand deck?
I'm going to Disney World all next week!!! Can I get you something? (Maybe you have a favorite Disney / Star Wars / etc character or fandom? Maybe you're a Pin Trader? Maybe you like cute kitchen-wares / tea pots / nice English tea / pot holders tea towels?)
This is has been alluded to in other questions, but feelings about candles/wax tarts/incense and scent profiles?
are you interested in skincare, such as trying travel sizes of various types? (would be cruelty-free, cleaner options coming from over here, if that matters to you!)
9/9/2024
Let's talk earrings. Pierced? Stud, dangly, hoop? Any ear wire preferences? Large or small? Other preferences?
If there is something extravagant on your wish list, would you like one large gift and the rest of your gifts quite modest, or would you rather forego the lavish item in favor of more of a mix among your other gifts?
The Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer is out with all of their autumn offerings. Is there anything you would like?
9/11/2024
I have in my possession a selection of real Bakelite bangle bracelets! Definitely from the 1940s-1960s era. Would this be an exciting gist for you to receive?
Would you like anything from sock dreams?
9/13/2024
Would you be interested in a spooky mini waffle maker or spooky playing cards?
Does anything from SnagTights strike your fancy?
What about from Michaels or JoAnnes?
do you like Ren fairest? Might there be a fun little thing I should find for you there?
9/14/2024
Weather permitting I'll be going to a witchy Florida themed night market next week! Is there anything you may want from it?
9/17/2024
Do you desire any Samhain ritual-type items, if so, what?
Tell me, my ghoul-friend, would you love to see things from these places (and what?) as you unwrap your gifts? I will be going to the Pacific coast soon, and there are witchy stores (one with serious occult supplies, many handmade including inks, quills, books, etc), a HUGE gem & mineral store, a huge yarn shop, shells and way too much sasquatch stuff, also an amazingly diverse mercantile in Yachats, OR, and the Green Salmon, where unique PNW teas, coffees are sold
9/18/2024
Would you like spooky-themed stationary supplies? What kinds if so?
What about unanointed spell candles?
Could you use any clever storage boxes like these?
9/22/2024
If I were to place an order from Cellar Door, what strikes your fancy - they're having a fast 20% off sale through Monday so I'd need an answer fast
10/2/24
Would you be down for baked goods as a day zero gift? If so, are there any you particularly enjoy that travel well?
Is your perfume wishlist up to date?
10/4
Do you need herbs? Rosemary, thyme, winter savory, oregano, sage or such? Mugwort for tea/burning? I grow lots of herbs and I'm happy to share!
Because we mentioned The Castle of Otranto yesterday, let’s show some love for the dark reimagining of Walpole’s novel by Clara Reeve, The Old English Baron (1778). Reeve called it Otranto’s “literary offspring.”
Read it here.
Quote: …he thought he saw a glimmering light upon a staircase before him. “If,” said he, “this apartment is haunted, I will use my endeavours to discover the cause of it; and if the spirit appears visibly, I will speak to it.”
He was preparing to descend the staircase, when he heard several knocks at the door by which he first entered the room; and, stepping backward, the door was clapped to with great violence. Again fear attacked him, but he resisted it, and boldly cried out, “Who is there?”
ALT
View the full post.
We have even more evidence of which Gothic novels the women who worked in 19th-century mills in Lowell, Massachusetts read and enjoyed. The next few posts will highlight these titles.
ALT
One of the most popular titles was The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole (1764).
Read it here.
Quote: …and then the figure, turning slowly round, discovered to Frederic the fleshless jaws and empty sockets of a skeleton, wrapt in a hermit’s cowl.
“Angels of peace protect me!” cried Frederic, recoiling.
“Deserve their protection!” said the spectre.
View the full post.
Another Gothic title very popular with women working in 19th-century factories in Manchester and Lancashire, UK, was The String of Pearls; or The Barber of Fleet Street (aka Sweeney Todd) (1846-1847) by James Malcolm Rymer and Thomas Peckett Prest.
Read it here.
Quote: “How still everything was in those vaults of old St. Dunstan’s. Were there no spirits from another world—spirits of the murdered, to flit in horrible palpability before the eyes of that man who had cut short their thread of life? Surely if ever a visitant from another world could have been expected, it would have been to appear to Todd to convince him that there was more beyond the grave than a forgotten name and a mouldering skeleton.”
ALT
View the full post.
Halloween season is here!
Since 2005, I’ve been observing a Halloween countdown on whatever social media I was using at the time with a daily post throughout October. These days I am primarily on Mastodon (so if you’re in the Fediverse, or connected to it via Threads or some other means, please say hi!), but I also post on Tumblr, my Goodreads blog, and Dreamwidth, among other places.
I look forward to sharing October with you! Happy Countdown to Halloween 2024!
This year I will focus on Halloween-friendly texts (long and short) available for free online. I will try to lean away from the usual suspects and, I hope, bring you some treats that you will enjoy!
This countdown will have several separate parts. The first part is inspired by Bridget M. Marshall’s excellent 2021 work Industrial Gothic: Workers, Exploitation and Urbanization in Transatlantic Nineteenth-Century Literature. In her book, Marshall notes that dark and dreadful Gothic novels were very popular with the “mill girls” who worked in 19th-century factories. I’d like to start the countdown by recommending some of the shiver-inducing texts these women reported reading and savoring.
ALT
Here begins the Day 1 post!
One of the most popular titles with women working in factories in Manchester and Lancashire, UK, was Mysteries of London (1844-1845) by G.W.M. Reynolds.
Read it here.
Quote: “Perhaps there is no other cry in the world, save that of ‘fire!’ more calculated to spread terror and dismay, when falling suddenly and unexpectedly upon the ears of a party of revellers, than that of ‘A corpse! a corpse!’”
View the full post.
ALT
It’s almost October, which means it’s almost time to start my annual re-reading of one of my all-time favorite books, A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny. With 31 chapters, one for each day of the month, it is a fantastic mash-up of creepy seasonal goodness wrapped into a compelling story, a kind of literary advent calendar for Halloween.
View the full post.
I am very happy to share that my essay “‘Lifting Old Curses’: The mirror dance of The Flowers of Vashnoi and The Mountains of Mourning” has been published in Short But Concentrated #2: a second essay symposium on the works of Lois McMaster Bujold, edited by the brilliant @unamccormack. The ebook version is free for download here.
ALT
View the full post.
9/5/2024
Anything in Paintbox Soap Works Halloween release that you'd like? no. I haven't used the last things that someone gifted me from PBSW. Love the smells but the stuff just never seems to get used
Anything hand knit or embroidered you might like? I would LOVE a hat or fingerless gloves or basically anything embroidered (tiny wall art!!!)
I make shower steamers, salves, candles, soaps and other such. Are you interested in any such homemade goodies? sure! Any of those would be welcome except I don't really do bar soap but if it's "pretty" I can put it in a guest bathroom
9/7/2024
Would you like a small watercolor painting? I'm talking 3×5". If so, would you like it based on your preferred Halloween motifs or something else? absolutely would love small wall art!!! Halloween-esque would be fine but also, we have a collection of Biscuits and Gravy art...
I make light-weight hair falls ( I can do single or double, if you have a preference for pony tail or pig tails)- I make them out of things like soft yarns, up-cycled silk and bits of lace. Is this something you'd like? If so, tell me up to three colors and a length in inches you'd like. I am afraid Arrdyth (my hair) woud eat them. She is a mighty bitch all on her own.
Anything from the Haus of Gloi Fall update? IDK Haus of Gloi
How about the Nocturne Alchemy Halloween update? I also DK Nocturne Alchemy
9/8/2024
Milk, Dark, and or white Chocolate? DARK!
Would you like a gently-used tarot or Lenormand deck? sure
I'm going to Disney World all next week!!! Can I get you something? (Maybe you have a favorite Disney / Star Wars / etc character or fandom? Maybe you're a Pin Trader? Maybe you like cute kitchen-wares / tea pots / nice English tea / pot holders tea towels?) I am NOT a Disney person...
This is has been alluded to in other questions, but feelings about candles/wax tarts/incense and scent profiles? we mostly burn incense in the house but have the ability to use wax tarts and candles are fine too...
I can handle super foody scents in the house (which I don't wear) and also any of the headshop/whorehouse scents I like to wear...
I am MUCH less picky about room scents than I am about body scents.
are you interested in skincare, such as trying travel sizes of various types? (would be cruelty-free, cleaner options coming from over here, if that matters to you!) If you send it I will try to use it... but I am quite happy with my super simple Brujita Skincare routine
9/9/2024
Let's talk earrings. Pierced? Stud, dangly, hoop? Any ear wire preferences? Large or small? Other preferences? pierced but I mostly wear the same silver hoops all the time
Will occasionally wear other things though so feel free to try me.
If there is something extravagant on your wish list, would you like one large gift and the rest of your gifts quite modest, or would you rather forego the lavish item in favor of more of a mix among your other gifts? I don't really care. Honestly, I'm into underconsumption these days so all the gifts could be modest and its fine.
The Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer is out with all of their autumn offerings. Is there anything you would like?
9/11/2024
I have in my possession a selection of real Bakelite bangle bracelets! Definitely from the 1940s-1960s era. Would this be an exciting gist for you to receive? I probably couldn't get them over my giant hands/wrists LOL
Would you like anything from sock dreams? not much of a socks wearer
9/13/2024
Would you be interested in a spooky mini waffle maker or spooky playing cards? sure
Does anything from SnagTights strike your fancy? not much of a tights wearer
What about from Michaels or JoAnnes?
do you like Ren fairest? Might there be a fun little thing I should find for you there? I haven't been to a ren fest in years but I'm sure there are things that I would like there... I just cannot think of what off the top of my head
9/14/2024
Weather permitting I'll be going to a witchy Florida themed night market next week! Is there anything you may want from it?
9/17/2024
Do you desire any Samhain ritual-type items, if so, what?
Tell me, my ghoul-friend, would you love to see things from these places (and what?) as you unwrap your gifts? I will be going to the Pacific coast soon, and there are witchy stores (one with serious occult supplies, many handmade including inks, quills, books, etc), a HUGE gem & mineral store, a huge yarn shop, shells and way too much sasquatch stuff, also an amazingly diverse mercantile in Yachats, OR, and the Green Salmon, where unique PNW teas, coffees are sold
So... always down for yummy coffees and teas.... sparkly rocks are always amazing... occult supplies are fun to receive... I'm so easy... seriously... if it speaks to you and says its for me.. I'm sure I'll love it
Previous entry2024 Late Winter Art / Craft Swap
My latest “Looking Back on Genre History” segment is now available on Episode 741 of the StarShipSofa podcast. I discuss the Radium Age imprint of reissued science fiction classics from 1900-1935 published by MIT Press.
ALT
ALT
ALT
View the full post.
It was a joy to join my co-editor Emily Strand to talk about our new book Star Trek: Essays Exploring the Final Frontier with the New Books Network podcast!
Emily Strand and Amy H. Sturgis, “Star Trek: Essays Exploring the Final Frontier” (Vernon Press, 2023) - New Books Network
View the full post.
All Hallows Oud Perfume Oil
Black oud spookied up with pumpkin puree, amaretto, scorched caramel, almond paste, cacao nibs, and honey.
Wary of oud, especially black oud. Also I generally avoid both caramel and honey. Interest level rating: 2/5
Bonfire Toffee Perfume Oil
Our spin on a traditional Guy Fawkes Night treat: treacle toffee soaked in rich, dark bourbon.
I think I've tried this before but I can't remember for sure. At any rate, it's not really calling me. 2/5
Bourbon-Soaked Pumpkin Peanut Butter Fudge Perfume Oil
Gooey.
I just have no interest in nuts or nut butter in perfume. 1/5
Dry Ice Cocktail Perfume Oil
A sparkling absinthe martini swirled with a glow stick and overflowing with cascades of dry ice fog.
I like absinthe notes but dry ice fog makes me think of one of the "fog" scents that I tried a few years ago, I think it was a Yule series? And I didn't like that one much. Anyway this one isn't calling to me. 2/5
Pumpkin Latte Perfume Oil
Espresso, pumpkin syrup, smoky vanilla bean, milk, raw sugar, and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg.
This sounds like a candle scent to me, which isn't necessarily bad, but I just never had much interest in this one. 2/5
Pumpkin Musk and Black Oud Perfume Oil
A strangely romantic, disturbingly erotic perfume.
Has this come out before? I feel like I've tried it. Pass for now. It wasn't bad (if it was the same scent), just not calling me right now. 2/5
Pumpkin Spice Everything Perfume Oil
Literally everything! Pumpkin spice it all with this traditional brew of cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, and clove.
I have a decant and like it, don't need more. 2/5
Pumpkin Spice Halo-Halo Perfume Oil
With apologies to my ancestors. Ube halaya and ube ice cream chonked with mango jelly, flan, boiled taro, evaporated milk, sweetened kidney beans, dried coconut, kaong, gulaman, tapioca pearls, and a copious shake of pumpkin spice.
Sounds interesting, I wouldn't mind trying a decant. 3/5
Pumpkin Sugar Perfume Oil
Crystallized glittering shards of lightly spiced pumpkin sugar.
I have an old decant and like it, but not sure I need more or not. I will retest it in the near future. 3/5
Samhain Perfume Oil
Truly the scent of autumn itself — damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein.
I love Samhain, but I don't need more. 2/5
Sugar Skull Perfume Oil
Vibrant with the joy and sweetness of life in death! A blend of five sugars, lightly dusted with candied fruits.
I love Sugar Skull but don't need more - although I'm curious if it's different this year! It seems there are some different versions of it in the last few years. Maybe a decant. 3/5
Vintage Pumpkin Blow Mold Perfume Oil
A grinning, glowing gourd gleaming with 40 watts of radiant white musk, sweet orange, crystalline amber, and pumpkin rind.
I have this in my cart, Vintage Ghost was so good, I'm interested in this too. 4/5
Halloween 2024 - Carmilla
A Glare of Skulking Ferocity Perfume Oil
Scorched oud, bitter resins, black musk, a torn shred of gossamer vanilla, and a clang of metal.
Not sure about oud, bitter resins and metal. Possibly a decant. 2/5
Carmilla Hair Gloss
Sweetness shadowed by danger: dark amber and ylang ylang gleams through smoky chestnut, cacao, mahogany, blackcurrant, and vanilla bean.
No hg for me, I have enough.
Chocolat Viennois Perfume Oil
Turns out this is a thing that vampires are into. A warm mug of dark chocolate and cream with a dribble of blood.
Chocolate perfumes aren't usually my thing. 2/5
Come With Me, Loving Me to Death Perfume Oil
Black orchid, cacao, bitter almond, and black musk.
It depends on the orchid, but really, I can probably pass on this, unless I get really curious from reviews. 2/5
Darling, Darling Perfume Oil
Sugared pear and wild violets with orris butter, coconut milk, white musk, and vanilla silk.
This combination doesn't sound appealing to me. Edit: it kind of sounds like a Luper scent! I would definitely try it if it crossed my path. 2/5
Die, Sweetly Die Perfume Oil
Inevitable surrender. Opening with a heady blend of blood orange and black cherry, the heart of this perfume pulsates with narcotic jasmine, sinuous tuberose, blood amber, vanilla silk, and deep red labdanum.
I was on board until red labdanum, I have a questionable history with that note. 2/5
Indescribable Solemnity and Fear Perfume Oil
The crescendo of a phantom’s caress: golden frankincense and cardamom smothered by honeyed kisses of labdanum, red rose, merlot, black oud, and myrrh.
Couple of iffy notes for me, and labdanum in general can turn sour on me. 2/5
Laura Hair Gloss
An ode to delicate femininity, evoking an image of a golden beauty bathed in sunlight: delicate sandalwood and white musk shimmering with neroli, yellow amber, pear blossom, peonies, and iris.
No hg for me.
Melancholy Fire Perfume Oil
A luminous cold flame: chilled bergamot, Ceylon cinnamon, white clove bud, amber, and incense smoke.
Sounds kind of interesting, maybe decant. 3/5
Millarca Perfume Oil
White lace, blackcurrant, and tea roses.
I'd like to smell this. 3/5
Mircalla, Countess Karnstein Perfume Oil
Black velvet, blackcurrant, and black roses.
Definitely interested. 4/5
My Soul Acquiesced in It Perfume Oil
Melancholic white rose petals drifting in a pool of white musk, bitter almond, and icy vanilla.
Hmm.. possible decant. 3/5
My Wild Heart Bleeds With Yours Perfume Oil
A fierce rush of pink pepper, carnation, pulsating red berries, and crimson musk.
I'm interested but wary of pepper and carnation. 3/5
Resembling the Passion of Love Perfume Oil
All-consuming, relentless desire – deceptively luscious, murderously brooding, and blindingly sensual: blood musk, black cherry, crimson amber, 21-year aged patchouli, golden saffron, jasmine sambac, and black rose.
Not sure but could be good. 3/5
Ruins of Karnstein Perfume Oil
Palatial grandeur in ruins, its decrepit majesty poised in the liminal space between decay and beauty. A haunting memory of all-consuming desire: the rich, earthy depth of oud, vetiver, and moss, grounded in the untamed wilds of the forest, echoing the ancient stones that remain.
Wary of oud and moss. 2/5
Seven Inches of Blood Perfume Oil
A shimmering pool of coppery red musk, Dracaena cinnabari, clove bud, cacao, and lead.
I want to love this but wary of "coppery" and wary of lead. 4/5
Sinister Restlessness Perfume Oil
Fear and fascination: blackened vetiver, amber smoke, clove, and oudh.
There's that oudh again. 3/5
Smiling Melancholy Perfume Oil
Distant, enigmatic, shadowed: delicate heliotrope and pale rose petals, muted and soft, resting atop a chilly, intimate base that blends white musk, cashmere woods, and a touch of tonka bean.
Might be good. 3/5
Strange Paroxysms of Languid Adoration Perfume Oil
Parasitic intoxication: narcissus, opium poppy, and red orchid veiled in heliotrope, blush sandalwood, and crushed violet.
Narcissus is a deal breaker for me. 2/5
That Silvery Splendor Perfume Oil
Moon-kissed petals of night-blooming florals aflame with hypnotic opium tar, fae tuberose, and a sliver of metallic aldehyde.
I'd smell it but it will probably be soapy on me. 2/5
The Fading Crimson of the Sky Perfume Oil
A scent both bright and subdued: bergamot shuddering through lime leaves, ruby-tinged amber sunlight, violet leaf, oak bark, and sandalwood smoke.
Sounds kind of interesting. 3/5
The Great and Titled Dead Perfume Oil
The haunted stillness of a long-decayed cemetery plot choked by ivy and wild blackberry thorns.
Very interested. 4/5
Troubled by Revenants Perfume Oil
A paean to ancient malevolence and the unseen forces that grasp and scratch at the living like gnarled roots clawing through blood-stained soil in midnight forests: patchouli, mandrake root, black pepper, and fossilized amber.
Somewhat interested. 3/5
You Are Mine, You Shall Be Mine, You and I Are One for Ever Perfume Oil
The consuming intensity of a passion that claims body and soul, blurring the boundaries between longing and obsession, lust and loathing. Ylang ylang and clove evoke the heat of skin against skin, bruised by bittersweet blackcurrant honey kisses.
I like the concept a lot but wary of some notes, especially "honey kisses". 3 or 4/5
Halloween 2024 - Freak in the Sheets Pt. II
Lavender Silk Sheet Ghost Perfume Oil
A sleek, seductive eternal slumber: silky ripples of spectral lavender cascading around the labdanum-shadowed absence of a living being.
Wary of labdanum, otherwise sounds good. 3 or 4/5
Motel Sheet Ghost Perfume Oil
Chills and thrills, but certainly no frills: a polluted, rough-riding version of the Traditional Sheet Ghost: cool white cotton, marshmallow fluff, and lemony Oman frankincense, marred with suspicious blotches of coconut oil and a cigarette burn.
Pass on this one. 2/5
Traditional Sheet Ghost Perfume Oil
Boo! Cool white cotton, marshmallow fluff, and lemony Oman frankincense.
My bottle from last year is enough. 1/5
Tropical Print Sheet Ghost Perfume Oil
Does the carcass match the drapes? Cascades of banana Leaf, bamboo fiber, mango, papaya, and hibiscus, streaked with ectoplasm and sticky tears of strelitzia sap.
Not for me. 2/5
Halloween 2024 - Halloween Atmospheres 2024
Pass on atmo sprays. 1/5
Pumpkin Nut Bread Atmosphere Spray
Pumpkin puree baked into a walnut-studded loaf, steaming with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove.
Halloween 2024 - Halloween Beard Oils 2024
Pass on beard oils. 1/5
Bonfire Smoke Beard Oil
Woodmoke, glowing embers, drifting ash, and the memory of bones.
Pumpkin Spice Beard Oil
Pumpkin spice EVERYTHING.
Type AB-Beard Oil
For the most discerning vampires. Dragon’s blood resin, black cherry, clove, cardamom, black leather, and kyphi smoke.
Halloween 2024 - Halloween Hair Glosses 2024
No hg for me. 0/5
Autumn Bouquet Hair Gloss
Carnations, sunset roses, hydrangea, and sunflowers bound in a clove-tinged pumpkin-orange velvet ribbon.
Halloween 2024 - Heloise & Abelard’s Spooky Single Notes
Black Lipstick Perfume Oil
A goth awakening: waxy drugstore lipstick and clove cig residue.
Pass for me. 2/5
Blood Squib Perfume Oil
A sanguinous firecracker of cherry simple syrup and dragon’s blood resin.
Might be nice but I already have Blood. 2 or 3/5
Bonfire Perfume Oil
The perfume of withering leaves, their brittle forms surrendering to the flame, releasing a sigh of bitter smoke that is flickering with the ghosts of summer’s memory.
Probably pass, I have some scents like this already. 2/5
Candied Apple Perfume Oil
Sour green apples encased in a sticky shell of iconic glossy red caramelized sugar syrup.
I don't like green apple perfumes, usually. 1/5
Clown White Perfume Oil
No joke! Greasy petrolatum, lanolin, and titanium dioxide accords smeared with vanilla cream.
Please note: this product contains no clowns or clown-derived materia.
Pass for me. 2/5
Datura Blossom Perfume Oil
Corpse white and bruise-purple, sacred datura is native to my west coast homeland. A seductive, heady, hypnotic bloom, as poisonous as it is beautiful.
I'm interested, but just have no idea what it smells like. It could go either way. 4/5
Graveyard Dirt Perfume Oil
This is the scent of pure graveyard dust, spattered with grave loam and dusted lightly with tombstone moss.
I have a bottle already. 1/5
Insulation Board Tombstone Perfume Oil
A fragrant melange of foam insulation board, PVC pipes, jigsaw grease, stone-textured spray paint, and polyurethane sealant.
Pass for me. 2/5
Halloween 2024 - Nightmare Novellas Pt. II
Fuchsia Eyes Perfume Oil
Blood-tinged raspberries oozing into globs of blackcurrant and red plum.
A "fruit notes only" scent isn't that interesting to me, it needs to have something else. 2/5
Hatman Perfume Oil
Scarlet musk, red oud, opium poppy, and tobacco absolute.
Sounds too red. 2/5
Hollow Hallow Perfume Oil
A suffocating pumpkin kyphi soaked in dark red wine and darkened by vetiver, opoponax, and black oud.
Possible decant. 3/5
Jolly Perfume Oil
Pumpkin cream, caramel-coated marshmallow, crushed candy corn, lemon peel, and belladonna honey.
Doesn't sound like my thing. 2/5
Leaf Spirits Perfume Oil
Smoky vetiver, flaming sparks of black pepper, clove, and nutmeg, charred wood, and dark amber.
Sounds too dark and raspy, but I'd try it. 2/5
Sleight of Hand Perfume Oil
Incense-tarred patchouli, opoponax, blackened cloth, frankincense resin, and black moss.
Hmmm... Sounds a little rough but I'm somewhat curious. 3/5
Slowly She Turned Perfume Oil
Flaming amber, queen mandarin rind, yellow peppercorn, scorched yellow roses, and a hint of decay.
Interested, likely decant. 3/5
Sweet Tooth Perfume Oil
Scorched candy corn and melted toffees
Pass for me. 2/5
The Autumn Folk Perfume Oil
Hay-dusted oak, honey mead, pumpkin rind, vetiver root, corn husk, and maple leaves.
Couple of no-no notes for me, the combination doesn't appeal very much. 2/5
The Bell Witch Perfume Oil
Rusted iron, mandrake root, burnt vetiver, and patchouli leaves
Sounds very cold and raspy. 2/5
The Treat Keeper Perfume Oil
Dried apples, sour apple mash, and molasses.
Not an apple perfume fan. 2/5
Halloween 2024 - Pile of Leaves 2024
Copperhead Snake on Dead Leaves Perfume Oil
Snake Oil slithering through a scattering of dead leaves with amber, cardamom, cistus, hops, white sandalwood, neroli, orris root, and smoked vanilla.
Hmm, could be good. Possible decant. 3/5
Dead Leaves and Honeycomb Perfume Oil
Not for me. 1/5
Dead Leaves, Black Tea, and Bergamot Perfume Oil
Possible decant. 2 or 3/5
Dead Leaves, Blood Orange, and Neroli Perfume Oil
Probably pass. 2/5
Dead Leaves, Burnt Marshmallows, Clove Cream, and Whiskey Perfume Oil
I'm strangely interested. 3/5
Dead Leaves, Dried Lilacs, and Labdanum Perfume Oil
Pass. 2/5
Dead Leaves, Incense Smoke and Oud Perfume Oil
Probably pass. 2/5
Dead Leaves, Lavender Buds, and Golden Sandalwood Perfume Oil
Interested in a decant. 3/5
Dead Leaves, Oakmoss, and Pine Needles Perfume Oil
Probably pass. 2/5
Halloween 2024 - Pile of Leaves 2024 - Pile of Leaves Hair Glosses 2024
No hg for me. 0/5
Dead Leaves and Pomegranates Hair Gloss
Dead Leaves, Nag Champa, Tunisian Patchouli, and Vanilla Bean Hair Gloss
Halloween 2024 - Pumpkin Patch 2024
Embalmed Pumpkin Perfume Oil
Pumpkin rind encased in white musk, green tea, aloe and lemon.
Mildly interested. 2/5
Knave of Pumpkins Perfume Oil
Crushed roses, red currant, and pumpkin tarts.
Very interested to at least try it. I actually have a bottle in my cart. 4/5
Moroccan Pumpkin Perfume Oil
Pumpkin spices wind through a blend of warm musk, carnation, red sandalwood and cassia.
Interested but I already have bottles of Morocco and Pomegranate Morocco. Not sure about this. 3/5
Pumpkin Bliss Perfume Oil
Honey-dusted milk chocolate pumpkin bites.
Honey and chocolate, no thank you. 1/5
Pumpkin Blood Perfume Oil
Pumpkin pulp and dragon’s blood resin, thickened with myrrh, black cherry, and a trickle of clove.
Somewhat interested, but I already have a bottle of Blood. 2 or 3/5
Pumpkin Kisses Perfume Oil
Sloppily sexy: sweetly spiced pumpkin juice with vanilla cream and wildflower honey, smeared with the vital throb of husky clove, swollen red cherries, but darkened with the vampiric sensuality of vetiver, soporific poppy and blood red wine, and a skin-light pulse of feral musk.
Very interested, 4/5
Pumpkin Lust Perfume Oil
We don’t judge. Red musk, patchouli, ylang ylang, myrrh, and pumpkin guts.
Probably pass 2/5
Pumpkin Smokestack Perfume Oil
Burnt pumpkin skins, creosote, coal, and industrial waste.
Pass 1/5
Pumpkin Tombstone Perfume Oil
I’m yer pumpkinberry: dried pumpkin leather with vanilla, balsam and sassafras layered over Virginia cedar.
Probably pass 2/5
Halloween 2024 - Wild Hearses Atmosphere Spray Series
No atmo spray for me, 0/5
Convertible Hearse Atmosphere Spray
The cadaver, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind: a chilly whoosh of dead leaves seasoned with the perfect amount of smog.
Headless Hearseman Atmosphere Spray
A bottomless swirl of black leather, dead branches, and flaming pumpkin guts.
Hearse of Pancakes Atmosphere Spray
There’s still a little time to kill before the viewing… surely it wouldn’t hurt to stop for a short stack? Black coffee, syrup-drenched buckwheat cakes, and a crusty cruller for the road.
Hiss and Hearse Atmosphere Spray
A dribble of Dorian and a squiggle of Snake Oil, delicately stirred with a moss-crusted muddy shovel.
Hot Pink Hearse Atmosphere Spray
A dream hearse for anyone who grew up presiding over numerous doll funerals: flashy pink guava, strawberry jam, sugared pink grapefruit, blackberry, bergamot, and pink champagne adorned with a gleaming chrome Landau bar.
Lime Green Hearse Atmosphere Spray
A shiny, genteel, vintage ride for all those who feel dead inside: lime rind, citron, petitgrain, white musk, a swish of bay rum and a bit of black pepper.
Anything in Paintbox Soap Works Halloween release that you'd like? I'm liking the Let Me In perfume/hot press soap, Nightwalker perfume/hot press soap, The Grey Hound perfume/hot press soap, Demeter hot press soap/perfume, Jack-of-the-Woods hot press soap/perfume.
Anything hand knit or embroidered you might like? I would love anything embroidered.
I make shower steamers, salves, candles, soaps and other such. Are you interested in any such homemade goodies? I would love salves and soaps, just nothing foody smelling.
I make light-weight hair falls ( I can do single or double, if you have a preference for pony tail or pig tails)- I make them out of things like soft yarns, up-cycled silk and bits of lace. Is this something you'd like? If so, tell me up to three colors and a length in inches you'd like. Not at the moment. My hair is falling out due to a thyroid condition.
Anything from the Haus of Gloi Fall update? Kitchen Witch sounds interesting, as does Violet Moon and and Scarecrow. I'm down with perfumes or their bubbling scrubs, which I do love.
How about the Nocturne Alchemy Halloween update? Anything. I couldn't really afford anything this round.
Milk, Dark, and or white Chocolate? Dark!!!
Would you like a gently-used tarot or Lenormand deck? No thank you.
I'm going to Disney World all next week!!! Can I get you something? (Maybe you have a favorite Disney / Star Wars / etc character or fandom? Maybe you're a Pin Trader? Maybe you like cute kitchen-wares / tea pots / nice English tea / pot holders tea towels?) Anything villain or Haunted Mansion. I adore pins, tea, and tea cups.
This is has been alluded to in other questions, but feelings about candles/wax tarts/incense and scent profiles? Maybe some scented half votives, but I do have a strong affinity toward Voluspa candles. I adore their Goji Tobacco, Blond Tabac, Silver Birch, Panjore Lychee, and Eucalyptus/Sage. No incense for me because our youngest cat has asthma.
Are you interested in skincare, such as trying travel sizes of various types? (would be cruelty-free, cleaner options coming from over here, if that matters to you!). Absolutely! Anything eye/serum related. I also need an exfoliant. Also, I adore those cute Korean-type face masks.
Let's talk earrings. Pierced? Stud, dangly, hoop? Any ear wire preferences? Large or small? Other preferences? Pierced, but it can't have any nickel since I have a skin allergy. I like anything light and dark, but not heavy. I'm down for sterling silver studs (little bats, skulls, cats, coffins - all would be loved). I also love high gothic earrings, but I have tender ears so the earrings can't be too heavy. I also like UV reactive earrings for clubbing nights.
If there is something extravagant on your wish list, would you like one large gift and the rest of your gifts quite modest, or would you rather forego the lavish item in favor of more of a mix among your other gifts? I have lots of extravagant good on my Etsy WL. I'd be happy with one big one or a mix of modest ones.
The Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer is out with all of their autumn offerings. Is there anything you would like? The blond pumpkin brownies sound interesting.
I have in my possession a selection of real Bakelite bangle bracelets! Definitely from the 1940s-1960s era. Would this be an exciting gist for you to receive? No thanks.
Would you like anything from sock dreams? I like the bat net tights, Fiddlewood Crew, Cherry Blossom Crew, Thistle Crew, Bioluminescent Crew <3), and The Gashlycrumb Tinies Crew.
Mini waffle maker - no
Spooky playing cards - no
Does anything from SnagTights strike your fancy? The ACOTAR mountain tights in E are calling my name! I also like the purple Hallo-Queen in E and the Arachne fishnets in E.
What about from Michaels or JoAnnes? From Michaels, any of the candelabra (white or black), the star and black white cat shelf, or the 9" white crow mirror. From JoAnns, any of the Halloween Disco storage books, the purple glass taper, the Black Ornate Clock by Time and Place.
Do you like Ren fairest? Might there be a fun little thing I should find for you there? I've gone to a couple and really enjoyed my experiences, but other than ridiculously expensive coresets, I don't remember what they have to offer. I'm certainly open, though.
Weather permitting I'll be going to a witchy Florida themed night market next week! Is there anything you may want from it? Absolutely! I could use herbs, oils, or really anything witchy. I walk more of the nature/herbal/energy practitioner path.
Do you desire any Samhain ritual-type items, if so, what? Maybe something for ancestor work.
Tell me, my ghoul-friend, would you love to see things from these places (and what?) as you unwrap your gifts? I will be going to the Pacific coast soon, and there are witchy stores (one with serious occult supplies, many handmade including inks, quills, books, etc), a HUGE gem & mineral store, a huge yarn shop, shells and way too much sasquatch stuff, also an amazingly diverse mercantile in Yachats, OR, and the Green Salmon, where unique PNW teas, coffees are sold. I would love that! Shells, gems, and occult goodies will be salmon. I'm also here in the PNW, but I don't get out beyond Bellevue, Seattle, Renton, and Belfair.
9/18/2024
Would you like spooky-themed stationary supplies? What kinds if so? I could always use those tab flag things for annotations. That and spooky legal pads.
What about unanointed spell candles? I have lots.
Could you use any clever storage boxes like these? Nope.
9/22/2024
If I were to place an order from Cellar Door, what strikes your fancy - they're having a fast 20% off sale through Monday so I'd need an answer fast. No thank you.