Sometimes in my many travels around the web I stumble across something that just speaks to my soul.  This shop is one of them.  I would love to have this woman decorate my entire house, there’s just something so sublime and beautiful about her work.  She’s an artist after my own heart.

She’s got an antiquated touch to her work that avoids looking scrap bookish vintage and yet it transports you away to somewhere else with all the care and attention she obviously puts into each product.   I never thought such simple luxuries would ever charm me like these do but

indeed, it’s such pretty things like these that feed my soul.  (And yes, I still have one.)

Go visit ForStrangeWomen and admire.   You won’t regret it.

University makes you fat. Really fat. And if you have enough homework, it distracts you from the fact that you are buying a size 20 instead of your previous size 12. Then one day you graduate and you discover that you’re very happy that those big, billowy robes they make you put on come in a “one size fits all” tent style because you don’t have enough time to diet before you go up there to get your diploma. You shouldn’t be surprised that diet of mac and cheese with booze was bound to catch up with you somehow and now you’ve got a price to pay.

Trust me, I know. Putting it on is the easy part but taking it all off again isn’t so easy. Diets don’t work and for the most part, they’re dangerous. Same with diet pills and all those weight loss trends you see in books and on television. You’ll just be disappointed in the end and probably just do more damage than good to your body. There is hope though; you just need to do it the old fashioned way. Exercise.

Stop groaning. Most people don’t get enough exercise as it is even when they’re not trying to lose weight and it’s a sad fact considering all the health problems this widespread inactivity creates. Even if you’re a size 7 you need to exercise to stay healthy, your body needs it to keep everything running properly and keep you out of the hospital.

The hardest bit for the most part is motivation. A lot of people think of it all as boring and can’t find the energy to be bothered so the key is to find something to be active with that you find enjoyable. So what if you’re a goth? Your typical fitness video sure isn’t going to work for you. Those bleach blonds on the fake beach landscapes that twist and flex to upbeat elevator music get old very quickly and you’ll be lucky if you can stomach them once through the routine. What about goth aerobics? Are there actually aerobics videos for the spooky kids?! There might be, so I’ve decided to start looking.

I started with the tribal belly dance videos. So many belly dance videos are geared towards women looking to tone their bodies and loose weight because it’s supposed to be such a great workout. So I picked up Tribal Fusion Fundamentals by Bellydance Superstars and decided to see what it could offer me.

I’d like to start by saying I love tribal/gothic belly dance. The costumes are lovely, the music has wonderful beats and rhythms and the movements are just beautiful. It’s truly an art form when it’s done well. Putting my love for the craft aside, this video is not what I was expecting.

Granted, they never labeled this video as a workout or aerobics video, but I didn’t even break a little bit of a sweat, which is what I expect to do during a dance lesson. I actually don’t think I learned much either. This video is great if you just want to watch dancing, the segments between lessons where you get to watch the girls dance to music is fantastic and there is no doubt are they good at what they do. I just really didn’t find most of the instructions useful. It seems like this video is geared towards girls who are already dancers and not so much the beginners. Was it difficult? Not really. It just wasn’t very good at explaining things or taking the time to make learning the moves a smooth process in my opinion. Or rather, I’ve seen it all explained better elsewhere.

The pretty much stagnant camera angle drove me nuts. We got to watch the girls from one side angle in front of a mirror for all the lessons. This didn’t lend very well to seeing the moves as a whole rather than just the side of it. To be honest, it made the lessons feel like they were some kind of after thought rather than a focus of the dvd. There seemed to be a lot more effort in their individual performances than anything else. Their dances were very cool, the girls are talented, but by the end I just sat on the couch and watched the rest.

Music is great though, check out Pentaphobe if you want to hear what I mean. Costumes were cool too, much better than just a cop out spandex exercise get up and each girl had a really nice style to them that I appreciated. (I love Sherri’s pants.) Even if I’m not a big fan of the video I am a fan of the girls as dancers.

If you’re looking for a related work out video that will help you workout and break a sweat, try the Belly Twins belly dance series by Neena and Veena, a pair of sisters that have been doing it for years. There’s a lot more focus on keeping you moving rather than showing off their own skills so you won’t find yourself stopping and watching a routine between sets. They’ll really get you working up a sweat too. They’ve got lots to chose from and while not goth at all, it’s a lot more fun than your regular aerobics videos and these girls are top notch.

Well fear no more!  With the coming of the colder months we need to prepare for our hot drink rituals!

And Skeletal DropKick is here to help.

How can you not love these?  Dark and earthy enough to work in any dungeon based kitchen and yet not so in-your-face evil to shame your mother.  (Don’t take my word for it though, there’s not much that offends my mother.)  This is a mug that you can own as a simple conversation piece, give as a unique and original gift of art or collect a whole set of.

And did I mention they make teapots, bowls, wine chalices and more?  You could have a whole army of kitchen monsters!  Think of the possibilities!

1 ½ C Granulated Sugar

8 Tbls Cornstarch

1/2 Tsp Salt

1 3/4 C Water

4 egg yolks – Beaten1 Med. Grapefruit

2 Lemons

1 Lime

2 Tbls Butter

1 Pie Shell – Pre-baked

Instructions

1. Juice the Grapefruit, Lemon and Lime. Keep ¾ C of the juice.

2. Combine Sugar, Cornstartch, Salt and Water in a medium saucepan, stirring often over a medium heat until it boils. Simmer and whisk frequently for 2-3 more minutes until it starts to thicken. Remove from heat.

3. Add the beaten egg yolks into the sauce pan, whisking quickly to make sure it mixes evenly. Let mixture return to heat, boiling it gently to thicken it further for about another two minutes then remove from heat.

4. Add citrus juice and butter. Whisk until smooth and let cool just a little before pouring into the pie shell.

5. Chill until pie is set and firm.

Now when it comes down to being asked what my favorite monster is, the vampire wins every time.  Ask my boyfriend and, well, the zombie rules.  He has got a serious love for the games, the movies, the whole cult following really.  So what is a girl to do when it comes to finding unique gifts for a living dead fan who seems to already have it all?

You turn to Stuart Conover at BuyZombie.com!

Seriously, this was just too cool and it makes my shopping so much easier this year: I decided I wanted to get to know Stuart a little bit better.

1. You obviously spend a lot of time working on this site, is it a labor of love? Or are you just plain obsessed?

I honestly can’t say it’s one or the other. I’m actually a full time horror junkie in general it’s just zombies that I feel are the best part of horror. Besides the serial killer concept found in slasher flicks they are probably the greatest realistic threat we would face and one that would effect everyone!  Aside from that it’s been shown constantly as one of the sub-horror genres that seem to be an easy in for independent movie producers and new authors. One thing I’ve loved about running the site is how many newer published authors or directors I’ve had a chance to speak with as so many are attracted to the genre or find it easy to work with.

2. What’s your favorite non-zombie related movie?

I can’t break it down to just one I’m a huge fan of cinema in general. I can toss out some of my top picks though since narrowing it down to just one movie *shakes head* not possible! Trick ‘r Treat(saw the midwest premiere recently, amazing movie), Alien, Aliens, The Usual Suspects, Blade Runner, Gattaca, Let The Right One In, North by Northwest, Pulp Fiction, The Silence of the Lambs, The Shawshank Redemption, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Se7en, OK I need to stop here. I could probably go on for hours listing my ‘favorite’ movies! While I am a horror fanatic I’m pretty sure that small taste of movies I have enjoyed shows I’ve got a range to what I watch ;)

3. What prompted you to create BuyZombie.com?

The site initially started just as an online resource to find anything zombie related or themed online for sale. Over the past year I have switched over to an increase in posts of zombie news, movie trailers, reviews, etc. This started by posting occasional zombie ‘products’ done by the crafting and art communities online and quickly realized people wanted more and more zombies of any kind. I want it to be an all around zombie experience and not just what you can buy (though I of course list zombie items still as well!) Ever since I started the switch about a year ago there has been both a huge influx of new readers and opportunities for the site (which is causing us to expand soon to include a vampire site and general horror site.)

4. Quickly! We must rally the people for the oncoming Zombie Apocalypse! What should we pack in our Zombie Survival Kits?

Well this one won’t be quick! To start with a small amount of light reading: The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks and When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes by Cody Lundin.  Both of these will help with any general survival questions on living and taking care of yourself after the outbreak occurs. A map of the area you are in and any you may wish to travel to. First aid kit for any cuts (if you’re bitten though you may as well give up now!) A Survival Fire Starter for having a way to start a fire if needed, can’t trust matches or lighters to not just run out. Mobile proximity alarms can be run on batteries and are light weight and pretty cheap to buy these days (as low as $10!) Speaking of batteries you’ll probably want a ‘few’ sets for any electronic gear you have with you. A set of night vision goggles. While you don’t want to be running around in the dark anything might happen and it’d be better to see what is in front of you as you’ll be wanting to avoid heavily lit areas. Rope and duct tape are always handy. Finally if you are comfortable and proficient with fire arms a pistol of some sort to both help defend against zombies as well as scare off anyone who might be trying to steal what you have on you for their own survival. (Food & Water are also bonuses, however, are both less easy to carry with you.)

5. How have you prepared for the zombie hordes?

I’m sorry but answering this one would make me sound like one of those crazy survivalist nuts that live in the hills and think the government is out to get us all! I’m not that crazy. Honest.

6. Where do you find all the stuff for your site? Is this a full time pursuit for you?

My day job is generally spent in front of a computer with 4-5 hours to spare on and off throughout the day. While originally I would have to comb websites nonstop with the invention and increasing popularity of social networking sites (primarily Facebook and Twitter) there is always an influx of new zombie information to be able to share with BuyZombie’s readers! On top of that as we have been gaining readers we get 5-40 submissions a week by e-mail on our contact page.

7. What’s your favorite kind of cookie and why?

Hands down homemade chocolate chip. When I was growing up my grandmother used to make me homemade chocolate chips and warm fresh ones out of the oven. Yum! (With a glass of milk!)

8. What’s your preference of Zombie? The classical voodoo style? Or the Biohazard/Infectious Disease based style?

I would have to go with the disease based zombies. Would it really surprise anyone that there was a black ops government group out there trying to bring back the dead as a weapon? Possibly a group just trying to create immortality or extend the average lifespan until one fatal day they unleash a plague upon us all while just trying to help out. Why did they try to help? *sighs* Why? WHY? Ahem.

9. Which would be worse? Zombie Pirates? Or Zombie Ninjas? Who would win in a fight?

The ninjas would clearly be worse! In shape and in the top of their health before being bitten by an overwhelming horde of zombies chasing them they would be quicker and take longer for the decomposition to kick in. Pirate zombies would be in horrible health to begin with and some are already rotting on the inside! Both being zombies they would no longer carry their centuries old grudge between one another (unless after time brief memories of their past lives begin to emerge as Romero’s zombies have been doing) and would instead combine their forces to better eat or infect us all.

10. In your opinion, which style of zombie films are the best between the classics like Dawn of the Dead and the modern versions such as 28 days later?

I’m going to nitpick here. 28 Days Later isn’t a “zombie” movie. There are no undead or flesh eaters involved at all and it’s just an infection movie shot like a zombie movie. Putting that aside it really depends. I love the fast pacing of the ‘new’ breed of zombies and they honestly just freak me out. How can you fight back against zombies that can outrun you since they won’t get worn out and will just keep coming? Realistically though the slow moving zombies in large numbers seem more feasible (not feeling pain aside the muscles would decompose with the flesh and running shouldn’t be possible, at least not for long.) The other bonus of the slower moving zombies was the increased gore factor. If your into gore, no one today does it how they used to.

11. Who’s your favorite character in Left for Dead?

Francis! It really had to be, how can anyone not love and be entertained by how much he hates.. everything.

12. What’s your favorite zombie based video game?

For realism, Resident Evil 1. Hard game to master, save points were few and far between, and it had a decent plot. For fun it would have to be Left 4 Dead or Dead Rising (I’ll admit I haven’t had a chance to pickup Resident Evil 5 yet so that may change.) Probably between the two I would pick Dead Rising though. While L4D is a lot of fun I have *looks embarrassed* other first person shooter games I enjoy more. As a bonus Plants Vs Zombies is both an incredibly addicting and cute game from PopCap Games available on the PC (soon 360, PS3, Mac, and iphone.)

13. Do you think zombies could ever co-exist peacefully like in the ending of the movie Shaun of the Dead?

If you go by the classic thought of zombies being undead I would have to go with no. It’s not possible as they will just keep trying to eat us. However, there has been an increase in the thought of ‘advanced’ zombies over the past few years. From Romero’s zombies progressively getting smarter in movies (Day of the dead- “Bub” is able to learn how to use a gun and do simple tasks, Land of the Dead- zombies are doing basic tasks that they appear to have done prior to being turned) to books (Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament by S. G. Browne, great author and good person, has shown that zombies are not just mindless beings but can love and hate… past loving our tasty flesh!) Even with this increase of intelligence among the undead I fear that it can only drive them further away from any chance of a peaceful co-existence. Let’s be honest here- as a living person, huge horror tolerances/obsessions/fetishes aside, the smell of rotting flesh is going to get to the majority of people after awhile ;)

Now this is just so cool. If I had any room left in the studio at all I’d seriously looking into this for myself. It’s spooky; It’s practical; and, it’s a damn cool conversation piece! It is a Coffin Couch! And i i’s not just a fun shaped couch, it actually folds up into the coffin! How cool is that?

You can purchase one of these at VonErickson’s Laboratory.

What better excuse to go shopping than to take in a sweet hearted little Devil Bear, hmm?  Look at them, sitting there waiting for you to adopt them, giving you those big, shiney Devil bear eyes.  Doesn’t it pull at your heart strings?  Don’t you just want to take them home and show them all the love and affection your black little hearts can afford?  Well?  What are you waiting for? Let’s get this bear a home!

(P.S.  A special secret prize offered to the person who actually purchases the Devilish Bear and names it after me!)

Photo By Hannah Combs Photography

Take one look at the stunning picture on her homepage and it’s not hard to see why Seanna Miriah caught my attention. With such amazing, big blue eyes and a true at heart pin up girl image to go with it, she steals the show. I came across her after some idle searching and after just a first glance through her portfolio I was stunned to see just how diverse and expressive this girl is. I’ve seen so many “models” who can only hold a single, static pose and a solitary, boring expression photo after photo. It’s wonderfully refreshing to find an alternative model who doesn’t confine herself to one defining image. Her talent really stems from being a chameleon for the camera; She’s never the same girl twice and each new Seanna is just as delightful and exciting as the last. What can I say? I just can’t help but adore a girl who rocks her tattoos as well as Seanna does. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that she’s also wonderfully charming and promises to be your BFF.  Make sure you head to her blog and play “Ask Seanna”!

1)  First off, I love your website.  You have no idea how many model “portfolios” I’ve had to search through over the last couple months that were little more than a few fuzzy shots on MySpace.  You really seem to know what you’re doing, which leads me to wonder, How long have you been modeling?

Glad you like my website, thank you!  I worked really hard on it and am constantly updating it and trying to get people to come play “Ask Seanna” with me.  I like to know who takes interest in what I do.  As far as how long I’ve been modeling, a few years ago a friend/photographer kept asking me to do a shoot with him.  I finally gave in and once I got the pics back I thought damn, I’m not too bad at this (giggle)!  I enjoyed it so much that it became a passion and an outlet for me.  And once I set my mind to something, look out!  I’ve been going crazy with self promotion, researching, and studying different styles and concepts in modeling and photography and am always trying to keep it fresh and new.  I treat this like a full time job because I love it and want to share that with people.

2)  Was this something you’ve always wanted to do?  What did you want to be when you were a little girl?

Actually, I was extremely shy when I was younger!  People used to ask me if I’d be interested in modeling but, when I pictured doing it I had images in my head of embarrassing myself and girls being really mean and back stabbing.  The thought of that used to scare me into panic attacks.   I just wasn’t ready.   Now, I’m all grown up and know that there can be more to photography then cookie cutter pageants and Vaselined teeth.  It’s not about the perfect airbrushed head-shot or the best bikini bod on the beach.  I want to see an image that has innocence, unconventional sexuality, profoundness or humor behind it.  I wouldn’t be doing it if it wasn’t artistic which is truly where my childhood roots are.

Photo By Hannah Combs Photography

3)  You’ve got amazing looks and obvious talent that could take you through many genres; Why did you decide to be a “Pin Up” model?

Well, thanks!  I actually keep trying to branch out and do different styles but somehow pin-up keeps pulling me back!  Probably because it embraces the curves and variety of a woman more then any genre.  I am always open to trying new things and although I don’t want to get stuck in any “category”, the pin-up industry has been very supportive of me so I like to stay loyal to that.  I like that Pin-up is becoming various in that it doesn’t have to look like a 1950′s replica.  I enjoy seeing modern pin-up girls using original ideas of their own while being inspired by history rather then recreating it. I relate to the obsession of that era but I’m not trying to re-live it.  It’s IS the year 2009 now.  Where is my jet pack?!  I swear this is not what Doc and Marty Mcfly predicted.

4)  Who has been your biggest modeling inspiration?  Is there anyone in particular that you “channel” perhaps?

I’m extremely inspired by a lot of gals out there (the classic to the modern) but mostly, I’m inspired by photographers.  Robert Alvarado, Andy Hartmark, and Viva Van Story to name a few.  Those photographers are really good about keeping a fresh portfolio so I always scroll through them to see the latest badassery they’ve created.  I don’t try to channel anyone else per se, I’m more focusing on getting my mind and my body on the same page!  Hand placement, fingers, suck in, push out, breath, and express through my thoughts.  When I’m in front of the camera, and the lens is looking at me, I stare back with the thought I’m trying to project.  Lust, love, sad, silly…I almost try to visually push it out of my retina!  Almost like you could see what I’m thinking. GOD, I’m such a weirdo!

5)  How did you get started in “Pin Up” modeling?

I did that first photo shoot with Jason Briscoe Photography which was what started my portfolio.  Then it was just MAD self promotion from that point.  I entered contests, booked as many shoots as I could to build my portfolio and started networking my ass off!  I won the first contest I ever entered which was Pinup Vixen and then I entered Ink & Iron’s Pinup Pageant and placed in the top 12 nationally.  (Please tell Corky Bordeaux of Bootstraps Burlesque that I said “Top 12 Nationally” because she says I don’t talk myself up enough!)   I think contests are fun but, I’m now starting to get interested in being in more Printwork/Magazines.  I am however in the running in the “Dean Girl” contest which is pretty big.  The prizes are awesome but I am up against the most girls I’ve ever competed with and a they are all really beautiful!  I’m a bit different from the style I think they are looking for but nonetheless, I’m in there so vote for me if you’d like!  You can go to my website and click the link on the front page.  No sign up necessary (I always hated that).  Just click, vote.  Ok I’m done plugging that, sorry!

6)  How many tattoos do you have?

Ummm, It’s hard to count at this point.  I have two traditional Japanese sleeves by Jay Chastain, an Owl Chest Piece by Will Lollie, and then some random ones like, stars on my ears and tears on the insides of my pointer fingers.  I plan to get my knuckles, top of my hands, feet, and pelvic area next.

7)  Does your ink have any special meanings or stories behind it?

Yes,  And I always say there is the long story which begins with, “It all started when I was a teenager” and I never actually finish.  So instead I usually just focus on talking up my latest one and that is the owl chest piece which symbolizes wisdom and grace.  Two things I strive to have!

Photo By Hannah Combs Photography

8)  Tell us about your most Interesting/Bizarre/Frightening/Coolest photoshoot or related event to date.

That would hands down be the hot air balloon shoot.  I got this crazy idea in my head that I wanted to do a shoot in a big colorful balloon and so I begged Asheville Hot Air Balloon (they were very pleasant people to work with and very easy going, I adore them!).  Once they got the balloon up and ready I realized how intimidating it was to have this HUGE structure hovering over me, powered by extreme flammables, and jumping several feet in the air around a field as I tried to look “glamorous”.  The outtake shots from the shoot were hilarious!  The poor photographer (the lovely Miss Hannah Combs) almost got trampled since she had to lie on her back to get the shots and the balloon was hopping around her.  It was definitely worth it though because we got some excellent pictures out of it!

9)  What style do you identify yourself with personally?

I don’t really consider myself to be one specific style.  I get nervous when I fall into a category for some reason.  I guess I feel obligated or something and that’s hard for me when I reinvent myself constantly.  You would think committing to so many tattoos would have been hard for me huh?!  I don’t make any sense to myself either.  I try not to dissect and just except my ways as who I am which is ever changing.

10)  What colour of socks are you wearing right now?

I don’t really wear socks.  I love to wear house slippers though! The silly ones that kids wear are the best!  Like big teddy bear slippers or Scooby-Doo.  Aww, I had to throw away my last ones (my dog chewed them up when he was a pup).  I’ve got to go buy a new pair now, I miss them!

11)  If you weren’t modeling, what would you be doing?

Well, I do a lot of other things on the side other then modeling already.  I’m honestly taking on quite a few creative tasks right now including cartoon writing, make up artistry, and I’m going to go to school by next Spring for Digital Media.  I want to learn cartoon animation and web building.  I’ve always liked to draw and love odd humor so cartooning would be a good way for me to get some of these ideas out of my head.

12)  What kind of dogs do you have and what are their names?

I have a Puggle and a Shi tzu named Raleigh and Booger and they are cute little button nosed sweeties!  I just did a shoot with Raleigh (the puggle) that I intend on submitting to the calendar “Pinups For Pups” which raises money for animal rescue organizations.  I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they are accepted, I would be so honored!

13)  What kind of advice can you offer for all the aspiring “Pin Up” Models out there right now?

The main thing I can say is to keep it original and stay confident in who you are and what you want to project.  I think it’s wonderful when I see girls adding variety to what’s out there already.  You won’t stick out if it’s not eye catching and new!  Also, research and promote yourself!  Pinuplifestyle.com is a GREAT networking site and an awesome place for newcomers to mingle with professionals.  And lastly and probably most important, have fun.  When it stops being fun what’s the point?

Photo By Hannah Combs Photography