L'Oreal Colour Rays Has Been Discontinued!

Oh, love of my hairdye life!  I'm so sad to see you go.

The "Colour Rays" line has been a staple in my hair coloring repertoire for so many years now.  I would just brush this stuff on and get the easiest root maintenance EVER.  There were no zillion steps to follow, no foiling, no worry that my hair was going to melt and fall out from bleaching, and that formerly mandatory "second step" of adding Manic Panic could be done when I was damned good and ready (or not at all, if I really didn't have the time).  Who can forget the ease and simple beauty of hues such as Red Rays, Way-Out White, and the crown gem of color awesomeness, Fuchsia Flash!  Touted as the one-step hairdye system which is "highly visible on even the darkest hair," L'Oreal Colour Rays has touched my life (and my roots) with easy, perfect, maintainable vibrancy since the mid-2000s. 

Even in the beginning, this miracle of cosmetic wizardry has been elusive and difficult to find; I used to have to import my stash from New Hampshire, and once that connection dried up, scouted the Internet for new sources.  Alas, so many of my bookmarked shops are no longer carrying it that I decided to do a quick bit of research to confirm that my deepest fears have indeed come true. 

Here's the official word from L'Oreal Paris in response to a Facebook user's query: "We are sorry to confirm that this line has been discontinued. We do not currently have a replacement product to achieve red or fuschia highlights, but our creative teams are hard at work coming up with new and exciting products. In the meantime, if ever you are interested in a full-head colour, we do offer some high-intensity red and violet shades in our Féria line (http://bit.ly/mRZqFs). For personalized advice and help with shade selection, please don’t hesitate to call our Colour Experts at 1.888.456.7325!"  This is a truly a harsh blow to my beauty regimen, especially since now that I've begun swimming, my hair color fades more easily than it used to.

From what I can see, this product is still available for purchase at the L'Oreal website and a few other places online as well. (I just bought two boxes from Amazon.) Better stock up while they last!

I will be exploring other brands and products, so watch this space for more details!

Fare thee well, Colour Rays, as you escape this mortal coil. Know that your admirers and well-wishers shall always carry a place for you in their hearts!

Keeping Those Monster Cereals Fresh!

I'm the type of person who loves Halloween.  I mean, loooooves it!!  (You can tell by all of the cool pumpkin and Halloween-related shit that I post here.)  When the the General Mills Monster Cereals became "restricted" to seasonal items only, I was super sad.  But, when it becomes available once again, I get very happy.

One thing that I do not looooove, though, is trying to reduce my carbs.  I have recently lost about 25 pounds, and I still have many more pounds ahead of me.  So, when the craving for something sweet hits me, cereal can often hit the spot (Count Chocula, I'm specifically looking in your direction!).

My biggest problem with all cereals is that, by the time they get to the end of the box, they're all stale and yucky and gross.  Plus, I hate cereal dust!  I've fixed this problem by biting the bullet & buying plastic "snack bags" for those days when I need to take my food with me.  They work great with cereal, too, for those times when plunging a hand into the cereal box and scarfing down who-knows-how-many grams of sugar just isn't going to cut it.

I am storing my single-serve "100 calorie packs" in the boxes that the cereal came in.  After these are done, I'll get some Frankenberry and maybe even some Fruit Brute!  These will ensure that my breakfast is fresh and spooky for weeks and weeks to come! :)

A Year of Amazing Cakes!

So far, my friends and I have had a lot to celebrate this year.  Unfortunately, Dax didn't get a cake on her birthday 'cause she was super-sick, so we'll be celebrating her half birthday in August! :)

My birthday cake this year was pretty awesome, though!

That's right... my friends call me Ma'am, and this year

I was wished a "Happy Bunny Birthday!" :)

Our friend, Sadie, had a baby shower last week and she was presented with an amazing cake by her husband Warrior!  It was done by "Cakes by Design Edible Art" in the Boston area.  Check out the little foot poking the pregnant tummy! Dax and I helped plan the shower.  She came up with the idea to get a "belly cake" and I came up with the idea to make it a little more flirty than the traditional matronly cake.  Warrior took care of the rest! :)

And yesterday, Fluffy celebrated a special anniversary all his own.  Fuzz told the bakers to "go crazy with color" and have "something kitty themed."  This is what we got back -- and everyone loved it!

Do keep in mind: this is a cake for a 39-year-old MAN.  LOL!

We aren't even close to being done celebrating this year -- in fact, we still have another 6 months of 2013 and we're still going strong!  I can't wait to see what we decide to come up with next. :)

Elder Goths Contest Giveaway!

Hi all!  Our "Goth Afer 30" Facebook group is holding a photo contest!  To enter, all you need to do is take a picture of yourself and submit it to the group's wall.  Let's show the world that our lifestyle choices aren't necessarily "kid stuff."  Photos can be funny, serious, silly, dark... whatever you feel like expressing.  Elder goths rule, so don't be afraid to show it! :)

The contest is from now to March 14th.  A winner will be chosen at random from those who have submitted photos to the group.  (Just mark it "Contest photo" so that I know to add you to the list of entries.)  If you want to add a watermark that says "Goth After 30 on Facebook" -AND/OR- the URL (http://www.tinyurl.com/ElderGoths) that would be awesome, but not necessary.  I'll draw a winner and notify the group on March 15th.

The winner will receive a lipstick in the blackest black we could find (and it's FRESH too!  Not a Halloween clearance item!), a black nail glaze (perfect for adding a darker shade on top of your favorite color OR use a few coats all by itself), a spooky black pentagram candle, and a black-soybean isoflavone facial treatment to keep you looking your loveliest whether you're 30, 40, or beyond!  (Items are provided by NecessaryEvils.com)

Good luck, everyone!  Can't wait to see your photos! :)

P.S.  Excuse me for posting this on my blog, but I needed a good place to stick the contest information. :)

Goth After 30 on Facebook

A couple of my friends started a Facebook group called "Goth After 30" in... I think it was 2009?  Anyway, another friend kept singing "Goth After 30 on Facebook!" to the tune of the "G. I. Joe" theme song.  We decided it would be fun to record it as a mock commercial.  Enjoy!

And by the way, anyone who fits the criteria of the group is welcome to join it.  Basically, we just discuss music and post pictures of cool things that we find online.  We also talk about crafting and ways to decorate our homes, as well as what it's like to be a moldy oldie. :)

Some people think that our logo (the skeleton guy in the office chair on the left) is silly or cheesy or whatever, but who cares?  We're just having fun and enjoying ourselves.  Come join us at http://www.tinyurl.com/ElderGoths if you're so inclined. :)

Easiest Candle Making Technique Ever!

I love, love, love making candles!  It's one of the funnest and easiest crafts that I know of.  I mean, how can you go wrong?  Just melt a bit of candle wax, position your wick, add whatever colors or scents you like (crayons and essential oils or even perfume will work just fine), pour the whole thing together, and wait 'til it's firm.  I've been making my own candles since the 1990s and just love the entire process.  It makes me feel so creative and clever to use up my leftover waxes this way!  I also get the added satisfaction of knowing that my candle is unique; no one has quite the same color or scent that I do!

That said, pouring candles can be a real pain in the ass if you don't get it right.  The wax can form ugly lumps and bumps, you can find bubbles inside that compromise the burning smoothness, and sometimes the best-laid shapes will go awry.  And long, skinny candles -- well, forget pouring those!  Dipping takes too long (though admittedly, I have not tried it very thoroughly: maybe I'll do it sometime).

If you're a first-timer or you're in the market for an easy candle project, you can buy yourself some rolls of beeswax at your local craft store.  They also come in candle-making kits that couldn't be simpler.  Place your wick on one side of the wax sheet, roll it up, and Bob's your uncle.  It's lovely and takes only a few minutes.

In the same spirit as the roll-your-own-beeswax candle, I have created a terribly easy candle recipe that would make any star of the most recent episode of "Hoarders" stand and applaud vigorously. ;)

INGREDIENTS:
* Something for a wick (natural fiber string, rope, kitchen string, or buy yourself some commercial wick from the craft store.)
* One bag of your favorite wax-covered Laughing Cow cheese. (Bonbel and Babybel Light use red wax, and their Cheddar variety is coated in yellow wax.)

These candles are romantic and decadent,
not at all cheesy! Available in classic Babybel, or Cheddar.

Step 1.  Eat the cheese as you normally would, storing up all of the awesome wax!  Resist the urge to play with the wax... it's hard, but you need to restrain yourself.  Pick the wax apart so that it's in half-circles or anything flat.

Step 2.  [If you're very anal about germs: wash the wax in cold, slightly soapy water. Soak for a bit, rinse, then allow to air dry undisturbed over the course of a few days.  If you don't care about getting cheese particles in your candle -- and trust me, it's not all that much anyway -- read on...]

Step 3.  Cut your wax into strips and wind it around your wick.  After you've made a nice long, tall strip, wind more wax strips around your first coat.  (It is this step where you can rub a bit of scented oil over your wax strips if you like -- I did roses on mine, and now they smell like roses dipped in cheese.)

Step 4.  Repeat until all of your wax is gone, or your candle is sized and shaped the way you want it.

Step 5.  Put in a candleholder (or a glass filled with pretty stones, as shown) and light, enjoying the dark romantic ambience of your super-easy craft!

More Halloween Fun

Here's an article I wrote some time ago... and yes, I've found the candle basket pics!
~~~
Halloween is taken very seriously here. To most people, this fun holiday might be about candy, costumes, and parties, but for me it's much more. The entire fall season is special, as are many of its aspects: The harvest, the exciting weather changes, beautiful displays of foliage, cold-weather treats, crisp cold air, costume excitement, edible seasonal treats, fun fall crafts, apple picking, pumpkin carving, cider brewing, leisurely strolls in an autumn-frosted cemetery. So many wonderful joys about throughout the season. The first day of fall always heralds great excitement for me, and with it comes my annual vow not to waste a single day. This year, so far, I haven't!

One of the ideas I had this year was to buy one pumpkin each week. (So far I'm on my third pumpkin.) Last week's became a whimsical yet simple emoticon-themed jack o' lantern (emoti-lantern?) It turned out cute, but it was really easy to do. I am NOT a very skillled jack o' lantern artist, so simple designs are usually my safest bet. This year, though, I'm going to "graduate" to more intricate designs as fall wears on. I'd highly recommend trying a jack o' lantern with your favorite emoticon if you're artistically-challenged like me!


My second pumpkin (this week's) was my version of a candle-lantern -- kind of a pumpkin candle basket. It's simply a hollowed-out pumpkin which has had a larg hole cut out of both sides.  The top was left intact so that I could easily pick it up and move it wherever I liked. Inside the pumpkin shell, I put in a large black candle and surrounded it with tealights. It's another easy project that even the least artistically skilled among us can do... and, to me at least, the smell of lightly scorching pumpkin is a festive one indeed. :)


Of course, one of the fringe benefits of pumpkin carving is the yummy bounty of seeds! I got a great recipe from HalloweenKitchen.Com for "Sweet Spicy Pumpkin Seeds." I've changed it just a little for my tastes...

INGREDIENTS:
seeds from 1 medium-sized pumpkin
2 teaspoons olive oil
3-4 drops tabasco sauce (just a hint of heat; you don't need a lot!)
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. De-gut the seeds, but don't wash them. Add olive oil and salt to the seeds; stir well. Then add all additional seasonings, and blend as thoroughly as possible. Place on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet and roast for about 20 minutes. (Check the seeds every 5-10 minutes and stir to ensure an even browning.) These will be VERY sticky, and they'll probably stick together a lot, but just do the best you can. After they're roasted to your liking, let them cool and, if you like, use your hands to break apart any seeds that have stuck together.

These seeds are SO good! I've done spiced pumpkin seeds a multitude of ways, but I really loved Wanda's recipe. My favorite part is the smoky cumin combined with the sweetness of the toasted sugar. It works so beautifully with the traditional fall seasonings here.

My next pumpkin-processing adventure is going to include the 30-pounder that I got yesterday! I'll keep everyone posted!

The Ghosts of Halloweens Past

Halloween tends to be one of my craftiest times of year!  But this year, well, a lot of shit happened, so I didn't get to be as domestically productive as I'd have liked.  Instead, I decided to reflect on some of the fun things I've done on previous Halloweens.  

One of the things I enjoy the most during this time of year is pumpkincrafting.  I love carving jack o' lanters, cooking pumpkins, making cakes, pies, and cookies out of yummy fall gourds -- as well as tasty savory dishes.  And let's not forget pumpkin seeds!  But the first matter of business is about carving the pumpkin.

Yeah, I know, this isn't a jack o' lantern in the traditional sense... it's a cucumber that I cut in half, carved an evil little face on, and backed up with a tea light.  However, I consider it one of the best jack o' lanterns I've ever done because it's so adorably sinister! ;)

Here's one of the more intricate jack o' lanterns that I've managed to do fairly well.  I highly recommend the carving kits and books by Pumpkin Masters -- they'll really help you master the pumpkin.  Even novices can churn out beautiful finished products in a relatively short time!  This spooky mask pattern was daunting to look at, but it actually turned out to be pretty easy.  Part of the eyebrow on the right side broke off during the carving, but I used a toothpick to put it back into place and no one was the wiser.

Another pattern by Pumpkin Masters.  This vampire theme was by far the easiest one in the book that year (which I believe was circa 2007), but it looked very dramatic with the lights dimmed.  The big open space in the pattern also made it really easy to add and position multiple candles.

Here's a winking emoticon from 2006 -- it's my own simple freehand design.

I'm still searching for a better shot of this "candle basket" that I made out of a pumpkin.  It was easy as hell; just cut out two sides of the pumpkin, scrap well, and fill with some candles.  It looked pretty and lasted longer than I thought it would.  I've heard that you're not supposed to consume old jack o' lanterns after candles have been burning inside them, but with this candle basket, I was able to cut enough pumpkin to cook for dinner that night.  So this one is both pretty and practical!

  

I also loooooove Halloween candy; I look forward to it all year!  These spooky marshmallow peeps imparted a really festive touch to an ordinary cup of hot chocolate.  Who can resist having an excuse to add extra marshmallows? ;)

Cemetery photography is a serious interest of mine.  As most of the images in this entry, this 2007 picture was taken with a crappy cell phone camera.  I wanted to share it because of thost gorgeous leaves... ahh, you can almost smell that crisp fall air!  

Fuzzband and I went to the 3-D theatre re-release of The Nightmare Before Christmas one year -- I think it was 2006 -- and we had a blast.  I wish they would put it in theatres every year!  The theatre people painted a really cool "movie poster" in the theatre window.  This was the best picture I got on my old cell phone.

And of course, what Halloween would be complete without a mysterious black-furred familiar?  Here's mine... Seamus the bunny, getting his routine face cleaning!  (He had weepy eyes that needed our attention from time to time.)  He and his bunny wife, Aggie, lived with us from 2003 until their passing in 2009 (Aggie died at the end of June, and Seamus departed a month later).  Vets are estimated his age to be about 10 or 11 at the time; he had a multitude of illnesses, but he was a sweet and wonderful soul who brought so much love and joy into all our lives.  We adopted him and Aggie from New England's very own House Rabbit Network in 2003; he used to belong to a homeless woman.  Seamus was a noseless bunny with broken toes and bites in his ear -- but he was such a cool, mellow dude!  Seamus and Aggie are in my heart, and I still think of them and miss them every day.  This picture was taken in 2006; I'm sure I'll post better bunny pictures sometime though. :)

Halloween Shopping Tips

If you're anything like me, you get a special thrill out of going to the store to shop for Halloween stuff!!! (This is because you'll probably use it all year, and not just until Halloween's over.) Here are a few tips on what to look for, and what to avoid, this Halloween when you're out scavenging for goodies:

* CLOTHES: Anything non-seasonal that you can use all year 'round. Look for skeletons, spiders, bats, skulls. If you like pumpkins and will wear pumkin-themed clothing all year, go for it. Buy stuff in any colors you like... I like black & purple, which are easy to find at Halloween!

* MAKEUP: Hit the makeup section and see if you can find anything interesting. Always seek black lipstick and nail polish. Also worth having: Lip or nail colors in dark, dramatic, or unusual colors; jewels or other cool accents for the face; "normal" cosmetics in cute gothy containers; special-effects cosmetics or theatrer-type makeup items that are hard-to-find normally (such as eyebrow plastic or spirit gum).

* ACCESSORIES: Halloween is the best time of year to find accessories with bats, skulls, or other spooky themes. You can find just about anything you need, with a spooky style... hair accessories, purses, hosiery (gotta love striped stockings!), shoes, wigs, jewelry, and more!

* HOME DECOR: Be very careful of items offered in this category, lest you get overly cheesy items in your enthusiasm! You can find some good stuff, though... like skull/death themed pieces, even spooky or cool-looking kitchen ware. DEFINITELY look for candles, as you can get fantastic styles and colors during the season! Be careful of plastic, cheaply or badly-made items. Remember that many of these are meant to be used only for a short time and then tossed away. It may take awhile to find quality items that will last in your home for years, but the efforts are so worth it!

* EDIBLES: I like Halloween candy and treats all year 'round. Some of my favorite treats are things like General Mills Monster Cereals, Pillsbury Halloween cookies (just cut and bake), and of course, Halloween Pop Tarts. Many companies are beginning to release special Halloween edition things with either special packaging, or unusually-decorated versions of their regular products, so this is the perfect time of year to stock up!

* CRAFT ITEMS: Absolutely nowhere is more fun than a craft store at Halloween... but take my advice and DON'T wait 'til the last minute! You can find all kinds of wonderful things here, to fulfill your crafting fetishes well into next year!! Look for fabric, notions, beads, ribbons, even cool accessories and must-have crafting essentials in creepy Halloween styles! Some craft stores do pre-season Halloween sales in September or even August, as crafty folks will often make their own costumes and come looking for their ingredients in advance. The early bird will catch the cutest stuff!! Latecomers may be surprised by a fantastic rare find or two, but I'd try to hit the craft shops as early in the season as possible.


More tips...

1. Timing is key. It's always best to start browsing as soon as the Halloween stuff goes up, usually around the middle of September. If you see something that you absolutely MUST have, snap it up at your earliest convenience -- it may not be there next year, or even next week! You can also try to wait until November 1st to make the most of clearance sales (one of my personal missions in life!), but remember that Halloween stores typically close before then. My favorite place to try on November 1st would be drugstores, as they're practically giving the stuff away. (The best stuff may be picked over -- or gone entirely -- if you wait too long!)

2. Location. If you see something that you absolutely MUST have multiples of, in a chain store, try visiting the same stores in different cities. For example, this year I found an awesome coffin container in the Target near my New England home; a few weeks later I visited my in-laws in NYC and came across the same one! (I should have bought it the second time around, but fortunatley coffin number one is in my office now!)

3. If you're picking through clearance stuff, don't be afraid to haggle. Lots of Halloween stuff is going to be seriously marked down come the first of November. Some pieces will just be thrown into the clearance bin without even being tagged! One year I found a thick faux dungeon chain (it was made of styrofoam and painted to look metallic and old/rusty) just sitting around with a bunch of cheap Halloween makeup, and even though it wasn't tagged, the checker "decided" to sell it to me for 99 cents. A true Halloween find!

4. Plan ahead. Make lists of what you need, who's having sales, or of where you got the best hauls in Halloweens past. Try your favorite "haunts" but don't be afraid to plunge into uncharted territory. You never know what you'll find! (My favorite discount store to Halloween shop is definitely Target, as their stuff is high enough in quality to last for many years... as for drugstores, it's gotta be either CVS or Rite-Aid for their wide selections of makeup and costume-y pieces. I tend to avoid Wal-Mart, which sells cheesy "rustic" fall crap, and Halloween-themed shops, which are mostly filled with overpriced junk. I did get a nice ceramic skull-shaped serving tray at the Halloween store last year, though, so as I said... be flexible, and don't be scared to travel off your beaten path!)

I've gotten some good stuff this year so far, but will be making my last Halloween run on November first. Happy hunting, all!

Making Homemade Incense

Lately, I've been rather enamored of the idea of making my very own incense. I've long loved the resin-based style incense (i.e. dragon's blood, frankincense, copal, styrax, etc.). A few years ago, however, my husband bought me some really delicious church incense from the Holy Rood Guild; two cannisters of the most amazing floral- and wood-based scents in the world, Laudete and Jubilus. (I had wanted to try their third scent, Cantica, but it appears that the monks have stopped selling it to the general public. Darn!)

For my birthday, my husband bought me some lovely "Melchior" resin, and a powder-based rose & frankincense from Scents of Earth. He also got me some beautiful red roses. Each time I get flowers from someone, I have a tendency to let them dry out with the intention of making potpourri. (Whether or not I actually follow through with potpourri is another story!) This time, though, I thought it would be really awesome to try making my very own incense.

The first thing I did was to take the parts of the bouquet that I wanted to turn into incense. I removed all of the red petals and placed them in a small plastic tray; then I snipped away some of the leaves of the roses, as well as some of the bits of fern "garnish" that came with the bouquet. Then I took a few pieces of the baby's breath and added them whole, figuring that they'd all be crumbled to bits after everything dried. At that point, I was unsure about whether or not to use the bud remnants for the incense, so I decided to trim them from the stems and set them aside and put them in a glass nearby. I could always add them in later if I wanted.




It took about a week for the petal-leaf mixture to dry. I didn't do anything special to help them along, just left them in my little plastic tray. I would toss the mixture around in the tray once each day while I waited for it to dry. From time to time, I also gently mixed the glass of buds, but not quite as often. They're really delicate. They also took longer to dry than the petals. (Later, I decided not to use the buds for this project; instead, I saved them for a similar but related mini-project.)

Of course, the petals didn't smell as good dried as they did when they were fresh, so I knew I'd have to add some yummy scent to the mix. First, though, I crushed all of the petals, leaves, and baby's breath into a fine consistency. (It's more coarse than powder. Just a bunch of little bits.) Then, I added some Egyptian Rose essential oil, and a few drops of clove oil for a little extra dimension. I mixed it up really well, and then tried it out on my burning charcoal. It was awesome! I've already got ideas for the next batch of incense!! :)