"spellbound to her barren prison for too long"

End timey music...

Those Poor Bastards "Prophets of Country Doom"



Sons of Perdition - Psalms for the Spiritually Dead

Dark Dark Dark

BELOVED & CO.

This little guy is a Graveyard Spirit Doll. His name is "Monsieur Louis Noir" (aka Mr. Louis Black) He is stuffed with a combination of herbs, Voodoo Conjure Oil and graveyard dirt collected from the St. Louis Cemetery in New Orleans. He has an antique glass eye, coyote claw and tooth, an all seeing eye talisman, an "alleged" black cat bone (an occult curio that is usually a chicken bone...I would not harm a kitty!) He is approx. 8 inches tall... The St. Louis Cemetery is the where you can find the Tomb of Marie Laveau, the Legendary Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. Hoodoo Conjure magick is the "Folk" version of Necromancy. The purpose is to evoke dead folks to do your bidding. "Low Magick" if you will...Conjure Dolls can be used for Good or Evil. But don't forget about the Karma factor!




Louisiana Voodoo Queen Necklace

A thick 18" brass chain, closing with a large lobster claw clasp, holds a vintage brass address book with the state of Louisiana stamped upon it! The book measures just under 2 1/2" long. Just a few pages names are filled out on the many pages inside the book. A vintage style brass locket filled with "Low John the Conqueror Root" and a tiny vial of graveyard dirt also hang from the necklace. Low John the Conqueror Root when worn or carried, it is said to protect the bearer and bring good luck.

O'Death

Tasseomancy

"Tasseomancy is a continuation of what was a bare bones neo-gothic folk duo. Formerly known as Ghost Bees, Sari and Romy Lightman have begun to experiment with heavier, ambient sounds, influenced by death ritual, hebraic song, war drums, ancestry and myth. The sisters recorded their second full-length this winter with producer Taylor Kirk and accompanying band, Timber Timbre. It will be released sometime before the next thaw." via Folk Radio UK

Timber Timbre

Lady, where's your dark undercoat?

New album "Victorian America" released April 27th

Lily Fawn

Robyn Von Swank introduced me to the wonderful world of the lovely Lily Fawn a while back. (Robyn knows Lily from her hometown of Victoria, British Columbia.) Lily is one half of the unstoppable vaudeville-rock duo, Hank Pine and Lily Fawn. She recently released a solo album to tell her story. Lily's Lullaby album, Brightest Darkest, is a full-length release comprised of story telling ballads about baby snatching, woodland animals, deadly romance and fairytale nightmares. The album comes with with it’s own hardcover storybook so you can follow along with the songs! Lily’s voice sounds like a long lost relative of Julie Cruz, Johanna Newsome or Blossom Dearie. The music is inspired by artists such as; Bjork, Blonde Redhead, Godspeed You Black Emperor!



Hank Pine and Lily Fawn the comic book series chronicles the sad, twisted and wonderful travels of our two, (three including the dead body in the garbage bag) New Orleans bound nomads! The Hank Pine and Lily Fawn Show is a vaudeville inspired variety act based upon the tragic and hilarious adventures of their comic book series. Like the great acts of old, the music covers many genres, yet all stems from a punk rock ethic! Lily tap-dances and plays the musical saw; trumpet, ukulele, flute, drums and sings! Hank also lends his vocals to this project and plays a mean guitar! In addition to her solo album, she released two albums with her partner in crime, Hank Pine.



"Together their act is eye catching and foot stomping, based upon the tragic and hilarious adventures of their comic book. Hank is tall mysterious figure and member of a secret dooms day cult called the A.S.S. (Avatars of the Second Sun). Lily is a half-deer, half-human forest creature with a penchant for stealing babies from near by villages, thus rescuing them from the perils of our modern world. It is as though Lily fell out of a 1920’s fairytale, innocent and dangerous."






You can also catch Lily tooting her horn in her other band Meatdraw. But wait folks, that's not all! She created a line of organic and wildcrafted herbal products, Earth's Herbal and Lilith Moon Products! She offers medicinal teas, skin salves, aromatherapy, tattoo care products, sex enhancers, and Trance Tonic!

Ghost Bees

"Acclaimed artists like Marissa Nadler have shown no hesitation in their incorporation of psychedelic and shoegaze elements in folk, exposing a sub-genre that many have lovingly labeled as “dream-folk”. Ghost Bees are the latest to join the ascending ranks, portraying a hauntingly elegant form of folk music over lyrics that are poetically invigorating in meaning. Taking their lyrical influence from classic works of literature that deal with Gothic fiction, you can expect a slew of entertainingly original tales on the enchanting Tasseomancy." (link to article)

Faun Fables

Faun Fables is coming to Chicago April 15th...I can't wait! This photoshoot was styled by Selene of Gibbous and captured on film by her creative co-conspirator Peter Hinson!



"FAUN FABLES is Dawn McCarthy's vivid imagination come to life in song and theater, made to explore human pathos amid an animate earth with musical & physical storytelling forms. It has been attracting a devoted and eclectic following since 1997 with numerous performances throughout North America, Europe, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland and four record releases distributed worldwide on Drag City Records: EARLY SONG, MOTHER TWILIGHT, FAMILY ALBUM and THE TRANSIT RIDER."



"Dawn McCarthy is a writer, singer and theater artist whose work is a sea of gorgeous elemental nitty gritty; haunting melodies, breath, stomping, and natural theatricality led by the voice, rooted in the physical body. It is a crossroads where ancient ballad, art song, physical theater and rock music meet. Her lyrics speak to people of all ages about things like rugged housekeeping, street kids, growing old, sleepwalking and exiled travelers returning home."

Lady Lavona's Medicine Show

I was looking for a way to organize my collection of Supernatural Specimens. I found this antique printer's tray at a local garage sale for 5 dollars over the summer! I put the project aside for a while...but now that it's cold outside I have plenty of time!



I started this project in an attempt to organize all the magical curios I have collected over the years. Various roots, seeds, dirt, bones, misc. animal parts, ect. Some are found objects, others sold as mystical curios at Mexican Botanicas, Occult shops, China Town, ect. Each one has "alleged" Supernatural powers and is used as spiritual medicine or cures. For example: Balm of Gilead worn near the heart will mend a broken heart and attract new love. You can always find various Supernatural Specimen Pendants in my Etsy shop!



I'm going to put some of the Specimens in glass vials n' such, others will be mounted right into the box. I'm going to use my Vintage typewriter to label each one and I think I'm going to leave the cabinet just the way it is. On the other hand I'm kind of tempted to paint the whole thing a light color...that would be a nice contrast to the natural contents of the cabinet. What do you think!? Check out this organized collection of teeth by artist Rosamond Purcell, I love her work!



"I've got war paints, the skulls of saints, don't you want to see 'em
The blood of popes, and Tyburn ropes from the Black Museum
I've got Frederick Delius' finger, Wordsworth's tattoo
I'm going to love you with everything,
and I think you're going to love me too
I've got all the magic I need, all the magic I need."

~Richard Thompson~

Little Haunted House on the Prairie

I want to tell you about one of my favorite Etsy shops, Mon Petit Fantome The aesthetic is Gothic American Folk. Like if Dorothy Gail from Kansas was a goth chick. Or if the Addams Family lived in the early 19th Century West...Little Haunted House on the Prairie! The country style of the early 19th Century period was relatively simple compared to the Victorian styles of the era because prairie women didn't have access to as much in the way of lace and decoration as the East and West Coast women did. I adore everything in this Petit Fantome's shop...check it out! If you like something you better scoop it up, things go so quickly! I LOVE this silhouette...


And these cute little owl pillows!


And this fancy black hooded capelet...SOLD!


The Fantome behind the curtain is a cool fellow named Chad Merritt. He also makes lovely ghostly atmospheric noise for melancholy days with bandmate Tracy Uba. The project is called St. Mary's. Listen HERE! After a little chat with Chad, I found out he used to live in Chicago, just blocks away from me...small world! My old neighborhood is called Ukranian Village. Anyway, it occured to me that he must have named the band after St. Mary's Catholic Church on Augusta Blvd. I used to live right across the street. The head priest would parade around the block with a procession of church go-ers on Saint's days and Easter...while singing and playing odd instruments, like bells and the accordian. I miss the Church bells on Sundays...

P.S. Chad, if you are reading this...I hope you'll make a Raven silhouette soon!

Intermission: ANNA TERNHEIM

ahhh...(dreamy sigh) I love this song and video...

Intermission: Rasputina-Old Headboard