Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Enigma de Ultratumba

Today I thought I would share a piece of music of which I partook in making a while ago.  Arturo Saldana, an intelligent, creative and talented musician asked me to do the vocals/lyrics (and flute) for some darkwave songs he wrote.  Here is one of those songs, called "The Donors all Die".  Give it a listen, and download it (for free) if you like.



Other songs from this album can be found at the link below and are also available for free download.
https://soundcloud.com/enigmadeultratumba/sets/enigma-de-ultratumba-violetta

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Henna for hair

To all of you female goths out there, I am sure you can relate to my struggle to find the perfect red hairdye or the perfect night-black dye that won't completely wreck your hair.  In the past, I've bleached, dyed, wrecked and shaved my hair, then grown it out and wrecked it all over again.  After promising myself I would not dye my hair for a while, I tried going natural to give my hair a rest.  Unfortunately, like many women, I abhor my natural hair color as it closely resembles the color of a mouse's fur.  It's cute on a mouse, and that's about it.

Then, a couple months ago I used a "natural dye" that you may have heard about called "Naturtint" and it left me with a migraine and strawlike hair.  So much for natural.  I kept up my search and found Henna for hair and decided to try it.  It left my hair with a brilliant shade of copper red, all without damage.  For those of you looking for a more natural black hair dye, you can follow your henna dye (after washing) with an indigo mix and it will supposedly turn your mane into a silky black miracle.  This all without using parabens, peroxide, and ammonia.  

The hitch?  You have to be patient and have a full day to dedicate to your hair.  You could see it as a pain in the ass, or you can see it as a pamper yourself day.  Hell, stay home, do nothing, watch bad b horror films; paint your nails, record some music, draw!  

The brew; about one packet of body art quality Jamila henna (100 g) mixed with 3/4c STRONG hibiscus tea, 2Tbs olive oil 9Tbs lemon juice, 3Tbs red wine vinegar, 1Tbs paprika.  Top it off with black tea to make it a yogurt-like consistency, add preferred essential oils and let it sit outside of fridge for at least 14 hours before using.
 the mousy 'before' picture (eeeew)
 And the after picture (ahhhhh).
  I applied the mixture with a dye brush smushed it all on top of my head, and put a shower cap on (to retain the moisture).  I left it on for about 4.5 hours and then rinsed it, shampooed once, and applied and rinsed conditioner twice.  It seems like a tedious process, but if you use the right essential oils (lavender, rosemary, peppermint, tea tree) then it can be really soothing to your head and scalp and of course mentally relaxing.  And just look, you get beautiful, shiny color without the chemicals and migraines!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have about making your own henna hair mix, and have fun!

Saturday, January 12, 2013

I approve of this (gothy) recipe

As some of you might know, I enjoy (girly) boozy drinks.  Margaritas and cosmos may be my favorites, but I'm also pretty fond of Sangria.  I never made it myself before, so I thought I would give it a try with a recipe I found online.  It turned out great!  Here is the link...
http://wine.about.com/od/redwines/r/Partysangria.htm

My changes:
I used about 4 shots of triple sec, and 6 shots of brandy, and I added a couple extra tablespoons of (raw) sugar.  I made sure to use organic citrus fruit, as not to poison myself with toxic peels (it's a double standard, since I'm sure my liver didn't appreciate all the extra liquor I added).  I added the ginger ale to my glass, not to the whole batch, so the mix was about 4 to 1, booze to ginger ale.  The truth is, if you add the extra sugar, the soda really is not necessary, but if you're a true lightweight, do half and half of the booze mix to ginger ale, and just leave out the extra sugar. 

Happy drinking!








Friday, January 11, 2013

bury me in tile

  Costa Rica has some of the happiest, least creepy looking grave yards I've ever seen.  This country boasts a plethora of gorgeous graveyards with well manicured grounds, beautiful pathways, and touching commemorations to the dead.  When I saw my first graveyard here, I thought it odd that many of the above ground graves would be covered in white tile.  I still am amazed at how shiny they manage to keep the tiles, and what a bright happy impression it gives the grave yard.  Each burial ground is like a park for the weary dead to prance around in their new weightless forms.  

  I think the contrast between graveyards in Costa Rica and the US (in materials, colors and upkeep) may reflect on each respective cultures' view on death and the dead.  Although many graveyards in the US are well kempt, they often have a feeling of loneliness and sorrow.  Perhaps it's the dreary grey concrete that adorns each grave, or the lack of flowers, or just the general lack of visitors to each burial site.  Rarely have I seen people visiting their dead in the corner of the US where I lived before, and I find that oddly sad and cultureless.  In Costa Rica the graveyards have a feeling of lightness and peace, probably an effect of the light and bright colors used for tombstones and crosses.  Walking through a costarican graveyard is a pleasant and peaceful experience, whereas many US graveyards tend to make pedestrians squeamish and uncomfortable. 

  When a pass by a graveyard in Costa Rica, I often see people visiting their dead relatives, bringing them flowers or stories of their children.  They respect their dead, and they respect their living relatives, perhaps leaps and bounds more than in the U.S. where career is king and family and relationships usually take second place.  I think I know where I don't want to be buried.