[Creepmas] Day 4 - Gifts That Are Creepy & Useful

I have a serious organizing problem and the thought of receiving gifts this year fills me with dread. I am already fretting about where to put them. First world problems right? So instead of things that will waste space I figured gifts that are useful would be a better bet. Here are my picks for creepy, dark, cool gifts that are also useful.

I send out a lot of mail - zines, postcards, letters. I like decorating the envelopes with stickers and stamps. I recently bought a stag beetle stamp from UnderdogPress and am very impressed with the quality. There are plenty of cool stamps to choose from. Insects, planchettes,  bats and skulls to decorate and inspire craft fun. Bonus most stamps are under $10 - making them perfect stocking stuffers.

Every year the boyfriend and I exchange calendars.So I am always looking out for new ones. I am a fan  Megan Lynn Knot's cat paintings and when I saw her newest creation - a bat calendar with moon phases I was like wow!

Candles - yes more candles! These dark delights by BurkeHareCo are made from soy wax and are 100% vegan! In scents like Cemetery Gates and In Memorium your house can smell like a funeral home!

Do you know someone who just moved out into their own place? I think a perfect gift is a nice set of fluffy bath towels. Luxurious bath towels are often the last thing we think about buying ourselves but once we do - man do they feel nice right?

People used to write letters and send cards - before the internet sucked out our souls. I love sending letters still and unique stationary is a treasured item in my office! These cards are by Mab Graves ,one of my favorite artists that combines the creepy and cute perfectly. Bonus: cards are easy to buy frames for to turn into art work!

Zines - Why We Make Them

It is the last day of July - the last day of IZM . Some of us got a lot done and some of us did a few activities. What is important is we all celebrated the love of zines. I tried a few new techniques, released a new zine, shared my zines and thought of new zine ideas!

On this last day I wanted to share the varied responses to the question: why do you make zines? Throughout the years I have gotten to know so many zine makers from different scenes and I find the only thing connecting us at times is a zine. But zines make a strong bonding glue!
Why I make zines: zines are my voice when I do not feel like I want to communicate with others. It is a way to reach out, share my ideas and have a voice from the comfort of my house. I started reading/making/contributing to goth zines in the 90s. It took me awhile to make my own - I had to get over some insecurities (something I still battle with) and just do it!

 Why do you make zines:

I make zines to make my academic research more accessible to everyone, and explore complex issues as well as politics - both social and personal. - Jess

I make zines to strengthen print media in a time when it is weak, to share the voices of artists who have not found a mainstream outlet and to put my work out there, to keep me accountable, working, and diligent.  - Rebecca 

I make zines to share my story in the hopes that it resonates and helps someone else overcome whatever plagues their mind/body/heart/soul. I write zines to genuinely connect with others and stand in solidarity on -ism issues while lending my voice to help institute change in whatever small way I can.  - Dawn 

I make zines because I love reading zines, and I wanna share my stories with zinesters. - Poliana 

I make zines 'cause I need to. Need to write words. Need to share experiences & my obsessive internal banter. Need to make art with scissors & pictures & words & gluesticks & glitter. Need to create. It's the perfect art form, really. (& when you get to work alongside the most amazing boy in the world? Pure purrrs.) - Deirdree

i don't make zines, i am zines ~ - Steven  

 I make zines for my own therapy. It helps me release stress, tension and all the random thoughts that seem to clutter my brain. Also make zines to share my experiences with others and hopefully make a difference in a person's life..even if it's a small insignificant difference. - Brandy 

I make zines to use all the magazine scraps and bits and pieces of paper I can't seem to stop saving, as well as explore concepts and share my writing and humor and passion for food and small print.  - Heather 

I make zines because it rhymes with beans. - Chris  

I make Pinche Vida / Zine because we were tired of life, monotony and rutine. We needed a way to express ourselves and yell to the world the way we are feeling about the things that happen around us. We still believe in the magic of the printed pages. - Pix 

When we first started we were 16, I was into painting and my best friend into taking pictures, we didn't knew much about art neither, anybody into it like us, so we decided to put up a submission call for a local art show, we met a bunch of people and as we got older the project evolved into art shows, a blog, fanzines and interview, we met people like us around the world and started to do things together. It's been 6 years, and to answer the question I need it to say that. Short answer: to keep learning. As we have met people and together make things, we have grown up so much as creatives. That's why we keep doing it. - Naville 

I always wanted to be a writer, and later I got into different forms of art, like drawing and photography. When I was in High School, the school paper never wanted to publish the things I submitted to it saying it was offensive and obscene. I wanted to make something that would incorporate all my writing and my drawings without censorship and without care for technique and language. Zines are my outlet, they're my freedom and my life. - Hadass 

Is 'because I can' too egotistical of an answer? Otherwise... I make zines because they are my playground. A place where I can let my words play and be free. I love writing books - don't get me wrong. But it is nice to use words to make art without needing to worry about ebook layouts and bad reviews on Amazon Pressure-free creating. - Jaime 

I make zines because I find them to be an achievable goal and a way to share my life with others. -  Kelsey 

Renegade SF Winter 2013

I have not blogged much in the last few months, I apologize. I have had no motivation, no real aims or intentions for blogging as I work through my grief. However one of my goals in 2014 is to get back on track with blogging.

The weekend before Christmas (during winter solstice!) Matt and I stayed in San Francisco and hung out in the bay area. We went shopping, ate at some of our fave vegan places and tried new places. The high light was the Renegade Craft Fair (at least for me). It sparked some ideas in my brain, I got to see some friends and buy some fun stuff.

As you can see it was busy, my anxiety was pretty messed up during that weekend, all the crowds did not help.I always pick the best days to travel huh?

Some vegan beauty products I bought/shops I bought from were:

Fat and the Moon: Pimple Mud and Yoni Duster. Both items work great. The mask can be used as a spot treatment or a mask. I like the texture and the way it dries. The yoni dust saved me that weeken when I used disposable pads, I used a bit of dust on each pad and did not get heat rash!
Fanchromatic Nails: I liked how they featured standard and mini sized bottles of their polishes. I picked up Tar and Feathers - a bar glitter consisting of red, black and white - all my fave colors!
Cosmic Bath and Beauty: I am already a fan of the company so I had to buy something. Shop local even if you are 90 minutes away! I bought a cinnamon scented soap, it is so nice. After using it the smell travels through the house making me want snickerdoodle cookies and tea!

I could not leave Renegade without kitties! I always search for cute plushies and anything cat related. I scored a few new friends!

2014 - watch out. I have more crafts, vegan recipes, zines and cool stuff poppin' up on the blog! Get ready!

My Top 5 Vegan - Cruelty Free Beauty Products (Of The Moment)

These are the top 5 products that are getting much love in my beauty arsenal right now. These are all products I plan on buying again once I run out! They are that good!

Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara   - When I saw this pop up in the Sephora webpage I ran out and bought it. I have been searching for a great mascara since the whole China thing came onto the scene. This mascara delivers a nice black inky color and impact. The only problem is it is a bit messy - or at least the excess always ends up on the tube...but it really is not a huge problem. I just need to wipe the tube and pull the wand out carefully.

Cosmic Bath and Beauty Blush in Sweet Cheeks: Perfect color that gives me the perfect pink cheek look. It blends well, not to shimmery (as in obnoxious teen cosmetic glittery) but  enough to get me glowing. The color gives my cheeks a nice healthy summer glow that will come in handy in the winter months - which I am already dreading!

Fergie for Wet N Wild Eye Shadow Primer:  This stuff is freaking amazing! I was skeptical at first - because most primers just do the minimal for my oily lids and I still have smudges and color transfer. This stuff makes me a eyeshadow primer lover! Once applied - the texture is nice, I can feel a velvety smoothness compared to other more watery primers of the past. The primer really gets everything to stick in place, no more creasing and my black liner stays crisp and clean all day long! Get this product now!

Gnarly Whale Beach Waves Spray in Thai Coconut:Simple ingredients that make dirty no wash hair days into big wavy delight hair days!


Out of Africa Lip Balm in Strawberry: I just got this lip balm in. I was picking Mar up some kitty shampoo and came across this product and had to try it - after all everyone needs a handful of lip balms in their bag right?It is a large tube - perfect for slathering on your lips. The flavor is not sickly sweet or artificial - which is not always a bad thing but I know some people dig on a more natural flavor. So if you like your balms more natural - this is for you. It is very moisturizing and goes on super smooth. 

Do you have any favorite products right now? Let me know - I am always looking to try new things!