I'm moving...

Ah yes, I'm moving.... my blog. Haha, yes. It's a bit difficult to keep up with two separate blogs, so I'll be moving all of the content from this blog to my other one. There will be a drop down menu for all of my interests pertaining to mori, and natural kei. You can find a couple of other things on that blog as well. There's a section for street snaps, and I'll be uploading some rough (very rough) drafts for future projects. It'll take a while to move everything over there, so I'll keep all the posts on this blog until the transition is complete. I hope to see you over there! See ya later, okay?

July favorites

Time has flown by and it's now summer on this side of the hemisphere. I was going to do a "how to stay cool in more key" post, but I just don't wear it much during the summer. I'll wear thin dresses, and get rid of most of the layers, sure, but there's nothing very exciting about a post I just summed up in less than a sentence. Well, I'm sure it could be a great post seeing as I really like Mori girl serenity's tips on the subject. The point is, this is not that kind of post. It's a favorites post! Yay!

  It's the 14th, so I'll list 14 of my favorites, how about that?

1. Cake flour, Softasilk cake Fluor in particular. I've been practicing making scones(Almond and lemon with a lavender and lemon simple syrup), and switching from all purpose wheat flour to cake flour totally changes the pastry. I think it's partially because cake flour is ground into a finer powder, but also because it has less protein in it which changes the texture a bit. I still haven't perfected the recipe yet, but when I do. oh boy, when I do! I just can't wait till I get it right. 
2. Anne with an E season 2. I can not tell you how much I enjoy Anne with an E. The story line, and character development really pulls you in. I love it. I've yet to finish season, but I've been using the show as a reward for every week of classes I finish. (I'm taking accelerated college courses, and they're a little more difficult than I thought they'd be.) One thing that I'm really grateful for is Anne's love of words. Her excitement in things that seem so insignificant, something like an old tree, is made into a grand adventure. I think it's hard to capture moments in words, and even harder to do so on a screen (this is why I love books) and yet, this show seems to do it with ease. I won't spoil anything in case whomever decides to read this also watches the show, but  I will say that if Anne wrote horror books for kids, I'd buy them.
3. Leadership secrets of Attila the Hun by Wess Roberts. I don't usually pick up "Leadership" books.The school curriculum pushes everyone to be a leader, to be in front, and in the lime light. That's one thing I really don't want. All attention is not good attention, and I just prefer to be around small groups of people anyway. This book, however, highlights some characteristics that made Attila an effective leader and they didn't always involve being the center of attention. Now I know that he's not someone that people typically say they want to emulate, however the book addresses things like moral discipline, and accountability. I'd recommend it  to anyone interested in personal development, or into analyzing historic figures (Me.) 
4. IGTV. I'm not that great with social media, but I love IGTV. it's like integral, but it lets you take longer videos. I haven't explored much of it, but I did watch the creator of Irregular choice shoes talk about his brand.
5. Blue Danube by Strauss.  I'm sure I've mentioned this song on this blog before but it is, save the second waits by Shostakovich, the most relaxing and enchanting waltzes ever. That's a completely subjective opinion, but hey it's my blog :D  I've been listening to it a lot as of late, and love picking it a part. 
6. speaking of music... Musopen is a cool site that offers license free music, free sheet music, and has a radio. I've been teaching myself to play the violin, and love getting my hands on as many free resources as possible. It also separates composers by era. I'm a fan of romantic period pieces, but have recently found some pretty cool ragtime composers.
7. Last one relating to music, I promise. Drab majesty! I know I talk about them an awful lot (If you've been on this blog for a while, you'll know that I really like goth music), but I have the chance to go see them live, and I'M SOOO EXCITED! 
8. My house plant. I named it Shelby, but then thought Sheldon was more fitting. I kind of just call it Shelly for short. I got it during after making some raingardens for my school.( But I'll talk about what that is in a different post.)
9. Molly Roberts- Her speak. Now I mentioned that I'm not a very religious person, but I do like to learn about others. I like to be able to relate, or at the very least, understand someone. I've been interested in some things pertaining to paganism predominantly getting closer to and protecting nature, understanding and improving the self and transforming chaos into art. I know that these elements can be found in other religions, but I can't research everything at once, and I've been drawn to research this one for a wile. Molly Roberts has a playlist of meditations and oh man, did I need those. I'm usually the person who loves facts, and will disregard anything that can't be proven, but there are days where I can put that aside and just listen to someone else. I like the way she shares her thoughts without malice, or ill intent towards others. I like hearing how she defines and betters herself through tools that I don't understand. It's odd, but I like knowing that I don't know everything; It means there's something to explore. Molly has a couple of videos on making a grimoire, and some really grounding chatty videos as well.
10.  Late at night when almost nobody is awake, is when I can hear myself think clearly. This is typically when I get the most creative. 
11. Sweet Mildred! this shop has some cute clothes and accessories for Lolita, but can also be used for mori kei. 
12. What plants talk about documentary. I would recommend this to anyone who loves plants. It's covers how mother plants nurture, and communicate to their offspring. (Spoiler: plants can scream) 
13. Friday the 13th! muwahahahaha! Whenever Friday the 13th rolls around so do the savings. Lots of goths shops/ darkly inclined shops have sales on this day. whoo hoo!
14. my hiking backpack! Hiking is something I need to do to relax. It's kind of hard to do because I can't be in the heat too long, but I've figured out how to rig a title parasol in it. It's super handy, and has a removable water  bladder, and A TON of pockets. The padding is wonderful, and the straps spread out the weight, so my back isn't in pain. you can pick it up here.

That's it for now. Do you have any new favorites?

positivity, and self care. -mini post

The increase in self care posts on the internet means that people are starting to see how much taking care of themselves matters. I know this mentally, but have a hard time practicing it. I always have so much on my mind that I fall asleep the moment I sit down. I hope this year will be different, and to make that true, I've written downs some self-care tips that have helped me in the past.

Self care... for when a baths just won't cut it.

Better now than later. Do you ever walk around in your house and there's something that annoys you? For me it's having dirty dishes in the sink, or the lights being left on. This is a great time to fix it. Minor annoyances can build up and become MAJOR annoyances. By taking care of these things now, it saves potential stress from building up later.

Clean up. The added clutter isn't doing a stressed out mind any favors. Take a little bit of time to clean. You'll be glad you did,

Allow yourself to be a grumpy gremlin for a while. The idea of people being happy all the time is actually dangerous. Don't bottle up your feelings! Find a place to be alone and acknowledge them.  There are times where you're not going to want to skip rope using a rainbow. That's perfectly natural. Yes, it can be a bit uncomfortable to acknowledge those feelings, but it is worth it. That being said, don't wallow in a pity party either. 

Work out.  Real talk? The times I need to exercise the most are the days when I have no energy, or motivation. Part of me actually hates this suggestion because there are days when using a ton of energy is the absolute last things I want to do. That's actually the thing that pushes me to get moving. The more I don't want to, the more I probably need it. If leg day isn't on the agenda (or you're just not feeling that energetic) go for a walk, or do 10 minutes of a cheesy work out video at home. The more you move the more your body releases endorphins. 

Find out your relaxing style.  I know  people who can relax easily. They can become completely laid back in just about any situation. Then there are people who aren't comfortable with the idea of doing nothing. There's that annoying voice that says "you should be doing something productive" or "stop wasting time". If that's the case for you, I suggest doing something while doing nothing. Take up knitting, or crossword puzzles. Do something that requires enough concentration to remain relaxed.

Disconnect.  Take a few minutes or even a day to enjoy life without extra electronics. No video games, t.v, computers, phones etc... Go on an adventure in your back yard.

What would your younger self do? Want to make a blanket fort? Pretend the floor is lava? Do it! I used to gather fuzzy blankets and sit at the bottom of my closet or under the table and read books. 

TO THE GARDEN!!  If you have a garden or in door plants, care for them. Sometimes it's easier to care for other things than to take care of ourselves. That's okay, because just being around plants is a calming experience. If you don't have a green thumb try taking care of an animal.

30 things every forest dweller should have

This type of list was very popular with gyaru blogs, so I thought I'd try to do one for mori kei. As always, take this with a grain of salt. It's just for fun, okay? Let's get started.

30 things every forest dweller should have

1.  At least one base dress, or pair of pants that can be used for layering or for a simple outfit.
2. A favorite style. This could be mori kei or any of its sister styles. It's okay to like more than one style, but most people have a favorite. 
3. A favorite drink. (Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, milk etc..)
4. A journal. This could be for sketches, or stories you've written. It's always good to keep one around for when that burst of inspiration hits.
5. A favorite color or print. Mushroom, animal, and floral prints seem to be the most popular.
6. An outfit to wear around the house. Something comfortable enough to just lounge around or do some light cleaning in.
7. A lunch box.
8. A favorite thrift store/ consignment shop/ secondhand store. Thrifting is popular among the mori girls and boys I've spoken to. It's a great way to find clothes and items for a low price and great for the environment too.
9. Something you've made yourself. This could range from sewing, knitting, or crocheting to decorating a book, or a painting you've done.
10. A playlist full of songs that remind you of the forest, or are at least reminiscent of fairy tails. 
11. A favorite animal.
12. A place where you feel most relaxed : A fort, cafe, library, your room, a garden... etc. I prefer cemeteries, as they provide a quiet space and a look into local history. 
13. A favorite dessert. 
14. Comfortable shoes.
15. A way to keep cool in the summer. Do you lose the layers? Carry a parasol? Just stay inside?
16. A way to stay warm in the winter. 
17.  an OTT outfit.
18. A head piece, hair clips, or a small bit of detail for the hair.
19. A signature scent, maybe a favorite perfume. (It should never be overpowering, just subtle)
20. An oversized sweater!
21. A favorite plant/ tree/ flower
22.  A go to shop for accessories.
23.  A pair of reliable tights, or socks
24. A community, or at least a friend you can share your love for mori kei with
25. Magazines/scans/pintrest/ tumblr for inspiration.
26. A book to recommend to a friend
27. A copy of The secret garden movie. (1987, and the 1993 addaptations are my favorite.)
28. Favorite fairytale,folklore, or legend
29.  A story for when people ask you about how you found out about mori kei.
30. A laid back attitude. 

So what do you think of my list?  Is there anything you would like to add, or remove? What would you put on your list?

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Hello hello hello. It's officially a new year, and I'm feeling motivated.

I've started another tumblr account. (mavisinthewoods)
I also have an instagram now.
(To be completely honest with you,  I'm not the most social person but I'm trying to push past that.)
I drafted up some more posts, and am editing them.

My goals for this year are to
1. Spend more time in nature
2. Focus on myself, education, and health
3. Write meaningful posts, even if they are only meaningful to me
4. I'd like to collaborate with one other blogger. It seems like it would be fun.
5. To complete these cartoon drafts I've held onto for ages

Well those are my goals for this year. Do you have any resolutions?