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?

My top favorite shows

I recently came down with the flu and couldn't do much but sip tea and catch up on some shows. (which would be utter bliss, except for the constant coughing, aching and fever.) Anyway, I decided to make a list of some of my favorite shows
They're not very "mori like", but they're still good.


Anne with an E. I mentioned this show in an earlier post, but feel the need to mention it again.  The character development is PHENOMENAL!!!! I believe a second season will be coming out this year.

Pushing daisies. This show is about Ned, a pie maker, who can bring the dead back to life. I loved this show when it first came on, but it was sadly canceled.

The finder. This is one of those rare binge-worthy shows that makes you feel no guilt for watching the whole thing in a week. It's about a rather...er.. eccentric tracker named Walter Sherman. He can find anything!

Phsych is about a Shawn, "a psychic" that works with the Santa Barbra police to solve crimes.

The good place is jam packed full of moral philosophy. It follows Elenor Shellstrop, a recently deceased woman with a rather... colorful history. What will happen to her in the afterlife?

Gunsmoke 

The icy fingers of death: Gardening tips for winter

The icy fingers of death: Gardening tips for winter

     Well, the seasons have changed and I can safely say that winter is coming. Winter can be detrimental on plants depending on your location, so here's a little list of things to keep in mind. 

1. If your grass is looking a little patchy, put down seeds in the fall. This way they can germinate underneath the snow, and give you a full look come springtime.
2. Winter is the best time to take notes on future projects. Use late November and December to decide what you want to plant and how, as well as research new tips and tricks. 
3. Pruning decaying plants will help keep everything neat. If you need to cut any tree branches do it now. There aren't any leaves to get in the way, and it'll make your spring to-do list much shorter. 
4. Remove excess leaves or foliage around plants, and drain unnecessary water. (puddles) This step reduces the risk of rotting near the base of the plants, water born insects (misquotes) and pests.  
5.  Add mulch! Mulch will keep the solid warm during the harsh cold months. It basically gives the soil a season long hug. Ah, but birds may mess with the mulch, so keep an eye out for that.
6. keep an eye on the weather. If you have a lot of outdoor plants beware of the first frost. The first frost can do some serious damage if you're not prepared. 
7. preparing for the cold! You didn't think I'd say prepare for the cold without telling you how, did you? First up, cover your plants. Wrap the base of shrubs,  and trees with burlap and muslin. You can use these type of fabrics on other plants, but take into account the weight of the fabric and the strength of the plant. Some people cover there plants with plastic, but that locks in too much moisture and can damage the plants. In the event of using fabric and or plastic use discretion. This isn't one of those "one size fits all" solutions, so take the time to figure out which method is best for your plants.
8. climbers (plants that scale other plants or surfaces. Ex. ivy, vines, honeysuckle, morning glory...) should be secured with some sort of plant tie for extra support. (especially if you get a lot of heavy snow)

This list is primarily for flowers, but if you want a "Gardener's winter to-do" list for fruits or vegetables let me know by leaving a comment. I am still getting the rest of my social media together, but I'll try to include my handles in another post. 

This year is winding down.

Wow, I can't believe this year is almost over. I guess this is a good time to come back from hiatus, no?
I've noticed a spike in activity within the mori community, and couldn't be any happier. I've read interesting blog post, and decided to have a list of my favorites. (You know how much I love lists, right?) Now, these won't necessarily be posts that were written this year, just ones that I've managed to read this year.

Best of 2017 blog posts 

1. "when my heart aches" by dollmori.blogspot First off, let's talk about the layout of this blog. It's sooo pretty, and creative. (words can't express how much I love the lace trimming on the sides of the post) Now it's a straightforward lists of quotes (a lot of which I've never heard of, but also connect with.) It's a quick read, but well worth it.
2. books spotlight :The practical naturalist... by the plant that never blooms This is almost like reading through  Skimming throught some of the artwork and details presented in Chris Pakham's book The practical naturalist. The colors of each page are vibrant , and the commentary is very relatable. I too, buy books faster than I can read them. 
3. A deer a day by theforestmaid I thought this was a neat activity, and her art work is so good. There all pained, and each one gives off a different feel. I especially like the blue one. I hope that I can carve enough time out of my day to actually draw or paint #Adeeraday too.
4. I can't wear mori kei because...  There's no reason that should prohibit a person from wearing mori kei if they want to! This is a very clear, and enjoyable read that addresses some pretty common concerns of people who feel like they can't wear mori kei. Honestly, I didn't think I could wear it either, so reading a post that's this relatable was comforting.
5. strega- only for witches by Madame Chocolate  Now this post is in spanish, so let me cover the main points. 

• The post begins with Mai magi's (who is a popular tumblr user) thoughts on dark mori and how it no longer represents her as a fashion style. 
• The post quickly runs through her thoughts on strega as a fashion and how it pulls from the mori kei , and dark mori aesthetic.
• Strega, and dark mori are different. Strega also pulls inspiration from the occult, boho styles, and nu-goth. 
• While it (strega fashion) does have obvious goth influences, it's not considered goth because it lacks any relation to the music, and only relates to goth (a multi-facited counterculture sub-culture that has been around for decades) through fashion.  
• The post continues to explain that strega's values are in the complete freedom from any guidelines, save the inspiration of witches, whereas mori kei has a desired silhouette, and colors schemes. It is, in essence, its own style and should be treated as such.
• This post quickly addresses the waves of people expressing concern for strega's potential and or unintended cultural appropriation. Because it's name and symbols stem from religious roots, #strega seems more like a fashion fad, and ultimately upset some wiccans, and magic practitioners. (Not every wiccan or magic practitioner was upset, but the fact that even a few were needed to be addressed.)The word fashion was added to differentiate between the style and religion.     
• After mai magi's "strega fashion manifest" was created, the fashion began to morph from its original from (which was dark mori with over the top layering and skulls) to a whole aesthetic. The makeup, and hair became more elaborate, Ouija board tights and animal bones became more prevalent, and sub-styles of strega began popping up.           

These were just a few, but my are they gems! Why stop at just blog posts, let's do a string of "best of 2017"categories.

books

1. From here to eternity: where to find the good death by Caitlin Doughty. This is my new treasure. It basically follows Caitlin, a mortician and youtube personality, on her journey to "find the good death". She examines how other cultures view and interact with the concept of death and dying. Honestly, It's a refreshing read. I personally think America's standard of caring for the dead is too impersonal, so I would recommend this book to any one but especially the darkly inclined or the curious  
2. The picture of Dorian Grey. Yes, I've read this book many a times, but, but, but I find something new every time I do. This book follows Dorian, an incredible beautiful man who seems to never age, through his decent into darkness. There are all the lovely makings of a gothic novel in it. There are creepy locked rooms, mysterious paintings, romance and tragedy, fantastic mockery of the elite, stormy and winter nights, and death! 

songs

Now, I know I focussed a lot on goth music over the last few posts, but this is strictly for  Mori kei, and Dark mori.

Mori kei

1. Willow tree march by the paper kites 
2. through the pine forest by magpahi
3. Feels by son mieux
4. love prolog by sucrette 
5. 恋と口笛 by sucrette

Dark mori 

1.  don't look bak by AIHVHIA
2. cary on wayward son lullaby. Okay, this is a different version of this song, but I figured that it's too good of a song not to include it.
3. once upon a dream by lana del rey 

13 goth songs I wish were in Halloween movies

I thought that I should make a playlist of all the music I talk about on this blog, but realized that it's easier to just keep everything in one place. I know that these will probably never end up in a halloween movie, but I thought this was fun to make. Enjoy. 


13 songs I wish were in Halloween movies 

1. The smiths-there's a light that never goes out
2. The cure-lovesong
3. sisters of mercy -marian 
4. Aeon Sable- Dance floor Satellite
5. She passed away-Ritual 
6. She passed away- sanri
7. Drab Majesty - The foyer
8. Depeche mode -Strange love
9. enjoy the silence
10. Ministry- Everyday is Halloween
11. Bella Morte- Remorse
12. Clan of xymox- She's dangerous
13. a-ah- The sun always shines on TV