What I'm Reading: Not In Kansas Anymore

Due to my undying love of Gala Darling - since the LJ days! since the iCiNG email newsletters! - I ordered a used copy of Not In Kansas Anymore: A Curious Tale of How Magic is Transforming America by Christine Wicker immediately after she mentioned it back in April. It came in the mail a few weeks ago and today I had a day off with NOTHING planned, so it was time to crack it open. I poured myself a chai tea, curled up with Chester and opened to page one.

Christine Wicker is a journalist who wrote a book about exploring the history of magic and magic-believers in American history and in the American present. She touches on how we perceive magic as either commonplace (wearing lucky gym shorts, praying to St. Anthony) or completely alien (performing hoodoo rituals, practicing actual magical rituals with runes, oils, and crystals.) Wicker also makes it clear that she wants to find the completely alien facets of the way of thinking in the most commonplace locations. The first paragraph of the cover sleeve mentions soccer moms performing voodoo traditions in their backyard, and the first chapter title refers to a small town waitress wearing a pentacle necklace.

So far, I love it. I'm only maybe a fourth in, but that's after one lazy-afternoon sitting. Her narrative is a perfect mix between history lesson and investigative journalism, with notes of a handwritten diary entry thrown in. She talks about the background of magic in Puritan colonies, and she also talks about a live bloodletting at a goth vampire-party - all in the same chapter. Right now, she's visiting Cat Yronwode at her occult shop in California. Wicker has a great balance between being a reporter and being a human being who is curious as to why people would live their life so different than her. I can't wait to read more, which is exactly what I'll do after I hit publish on this entry.

To order the book, check Amazon. To read more of Gala's thoughts on the book, check her article on Magical Thinking. I'll be sure to post again once I've finished the novel.

A Yoga Energy Boost Perfect For a Day Off

It's Saturday! And I actually have the day off like the rest of the world. Or that's what it seems like when I'm putting in my usual retail Saturday shift. I had a lazy morning, but I didn't feel guilty because I found some awesome YouTube videos for yoga in my living room.

I did a class-length video for hip flexibility and then I found this awesome 17-minute long routine: Morning Wake-up/Evening Energy Boost. I loved it! It was definitely intermediate level, since she didn't take too long explaining the common poses (downward dog, warrior I, warrior II, and so on) and she included some new, harder poses I've never tried!


The instructor Tara goes really fast, so the 17 minutes fly by and your heart rate is up immediately. It definitely was an energy boost. Doing this video was the first time that I've tried the camel pose and it was hard! I can't wait to do this routine more and more so that part isn't so hard.

Enjoy! Let me know if you like it, too!

App Review: A Beautiful Mess

It's here! The new photo editing app from the owners of the A Beautiful Mess blog. Obviously, I love it.

The app is only a dollar, available just for iPhones (sorry Androids!), and is basically the most fun ever. Tons of super sweet borders, doodles and designs, and cute fonts to play with until your picture is post-perfect. I have spent probably hours already going through everything on there.

One of the things that I really love about the app is how you can edit the filters. We all know how to slap an Instagram filter on a picture and call it a day. While the ABM app has far fewer actual filters to choose from, you have way more control on how your picture looks. You have the option to edit the contrast, brightness, and opacity. Fun!

Another really cool feature is the inclusion of tons of cute backgrounds for placing text over. This is great just for little notes you'd want to post online or even secret little love letters to text to your friends!

The only few things that I wish were different are:

• An undo button! Once you place something, it is there for good! I like to use the trail-and-error approach with adding deco to my pictures. For this, I have to completely start over.. 
• Ability to re-size borders. All the doodles, text, and phrases can be re-sized, twisted around, and placed however you want. The borders can be rotated, too, but you can't make it any bigger or smaller. It isn't the biggest deal, but sometimes that cute little flower wreath isn't large enough to fit around Chester's massive kitty tummy!

The app has only been out for like a DAY, seriously, so these two points aren't so much pushy, just suggestions for the next update of the application.

There are many in-game purchases for the editing categories (all for another 99 cents), and I've already downloaded three of the add-on packs. There are more cute phrases, fonts, backgrounds, borders, and doodles. However, if you don't want to go over a buck on your budget, the features included in the original download are more than enough to have fun and make cuuuute pictures.

Here are some of my creations.

My bracelet collection today. Spikes, bow, and beige studded wrap all from heartbreaker; watch from eBay, and skulls from Charlotte Russe (as well as my dress)!

Delicate new shirt! White is a scary color, and so is having intricate little laser cutouts on my woven top. We'll see how long this guy lasts in my clumsy world. I love it, though! (The little faded flowers on the border are from a different app: Snapeee, which I haven't totally figured out yet. Next review will be that!)

My not-quite-crazy arm decorations from a few days ago. 

Playing with layering the doodles and text with an old picture on my phone from my trip to Japan last year. I love that fish building and I love Shinjuku!

I definitely recommend this app! Download it now, post your pics on Instagram, and tag #ABMapp to see everyone else's art. And add me on Instagram, why don't ya! I'm maddysaurus.

FINISHED PROJECT: Spiral Yoga Mat Bag

Hey! Remember that really cute yoga mat bag that I talked about in the summer crochet projects entry? I made it! It was easy and fun, sooo you should all make it, too.

To make the spiral ladder yoga bag, I used an I-Hook and the same Red Heart turquoise yarn I used in my chevron scarf. I like the yarn I picked, buuuut - the pattern called for an 100% cotton yarn, which I kind of want to try next time instead of acrylic. Maybe it'd be a little more sturdy, but this isn't so bad either.

The project took me less than a day and was really easy to figure out once I got started! Definitely a fun, mindless, hook while you watch tv, kind of project. I want to make more more more!

eBay Goodies

I've gone a little eBay crazy lately. It must be from all the years where I completely ignored the site -- I didn't get it, I didn't like bidding, I couldn't find anything. Well, now there's the eBay iPhone app and it's now a little dangerous. I love buying it now! I love finding cheap cheap cheap deals and I love noooooooooo shipping. Here are some of the goodies I've found recently.

These are my two most recent finds! A studded wrap watch (which I really need to get used to using - NON-DIGITAL!) and a super glittery iPhone screen protector. I love them.

Sweet ombre tights that I bought at a party, whoooops! The eBay app is dangerous in the way that it pops up when your watched items are ending. Well, these were ending so I got them!

Lovely Tony Moly bunny lipstick. If there is one thing eBay has gotten me obsessed with, it's Tony Moly makeup products. Just plug that brand name in and you'll see all the cute items pop up - bunnies, kitties, pretty shades, yummy colors! Do it!

Pearl kitty ears headband! I've spotted this on both Kelly from TinyTangerines' Instagram and Gala Darling herself. I wore them to Lady Gaga.

Baby arkapasso keychain that I love to stare at because she's so cute. She came in the cuuuutest package with some extras and a sweet letter. Yay, I love eBay!

Kitty knee tights! Everyone thought these were just drawings on my legs... I want more tattoo tights, too. They are easy to find on eBay, that's for sure.

FINISHED PROJECT: Crochet Chevron Scarf

I made a long yummy scarf! All I wanted all winter long was a long long scarf that I could wrap around twice and still have hang way past my waist. Well, I did it, and it is May. So.. whatever. Do you love it?

I used this free crochet chevron pattern by the famous Lucy of Attic24 - the ripple pattern is for an afghan, but I modified it to be for a scarf! I didn't even do a full W of the chevron as she shows in her example - just a V! I didn't want it to be too thick, otherwise it would not be comfortable to wear double-wrapped around my neck.

I used all Red Heart Super Saver yarn for this guy in Aran, Turquoise, aaand a dark grey, lost the wrap, whoops! Plus an I-hook. It really only took me two, maybe three decent sittings. The worst was having to weave in each end..

Here is before I added the fringe - I am glad I did! It took maybe six or seven minutes, and it added another good chunk of length to either side. I also like it because the starting end of the scarf was a V shape, while the last stripe ended with a ^ shape -- the fringe equaled that out!

Flower Girl: Fashion Inspiration and DIY Crafts

I might be biased since they are my namesake, but I love flowers. But, who doesn't? This sunny weather has me itching for floral everything - on my clothes and in my crafts. Here are some flowery fashion inspirations and DIY projects.

My newest retro floral halter dress - all I need are some victory rolls and I'm ready for a pin-up summer.

This paper punch flowers tutorial made me run out to Hobby Lobby and buy a paper punch! How have I gone this long without one?!

Although it is a little pricey for an online tutorial, these beautiful felt flowers seem worth every penny. I would love to see them on a cardigan, a headband or hair clip, glued to a pony and worn with a little bun, attached to your purse, anything! Mmmm, cute.

Crochet Mollie flowers are one of my favorite little things. I get obsessed and make dozens of them, but I haven't done anything with them yet..

My hunny bunny Kelly-Anne's DIY Floral Crown tutorial on Tiny Tangerines is classic. How pretty is she, by the way?

I think embroidered flowers are the cutest ever. Here is a french knot tutorial to make all the beautiful flowers you want.

This floral duvet cover and pillowcase set from Ikea is so pretty, buuuut that might be Instagram's influence on me.

I've been going through a Yankee Candle craze lately (another Instagram influence?) and bought quite a few little votive candles when they were on sale for a dollar. This was my favorite! Yum yum, I just love lavender.

Any photo that is unsourced was found on Pinterest with a source of Tumblr -- contact me if it is yours and I'll be happy to link to you!