Guilty Pleasures: VHS Edition

While having a turntable and vintage wax will make you cool or hip {or whatever term the young folk are using these days}, clinging onto your VCR and cassette movies probably won't. I am one of those sad, unfashionable creatures that still watches some VHS movies. Am I the only one?

Anyhow, in celebration of this ancient technology, here are a few favourite titles that our faithful VCR chugs through.

In no particular order...

The Wicker Man {the original one!}

This movie is a staple for both Bealtaine & Samhain round here. Ir would be great if someone got on with making a real Summerisle and I would move there in a heartbeat. ;)

The Black Stallion

I loved this movie as a child because I could relate with Alec. I was never in a ship wreak nor did I race a horse in front of thousands of people; it was more the finding solace and connecting with an equine friend at a time when it seemed that life threw us both under the bus. Now I watch it when I feel like having a horsey-fix. Hopefully I can trade it in one day for the real thing. :D

The Fairy Faith

A wonderful documentary about superstitions surrounding The Good Folk. The filmmaker John Walker travels to various places interviewing people on their own views about Faeries, including Scotland, Ireland and the Canadian East Coast. Some of the folks interviewed are Brian Froud and Elizabeth-Jane Baldry.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Yeah, I know. The obligatory girly movie.

The Secret of Roan Inish

Packed full of lore and some tidbits of old Gaelic customs such as smooring the fire, this sweet movie is about an Irish girl learning about her family secrets. Every family has secrets, although I am sure not too many involve Selkies.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Who doesn't love Monty Python?

Angela's Ashes

A beautiful film about Frank McCourt's childhood in pre-WWII Ireland, which is inspired from his written memoir of the same title. Fraught with hardship and tragedy, it is a wonder that Mr. McCourt made it to the ripe old age that he did.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Lipstick. Garters. Drag. What's not to like? :D

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Sláinte!

Laurel

Guilty Pleasures: Xmas Shows From My Youth

I'll admit it. There are a handful of really, really, really obnoxious Christmas shows that I enjoy watching. They are over-the-top either in the sappy or tacky department {often both!}, but isn't that what this time of year is all about? ;)

Christmas shopping, dinner at the in-laws, and 20 feet of snow not skeery enough for you? Give Gremlins a whirl!

If you want to laugh at other peoples' holiday horrors there is always National Lampoons' Christmas Vacation & A Christmas Story.

Or if you prefer to see villains change their ways you could watch How The Grinch Stole Christmas & Mickey's A Christmas Carol.

There is also the Muppet Christmas Carol,

A Charlie Brown Christmas,

& Frosty the Snowman

But my favourite is definitely Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer which has an awesome overload of bad music and funny animation! <3

{original image source}

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Sláinte!

Laurel

One of the Best Hallowe'en Costumes Ever...

I think even the most serious witch secretly likes to dress up around this time of year, even if it is just to frolic at a secular party for a wee while. I am going out as a Raging Granny this year but lookie at this costume!

I heart Emma Goldman

There are some other pretty awesome costume ideas over at the website, Take Back Halloween.

Sláinte!

Laurel

Just for the Helluvit

A few of the Pagan blogs that I read have been doing this Pagan questionnaire which is pretty cheesy in some parts. I do have a fondness for cheesy questionnaires, so I thought I would have a got at it too. Feel free to join in the fun! :D

B A S I C S

Do you have a magical/Pagan name?

Nope, and if I did I wouldn't share it.

What does it mean?
N/A
How did you find Paganism?
Through a couple of friends.

How long have you been practicing?
Practicing what, exactly? I have identified myself as a Pagan since I was about 16 or 17. I am a tad older than that now.

Solitary or group practitioner?
Both I suppose.

What is your path?
Irish Polytheist would probably be the most accurate description. Oh, and an animist.
Are you out of the broom closet?
At the moment I am. I am in my office.

D E I T Y

Who is your patron Deity?
Got four "household" deities: Macha, Airmid, Brigid & Flidais.

What Gods do you worship?
The Irish Pantheon

Do you fear darkly aspected Gods/Goddess, or rather respect them?
I don't see the gods as one-dimensional "dark or light aspects". I see them as full, rounded individuals just as people are. That said, I have at the very least a minimal respect for all gods of all pantheons and I wouldn't want to piss any of them off. I have a fondness for others, and I love and admire the gods of the pantheon that I worship.
Do you worship the Christian God?
No. We had a falling out a long time ago and haven't been on speaking terms since.

Do you ever worship animals?
I pay homage to and work with some animals.

Or plants?
The same as animals.

N A T U R E

Do you regularly commune with nature?
All the time. I hope that this is something that everyone does, whether they are Pagan or not.

Ever walked barefoot in the woods?
Yes, when the snow is not on the ground.

Taken a camping trip just to talk to nature?
Fortunately now I do not need to! But I still do enjoy camping.

Describe the moment you felt closest to Mother Earth?
Oh wouldn't you like to know. :p

Do you have a familiar?
Three.

Have you ever called upon the powers of an animal in ritual?
Yes.

Or a plant?
Yes.

Do you hug trees?
What hippie doesn't?

Give them gifts?
Often.

What is your favourite herb/flower to work with?
It depends what I am working with them for. The ones I most often work with are probably sweet woodruff, herb robert, tansy, monkshood, irish moss, henbane, lady's mantle, dandelions, woad, meadowsweet, juniper, wormwood, mistletoe, various ferns, valerian, mugwort, nightshade, wild roses, lemonbalm, mullein, sweet william, vipers bugloss, and foxglove.

What is your favourite tree to work with?
The rowan is definitely my favourite tree. I also often work with hawthorn, cedar, birch, witch hazel, oak, blackthorn, elder, and yew.

W H E E L O F T H E Y E A R

What is your favourite holiday?
I love all four of our festivals.
What is your least favourite holiday?
See above.
Have you ever held a ritual on a holiday?
Yep.
Ever taken a day off work to celebrate a Pagan holiday?
I work from home so that is not an issue. Previously I never asked for time off work for one. I organize around it.

Do you celebrate Yule on the 21 rather than the 25?
It is not one of my feast days, so I will celebrate it whenever friends and family are available.

Have you ever felt the veil thin?
Yes.

Ever danced the Maypole?
Once and I almost got tangled up.
Know what the Maypole symbolizes?
Something naughty, yet oh-so-nice.

How do you usually celebrate the Pagan holidays?
Feasting, offerings, rituals and feasting. Did I mention feasting?

D I V I N A T I O N

Do you use Tarot?
Yep.

Do you use runes?
Yep.

Do you use a pendulum?
Not anymore.

Do you use dowsing rods?
Never tried that, but it is interesting!

Do you use astrology?
Not really.

Any other form of divination?
Ogham, tealeaves, nature omens, and scrying. Oh and sometimes dreams if I can actually remember them.

S P E L L S

What was the first spell you did?
A very simple candle spell for success.

What was the latest?
A protection spell for someone else.

Ever done a love spell?
Yep.

A job spell?
Yep.

A healing spell?
Yep.

What was the most powerful spell you’ve ever performed?
That I am not divulging.

What deities do you usually call on?
For divination, ancestral workings, fertility and agriculture: Macha; working with herbs and healing: Airmid; lust, and workings involving the wild: Flidais; for household protection and domestic workings and issues: Brigid.

C R Y P T O Z O O L O G Y

Do you believe in Vampires?
The emotional and psychic variety, yes.

Werewolves?
I believe that there is a history of folks shapeshifting into wolves.

Shapeshifters?
See above.

Elves?
Yep.

Faeries?
Aren't Elves supposed to be in the Faery family? I believe that land spirits/spirits of a place exist.

Dragons?
Do komodo dragons count?

Nymphs?
Again, aren't they in the Faery family?

Sprites?
*ehem*
Mermaids?
*grrrr*
Satyrs?
*sigh*

Ever “seen” any of the above?
Even though we don't have it in Canada, I plead the fifth.

Ever talked to any of the above?
Ditto.

Ever used any of the above in magic?
Anyone who thinks that they can "use" them deserves whatever nastiness that comes with that idiotic line of thinking.

Do you have one of them as a personal guardian?
I have a few garden gnome statues. I am sure that they would make pretty decent weapons if an idiot decided to break into my home.

R A N D O M

Do you see a rabbit, a man or a woman in the moon?
There are all sorts of funky patterns on the face of the Moon.

Own a cat?
Technically he owns me.

When you meditate, what does your happy place look like?
Ever seen the original Wickerman?

Do you work with Chakras?
Nope.

Do you believe in past lives?
Yep.

If so, describe a few briefly:
Birth. Life. Death. Repeat.
Do you believe in soul mates?
I have spent the last decade or so thinking that I have found mine. With that kinda love it is hard not to believe.

Do you have a spirit guide?
Isn't this just another way of saying familiars or gods?

Is it always love and light?
What about the sparkles? I am a moody creature, so you figure that one out.
Well, it looks like my diversion from housework has come to an end. ;)
Sláinte!
Laurel

Guilty Pleasures: Buttons/Pins {Project Edition}

I have been going through my doo-dads and a pretty sizable collection of buttons popped out. I have always had a thing for them, and have hauled them around with me, only to gather more.

When the time comes to perhaps purge some of them I get all sentimental and don't want to part with any. I had one of those moments a couple of days ago. I then remembered this little project that I saw on some long forgotten webby...

Basically you take a frame, some fabric and glue it onto the frame {I used a glue gun}, and voila:



This will only help me so far, but I will hold off on the purge a wee while longer. ;)

Sláinte!

Laurel

Guilty Pleasures: Oblivion {The Elder Scrolls IV}

So, yeah...it's been a while since I've made a 'guilty pleasures' confession.

I could have never been considered a 'gamer' before I came across Oblivion. We don't have cable in our home, and when you have long, cold Winters like I do, sometimes having a little mindless distraction is a good thing. It keeps me from constantly pining for the gardening season. ;)

I think that Oblivion itself is a pretty nifty game, but what makes it even better is all the free mods that you can add to the game if you are playing it on PC. There are so many to choose from, literally hundreds. Below are a few of my own favourites:

Celtic Witch Robes:

Gaia Armor:

Morrigan Armor & Morrigan Weapons:

Comprehensive Style Collection {using Freckled Bretons & Ren's Hair}:

House Mods by Korana

There are many different house and castle mods for Oblivion, but Korana's definitely stick out from the rest. Not only are they very beautiful, but they are also interactive. Things such as spell-crafting, farming, gardening, baking, cooking, brewing, and even doing dishes and painting are just some of the features added to the two following mods.

Shadowcrest Vineyard:

Millstone Farm:

Natural Environments:

This mod improves the overall environment throughout the game, including flora and fauna, weather, the sky, and water.

Here is a video of Natural Environments:

Slof's Oblivion Horses:

There are already horses in Oblivion, but this mod greatly improves their look and adds more diversity and horses to the game {can never have too many! ;) }.

Better Cities:

This is a huge mod that is always being updated. It is a complete overhaul of all the 'vanilla' cities in the game, adding onto them, and making them more esthetically pleasing.

Here is an intro video to Better Cities:

Sláinte!

Laurel