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Monday 30 June 2014

Karoliina's Guide to Facebook Flea Markets

I'm an admin on a Facebook gothic flea market group, and a heavy user of many groups. Here's my take on best practices!

1. Read the rules

Each flea market group has its own set of rules that can differ a lot. Take some time to check how things are done on the one you are on to get a good start there. The main things to find out are how often you are allowed to make your ads rise on the page (by commenting) and how you are supposed to add your ads to the group. Some places have folders for item types, others require you to create your own folder.

2. Communicate

Whether you are selling or buying, communication is the key. If something unexpected comes up, notify your sales partner immediately. People usually understand different situations when you just explain them. It's not nice to keep an item reserved only to have the potential buyer or seller messages days later that they didn't have the money, or just plain disappear and not respond to messages. Not everyone sits by a computer all day long, so responding to messages can take a day or two, but for more than that it would be best to give some notification.  Notice that messages usually go to the "Other" folder on Facebook, and it does not show a notification. You have to manually check the folder to find new messages.

3. Pay and ship fast

Within reason, you should pay your purchases and ship sold items within a few days. If it isn't possible, just drop your trading partner a message to let them know, so they don't become anxious :) I personally try to pay the same day (it can still take a few days for the money to show up on the recipients account) and ship within two days of the money arriving to my account. I have it quite easy as the post office is on my way to work, so I can easily drop off packets on my way to work.

4. A friendly attitude makes selling and buying a nice experience

Have a positive attitude! While there is the occasional person who misbehaves and doesn't follow the rules, most of the people on flea market groups are decent and nice. Being friendly helps to create a good atmosphere in the group. When something goes wrong or someone is an ass, breathe deeply and count to ten, them respond politely. You can always talk about the silly unfriendly people with your friends, but doing so publicly in the group looks bad. If someone is constantly an unreliable sales partner, notify the admin so they will deal with the situation. That's why they are there!


Sunday 29 June 2014

Lumous Gothic Festival is Soon Here!

Lumous is coming! The northernmost gothic festival in the world has many exotic things to offer. Like a sauna evening with squeaky clean goths, picnic with a game of gothic mölkky and The End party where people take their shirts off. There's also bands and a marketplace, for those who prefer the classical festival experience ;P Here's a link with information about bands, ticket prices and such.

My previous Lumous. Plenty of hair, a weird sculpture, testing how many people can sit on my other half and the essential little umbrella drinks!

I'm a big fan of Lumous. It's in my home town, so I can sleep in my own bed and have my whole wardrobe at my disposal. It's great to see many friends and listen to music together, and just hang around and talk. Lumous is a small and cosy festival and I can definitely recommend it to anyone!

Saturday 28 June 2014

Behind the Scenes (is a Cushion)

What really happens when my other half and I take pictures! Here's a cushion strapped to my hiney. The Victorian skirt had a little bustle, but it was too flat to my linking. I didn't have the time to sew anything and was feeling a bit lazy too, so here's a neat trick: grab a plump cushion, some ribbon and two safety pins. Cut two pieces of the ribbon, about 50 cm each, and pin them to two corners of the cushion that are next to each other. Fold the ribbon end and insert the pin on the folded end to avoid fraying. Tie the ribbons around your waist and your emergency bustle is done!


My skirt was a bit too long on me, so I grabbed the tallest heels I owned. They don't show under them hem anyway, so I could have worn anything! It was also important to lift the hems when walking, they were always under my boots ;D


Friday 27 June 2014

Victorian Goth

My new skirt and shirt arrived today, so I just had to do a little photoshoot with them. I burned my hand with a curling iron so I think it's only fair the pictures came out really nice ;D That and the fact that it started to rain the second my other half and me got outside with the camera, that justifies nice pics too.


The shirt and the lovely skirt are by Fan+Friend. They have very decent prices (even with the shipping and customs fees on top) and most items can be ordered in custom sizes. I might have to shorten the skirt a little bit, but a too long skirt is a million times better than a too short one, much easier to modify! I was very impressed with the sheer amount of fabric the skirt has: there's three layers of satin and ruffles on the edges. I didn't take into account when taking the measures that I might want to wear a corset underneath the skirt, but it still fits very nicely even when the waist sits a bit low, the draping hides anything!

The train might be hanging upside down ;P It was constantly raining just
a little bit, so we were in a hurry to snap pictures and get back inside before it
started pouring down.

The shirt is of the same satin fabric, it's thick and nice. It does have a little bit extra room in the back, but doesn't look too bad. It has lacing in the back for easy adjusting. The ruffles on the top really accentuate a slim waistline. Since it's sleeveless, I can wear it with jackets easily if I want to.

I should perhaps iron the backside.

The hat is by me. I'm wearing a corset beneath the shirt and the skirt, giving the outfit a more dramatic silhouette. I also have a cushion tied to my ass because the skirt was too flat without it ;D It was okay, but I wanted something that stands out even more, so I pinned satin ribbon to two corners of a cushion and tied it to hang from my waist. Cheap and easy, and it worked surprisingly well!

In these pictures the train is actually laid out nicely, it took me
time to notice it needs to be done for it to look decent ;P


I really like the waistline on this picture!
Ship ahoy!
This one shows the back of the shirt well, and how it sits on top of the corset.

Wednesday 25 June 2014

P2 Lost in Glitter Go Crazy!

I've been wearing nail polishes I got from Germany these last weeks. This one is Go Crazy! by P2. It's a gorgeous pink jelly base with silver and blue glitter in different sizes and shapes. The pink base makes the glitter appear pink too! Unlike some glitter polishes, Go Crazy! work well on tits own. I'm wearing two coats in the pictures.




Monday 23 June 2014

Old-New Earrings

On Saturday my other half had a birthday party. It was so nice to have friends over and many people came despite the midsummer celebrations happening at the same time. I ran out of time getting ready and just did a simple light smoky eye and left my hair down. To spice up the look, I came across these earrings I've had for a few years, but I think I've never work them before. Now they finally saw some action!

Darling Gilr Nevermore on the eyes, Inglot purple gel liner on brows and IsaDora lip stain
in Vintage Wine on the lips.

Old-new earrings! I think they compliment the pink hair nicely :)

Cheers! I'm loving these glasses we got from Ikea, they work for almost
any beverage and seem quite sturdy, the glass is thick.

Sunday 22 June 2014

Happy Midsummer!

This is me all red and clean after the sauna, with the essential sauna beer ;P There's a storm coming in over the lake, but in the end it just rained a little bit, despite the dark clouds. It's been the coldest Midsummer in ages!


Friday 20 June 2014

Heelless New Rock Shoes

Here are better pictures of my gorgeous new shoes! They are called Plataforma Extreme Acero by New Rock (that might be just Spanish for weird heels but I don't know the language ;P) and I ordered them directly from New Rock's own web store.

I had looked at a different style with the same sole at a booth in WGT's market area. I liked them, but when I saw the price, I didn't like them THAT much ;D Upon arriving home I took a peek at the web store and felt very lucky when I found a few models with the heelless sole on sale. One had my size left and the patent leather looked great. I usually am a bit wary of shoes that have "a lot going on", meaning there are spikes and buckles and shiny leather and metal parts and everything shoved into just one pair of shoes. But these were different! They do have crazy buckles with flaming skulls, spikes, patent leather, metal soles, big New Rock logo and even a tiny skull with rhinestone eyes in the back, but it all seems to work together. Also they might be the type of pair that I'd pair with a toned down outfit. As if I'd ever wear one when going out ;P But when I do, these are the shoes I'd wear with it!

They look impossible to walk in, but are actually very stable. The curved front part makes them pleasant to walk in, and the sole extends quite far back, which helps with standing still. I've only worn them briefly outside so I'm not yet sure how they fare for longer times or short distances, but I'm pleasantly surprised by how they feel. New Rocks are usually comfortable, and these are not an exception. They are made of real leather and run true to size. There's a zipper on the inner seam to get the shoes on and off fast. The only thing that I do not like is that they have spikes on the heel in the place where I usually grab the shoe when pulling it off ;D




Thursday 19 June 2014

Steampunk!

Today we got mail! My other half ordered clothing from Fantasmagoria and I got myself a harness from the same shop. I promised to modify a wonderful steampunk styled sleeve to fit him, but wanted to take a few pictures with it before starting to work on it. It's a gorgeous piece!

My newest pair of New Rocks also arrived today, I think I'm in love! I looked at a pair of heelless New Rocks at WGT, but the price was too high to my liking. They were asking for 250+ euros! When I got home I took a look at New Rock's own site and they had a pair of heelless shoes on sale, the last pair was in my size, and with a patent leather finish which I love! So those were clearly meant for me ;P They cost a bit over 135 euros, much more affordable.

The headdress is from WGT, the company that made it is called Pazzesque. The golden shade went perfectly with the brown and brass of the harness and the sleeve.


Headdress - Pazzesque
Sleeve - Fantasmagoria (Red Queen's Black Legion, "Steampunk Armor")
Harness - Fantasmagoria (Red Queen's Black Legion, "Mildred Brown Harness")
Top - H&M, plain black tank top
Skirt - Second hand
Socks - Super old, can't remember!
Boots - New Rock Plataforma Extreme Acero






I should do a post about the lace sleeve now that it's healed, I've just forgot to.

That nekkid spot is where my next tattoo will be ;D







Monday 16 June 2014

Things I Learned at WGT

Taken at the gazebo at Clara-Zetkin-Park after the Victorian picnic.

  • Skin-tight PVC clothing actually transfers heat well, so it's a good choice for hot weather. Cotton-wearers seemed to have a harder time than I did in my PVC dress.
  • Horns are in this year. Yay!
  • I NEED a huge Victorian skirt. 
  • And a hat to match, but making one will be fun!

Near the hotel there was a nice graffiti with just the right shade of yellow
to set off my hair!

  • If I could buy fruit ready for eating (peeled, sliced) in Finland, I'd eat a lot more fruit.
  • The same bird song that on the first night was lovely and romantic can be a pain in the ass after three nights when you can't keep the window open because the birds are so loud. Damn you nightingale-outside-the-hotel!
  • Picnics are always a good idea.

The must have accessory: fan.

  • I don't think I will ever manage to pack the right amount of clothing. This year I was very close, the only items I did not wear were my jacket, one belt and a hood. And the hood would have been fine if I didn't get the horns, it didn't work with them.
  • Always pack plenty of eyeshadow. You never know what colour you will want to wear!
  • I kinda like steampunk. It has finally grown on me! And would work well with the huge Victorian skirt I need to own...
  • Low-anise absinthe is the shiz.

Less anise = more delicious for me!

  • After the festival you always feel like you didn't have the time to do all the things you wanted. But that's okay, there was still lots of fun had!

Sunday 15 June 2014

Many Thing to Wear on Your Head

My WGT shopping was concentrated around things you can put on your head ;P This year horn's were clearly in fashion, which suit me more than fine, because I love horns and had wished to purchase a nice pair!

I got two pairs of horns and a golden head dress.


The head dress looks like it could be wood, but I think it's actually just done to look like wood. It light and attaches with a large comb that seems to keep it very securely in. It's made by Pazzesque.

The purple shimmery horns are attached to a leather cord that you tie around your head. They slide freely on the cord so you can position them as you like. They seem to be hand sculpted from some sort of clay. They are hollow and very light. These are by Crimson Darkness.

The big black horns are made of  some sort of foam and have a strip of velcro on the bottom. They came with a ribbon that had the matching parts of the velcro, so you could pin the ribbon on your hair and then press the horns on it. On my head they still flop around a bit, so I might glue them on a headband like the sales lady instructed. The can also be painted with acrylics. The horns are from the same stall as the head dress, the company in called Pazzesque.

And now on to how they can be worn! I just took quick pictures in our bedroom to show a few different looks.

Foam horns with the ribbon that accompanied them.
Foam horns in a different position. I might fix them to a headband like this, I like the effect!

Foam horns from the side. 

Head dress.

Head dress from another angle. They also had more complex ones with angel
heads, but I though this one would fit me best.

Purple horns worn with the ends pointing back.

Purple horns with ends pointing front. I think they work nicely both ways!

I might make the black horns into a head dress with feathers and such, but they do look nice even on their own. The purple ones are super easy to wear and work in many different positions. The golden head dress might benefit from a veil over it, or I could paint it another colour if the gold tone seems hard to combine with my wardrobe. All in all I'm happy with these purchases and I'm sure they will see a lot of use!

Saturday 14 June 2014

Faerie Fire and Deepmoss Look

I've been suffering from post-WGT melacholy for the last few days, adjusting back to work seems hard and I crave for pretty clothes. Today I decided to look nice and have a drink to easy the transition (my other half cooked currywurst on Thursday which also helped ;P), so here's a look done with Inglot gel liner, Femme Fatale eyeshadows called Faerie Fire and Deepmoss, and IsaDora lip stain in Vintage Wine. I re-dyed my hair earlier this week with Crazy Color Pinkissimo since the sun has faded the shade to a lavender tone at the festival.


It's quite a light look actually, the main thing is the lovely green sheen of Faerie Fire! It's a pale pink with a strong green shift. Deepmoss is a deep shimmery teal, I used it just to darken the outer edge and lower lid a bit. My eyebrows are done with Inglot gel liner, which is totally magical, it stayed pristine in the sweat and heat of WGT festival!
IsaDora Color Chock Lip Stain in Vintage Wine. Such a pretty shade, and now my camera even picked up the hint of blue shimmer in it!
The camera seemed to think I'm an albino ;P Pink hair helps a lot with getting the
right color balance with automatic settings, the turquoise was much harder for
some reason!

Friday 13 June 2014

More of Magnus

Magnus the bengal cat has been doing great integrating into our cat pack. Magnus is now ten months old. When he came in the beginning of March, he was scared of human touch and stayed hidden for a few weeks, only coming out to eat. I think the turning point was when we discovered Magnus' great love for ham ;P



He still doesn't come to sit on anyone's lap, but I think it's close. He occasionally brushes against a shin of his own free will, and accepts being petted. He even purrs when touched, but sometimes it might be not from joy but being a little unsure of himself. Sometimes he clearly enjoys petting, pushing the top of his head against your hand and stretching out on the carpet, relaxed. He still sometimes hangs out on top of the huge wardrobe that was his safe place for the first weeks, but less and less, he loves to nap on the armchairs in the living room or on the bed. He doesn't enjoy being picked up, but he tolerates it, and also lets us clip his nails and clean his eyes, which is a great show of trust.

Magnus also loved our cat sitter and let her pet him, so I'm expecting him to become a very social cat some day! I think his breed ensures the natural curiosity, which is great for him getting used to new things. Even if something is a little scary, he still goes to have a look, instead of hiding.

He's also getting along with the other cats well. Magnus can be a bit rough when playing, but the adults then just stop and go away, I think that's the way young cats will eventually learn. Magnus loves feather toys and runs and jumps around until he's exhausted.



When he came, we were so worried when even the finest cat foods didn't get him to eat. Turns out he only wanted raw meat! But nowadays he eats canned food too, and occasionally tastes dry food too. He has grown well and seems to be pure muscle.

Like all kittens he's mischievous, occasionally attacking toes under a blanket or scratching something that's not allowed, but mostly he has stuck to his huge pile of toys (and hunting plastic pots of pepper sprouts from the hydroponic planting thingie...)

I'm really amazed at how fast he has made progress. In three short months he has gotten used to new humans and cats, started to eat new foods and he even sometimes listens when you tell him no. He's a very active but sweet cat, and I can't wait for the time he wants to come to my lap :)
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