Sweet Delerium Jewellry

I found this wonderful womans' creations about a month ago. Her work is macarbe and gorgeous...definatley check her out.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/mysweetdelirium

I've ordered myself a blue cat skull for christmas!! I love it!!

Little Red

My latest Shoot, based on Little Red Riding Hood.

Model; Myself
Photography and editing; Sarah Cannaby
MUA; Sarah Cannaby
Styling; Myself
Location; Barnetts Wood, Chepstow

This shoot was alot of fun, and it was good to get infront of the camera again :)

Full view for a proper look!

Comments? Opinions? xx

Just spreading the inspiration

I find this image so inspirational. Kato of Steampunk Couture, modelling her White Buck Outfit.

It's so serene and beautiful. I adore it!

Updates, Updates, Updates

I am officially a VIP to see Emilie Autumn in March!!! I'm so excited, you would not believe!!!

I already have my outfit planned and am working on my gift for Em.

I am have alot of photo shoots planned some modelling, some photographer. Recently I was part of a mermaid inspired shoot, in which Jadene Van Dyk modelled. The next thing we have planned is a Little Red Riding Hood shoot, in which I will be modelling. So look forward to seeing some badass pictures of the Grimms Brothers creation.

And, Yesterday, I went with my mum, up to Nagshead Nature Reserve, just outside of Coleford. It was a good day, and I enjoyed spending it with mum, although nature wise, it was a bit of a flop. No deer of boar emerged for us. I did get some good pictures of ducks, and alo

t of squirells too. It was gorgeous scenery...so I will pos

t some pictures I took of the area below.

Photoshoot plans!!!

So, I have some photoshoots planned next week with the wonderful Sarah Cannaby. Photography and modelling work. We are going to do one medieval style shoot in the castle, which should be fun...but I'm more excited for our epic make-up shoots. We are going to replicate 'Lady Gagas' - Born This Way' skeleton make-up against a black backdrop...Then we're going to follow that up with day of the dead make-up and voil headpieces.

It's going to be good. It's been a long time since I've properly done a photoshoot, and an even longer time since I've worked with Sarah, who is a make-up master, as well as a really good photographer.

Don't forget to check into my website;

http://www.wix.com/jade_rat/photography

Elizabeth May - Photographer

So today I am here to talk to you about a wonderful photographer (and just published novelist), Elizabeth May.

She has been a great inspiration to me, and has greatly influenced my own work. She has a lovely way of making photos that stand out from the crowd, and have a couture feeling to them.
http://www.elizabethmayphoto.com/ - Her work cannot fail to captivate me.

http://www.elizabethmaywrites.blogspot.com/ - And if you're remotley interested in literature, you may find her writing blog very interesting, I know I do. So yep, there's something beautiful AND inspirational for you. Hope you enjoy!

I'm back

I have been without internet, and therefore have not posted in forever. Although sadly there is not much to tell.

I'm employed again, and I love my new job. I work evenings at my local Wilkinson store. My team members are a good laugh and the work isn't too strenuous.

I've had a breakthrough in my writing, and I now realise where I went wrong in one of my books 3 years ago...so drastic rewrite is underway.

I've even began my christmas shopping...I know, it hasn't even been my birthday yet, but it's my first christmas living with Matt and I want it to be perfect. I've just started getting some of the little things for his stocking fillers.

And yeah it's three weeks till my birthday ( so await a picture blog of everything I get) and also three weeks till me and Matt have been engaged for a year!

I will try and find something interesting to blog about, now that my internet is back.

Hopefully I'll post soon.

Hope everyone's having a spectacular start to October!

...

Ahh, well everythings rather stressful at the moment... I'm supposed to be going back to college next monday, but it doesn't even look like I'll be able to afford the transport... I'm fed up of being told I know nothing about my own life. So I'm having a bit of a chillax evening...
I'm currently reading 3 books simultaneously;
Game of Thrones - George RR Martin
Goddess of Legend - P.C Cast
The Magic Cottage - James Herbert.

I've also started reworking my book 'The battles of Calixte', a fantasy fiction I've been writing on and off for literally years. So I've got a teapot of rose garden tea next to me, my creative playlist on shuffle and wordpad open on my laptop for me to tap tap away all evening...

Inspirational Kato

I just HAD to share, these gorgeous photos of Kate Lambert (Kato - Steampunk Couture) I just love how naturally beautiful they are. I hope they inspire you, as much as they inspire me...

Hope you all had a great start to the week, and have an even better end :)

Tierd and 80s

I'm so tierd recently!! It's ridiculous! I think it's this new work, I'm so unfit, but the work needs to be done by a fit person haha.
I get in from work after an 8 hour shift now, and either fall straight into a three hour nap, followed by a bath, or I just read, read, read. Today I think it's going to be reading, but I'm also going to set about making some more Lavender bags (as my last ones just sold).

I'm currently reading 'The Secret History' by Donna Tart and 'Shiver' by Maggie SteifVater, so expect reviews on them soon.

Here is a pic of me and my friends out for an 80s night in Cardiff...I was so wasted;


This is a very blurry picture of my 80s outfit...

My friend and his family dressed up as The Scooby Gang...complete with his dad in full Scooby Gear, and his mum in gogo boots!

I'm sure there will be more pictures emerging of this night, which I will share here also. God, it was fun...Drank and danced the night away, to epic classics like the Eurythmics and The Proclaimers...all things 80s, surrounded by glittery disco balls!

Book Review; Ultraviolet - RJ Anderson

Once upon a time there was a girl who was special.
This is not her story.
Unless you count the part where I killed her.

Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori - the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible. Right?

(sorry for looking so terrible, I just got in from an 8 hour shift that had me up at 3.30am)

This was yet another book I was reluctant to buy, mainly because it was stacked along side all the new clique teenage romance/horror novels. But it was actually rather good! ALOT of plot twists...things that shouldn't be combined together, but somehow it worked and flowed seamlessly. The further into the book I got, the more my eyes grew wide in shock...a few times I exclaimed, 'No! Did they just? What the...?' I don't want to say anymore about the plot twists, as it would spoil half the fun, so I'll stick to the main story, and just say this books genre would be a hard one to pin point.
Which involves a girl (Alison) being locked away in a modern day mental asylum for an event she can't remember involving a girls dissapearance. The book was rather wonderful and dreamy, because the author had cleverly given the main character Synesthesia - a problem in the brain function which makes people taste words, hear colours, see the letters of the alphabets as different colours and see they have personalities. This made for an even more interesting read. Being set in a mental institute you met alot of interesting people, all with different illnesses and mental diseases. Along side these characters, that helped break up Alisons' time in the asylum, there were also her parents, who for me created alot of controversy...one minute I hated them, and the next they weren't so bad. Her mother particularly was a wonderfully fickle character. The author created some really interesting characters which kept us amused and entertained along the way. This poor girl had to deal with alot, and whilst her reactions to all things real were spot on realistic, her reactions to the unexplained and supernatural were perhaps not too well thought out, as she seemed to just take it all into her stride.
Sebastians character was interesting. He was so hard to figure out, I was consistantly trying to make my mind up about him. I liked that he was much more than just a love interest (despite the beauty of Alisons description of him) he was the missing link, and a key concept to the story. It truley felt like reality, with the relationship developing throughout, rather than the author having just thrown in a bit of love for the hell of it.
I would give this book a 7/10. It was wonderful and beautifully written. Held my intrest, so I had finished it in a few hours. But I felt some of it, despite the content, seemed aimed at young teenagers, and did not reach it's true potential, which is why this is rated at a 7 not an 8.

Book Review; The Host - Stephanie Meyer

Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away.

Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves—Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.

So...don't dismiss it straight away because it's by the author of twilight. Which I did for a very long time, and I really wish I hadn't. After reading 'Host' it's astounding that the 'Twilight' Series was written by the same woman.
Host is posed at a much older generation, and actually deserves the term a literary novel (as opposed to a holiday paperback) We are thrown instantly into our world...but a changed version, inhabited by alien hosts who have taken over the human worlds bodies. This book is probably classified into the Sci-Fi genre, although it is not like any other alien book I've read...there's not that feel to it. The characters in this are far from flat...they are full to the brim of depth and emotion. Even though we are seeing the world from the view of one of these 'alien hosts'. Through her eyes we not only see the trails and emotions of the human race, but also of her own conflicted views. The emotions and problems these lot face are all very realistic, and oddly relatable. It's very easy to get sucked into this alternate reality. There is an undertone of human rights and world views here to, but these are hidden within an excellent plot that will confuse the reader, and make you wonder who you really want to win this battle. Something which can create alot of thought, considering that you may end up fighting on the side against your own people. It's strange how compelling this book is because of it's possibility for the future. Meyer uses description really well in this book, there is not too much, leaving alot to your imagination, but enough to give you guidelines. In 'Host' we are allowed to feel however we want about the characters, because Meyer hasn't forced her own opinions down our throat. There actions are simply placed on the table for us to make a decision about.
Overall a really good book, I give it an 8/10! (for creativity, plot development, and pure engrossing qualitys.)

Mermaid jewellrey and other shennanogans

So I thought I'd share some of the things I'm currently working on, art wise...

My candles are going really well, and the other day I made two giant seashell candles (pictured below) which have already sold. And I've been experimenting alot with different scents and herbs.

I've also taken to making 'Mermaid' Jewellry.
The first piece is a necklace, that my fiance designed.

I started writing again...I may post some up here once I'm happy enough with it...but it's going alright so far...it's been probably almost a year since I put pen to paper!

Next weekend is looking to be a good one. Longleat on Saturday!!! <3 and then a visit to my favourite witchy great auntys amazing house. Matt's never seen it, and as I've vowed that one day that house will be mine...I feel it's important ;) I'll post pics of both these events once they happen.

CURRENT READING LIST;

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows (re-read)
Affinity by Sarah Waters

The poems of Emily Dickinson.

Odd bits of info

So I had a job interview this morning...and I start on Monday!! This should be interesting haha.

I'm surrounded by all my pets, with incense smoke swirling around the room. And the whole upper level of the house reeking pleasantly of sage. I've just finished making some of my new incense blends which should be up for sale on my etsy within the next few days.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/RattyDreams

Oh oh and also...my lettuce pot is officially sprouting green little seedlings!!! Yay!!!! So happy with that.

I tip I've learnt works well today - if you find yourself tierd at work and/or in the morning, carry with you some peppermint or rosemary oil. Rub it into your temples for an instant pick me up!

Also ETSY

My etsy store is now online...I don't have too much on it at the moment... but I'm in the progress of making lavender bags, incense blends, sage sticks, and many more different candles.

Check it out;

http://www.etsy.com/shop/RattyDreams?ref=pr_shop

Inspirational photos

So, So..
It's been a while, so I thought I'd just drop in and leave an inspirational photo for you all.

Oh hell, here have one more...

Have a magical week everyone...

My Faerie Wings!

The process photos of me making my own faerie wings...something went wrong when i was joining them up, but I can't figure out what haha.
Anyway:




Painting...


Decorating...



Bottom two wings finished...







They're actually very sturdy! One of the problems is when you cover the wire in the fabric, the wire loses it shape, and can't really be re-bent. If the shapes had worked together, then I think these would have turned out rather well.

In response to Hanae

To Hanae, who commented on my post on Crafts.

For some reason blogger won't let me comment straight back to you, so in response to your question;

My etsy store is currently under construction, as I am busy making my items. If you were wondering, my faerie wings will not be for sale, as they're no where near the quality I want them to be. However leech pillows and cuddly leech toys will be available in various styles and colours.

I will make a post as soon as my etsy store is running smoothly :)

Fitness and Confidence

Well I've been doing some thinking recently. And I'm really not happy with my weight, or more preciseley the way my body looks. And it is important for me to be confident in my own skin.
So I'm currently looking at getting a gym membership, I want to get back into swimming properly, and I'm making a healthy eating plan.

I'm also experimenting with other types of excercise, which are also fun, and I've always wanted to do. For instance I have taken to what I call 'My Bellydance Mornings', every morning I shimmy along to tutorial videos, and I'm also thinking of taking a yoga class, but we shall see.

In the past week I've dropped 2pounds, which isn't alot, but is a start.

I want to be fit, I want to be healthy, and I want to be confident!

Crafts

The current craft list I am undertaking;

-Fairy Wings
- Candles
-Scented Soaps
-Bath Salts
-Leech pillow

The candles are top on my priority, all things will be handmade. If they turn out ok, I may just set up my own Etsy store to sell them all for.
I have some really funky ideas for the candles. I just need the material to make my leech pillow, which I will be hunting for over the next few days, along with the wire for my faerie wings.

I'm so excited I simply can't wait to get everything underway!

Todays Post #3

And finally todays activity. I went out and took some self portraits, which I then experimented subtle editing on. I think they came out really well, and love the outcomes.

Vintage Nature


Nature

I also went round for a pot of tea at my friends, who had a new kitten. So of-course I took the photo op for that aswell. Isn't she cute?

TigerLily

Todays posts #2

This post is about my latest success. I did my first tattoo a week or so ago! It was rather nerve-racking, but great fun. I did my best, and I think it came out rather well (considering before this I'd only had a tattoo gun for half an hour) I tattoed some song lyrics on an old friends calf...

Todays posts #1

I'm trying to find something new to do everyday. My aim is to create something no matter how small each day of my holidays. I'm feeling really physically drained at the moment, but I'm doing my best to force myself out of bed early in the morning.

I've got a fair bit to share about what's been going on in my life recently but I don't want to make a massive post, so I'm going to make 3 posts on various aspects.
In this one I'll simply tell you all about my new pet.
Gorgeous little ratty Wolverine!! He's utterly adorable and spoilt rotten with treats.