I Dream of Halloween

Oh and I do dream of Halloween and it can't come soon enough ! I get so excited when I see all the Fall and Halloween items out already out at the local crafts stores ...whoo hoo !
Here I a have a new listing on ebay for a litle doll stand that captures the anticipation for the season, "I Dream of Halloween " .For those who are just plum crazy about Halloween as I am know that we even think about it in our sleep :)

~Nina.

And the Winners are ....

First of all a BIG THANK YOU you for all those who participated in this blog give away. It was very fun meeting new bloggers and connecting with fellow artist !

The winning names for the GSB ART give away are:


1rst Prize- Iva's Creations ( Skeleton Boudoir Doll)


2nd Prize-Lisa Nelson's Art ( 5 piece bath and body set )


3rd Prize- Magikal Seasons ( Scented Sachet doll and Candle )

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! If your name was drawn, please contact me with your mailing information so I can send your prize to you ! gothicsouthernbelle76@yahoo.com

I wish I could have sent every one who particiapted a little something but don't worry I will be doing another give away here soon ...yay!!! You are all winners to me and I am very lucky and honored to have you all keep up with my little ol' blog :)
Big Hugs and Dark Kisses,
~Nina

The Monkey's Paw

I remember the first time I ever read this story "The Monkey's Paw" by W.W Jacobs, it reeeealy spooked me being only 7 or 8 . Yes, instead of pretty princess bedtime stories at night we got haunted house and ghost stories, chiller and thriller novels read to me and my sister by my brothers from books they got at school book fairs . My dad would read us Tolkien every now and then because he wanted break the creepy trend, but orck fighting , dragon slaying and wars to save Middle Earth from an evil villian who wanted "world domination" and a ring... not much better. ( he-he)

Ahh ,childhood memories explains a lot though ;)

Well some may be familiar with the monky paw story but if you are not or have never read it you should I think you will enjoy the chill it gives you .

A classic tale of horror and a touch of mystic magic centered around a curious and grotesque dried up monkey paw that grantes three wishes. A story with the moral of be careful what you wish for ,one must not interfere with fate or what you ask for may come to you but at the price of death .

So with this I was inspired to make a new doll now listed on eBay ...do drop by and take a peek ..if you wish ;)

Nina.

GSB ART GIVE A WAY!!!!

So I passed my 50th blog post and did not even know it !Oop's :)
I planned on doing this when I hit the 50th but the 52nd post will do just fine!

Ok, so it is now time to tell you how I will be celebrating this small milestone.
I am giving away a few dark goodies in an original skeleton boudoir bed doll , Dark Bath and Body Products from my VMB shop,and a skeleton sachet doll with dark scented VMB candle votive. There will be three lucky winners who's name I will draw at random from my mystery box on Monday June 22nd ! How do you enter the drawing you ask ? Well...

To enter your name you need only to do just one of the following :

1. Leave a lovely comment on this posting .
2.Become one of my beloved followers of my blog.
3.Email me at gothicsouthernbelle76@yahoo.com that you would like your name to be added in the box.
...and tadaaa... that's it!

If you have a blog of your own and would be so kind as to post about this give away to spread the word ,then your name will be entered in the box twice for a double chance of winning...as well as a BIG THANK YOU for doing so !
Let's see what we have in the prize box for you :)

First name drawing will be the lucky winner of an Original Boudoir Skeleton doll which measure 10 inches in length and is a perfect addition to ones spooky decor but yet still will add a touch of vintage inspired loveliness!

Second name drawing will be be for a 5 piece set of dark indulgance bath and body products from my Velvet Moon Bathery shop of "Thorns and Apples" perfume roll on ,"Night Magic" Bath Salts,"Theatre de Vampire" Soap,"Gothic Southern Belle" Lotion and "Vanilla Mourning" Perfume Dram .

And the third name to be drawn will be the winner of a hand sewn, hand painted skeleton sachet doll and votive VMB candle. The sachet doll is filled with fine powders and herbs and sachet beads scented in a Lavander and Amber Vanilla scent , perfect for linen closets and drawers or as display too. The candle is a 3.oz votive, soy creme wax candle, scented in "Tea and Tarot"...which is a lovely tea, ginger and vanilla scent, blended with grapefruit and sage and a

touch of carnations.

So there you have it my first blog give away!!! I am so excited ! Do remember to get your name in there before Monday June, 22nd . Much love and appreciation goes out to all my readers, followers, and fellow blogger friends !

~Nina

Dearly Departed

A new listing on ebay this morning for a doll I call "Dearly Departed" She represents the dark mystery of secret meetings to conjour spirits of the dead by seances, or perhaps by Ouija boards. A past time that was very popular during the Victorian Era and used as parlor entertainment . Very popluar as well among the fakes who claimed to be able to communicate with the dead only to swindle poor mournful fools out of thier money, in hopes of contact with their beloved ones once more.

Drop on by and visit, perhaps she will be able to contact a ghost or two for you :)

Georgia on my Mind

( singing .. )

....just and old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind :) he-he

And yes indeed Georgia was on my mind when this little lady came into vision. She embodies a southern, country beauty of days gone by ,with a touch of darkness in murderous secrets that were buried in the peach orchards to get rid of the evidence. A perfect hidding place dont you think? Drop by and visit "Georgia Peach" now on eBay ..oh but beware not to pick the peaches for those trees surely yield bad fruit.

~Nina.

Trixie the Hallowen Witch

Another fun and whimsey doll I made in the spirit of Halloween. She is a witch with a trickster side to her personality, playing pranks and jokes on the town folk on Halloween just to make mischief and entertain herself...it gets lonely at the cottage sometimes you know.

I call her Trixie and she is now listed on eBay do drop by by for a spell :)

Absinthe Doll

Ok, so one bottle down, 3 more to go from the previous posting . I listed a new doll on eBay this afternoon simply called "Absinthe ". I have always loved to read about the history and hysteria that surrounded this drink from back in the day. An inspiration for poets, artists and writers but also said to have made many go crazy from drinking it as it would cause hallucinations , insanity and even death . Here is a little link I came across one day, it is a "Buyers Guide to Absinthe" which has has links, history and other informative articles about the spirit you may enjoy reading about .

Though the little bottle I used for the doll accent is not a real mini Absinthe bottle, it did contain a liquore at one time, that yes in indeed I did partake in the comsumption of . I did not see a green fay or any other winged fantasy creature for that matter in drinking it,but I did see the vision of the Absinthe doll when I was done , among many other visions and ideas with the rest of the bottles I drank that night(rough week ). Some were blurry as the night went on but others I remembered the next day... thank goodness :) he-he!

~Nina~

Stay tuned!

~Nina~

Flora and Fauna

I do not watch much TV but when a show called "Carnivale" was on HBO for about two seasons I was hooked ! This captured elements of dark carnival mystique, prophecy and the super natural. There was fortune telling, sideshow acts and burlesque dancers mixed in with a love story, all set in hard times during the depression, an amazing story line! I really must buy the box set to add to my movie library... drop by and read more on the show if you have moment, you will enjoy it!

Ok so , "Flora and Fauna",now on eBay, came to be from a mixture of carnival sideshow inspiration and the twin characters that where the love interest of Uncle Fester and Gomez when they were boys, in the wonderful, dark humor movie "The Addams Family". I have not watched this movie in a while (which is one of my favorites by the way) but funny how little things you have seen or heard stay with you for a looong time . Perhaps I will dig up some old movie this weekend and see what new things I can come up with !

Do drop by and visit the twins :)

~Nina.

"Ghosts of the Mississippi"

The week I made this doll my thoughts were on images and stories of the Old South. If one does research on Haunted Mississippi and Ghost Stories of the south you will find some really fascinating and spooky tales . I have quite a few books with this premise that I love to read and draw inspiration from. Not to mention living in a very historic area in Virginia, I need only to drive around town and the local area to take a step back in time with all the Civil War sites, historical homes and old graveyards :)

The Idea of " Ghosts of the Mississippi" which is now listed on eBay , came to me one evening while reflecting on past stories I have read. One particular one took place on a river boat in which a poker game went wrong, resulting in murder and a body being tossed overboard into the cold Mississippi that night . It was said that on a full moon one can see a white figure running along the banks of the river as the majestic river boats go by . The towns folk believe it is the spirit of the poor soul who lost his life that fateful night to a sly hand ...trying to find those who have wronged him ....... oooohhh !!! he-he ;)

~Nina.