No coal in MY stocking, no sir!

Skull shaped (duh!) glycerin soaps.
Mini Fragrance Mists 5ml

Santa Claus says I'm a good girl and can order some holiday goodies from AntiSally at GothRosary.com :-D






MINI Fragrance Mists 5ml Alcohol Free = $2.99
Fragrance FUNERAL FLOWERS™
Fragrance SEATTLE RAIN™
Fragrance SHADOWS™
Fragrance GOTHIC ROSE™

Tin Coffin Travel Candle = $3.99 [scroll down for pic in previous post]
Fragrance GRAVEYARD™

Skull Shaped Organic Vegan Glycerin Guest Size Soaps = $4.99
Fragrance BLACK WINGS™

All is made by her and cruelty free, natural. And she has roughly 5 additional fragrances not indicated in this post. Can't wait! My husband will probably think I've truly flipped now...but so far he's cool with it. Frankly it may be more he's just finally given up on me. :-p

Film: Daughter of Darkness [1948 United Kingdom]

Superb.

Yesterday while looking for a copy of "Dracula" (1992 Ryder/Oldman) at Hastings Books & Gifts, I saw this DVD. The black/white immediately caught my attention, and also the Vivien Leigh look of the actress on it (Siobahn McKenna). From the 1960s? No, from 1948! I'm a sucker for '40s films, and this being a Gothic/Noir...well you know (wink). From the back panel:

"An atmospheric Gothic chiller following an Irish maid with an irresistable attraction to men. With the reputation as a temptress where even the local priest is after her, sexual desire soon descends into brutal psychopathy with a grave ending!

A startling film for its time, Daughter of Darkness posed censorship problems at the time of its release, due to its dark material, and has since remained a lost film waiting to be rediscovered."

I watched it last night and loved it! McKenna is excellent as Emmi Beaudine, a natural beauty who innocently possesses a powerful sexuality. Men are violently attracted to her, obsessive; one man rapes her. Women are equally violent towards her: Jealous and suspicious. When she's driven from the Irish village as servant to the local parish priest, she arrives on an English farm as a servant. History repeats itself and Emmi finds herself in similar troubles with angry hostile females and hotly arduous males. Meanwhile she's honestly puzzled and discomforted by the intensity of the raw emotions constantly swirling around her. Emmi is accused of being "a brazen slut," though she's simply going about life seeking acceptance and the warmth of family and friends. Emmi is soon fired from her servant's job on the English farm; desperate, she has nowhere to go and fears a repeat of her usual experiences elsewhere. Tensions swiftly mount to a startling conclusion.

McKenna carried the character off beautifully. I could almost believe she is Emmi. The character is, imo, sympathetic; I felt sorry for Emmi and liked her. The dialogue, acting, storyline are all wonderfully executed. As for the parish priest lusting after Emmi, that's incorrect.

Extra Features includes "Kiss of Death: Femme Fatale on Film," an "exclusive expert insight into film noir and the femme fatale." I enjoyed this too.

It's a tight little thriller which I'm glad to have in my DVD collection. I'm very picky about films, and this one is an ace.

Coffin Candle Tins: Arrived!

These little gems arrived just 15 minutes ago in the mail. I ordered two of them, "Seattle Rain" scent; one for sister and the other for myself. They are pudgy palm-fit cuties with a mild and pleasing scent. Mine's already on my dresser, and once the wax is burned it'll go into my purse to hold mints or coins. AntiSally tucked in two white matchbooks with crimson lettering, and also a little box of Lemonheads candy with her business card. AntiSally is a professional; she always profusely thanks the customer and service is speedy. Gothrosary.com is her addy. She makes and sells cruelty-free/vegan soaps, lotions and oils primarily. Other Goth-oriented goodies as well. I do recommend her!

Winona Ryder: Goth Girl

I love Winona Ryder, particularly in "Dracula." It's been quite a while since I've seen this stunningly gorgeous film and it's been in mind. Will pick up a DVD copy of it soon. Gary Oldman is super sexy, a true eye-candy treat. The 1st image is not an actual photo of Winona; it's a painting I found on the internet. She's eternally beautiful.

Favorite Seasonal Items

It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween -- all around this blog. And since we know Halloween is over, here's some of my favorite December stuff. My "religious" calendar is not easily categorized (that's all I'll say); however, I do enjoy the sights, scents, flavors and overall merriment which is December. And yes, I also do like fruitcake - if it's my mother's recipe. Go ahead and laugh; you're just jealous YOU can't have a slice of it with a dab of fresh butter. >:-p And creamy dreamy homemade eggnog; such a delight. No rum. No liquor shall touch my delicious eggnog! Not that I'm against an occasional mixed drink, it's just that eggnog must remain pure and undefiled. ;-) I've included a photo of Orange Drop Cookies (with orange frosting). They are tender cake-like cookies, fabulously delicious; I've not yet known one person who disliked Orange Drop Cookies (in fact I've known of people *fighting* over them). Have a good season everyone!

The cover I've wanted!

This was scanned by Absinthe of the now-gone (and still very much missed) "Gloomy Sunday" blog. It was her copy of course, and I've hoped to obtain one of my own, but apparently there are very few "out there". Before she unexpectantly pulled the plug on her blog last year, Absinthe offered to let me copy and use her scans; at the time of course I had no idea she was about to cease blogging. :-\ So, on the off-chance you're reading this Absinthe: Thanks again. It's my absolute favorite cover. I've found the novel itself locally (different edition/publisher), and later placed an order for what I thought was THIS edition with THIS cover. Alas it turns out I ordered (and paid S & H) for the same edition as I already had (its cover is pathetic).
What's this cute chubby kitten doing on Garnet Night? Yours truly is in a slightly foul mood this a.m.; something furry and adorable to look at might help restore the merries.

The Witches of Windlake, by Miriam Lynch

Late '60s, IIRC. Another bomb by Miriam Lynch (I'm beginning to wonder if "The Bells of Widow's Bay" was an exception for her??). This is another Gothic I set aside after roughly 50 pages (if that) into it. The cover art was obtained via FantasticFiction.uk. It is one of the more beautifully sinister of covers, and a pity it's a bit blurred. Deep reds and stark blacks dominate.

The story opens with a downtrodden late-teenaged heroine taking a stroll on an icy and bitterly cold late November afternoon. I was born/raised in Iowa, and that just does NOT happen. I wonder if Ms. Lynch was a native southern Californian; they seem to think people up north walk barefoot in the snow. >:-\ Anyway, the heroine's homelife is impoverished and mean. Her stepmother and half-siblings are against her, and she's seeking an afternoon away from the usual drudgery. She again comes across a nearby bleak old mansion and this time, feeling extra gutsy even if the sun is near to sinking beneath the horizon and it's the late 1800s and she has nary a lantern nor a candle on her, decides to investigate.

Turns out the menacing semi-dilapidated old house is inhabited. Initially its inhabitants aren't friendly, but she's allowed entrance. She's sized up by the master of the domain, who likes what he sees; he's a widower with an out-of-control son. Would she be willing to become the child's governess for good pay and free room/board?

The heroine readily accepts. She won't even bother returning home to inform her family. She dines with her new employers, one of whom is grandmother of the heroine's new charge. A fancy dinner is spread out in a luxurious dining room. The delicious meal starts off well enough...and then a pall descends over the hosts. Everyone picks fearfully at their plates. The heroine soon learns that witchly in-laws have been chasing down father and son; and within half an hour these 3 "grand dames" arrive and begin asserting control.

I found the storywriting stilted, and the course of events far too rushed and improbable. Maybe I'll pick it up again some time, but have no great urge to.