~* Butterfly Goth:: Outfit of the Day - Wedding Outfit *~

Here is a recent outfit of the day from when I attended a relative's wedding. It was a lovely, casual wedding ceremony in their backyard so I didn't want to dress up too much.

I wore one of my favourite, comfortable lace skirts with a fake corset top (the corset design is simply drawn on the singlet), lace cardigan with black roses etc.

I wore my floppy casual hat with a couple of decorations on it, with butterfly-themed accessories and my normal bracelets I usually wear.

Here is a close-up of the new fishnet stockings from Dangerfield and my suede black high-heels (a thrift find).

Close up of the accessories - fishnet hair ribbons I made myself, a colourful butterfly brooch, my fake tattoo choker I wear all the time, sparkly butterfly necklace etc.

And finally, my new lace gloves which I adore - also from Dangerfield.

~* ::Old Photo of the Day:: Lady in Red *~

Here are a couple of old photos from 2010 when I attended a friend’s semi-casual afternoon wedding. It also displays a bit of the home decor of the place we used to live in (this is the way it looked before we repainted the walls pewter cup grey with shiny black borders and skirting boards etc).

I decided to wear a red and black outfit. As usual, I'm wearing a vintage outfit: a red pillbox hat from a thrift store (or opportunity shop as they are known in Australia); black beaded choker; red rose brooches; vintage cameo; red fishnet top under black top with red-and-black singlet over it; with a tiny red handbag. I'm also wearing one of my all-time favourite velvety skirts (you can slightly see the black and red striped legwarmers underneath).

We still have these antique Victorian chairs - they are ebonised wood from the 1800's with red velvet. I love them but they aren't very practical, especially with a toddler running around the house. We plan on getting another dining room setting very soon as well as other furniture we need. I will write future blog posts about our gothy home decor and renovation plans for our current abode.

We still have this rug also - it took us a long time to find it and decide on it - it has an ornate Victorian-style border and plain black in the centre.

~* Someone Special Theme *~

Well, today is Father's Day where I live and I thought, what better day to take part in Sophistique Noir's Someone Special Monthly Theme post?

This is the second Father's Day that The Husband is celebrating (our daughter is almost 2 years old already) so it is definitely something special... There is a surreal, mystical feeling today since there was a full and blue moon recently and there are some big changes happening in our life at the moment (I'll tell you more in future posts). So I am viewing this as a sign of New Beginnings and a fresh start, the end of an era and the start of a new chapter in our lives...

Here are a couple of photos of us on our wedding day in 2006 in honour of Victorian Gothic Romanticism. We have been together since 2003! We met at a mutual friends house party and we were friends for a few months before officially going out! He is the love of my life, my soul mate... We connect mentally, physically and spiritually and we undertand each other which is what's most significant to me...

~* Introducting Myself to the Interwebs... *~

Greetings and Salutations, interwebs! I suppose I should really introduce myself since I have already posted two entries without any sort of introduction. So here we go. I’m an Advertising / Publicity Coordinator, Writer, Editor, Publisher and Designer. I have worked in (and continue to work in) various industries including public relations, the web and the media.

My philosophies of life are a combination of New Age, Gothic, and Jewitch (that is, I am a Jewish Witch). I’m interested in various aspects of kabala, magick, yoga, meditation, astrology, tarot, aromatherapy, naturopathy, affirmations, visualizations, candles, crystals and the general concept of balancing mind, body and spirit and all aspects of my life.

I live with my husband and daughter in an endearing 1970’s-style house which we continue to decorate and renovate into an olde-worlde Gothic style (this is indeed an on-going project). I call our home The Stardust Castle (the name of this blog) or the Enchanted Gothic Cottage. We were married in 2006 in a Victorian Gothic Romance themed-wedding with a traditional Jewish ceremony followed by a Celtic hand-fasting.

Here are a couple of photos from my wedding day including a full length view of the dress and the veil:

With an addiction to buying old, recycled, secondhand, pre-loved and vintage items: I purchase anything that takes my fancy from clothes, books and collectibles. I am almost fanatical about this pastime and am interested in creating my own outfits, putting together costumes and décor while even researching historical periods and antique aspects of the items I unearth. I have an insatiable longing for the romantic times of the past such as Elizabethan, Edwardian, Renaissance and Victorian.

I am a dedicated Doors fan and Jim Morrison enthusiast and at one point, even started a fan club and website for the band. When I was 19, I made the pilgrimage to Jim’s grave in Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris which was a truly spiritual experience I will never forget.

I love attending masquerade balls, festivals, concerts, Goth clubs and any event that gives me the excuse to “dress up”. Despite this, I am also a bit of a hermit and require my solitary time! I must admit I'm very shy – but I’m attempting to come out of my shell which is one of the reasons I started this blog!