Steampunk Tattoos

As both a lover of Steampunk and a lover of tattoos, it was only a matter of time before I decided to combine my loves.  About a year ago, I got my first (of hopefully many) Steampunk tattoo (not my first tattoo, but my first punky one).  It's on my left thigh, a nice place for women to get tattoos as it can be easily covered, and it usually ends up looking quite sexy (especially in a bathing suit).  Here's a picture, which has rather bad resolution and is upside-down, unfortunately, but I have an awful camera so I hope you'll forgive me (there's a much better photo in my tattoo artist's portfolio, on the second row down):

I already have my next Steampunk tattoo planned.  It will be a mechanical Sailor Jerry style swallow.  I'm debating whether to do it in rich purple and blue, or traditional brown, grey, and gold (like the koi above).  Since I already have a bright blue and purple tattoo on my back, I think I'll go with the copper and metal color scheme.

If you love Jane Austen, read on...

Have you ever wanted, even briefly, to live in a Jane Austen novel?  I'm assuming you have.  If it's not the adorable manners, it's the clothes, or the dances, or the lazy upper class lifestyle.  It's just all too lovely!  Well you can't live in a Jane Austen novel.  I'm sorry.  Deal with it and get back to the real world.  But at this adorable site, you can get close, kind of...

Which Austen woman will you be?

Caio!
The Lonely Alchemist

A tidbit of Jane Austen

No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy would have supposed her born to be an heroine. Her situation in life, the character of her father and mother, her own person and disposition, were all equally against her. Her father was a clergyman, without being neglected, or poor, and a very respectable man, though his name was Richard—and he had never been handsome. He had a considerable independence besides two good livings—and he was not in the least addicted to locking up his daughters. Her mother was a woman of useful plain sense, with a good temper, and, what is more remarkable, with a good constitution. She had three sons before Catherine was born; and instead of dying in bringing the latter into the world, as anybody might expect, she still lived on—lived to have six children more—to see them growing up around her, and to enjoy excellent health herself. A family of ten children will be always called a fine family, where there are heads and arms and legs enough for the number; but the Morlands had little other right to the word, for they were in general very plain, and Catherine, for many years of her life, as plain as any. She had a thin awkward figure, a sallow skin without colour, dark lank hair, and strong features—so much for her person; and not less unpropitious for heroism seemed her mind. She was fond of all boy's plays, and greatly preferred cricket not merely to dolls, but to the more heroic enjoyments of infancy, nursing a dormouse, feeding a canary-bird, or watering a rose-bush. Indeed she had no taste for a garden; and if she gathered flowers at all, it was chiefly for the pleasure of mischief—at least so it was conjectured from her always preferring those which she was forbidden to take. Such were her propensities—her abilities were quite as extraordinary.

Recipe: Stuffed Mushrooms

One of the hors-d'oeuvres staples of any proper Victorian hostess's party is the stuffed mushroom.  Easy to make for even the most beginner chef, classy, and delicious, stuffed mushrooms add elegance and flavor to any dinner party or wine tasting.  We absolutely LOVE them!  So for you hostessing pleasure, here is the Lonely Alchemist's very own stuffed mushroom recipe.

The Assassin's Arsenal: beautiful and deadly

We are taking a little hiatus from Madame Yvina/ Sybil's fascinating tale here at the Lonely Alchemist while we move, so to tide you over, here is a little collection of some of the items in the famed assassin's traveling kit.  If you see anything you like, just click on one of the links below.  Everything in Yvina's arsenal is from Etsy sellers who love Steampunk/Victorian/Gothic arts and crafts!

 

 

(just click the picture to enlarge)

 Corsets from:

Alice and Willow

Damsel in this Dress

Louise Black

Accessories from:

Fable and Fury

Gardens of Whimsey

Umbrella Laboratory

Funk Love Designs

The Nifty Nutter

Fine Art from: 

Light Witch

Miss Quite Contrary

Tarot Cards from:

Curlycue Design

Perfume from:

Birdcage and Labyrinth

Poisons/Weapons from:

Aberrant Affixments

Old Junkyard Boutique

Tea from:

Craig's Market

Ciao!

The Lonely Alchemist

Poetry Tuesday: "Without Hope" By Samuel Taylor Coleridge

All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair—
The bees are stirring—birds are on the wing-
And Winter, slumbering in the open air,  
Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!  
And I, the while, the sole unbusy thing,          
Nor honey make, nor pair, nor build, nor sing.    

Yet well I ken the banks where amaranths blow,  
Have traced the fount whence streams of nectar flow.  
Bloom, O ye amaranths! bloom for whom ye may,  
For me ye bloom not! Glide, rich streams, away!   
With lips unbrighten'd, wreathless brow, I stroll:  
And would you learn the spells that drowse my soul?  
Work without Hope draws nectar in a sieve,  
And Hope without an object cannot live.

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Ciao!

The Lonely Alchemist

A Touch of Jane Austen

Have you ever wondered which Jane Austen heroine you are really like? This adorable quiz can tell you! I took this two years ago and got the result of Eleanor Dashwood, but more recently I got Lizzie Bennet. (I guess I've gotten more adventurous).




Have Fun!

Caio!

The Lonely Alchemist