In Memoriam: Seraphim

Grave 003, a photo by DIY Mysticism on Flickr.

HERE lies the Remains of
the Rev. Joseph Lamb who
departed this Life July ye 28th
A D. 1749 Etatis Suse 60.

The Terrors dire from Sinais mount
Thy Mouth did once proclaim:
As well as Messages of Grace.
In thy great Masters Name.
But with pure athereal Fires
With Seraphims above.
We hope & trust thou now do it Sing.
The wonders of his Love~

Color Magick - Earth Elements

The Magical Colors of Earth

The earth is a vast place.  Do not limit yourself to the traditional symbolic colors to evoke the
element of earth in magical workings.

The colors of a wheat field being reaped are associate associated with harvest and bounty. They could alternatively be seen as a color of dead plants or the end of growth. To other people it may evoke playfulness and memories of cornfield mazes from childhood (especially if you think about the dog in the photo).  

A color that signifies health can mean death in a different context. Bright red can be the red tide, a wave of poison and death. Deep red can be beautiful roses and mean love. The connection that we make with a color is based on our unique experience with that color.

Personal memories give greater power to a color used for ritual purposes.

Some associated meanings:

• green - plants, growth, new life, spring
• use: to invoke the constant life of evergreens
• brown - ground, dirt, wood, autumn
• use: to invoke a connection to the earth
• yellow -  sun, gold, summer, sunlight
• use: to invoke the life giving light of the sun
• gray - stone, moon, silver, storm clouds, mountains
• orange - fruit, flowers, fire
• use: to invoke the transforming heat of lava
• white - clouds, ice
• sympathetic or imitation magic
• choose an object with a color that evokes a specific earth element
• use: white - cotton balls for clouds (rain), black - burned wood for rebirth (forest fires)
• spectrum or rainbow
• multicolored - to evoke the evolved pageantry of animals (for attracting mates)

Dark Rabbit

Rabbit Ball-jointed Doll, a photo by DIY Mysticism on Flickr.

The Dark Rabbit from Alice in Nightmare

He's a sweetie. He has a beautiful face-up.

Doll by Pipo at piposland.com

Domo-Kun: A Family Obsession

From my sister, check out her
blog
A Demonstration of Gratitude

I was introduced to Domo by my sister. She bought a Domo series 1 blindbox while we were out shopping in Pittsburgh. Domo charmed me in one second.

Our family of Domos

He was so adorable with his open mouth and squat shape. 


As soon as I could get to my computer, I looked him up and learned that he is the mascot of a Japanese TV channel.  I found his NHK station bumps online (and later bought a dvd of his various shorts from Amazon).


The commercial bumps and shorts starring Domo are directed by Tsuneo Gōta. My sister saw his panel when she went to Comic-Con and found him very interesting. She even sent me a video she recorded of a special Domo video that was playing at the convention.


The shorts always make me smile. Domo is the iconic character with his face of surprised joy. He is joined by a cast including Mr. Usaji (an old rabbit) and Tashanna (a fashionable weasel).


I ordered a Domo series 2 from Kidrobot. He was a little pink guy that my mom fell in love with. Shortly after that, my mom bought two Domos. I had gotten her hooked (She said that he looks like the embodiment of the frustration that we all feel sometimes).


Featured here is a Domo video from the thedomonation channel on youtube. Check him out.

Daydream Magic

Adventure Time
Featured with permission
from Fred-Weasley
(Algebraic!)

Visit deviantART to see
more of Fred-Weasley's work

Daydreaming for change.

In Rainy Day Daydream, a knife storm forces Finn and Jake to have their adventure time inside. Finn is skeptical. He doesn't think they can have an adventure in the treehouse until he learns that anything Jake imagines becomes real.

With Hurricane Irene approaching, I needed a rainy day adventure. I turned to cartoons, art and a little magic. I created an AT-inspired image (pictured below) of a wand that "poops glitter and rainbows" ("What could be gooder than that?").

Art is a way to manifest thoughts and emotions through visual representation. Thoughts can also be given form through thinking and dreaming.

In the past, some considered daydreams unhealthy and damaging. It's now known that daydreaming can improve mental function. Daydreams can also change the world.

Thoughtforms are a concept in magick. They are the physical manifestations of thoughts or intent.

Thoughtforms are the result of conception.  Conception is the creation of an idea or image in the brain. Further thought on an idea (such as daydreaming about what you want to achieve) increases the potency of the thoughtform.

By Me on my deviantART page

Art can aid in the development of a thoughtform. Drawing symbols or a visual representation enhances the form of a thought. The magic can be further strengthened with physical action (like speaking an incantation).

Now, daydreaming won't make your stove melt like Jake's daydreaming. But daydreaming can transform your life and your world.

The Saint with a Question Mark instead of a Halo

His name was Vincent Price.

He was known for many things (including  a long string of horror movies and his turn as Egghead on the 1960s Batman series).

His career is chronicled in the featured drawing. It looks cute small, but the large version is amazing.

Not pictured is The Saint. Which is fitting considering he never played the Saint on screen.

In the 40s, Price played Simon Templar on radio.

I began my addiction to olde time radio when I had hours to fill on my ipod and no money to spend on music. Radio shows (like Dragnet, The Saint and Boston Blackie) were a half hour each and fun to listen to at work.

After I learned how to listen to radio shows, I discovered that not every radio show is created equal (some are unlistenable). With the Saint, there's humor and adventure, great production, acting and writing. 

Radio detective shows are fantastic adventures.

They are mysteries but the adventure is central. Over the course of the series, there is a what-not worth killing over, a criminal monkey, and ghosts that giggle, bleed and say ouch.

There's also heart, particularly in the (obligatory boxer) episode titled "Simon Minds the Baby", where Simon is left to care for little Donny while unraveling the plot threatening his life. His costar in the episode is Louie the cab driver. He is a recurring character who is humorous without always being comic relief.

A tip for radio newbies, if they talk about 'looking at 

etchings', they ain't talking about drawings.

Download the Saint for free at http://www.archive.org/details/TheSaintVincentPriceOTR

Mushrooms in Compost

Mushrooms, a photo by DIY Mysticism on Flickr.

A big pile of dead and decaying leaves give life to mushrooms. Honestly, I think mushrooms are as creepy as spiders

10 Things Crow, Tom, and Gypsy Taught Me

I've learned so much...

1. It is just a show, I really should relax.
2. Temp agencies are good sources for unwilling participants for evil experiments.
3. To open a bed and breakfast, all I need is a bed, Lo Mein, a llama, some local color and to remember not to give any matches to Mikey. ¹
4. Hamdingers are a meaty treat that nobody wants to eat.
5. Nothing good ever happens at an isolated country house. ²
6. There isn't a movie that couldn't be improved with a little movie theater silhouette. ⁶ 
7. Goosio is a friend to Maltese children everywhere ³ and Gamera is a friend to children everywhere when he's not trying to kill them
8. Coily will damn me forever if I don't respect the springs!  ⁴
9. Tickle Me Carlo Lombardi is my friend forever. ⁵
10. Little kids and nuclear weapons is the perfect combination.

¹ The Amazing Transparent Man season 6 episode 23
² The Brain that Wouldn't Die season 5 episode 13
³ Final Justice season 10 episode 8
⁴ Squirm season 10 episode 12
⁵ The She Creature season 8 episode 8
⁶ especially the movies on syfy that give schlock a bad name...I mean Space Mutiny is a masterpiece compared to the average Syfy original movie.

Ball-Jointed Dolls

Meet Tjiep

My mom collects BJD or ball-jointed dolls. This is Tjiep. He's sweet and small.

I was amazed when I was taking this pictured at how well he stands on his own.

Doll by Susan Vervoort

Conjuring and Casting with Alice and the White Rabbit

Some Magical Symbols from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Symbols can be used alone or to aid in ritual workings. The most significant magical symbols are those that hold meaning for you. You do not have to be limited to traditional symbols listed in books.

Alice in Wonderland is a magical story that has enchanted millions for generations. It can also be used for real magic by incorporating the symbols.

• Alice - duality, identity
• "...for this curious child was very fond of pretending to be two people" - Chapter 1
• she frequently questions her own identity
• she physically transforms through out the book
• bottle - potion
• bottle labeled 'drink me' contains the potion that shrinks her
• cake - potion
• cake with 'eat me' spelled out in currants causes her to grow taller
• caterpillar - metamorphosis
• gives Alice advice
• her greatest source of knowledge and wisdom
• cheshire cat - invisibility, teleportation
• vanishes and reappears in different locations
• trickster character
• hall of doors - possibilities
• a hall of locked doors that could lead anywhere
• takes Alice exactly where she wants to be
• key - opening doors
• key allows her to enter the Queen's garden
• mushroom - self-transformation
• transformative fungus
• allows Alice to grow herself larger and smaller
• pepper - transformation
• transformative spice
• present when the baby is transformed into a pig
• rabbit-hole - entry into another world
• Alice's door into Wonderland
• tea cup and tea pot - abundancy
• associated with the endless tea party
• "It's always tea-time and we've no time to wash the things between the whiles." - Hatter, Chapter 7
• Considering that they had no time to wash the dishes, they also had no time to make tea.
• Leading to the idea that they have an endless supply of tea
• watch - time
• time is an antagonistic character to the March Hare and the Mad Hatter with a conscious will
• white rabbit - guide
• leads Alice down the rabbit-hole and into Wonderland

Bloobalooby Words

Adventure Time Edition
Scope it here.

Adventure Time is a cartoon that is currently shown on Cartoon Network. It is produced by Frederator Studios. And it is algebraic!

I found Adventure Time through the free on demand feature on my cable. Within one episode, I was hooked. I grew up in the heyday of Nickelodeon cartoons (Rocko's Modern Life, Doug, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters, Kablam!, Hey Arnold!, among others...) and Looney Tunes repeats. It's amazing to find a new cartoon that I love as much as I loved those.

They have crazy fun with words. I put together a list of some of the best slang from Adventure Time including quotes, definitions, usage and parts of speech where appropriate. Definitions are drawn from the best guess I can make from context.

• algebraic: adjective meaning great, terrific, awesome - often exclaimed by a character
• "Algebraic!" - Multiple Episodes
• bloobalooby: adjective meaning good or fun
• "Because being 13 again is bloobalooby." - Too Young
• boom-boom: one of the nicest words I've heard for poo
• "You just kissed a boom-boom baby. So don't expect anymore sugar from me sweetheart until we wash your dirty, dirty face." - Memories of Boom Boom Mountain
• bumps: expression, possibly sign of respect or enthusiasm
• "Bumps bioch!" - Trouble in Lumpy Space
• cram: dismay
• ding dong: noun for silly person
• "Because the candy people are made of sugar, you ding dong." - Slumber Party Panic
• dirtballs: rubbish, crap
• "This is dirtballs." - Too Young
• ducks: verb - being objectionably bad or lame
• "This music ducks." - Trouble in Lumpy Space
• flippin': intesifier
• "Flippin' awesome." - Multiple Episodes
• funky junk: used in reference to an insane plan
• "That's some funky junk brother." - Morituri Te Salutamus
• glob: interjection - shock, surprise
• "Oh glob." - Trouble in Lumpy Space
• hammacow: possibly good, perfect or alright
• "Hammacow! Thanks." - Trouble in Lumpy Space
• J J Flip. What the zip?: expression of confusion 
• Quote from her Parents
• lump (also lumping): possibly profane (considering Lumpy Space Princess makes her mom cry when she says it to her)
• "Lump off" - Trouble in Lumpy Space
• "I lumping hate them" - Trouble in Lumpy Space
• math: adjective or intensifier, not necessarily profane but can be
• "That was totally math." - Pilot
• "You're creeping me the math out horse." - The Eyes
• mathematical: excited interjection
• "Mathematical!" - Multiple Episodes
• patoot: used to refer to an irritatingly pathetic or a really creepy person (basically the Ice King) - probably means butt
• "That guy is a total patoot." - Pilot
• plop dumps and waggle sags: possibly super lame or lousy things, drudgery (basically it sucks)
• "Well, being 18 is all plop dumps and waggle sags." - Too Young
• poo brain: whacked out, crazy or stupid
• "It's got poo brain." - The Eyes
• rhombus: interjection of pleasure or excitement
• scope: verb - to look at
• shmowzow: interjection of amazement
• slama cow: interjection of excitement
• smooth poseurs: noun - a lumpy person that pretends to be a smooth person
• spamow: onomatopoeia for an explosion

In Memoriam: Rests in Heaven

Gravestone 002, a photo by DIY Mysticism on Flickr.

A beautiful stone with a carved hand pointing to the sky beneath the words "Rests in Heaven"

Luminous Cats, A Superstition

Ridding Your Life of Rats

According to Joshua Vale's book on Chinese Superstitions, in households where the cats were tied, the mice would play. To deal with the frolicking mice, the household would employ a luminous cat.

A spirit cat can be invoked or drawn (pun intended) with an image of a cat on yellow paper with one rat in its mouth and a second under its paw.

For maximum effectiveness, the image would be displayed in the kitchen.

The fur of spirit cats was said to shine with a light that scared rats away. Hence the term, luminous cat.

Source:

Vale, Joshua. Chinese Superstitions (London: China Inland Mission, 1906)

The Beauty of Gravestones

A Lasting Memorial of a Life

A headstone is a work of art honoring the memory of a life that is long past.

They are symbols of peace and remembrance.

Creepie

Creepie Ball-jointed Doll, a photo by DIY Mysticism on Flickr.

She's not creepy. I mean, she's hanging with an uglydoll be@rbricks, how creepy could she be? But her name's Creepie.

Doll - Bobobie - Erin www.bobobie.com/

Faceup - Jessica Rosario
www.etsy.com/shop/EveryoneIsMadHere

Outfit - Spampy
spampy.eaph.com/spampystuff.htm

Wig - Sewaddicted by Pam
www.sewaddictd.com/

Batman Quilt

Designed and made by my mom. She's just crazy talented.

Originally on my deviant page

Row 1 - Poison Ivy, Arkham Asylum, Penguin
Row 2 - Robin, Batgirl, Batgirl, The Riddler
Row 3 - Crocodile, Batman, The Ventriloquist and Scarface
Row 4 - Batman, Bane, Two Face, Huntress
Row 5 - Harley Quinn, Batman Signal, Catwoman, Anarchy
Row 6 - Nightwing, Joker batman face (from the movie poster), Batcowl, Scarecrow

Breaking Up with Flowers

Tell Someone off with a Lovely Bouquet of  Flowers

For an elegant kiss-off look to the wisdom of the Victorians who sent their romantic messages with flowers

In an age where break ups can be texted, emailed, voice mailed and ultimately sterile, show someone true vitriol with a bouquet.

They can be both beautiful and make a point.

Bilberry – You cheated on me.

Bramble – You are are a low down dirty dog and I regret ever going out with you.
Burning Nettle – I heard what you've been saying about me and you can go to hell.

Cannabis Sativa – Forget about me.
Carrion Flower – You lied to me. You stole from me. Now your acting like this is my fault. I hope you rot.

Frog Ophrys – You nauseate me.
Garden Anemone – I'm leaving you.

Gum Cistus – I'm going to die tomorrow so don't call me anymore.

Lettuce – You're so cold my heart has freezer burn.

Nightshade – I would rather eat this bunch of nightshade than continue dating you.

Prickly pear – Our relationship was a joke and I'm not laughing.

Peach blossom – I am your captive or I was until I found the key to the chains. Bye.

Pennyroyal – I have enjoyed our relationship but I am fleeing from the mob and have to go into witness protection.

Raspberry – I am sorry it has to be this way.

Rhododendron – If I keep dating you, I'm going to end up in prison.
Rose (dead) - Our love is dead.
Whin – I'm not sorry I threw that plate at you.

York Rose – Come near me again and I will call the cops.

Remember, nothing says “Screw off” quite as well as Poison Ivy.

Disclaimer: I am not suggesting that you send someone a poisonous plant. After all, it could so easily get into the wrong hands. Do you want to be responsible for a little kid getting a rash all over their face or worse? No, no you don't. Do you want to make someone sick? No, no you don't. Use common sense and handle poisonous plants with care. Same with the illegal plants. So if you get in trouble, don't come bugging me because I just told you not to.

Inspiration:

The Language of Flowers: An Alphabet of Floral Emblems (London: T. Nelson and Sons, Paternoster Row, 1858)

Charming and Sweet Poppet.

Sugar Skull Ball-jointed Doll, a photo by DIY Mysticism on Flickr.

Her face up was inspired by the sugar skulls of dia de los muertos. My mom and I both love her. She's simply beautiful.

Face Up: Custom Creations By Tracy P http://www.freewebs.com/shpro/
Dress: Boneka from Let's Play Dolls http://letsplaydolls.com/
Castle Anne Ming with Skinny Cat Body http://castleanne.com/

Beauty in Fear

For me (an arachnophobic), it's hard to find beauty in spiders. But witnessing the artistry and skill in a perfect web forces me to admit, there is beauty in these creatures that instill such fear in me.

Definition

diymysticism

1. Pertaining to mysteries, strangeness, the remarkable and the obscure
2. Recognizing the strange, the magical, the amazing and the umbra of the world at hand
3. Conjuring magic, mystic and fantastic things into the world

Inspiration for definition from:

http://www.merriam-webster.com