10 Things I'm Loving This April

It's officially springtime here and temperatures are heating up, flowers are blooming, the rain has stopped, and summer is swiftly on the way (but that just means we are closer to Halloween season, right?!). This month has been a whirlwind of activity and seems to have gone by in a flash! So much good stuff happened that it is gonna be tough to consolidate it down to ten, but here we go!

As I've been doing on a monthly basis with these "ten things" posts, I'm sharing 10 items I'm loving this month. This practice encourages me to be grateful for the little (and big) things in my life and also give me a chance to share some cool things with you!

See the 10 Things I'm Loving This April below:

What's in My Spooky Purse

Hello lovelies! Confession: I am obsessed with posts showing what is in people's purses/fridges/etc. It is so much fun to get a peek at what people use everyday and seeing how they live day-to-day. And I don't mean just celebrities, I mean like regular people like you and I, especially if they have a spooky or vegan (or both!) aesthetic. Plus, this is a wonderful way to discover new products, bond over similar items and styles, and just get more of an insight into someone else's habits and style!

Ever since my ghoulfriend-in-crime Miranda from Spooky Little Halloween shared what was in her purse, I've been wanting to share what's in mine! I figured now that we are going into spring it would be the perfect time to clean out my purse and share what's been lurking within. I've decided to omit any necessities like my phone, wallet, keys, etc. because everyone has those. Though I do love mine so I've include a photo of them at the end!

Check out what is lurking in my spooky purse below:

Wishing You A Scary Boo Year!

Who's ready for 2019?! I am bidding farewell to 2018 and looking forward to a scary boo year in 2019. Before welcoming in the new year, I wanted to reflect a bit on 2018, if you would be so kind to indulge me in some recollections.

2018 was a whirlwind of activity for me. It was my busiest Halloween season yet, and I got to attend so many incredible haunts, conventions, and events. 2018 saw some of my best posts, which were a blast to write, and I'm so happy they were well-received (I had my highest readership ever thanks to you ghouls and boils!!). Not only that, but I also had the pleasure of guest posting on several blogs, a zine, and having a monthly column published on a popular horror site.

The year was not without its heartbreaks, though. I suffered a devastating loss when my Nonna passed away as well as going through various personal struggles. I don't delve into too much personal stuff here, but it was a hard time, as I'm sure you can imagine. It was a year of highs and lows, which everyone can relate to, because that is life, right? You gotta take the good with the bad.

During the end of the year, I like to focus on the positive and reflect on what brought me joy in 2018. I wanted to share a few of these favorite things from 2018 with you, dear readers, which included:

10 Things Getting Me Through Post-Halloween Blues

I am ecstatic that one of my favorite blogs, Unquiet Things, has featured me in their "Ten Things" series, where guests write about 10 things they are loving, can't live without, or some variation thereof. For my guest post, I thought I would feature 10 Things Getting Me Through the Post-Halloween Blues, since that PHD (post-Halloween depression) hit hard this year and seeking comfort is at the top of my list this November.

And another big thank you to Sarah Elizabeth of Unquiet Things for having me - I have been a long-time reader and admirer of her writing and style for quite some time, so I was very excited to have the opportunity to contribute to her blog! Please spend some time in her archives and peruse all her posts, you won't regret it.

Check out the 10 Things Getting Me Through the Post-Halloween Blues over on Unquiet Things!

Stay spooky, darklings, and let me know how you are coping with post-Halloween depression in the comments!

Spooky Halloween Home Tour: My Boo-tiful Bedroom

My bed and my sweet prince Havoc

Happy Halloween Eve Eve, fiends! Earlier today I took you on a haunted home tour of my living (dead) room and creepy kitchen, and I also wanted to share my boo-tiful bedroom with you. This is where I dream at night of moonlit graveyards, friendly ghosts and monsters, autumn forests lit in reds, yellows, and oranges, misty pumpkin patches, and other delightful dreams. It is where I get ready every morning for the day ahead, put together my to-do lists, and write my blog posts. It is my serene space where I listen to music, relax, and gaze out the second-story window into the leaves of a tree. I love taking naps with my cat Havoc underneath the orange lights and soft pumpkin glow, with the window open and the wind rustling the leaves of the tree.

Enough with me babbling on, though, and onto the photos of my boo-tiful bedroom:

Spooky Halloween Home Tour: My Living (Dead) Room and Creepy Kitchen

Today, on the day before Halloween, I wanted to take you on a tour of my spooky home! It has been dressed up a bit for Halloween, but despite a few banners and extra decor, it looks like this all year-round. I love creeping it real all year, so why not leave up the decor that brings me happiness and joy?! I especially love leaving the lights up all year as they make it feel so cozy and warm! And of course I love collecting eerie artwork to adorn my walls.

You may remember I shared my living room with you all last year, so I thought I would start there since it is the focal point of my spooky home and what you see as soon as you enter through the front door. We have a soft black couch that I love to sink into after a long day. It is piled high with pillows and blankets for maximum comfort while watching horror movies. I have pumpkins arranged around the TV, twinkle lights strung up around the room, and pieces of art, candles, and small decorations on shelves to create my perfect spooky sanctuary.

Behind the couch there is a vintage church organ that belongs to Mister Spooky as well as the bookshelves that hold my movie collection and some of my favorite books. Beyond the living room is the kitchen, where I somehow manage to squeeze in my collection of Halloween mugs and tableware and cook our vegan meals.

Take a peek at both my spooky living room and kitchen below:

Spooky Vegan Featured on Vegan Street's Interview Series

I was incredibly honored that Marla Rose of Vegan Street asked me to be part of their vegan rock star interview series! I have admired Marla and her fiercely informative website for years, which covers hot vegan topics, product reviews, interviews, and more. I love how the website is inclusive of all vegans (and vegan-curious) and shares a wide variety of voices in the vegan community.

The Spooky Vegan Shop Now Open On Amazon

Do you ever wonder what kind of things I shop for on Amazon? Do you like discovering new products that I personally recommend? Looking for that spooky something to get yourself or that special someone? Are you interested in what cruelty-free and vegan products I use daily? Wanna check out my favorite vegan snacks? Have you ever wished to get your hands on the black nail polish I use or get a peek at what movies and books I'm into?

Well, fiends, lucky for you I've curated a spooky shop on Amazon full of product recommendations so you can find all of these eerie items collected for you in one place! I thought this would be a fun way to show off some of my favorite things and show you what items I use regularly (for example, what hair dye or face wash I use, which I get asked about a lot!). Also, when you purchase items via my Amazon shop you are helping me earn referral fees, which go toward keeping this blog running, especially since I do not use ads, only Amazon affiliate links.

So take a look at my spooky shop, filled with treats like Halloween decor, horror movies, books, accessories, cruelty-free and vegan beauty/makeup/skin care products, and even some of my favorite vegan snacks and food!! You just might find some must-haves or new favorites! I'll be updating the spooky shop regularly with new and old favorites, so check back often!

Visit The Spooky Vegan Shop on Amazon!

Stay spooky!

Spooky Halloween Home Tour: Living Room

I'm a little late with this, but I promised to share some peeks of my spooky home all decorated for Halloween with you! If you follow me on Instagram, you've already seen some of my tomb sweet tomb. It's small, but cozy and decorated for Halloween year-round, though it does get a little extra decorated for the Halloween season. Though I've taken down some of the Halloween decorations shown below, the orange and black aesthetic continues all year long and anyone who walks in the door pretty much knows I adore Halloween!

Catsploitation: A Zine Celebrating Horror Fans and Their Cats

I recently contributed to a zine called Catsploitation that celebrates horror fans and their cats and had such a blast! Each contributor was interviewed about their favorite horror movies and their cats. Each page of the zine showcases the interviewees' taste in movies, photos of them and their cats, and what horror movie characters and movies best describe their cats' personalities. The zine also contains an article on horror and sci-fi movies that feature cats as main protagonists or antagonists. Take a peek at this meow-velous zine below:

Spooky Pleasures: 8 Things I'm Loving Lately

Like I've mentioned in previous posts, the start of this new year has been tough on me - my cat Havoc was ill, I've been sick since January, and with the appalling state of our country I feel like I'm living in the Idiocracy movie. In the midst of this madness I've been looking to things that makes me happy, because I need a boost of hopefulness to take away my blues.

Sometimes I made gratitude lists, noting things that I love and that bring a smile to my face. It may seem silly, but making lists of things I love lately really boosts my spirits! Plus, later I can go back and reflect on these lists and they make me realize just how much I have to be thankful for.

Here are eight spooky pleasures that I've been loving lately!

7 Ways to Decorate For and Celebrate Creepmas

If you are anything like me, you want to prolong the spooky spirit of Halloween for as long as possible (perhaps even year-round!). During this holiday season, it is actually quite easy to do this by turning Christmas into Creepmas! That's right, the traditional time of holly-jolly cheer can be turned into yuletide fear by following a few simple tips from yours ghouly! You can still have your twinkling lights, your ornaments and tree, gingerbread cookies, etc., but with some extra tweaks you can bring back the Halloween frights! Think of the "Making Christmas" song from The Nightmare Before Christmas, where they add their own Halloweentown flair to traditional Christmas activities - if we think like that, we can have ourselves a scary little Christmas indeed!

I've posted seven ways to decorate for and celebrate Creepmas below, complete with photos of my own decorations this year to give you some ideas:

Halloween Leftovers - A Photo Post

Halloween may be over, but Hallowvember is in full swing and since we are still celebrating all things Halloween I wanted to share some photos from the Halloween season that I haven't had a chance to post previously.

Many of these were taken Halloween night, but there are a few stragglers from earlier in the month of October as well. Happy Hallowvember and enjoy photos from my Halloween celebrations!

Stay Home Alone Club: An Introvert's Perfect Weekend

Join the Stay Home Club [image source]

Do you ever have one of those weekends where you just want to draw the blinds, cozy up on the couch, and do nothing/see no one/go nowhere? As an introvert/recluse/misanthrope, I feel that way every weekend day, and let's just say my natural state seems to be avoiding all human contact by electing myself president of the stay home alone club and lazing around the house in my pj's with no plans besides binge-watching the latest Netflix series and hanging out with my cat, Havoc (he is anti-social himself, so he is fully supportive of my stay at home weekends)!

Below you will find a quick guide on how I prepare for my perfect stay at home weekend and why I look forward to spending time alone. Join the recluse revolution and stay home this weekend!

Photo Post: Halloween Leftovers

I know Halloween is over (but not really, not when it is everyday for some of us), but I wanted to share some leftover Halloweenie pics I never got around to posting before October 31st. For those that follow me on Instagram, some of these might be familiar, but there are a few new ones I haven't posted anywhere before.

Besides the 31 Days of Halloween countdown, here is what I was up to this Halloween season:

 I frolicked in pumpkin patches with lost ghosts.

Invoking the Halloween Spirit with Queen of the Track Zine

Pumpkins make dreadful sunny days bearable.

When the lovely ladies at Queen of the Track asked me to do a guest post on their online zine, I was thrilled! I absolutely adore the content of their blog, especially their Halloween series, so I was more than happy to contribute!

Since they are based in the UK, I thought it would be fun to write about how I celebrate Halloween in Southern California even though I have to suffer through cruel sunny days (it's gross, trust me) and there is no fall foliage whatsoever (damn you, palm trees!). Still, I have some tricks and treats that help me invoke the Halloween spirit despite the uncooperative weather/location - and you can read all about them over at Queen of the Track HERE!

After reading, you should check out the rest of their site, including some truly amazing articles on horror films and novels, female villains, and my personal favorite at the moment, poems based on Final Girls in horror movies by Amy Roberts! Read more here!

Pretty sure it is my favorite new site, and I am just so happy and humbled they asked me to guest blog! Please give them a look and a follow on Tumblr, Facebook, and Twitter!

AEIOU and Sometimes Why Interviews The Spooky Vegan

One of my favorite costumes ever - my mom sewed it for me! 

Dressed as a witch way back when!

One of my favorite Halloween blogs, AEIOU...and Sometimes Why, recently chatted with me about my favorite subjects , all things Halloween and spooky! It was so much fun talking about my favorite Halloween memories, my annual traditions, reminiscing about my trick or treating experiences as a kid, and much more!

You can check out the interview HERE!

The interview is part of a larger interview series conducted by Dex of the AEIOU blog, and I am having such a blast reading about other Halloween bloggers and their Halloween recollections!

You can check out the rest of the interviews HERE!

NYC Travelogue (Part 2)

Yesterday I shared part one of my trip to New York City, and below you will find the continuation of my travelogue!

We left off after I had eaten myself silly through Manhattan and Brooklyn, strolled through Central Park and attended the goth/industrial Triton Festival...

NYC Travelogue (Part 1)

Hello Foolish Mortals,

I apologize for my absence…I am usually chock full of updates this time of year (the most wonderful time of the year!), but I recently got back from vacation and then got overwhelmed with work, etc. upon my return. I wish I could be permanently on vacation (doesn't everybody?)!

Since I can’t be forever on vacation, I wanted to share with you my vacation to New York City I took earlier this month! Mister Spooky and I jetted off to NYC for Triton Festival, a goth/industrial music festival held every year there. We've always wanted to go, and this year we decided to do it! Below you'll find my travelogue of the trip, though I want to share so much that I'll be breaking it down into several posts over the next few days.

Our vacation began with a red eye flight on Wednesday night that got us to New York in the early morning on Thursday. Our friend that lives there was gracious enough to meet us and show us the ways of the subway back to his place on Wall Street, where we stowed our luggage and went off to explore! The streets of Wall Street were eerily empty and hauntingly beautiful just as the sun was rising. Then we hopped the subway and ended up in the East Village near Sustainable NYC, so I took a look around at this adorable eco-shop and grabbed a vegan muffin to go!

White Trash Weekend at Hicksville Trailer Palace

Three trailers at Hicksville Trailer Palace - 

The Ingratrailor, The Fifi and The Lux

I finally got the chance to go back to Hicksville Trailer Palace for a friend's birthday a few weekends ago! I positively adored celebrating my own birthday there a year and a half ago (read about it here), so I was super-excited when our friend (go check out his web comic dot problems!) rented the whole place in honor of his birthday!

Hicksville is a small resort tucked far off the beaten path near Joshua Tree, California. They feature amazing restored Airstream trailers, each decorated in a different theme. They have a pool, archery, BB guns, fire pits, ping pong, a library, a jukebox loaded with cool tunes, and much more for their guests! I love going there and relaxing in the gorgeous desert! 

Let's start at the beginning of the trip, shall we? We went to Hicksville in late July, so I knew it was gonna be hot, hot, hot! I packed a cute sundress, new sunnies, and a witchy hat to protect my paleness from the sun, plus tons of sunblock (I use Trader Joe's cruelty-free 50 SPF sunblock spray, which is cruelty-free and vegan)!