Ruby Tombstone's Brraaiinn

Pontypool Really Does Change Everything

2011-12-14T01:46:00.001+11:00

Book Review: Pontypool Changes Everything, by Tony Burgess.
A few weeks ago I read a book that I feel compelled to tell the world about: Pontypool Changes Everything by Australian-born Canadian author Tony Burgess. It is rare to find a book that you know, really know, will stay with you forever. It is even rarer when you know this right from the first page. I had seen the movie Pontypool a couple of years ago and was enchanted by the idea of a zombie virus that could be transmitted by language. The implications of this idea are infinitely fascinating to me. I knew that Burgess was an expert in semiotics, so I was expecting some really big ideas. What I wasn't expecting was just how wonderfully written the book would be.

Pontypool.. is a book full of highly lyrical prose, beautiful and terrible imagery, important and wondrous ideas, humour and hardcore horror. While centred around the idea of a zombie virus transmitted by language, the book also touches on eye-opening concepts incorporating semiotics and neurolinguistics, as well as tapping into what it means to have a brain injury or mental illness. The horror comes not only from the physical suffering of the victims in the story, but from the deeply intimate sense of what it might be to lose control of one's own faculties, and to be fundamentally misunderstood by the rest of society. Burgess manages to convey how the mind of someone with a neurological condition functions, how thoughts are rearranged, and how these people function in the world. There are themes of forgiveness, taboo, addiction and family which also run through the book.

There are books which have taken me an extraordinarily long time to read because the writing style was so dense, but this is certainly not one of them. I did take a long time reading it, but because I wanted to re-examine every paragraph to see what I missed on first reading. I got the sense that I could continue to re-read this book for years to come and still discover new ideas in its pages. The chapters are mercifully short, which makes the book seem like it flies by regardless.

The book is in two parts, and I have to say, the first was more cohesive than the second. In the second part, Burgess seems to get overexcited - trying to express too many ideas all at once, and not exploring any of them in great depth. In the Afterword, Burgess practically apologises for the book, and admits to having written the book as an experiment for himself, never really believing it would be read. I can certainly forgive him this, but I understand that the book may not be to everyone's taste. It is by no means a mainstream read, and readers who dislike horror, sexual taboos or the surreal may not be able to see past that. Personally, I love this book for its uniqueness as much as anything else.

I won't give away any spoilers but Chapter 23 (The Worst Winter Ever) is an outstanding read in its own right. Even if you put the book down and decide not to finish it, please skip to this chapter and read. The chapter consists of dozens of stand-alone vignettes of people experiencing the zombie apocalypse. It is a great example of Burgess' writing style, even without the neurolinguistic theories.

In case anyone is in any doubt, I do believe that this is a GREAT and IMPORTANT book, and it will join the small handful of my all time favourite books to be read again and again.

NOTE FOR PUNTERS- Pontypool the movie was made about 10 years after the book. It too is brilliant, with Bruce McDonald directing, the wonderful Stephen McHattie starring, and Tony Burgess writing the movie's screenplay. They are very different stories, however. In fact the only thing they have in common is the virus idea. It really doesn't matter if you see one or the other first.

Tony Burgess explains the ideas in his book more eloquently than I can ever hope to, in this interview on Twitch.

Tragic Accident

2011-08-17T18:28:00.000+10:00

Yesterday, we heard the terrible story of a light plane crash in Western Victoria. The plane was a mercy flight between Nhill and Melbourne, the passengers were Julie-Ann Twigg and her 15 year old daughter Jacinda. Julie-Ann is a wonderful, giving person, and this was her 20th flight with Jacinda, who had been suffering from acute juvenile arthritis. It was supposed to be their final flight, as Jacinda was finally in remission. When the plane crashed, both Jacinda and the pilot died. Julie-Ann is in intensive care, in an induced coma, suffering head, neck and chest injuries.

Julie-Ann is the team leader of the Etsy DownUnder Street Team (DUST) and works tirelessly for her family and for others in the community. Anyone who knows Julie-Ann is absolutely devastated by this news. The members of the DUST Team have started a Paypal collection and donated items for an Etsy Treasury to raise funds for Julie-Ann's family. When Julie-Ann recovers, there will be many hurdles for her to face, and we hope that we can at least lessen the financial concerns for her and the rest of her family.

The news article of the mercy flight crash is here. Be warned, it is just horrific: Tragic Crash

The DUST fundraiser treasury is here: Julie-Ann Treasury

Donations can also be made via Paypal here: Donate via DUST

Donations can also be made at any NAB branch, marked "The Jacinda Twigg Family".
More details can be found on the ABC site.

If you can help at all, please do - either by donating or by reposting.

I've had some scary taxi rides in my time, BUT..

2011-08-03T19:57:00.000+10:00

I catch cabs all the time, and I've seen some crazy things, but this guy takes the cake. This is the only time I have ever found it necessary to lodge a written complaint. I will just post my email to the cab company here in full, and let you be the judge:

Taxi XXX picked me up at about 12.45pm today. The driver was having difficulty driving whenever he took his attention away from the road (eg programming his GPS), slowing down dramatically & veering across lanes. Later, as we were heading up Hindmarsh Drive, two cars stopped suddenly in front of us. The driver was speeding, & distracted, as he was fumbling around with a set of rosary beads. He didn't see the cars in front of us stop at the time. He then slammed on the brakes, and at the VERY last second yanked the wheel to the left. I honestly thought the car was going to roll. Luckily, as he said, there was nobody in the lane to our left. I gasped, and the driver immediately laughed, waving his rosary beads at me and saying, "Don't worry sista. That's just God letting us know he's around. Nothing will ever happen to me because I have faith." He then proceeded to tell me how Australian drivers have no "browns" in their heads. He was laughing the whole rest of the trip. I am concerned that this driver is:

a) dangerous;

b) inattentive;

c) irresponsible; and

d) batshit crazy.

If you would like to contact me for further details, my number is XXXX XXX XXX.

Nothing's as funny as the death of a clown....

2011-06-13T23:50:00.000+10:00

.....except perhaps the undeath of a clown. I just discovered this fantastic short horror story "Clownpocalypse" by Ken Harrelsen of Angry Puppy Films. Follow him on Twitter as @AngryPuppyFilms. Thanks also to @bguglyhryscry for featuring this on his blog.

While we're on the topic of horror fiction, and creepy clowns in particular, I also urge anyone who hasn't already to read "The Pilo Family Circus" by Will Elliott. This novel singlehandedly restored my faith in Australian horror. Dark, witty, intelligent and genuinely creepy, this is a completely original story which actually gave me goosebumps. You know a horror novel is good when someone like me tells you they had to put it down and walk away at least once during reading it!

"Kreepy da Klown" by Ruby Tombstone on Etsy.

How to make a cat happy

2011-06-08T21:54:00.002+10:00

So my sweet feline companion, Pingu, embarks on the first stage of her cancer treatment tomorrow. It starts with an operation at our local vet surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible from her leg. She has had this done a few months ago, and while it didn't seem too painful, she has to wear a bandage for 10 days and, (worse still), stay INSIDE!

On the 26th of June, she and I are scheduled to fly to Brisbane for 3 1/2 weeks of radiation treatment. The treatment is at a much lower dosage than they give to humans, so radiation sickness is not an issue. The cat hospital in Brisbane is a great place, with a whole separate wing just for cats, outdoor runs, gardens and visiting areas. I'll be spending lots of time with her while she's there, and the nurses have already promised to spoil her rotten. From the chats I've already had with them, I believe they will too! When we come home, she will have to wear an E-Collar (like a tiny satellite dish over her head) for about 3 weeks, as any licking of the leg will cause a much longer healing time.

Now last time Pingu had a leg operation, she couldn't stand being cooped up in the house and hated having the "bandage of shame" on. It took every last bit of my ingenuity to keep her occupied. I've made a list of these activities, so that in the next few weeks we'll have a reminder of things we can do with her. So here's my list:

Things That Make Pingu Happy

Herb Seedlings. She just loves the different smells.
Flowers. Always!
Fresh raw steak from our butcher, Mr Chops.
Lavender bags (we call them her Sniffy Pouches).
Sheets of tissue paper to shred
A warm patch of sunchine to curl up in. Where possible, "Sunshine In Bed".
Fresh fruit & freshly squeezed fruit juice. Yes, she will drink it from a straw. MY straw.
A teeny tiny bit of chocolate mousse (but only a little).
Spongebaths with warm herbal-scented water.
Steamy Cleans (she gets up high on a scratchy post in the bathroom while someone showers).
Freshly ground nutmeg. Don't ask me why, but she will bury her head in the mortar & pestle, and hunt the whole nutmegs right out of the spice rack!

I'd love to hear other peoples' suggestions for things to make a cat happy. I have a feeling we're going to need all the tips we can get!

Ruby xoxo

PS - I am still trying to raise funds to cover Pingu's treatment in Brisbane. So tell your friends and stop by either Ruby Tombstone store, grab a bargain and make a little cat happy!

My Sweet Pingu Has A Lump

2011-05-21T21:30:00.005+10:00

Anyone that knows me knows my wonderful companion and familiar, Pingu. When I adopted Pingu from the Animal Welfare League in South Australia in November 1996, she was a scrappy 18 month old, with four white-socked legs that were too long for her body, a heart shaped beauty spot and a sign on her cage that just said, "Pat me. I'm very sweet". The sign couldn't have been more perfect. I walked into her cage, she meowed and looked up at me as if to say, "Where the #@*! have you been? Are we leaving now?"

For more than thirteen years, she has done something every single day that is utterly wonderful and surprising and made me laugh out loud. She has had madcap adventures - some involving the police, some involving some very cranky firemen, thermal imaging equipment and fibre optic cameras. That last adventure ended with a bloody great hole in my landlord's wall, but a safe, happy and mouse-filled Pingu.

About 2 months ago, I discovered a lump on her back leg. At the time, the vet said it was "Probably nothing to worry about." But I have had a feeling of absolute dread in the pit of my stomach ever since. And, as it turns out, rightly so. She hasn't shown any signs of pain or sickness, but we know now that she has a fibrosarcoma. The dreaded "C word". In recent weeks, she has undergone a painful and distressing de-bulking operation to remove as much of the tumour as they could get, but it's in a tricky position. It's also growing incredibly fast, sending out spiteful little tendrils, that tether it to bone and sinew. This week I have been told that unless she gets treatment, she only has a few weeks to live. I can barely force myself to write that, never mind speak it aloud.

We considered amputating her leg, but I know my Pingu all too well. Her greatest joy is in leaping and climbing. She barely spends a moment at ground level. We rented this particular house partly because of the free standing stairs, covered in mousey toys that she hunts round and round each stair, occasionally pausing to throw one at my computer. "Santa" even brought her a 9-story cat castle, which dominates our house. It as a vertical obstacle course, which enables her to get upstairs in under 2 seconds. As soon as her bandage was off, she was onto the roof of a 2-storey townhouse - it wasn't even ours. Life at ground level is not something Pingu would understand.

So our only other option is radiation therapy. This entails both of us making the trip to Brisbane, which is 1,200km away and undertaking daily radiotherapy for 2-3 weeks. It means unpaid time off work for me, and around $5,000 for the treatment alone, plus flights and accommodation. But it is worth it. For the 5,290 days worth of smiles she has given me, she is worth it. There are, of course, no guarantees. But if there's a chance to save her, to give something back for all she's given the world, I will take it.

So here is my plea to you: I'm not asking for money - but if you've had your eye on anything in my stores, now would be the time to buy it! I will be at the Burlesque Bazaar at the Irish Club in Weston on Sunday May 22nd, and everything is going cheap. I will be dropping the prices of everything in both my online stores, and adding as many new listings as I can possibly make. If I have to sell everything I own, so be it. If you are thinking of a special gift for someone, a one-of-a-kind personalised gift just for them, message me via Etsy and I will make it happen. If you see something you like in either one of my stores, and the price is too high, message me and make me an offer. EVERYTHING is up for grabs! You'll be saving money, getting something special and unique, and you might be saving my best friend's life.
RubyTombstone eBay: http://stores.shop.ebay.com.au/RubyTombstone
RubyTombstone Etsy: www.rubytombstone.etsy.com

All tweets, FB links and other repostings will be gratefully appreciated :)
Thank you

Ruby xoxo

AN UPDATE: Thursday 26th May 2011: We've just heard back from the vet, and it looks like there's a 90% chance we can save both Pingu's life and leg! It will be about an 8-10 week process all up - very stressful for her and us. It's also going to cost around $10,000 all up. But I think we can do it...!

Sneak Attack Update

2011-05-17T13:27:00.001+10:00

So the weekend Etsy Sneak Attack was a roaring success! We ended up with four amazing shops, all from different countries, with a huge range of fantastic items.

The four chosen "Victims" were:
www.evaelena.etsy.com - Australia
www.asecondlife.etsy.com - Canada
www.luciafloresdesign.etsy.com - The Nederlands (traditional Mexican items)
www.lazydoll.etsy.com - Wales

All the stores were bombarded with hearts and sales, and we hope they become huge Etsy stars!

Best of all, I received my first item from the Sneak Attack today! So that was superfast delivery on the part of Eva Elena! Here's what I received - a gorgeous blue enamel and silver pendant with red and gold roses! In case you didn't guess, this used to be a souvenir spoon! What a fantastic way to recycle. Also, I received a $2 refund, as she was running a coupon code. Too awesome!

Etsy Sneak attacks are managed by the Etsy Handmade Movement Team. More info on Sneak Attacks and the Team can be found on their website - www.handmademovement.com

Etsy Sneak Attack! 11am EST Saturday 14th May 2011

2011-05-14T14:55:00.002+10:00

I am super excited to be sponsoring the next attack - not only is it my first Sneak Attack as a sponsor, but also it's a very special weekend Sneak Attack!

The Sneak Attack victims will be revealed at 11am Etsy time (EST for those of you in the US) or about 1am Sunday at my place! To compliment the big Eurovision weekend, there will be a decidedly worldly flavour to this Sneak, and certainly something for everyone, including us Aussies ......but that's all I'm saying for now. In the meantime, the lovely Sneakers have done a sweet Ruby Tombstone feature over at www.handmademovement.com.

What is a Sneak Attack?
It's a chance to make someone's day!

Twice a week, new or relatively undiscovered Etsy shops are chosen as our lucky "victims." We'll join together to Sneak up on the victims, and Attack with sales and hearts! Our aim is to get the new/undiscovered shops a whole slew of surprise item views, hearted items, and business in a very short time. Thus, giving them a whole lotta love and encouragement! No money? No worries!! You can help by getting the word out and hearting the victims shops or items.

At 11am EST (U.S. East Coast Time), Saturday May 14th, we are going to begin our next Sneak Attack. Go to www.handmademovement.com at or soon after 11am and you'll see the chosen shops' names. Just click on the shops to see what goodies are in store for you. If you make a purchase, be sure to include the words "Sneak Attack" in your Message to Seller.

Don’t worry about being late to the attack! If the shop names are still up on the Handmade Movement site, you can still go and give them item views, hearts, and make a purchase! They are usually visible into the next day.

We welcome anyone to come in and join us in chatter and fun on the Handmade Movement Etsy Team Forum! The Sneak Attack thread is up all day and evening, the of the attack for friendly banter. Come chat with us - we love to talk about our purchases and favorites.

Handmade Movement can be found online at:
Etsy Team Forum - Sneak Attack Thread
www.handmademovement.com
facebook.com/thehandmademovement
twitter.com/Sneak_Attacks

What's With Circles?

2011-05-08T23:19:00.000+10:00

C'mon. Every Etsy seller I know, and quite a few buyers too, have at some point asked or been asked that question. I did too, initially. Etsy has made a lot of changes in the last 12 months, and Circles can be a little difficult to explain. Every discussion I get into about Etsy Circles turns out...well...circular. But I've been using them for a while now, and I actually find them useful, both for seeing new things, and having your pieces seen by the right people too.

So how can you make Circles work for you? I've put together a little methodology which you might find useful, with benefits as both a seller and buyer. Let's face it - us sellers are also pretty big on the buying!

1 - If you come across someone on Etsy that sells things you love, favourite the items you love, and favourite their shop. From now on, you'll see all their new items on the right hand side of the activity feed page.

2 - Have a look at that seller's favourites. Chances are, if you love what they make, you'll also love what they browse. If their favourites look pretty damn awesome, add them to your circle.

3 - From now on, that seller's activity will appear in your activity feed. Whenever they discover a great item or store, you will see it as it happens. And that may lead you to new items, stores, or people to add to your circle.

4 - At this point, that seller's activity feed will have a notification telling them that they've been added to your circle, and showing them some of the items you've favourited. They will probably be curious, and may decide to check out your shop, and possibly add it to their favourites. Then they'll see all your new listings on the right side of their page.

5 - If they really like your sense of style, they might add you to their circle, and see everything you favourite as well.

6 - Once you start, you'll find your circle and favourite shops growing exponentially. You'll have an activity feed full of fascinating finds from all over the place. You'll see things you never would have discovered otherwise.

7 - The number of people seeing your items will grow exponentially too. For those people who add you to their circle, who favourite your shop and items - everyone else in their circle gets to see this in their activity feeds too!

8 - It means you'll have more people browsing your store, favouriting your stuff and seeing your items in their feed. Not only that, but they will be people who are more likely to share your sense of style, and who are therefore more likely to become buyers.

9 - You may choose to spend time watching what's going on in your activity feed, and building your circle. You can also uncheck the other boxes to see who's been visiting your store and featuring you in their Treasuries.

So I guess it's a win - win - win - win - win really. Circular arguments aren't always a bad thing!

Ruby xoxo

Fancy Footwork on a Budget

2011-05-04T15:13:00.000+10:00

If I had to use one word to describe myself, it would be "unique". Two words, and I would add, "misunderstood"! People seem to always notice what I'm wearing. I often have complete strangers approach me to ask where I got this or that, and the assumption seems to be that I must spend a huge amount of time and money on fashion. The reality is, I don't have a great deal of either to spare.
This is particularly true when it comes to footwear. I have a reputation for wearing great shoes, but I don't spend much money at all on my shoe fetish - I just customise. For example, I have one really cute pair of inexpensive black shoes that tie at the front. Originally they came with ratty black laces, but I swapped the laces for sheer leopard print ribbon. Then I swapped the leopard print for yellow polka dot grosgrain ribbons.......and they look like a new pair of shoes each time I wear them.
A while back, I was lucky enough to find a hand-crocheted pair of flowers with shoe clips attached, for under $10 on sale on Doolius Seizure Etsy. Believe me when I say EVERYONE notices these babies! Here i've attached them to a pair of plain black vinyl court shoes with a cork heel. I bought these seven years ago at an outlet store, again for under $10.

I had so much fun with these shoe clips that I started making my own, available at Ruby Tombstone Etsy:

Today may have been my best footwear bargain yet. I found a great Etsy seller (HumanWreck234) who was having a 50% off sale. She customises mary-janes really simply, using lace and ribbon. So for a paltry $9, I now have a pair of broderie anglaise Lolita style mary-janes to add to my collection!

A quick search of Etsy using the terms "Shoe clips sale" or "shoes sale" will reveal so many footwear bargains, it's unbelievable. Try listing the results by price and you'll be amazed at what's out there! Another trick is to search by the word "customisable". And why limit yourself to shoes? The same applies to jewelry, clothing and accessories. If you can buy one really great piece and change it up each time you wear it, you'll be saving money AND expanding your wardrobe!

Truly Visceral Couture

2011-05-01T22:31:00.001+10:00

Today I awoke to find myself in one of the most unique Etsy Treasuries I've ever seen. It's called Alternative Love, and definitely worth a look.

My eye was immediately drawn to one particular item though. Yep - top right hand corner. The Body Trauma dress. My first thought was, "Is that REAL bodily fluid?!" So I HAD to click on it.

What I found was that no, it's not real blood. Just very, VERY realistic special effects blood. Even better, I found a shop full of post apocalyptic nightmare wear. As Robert Anton Wilson once said, "It's an ill wind which blows no minds". And these creations by Sarah Viscera of oOoPlasticCouture are definitely mind-blowing! From gore to grease, shreds to salvage, this shop is everything I hope will one day be a reality - after the inevitable Zombocalypse! It's so refreshing to see a truly unique point of view on Etsy. Better still to see someone taking a chance. I used real blood in one of my post-zombaclypse pieces, my own of course, but I really agonised over whether to take that risk or not. No one wants to see themselves in Regretsy at the end of the day. Thanks to this, I'll definitely be uncensoring myself from now on. Thanks Sarah - you've made my week!

Check out all of Sarah Viscera's creations at oOoPlasticCouture on Etsy.

Ruby xoxo

A Very Undead Easter

2011-04-25T00:56:00.000+10:00

Okay, so it may be a little late. But zombie rabbits are awesome all year round. Happy Easter y'all!

Ruby xoxo

Featured Artist - Tom Banwell

2011-04-23T22:17:00.000+10:00

I've been spending a lot of time on Etsy lately, giving my store a makeover and checking out other shops for inspiration. One shop I keep going back to over and over is Tom Banwell's. His leather masks are extraordinary, and the photographs in his shop are works of art in and of themselves. These masks just wrap themselves around the model, transforming the person into something wild and exotic. Somehow, the mask and the person become more than the sum of their parts. Or maybe I'm just wanking on, and they're just very, very pretty things!

I featured this piece in a Treasury I put together & have had the picture on my screensaver ever since.

I love that Tom's pieces span such a broad spectrum of themes from steampunk, gothic, gypsy, avant garde etc. It's also rare to find a male artist who understands how to flatter a woman's form also.

I've been over to Tom's website tonight also and found that he not only is a prolific mask-maker, but he paints, sculpts, dyes, carves...... He just does everything!

Tom can be found on Etsy here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TomBanwell/

And his website here: http://www.tombanwell.com/index.html

Enjoy!

Ruby xoxo

SEO For Dummies - An Etsy Seller's Simple Guide

2011-04-22T02:01:00.002+10:00

Tonight I finally bit the bullet. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). It had to be done. For months, I've been glancing at these posts, all of which stress that SEO is an absolute must-do for any Etsy seller who wants to get traffic to their shop. Every time I read one of these posts, it inevitably links back to Etsy's Guide to SEO, a big, wordy, chunky, beast of a document that I keep telling myself I'll read......maybe on the weekend. Or something.

After reading a few posts on the DUST Team's site tonight, I finally decided to do something about it. The SEO Guide is actually not bad, once you get past all the new terms like "H1 Tags" and "Metadescription". Plus, it has lots of pretty pictures. But there are a few sections that are really not helpful - such as the section on why the titles you give to images are usually very important for SEO. It's a couple of pages later that they point out that this doesn't actually apply to Etsy listings.

For anyone not wanting to jump straight into the document itself, I thought I'd list a few of the really key points here. When you have absorbed the basics, it's probably a good idea to look up some of the finer points in the SEO Guide.

SEO FOR ETSY SELLERS - KEY POINTS

Keywords are how people will find your listings, but they are also how you can ensure that your store and your items appear higher up on the page in a Google Search.
Keywords for your shop are drawn from your shop title, your shop announcement, and your public profile. They should describe your core products (say "jewelry, accessories, punk")
Keywords for your items are drawn from your Item Title, and rank more highly if they are from the first part of your title. So as you type it in, check to see what it looks like in the item's url link. If the word shows up in this link, it'll also show up in a buyer's search.
Keywords for your items are also drawn from the item's description, and again rank more highly in the first couple of sentences. As you type, watch the sample Google search results. Make sure your main keywords appear in this section, so that they will rank more highly in a search.
For each item, it helps if you have, say, three target keywords that identify that particular item specifically (say "hair, clips, zombie"). Make sure these three words appear in the title, the front part of the item description, and at least 2 or 3 times in the whole item description.
Make sure your tags also include these item-specific target keywords.

That's pretty much it. The next thing to do is research what keywords to use. There are lots of tools around that'll help you do this, and these are listed in the SEO Guide too. I used Google Ad Words, but be warned: People search for really stupid things. And not just a few people. I'm talking hundreds of thousands of people, using really stupid search terms. For example, these are some of the most HIGHLY listed search terms in the realm of jewelry and accessories:

"jewelry AND accessories" - They actually type "and".
"jewelry costume jewelry" - They actually type "jewelry" twice.
"jewelry items" - They actually type "items".
"looking for jewelry" - They actually type "looking for".
"Jewelry website" - They actually type "website". (Are they aware they are on the internet?)
And my absolute favourite. About 210,000 people per month actually search for "jewerly".

So eliminate the stupid terms like "and", "website", "jewerly" and you'll end up with a pretty good list of well-used search terms. Try going for a combination of one really highly used term like "jewelry" plus two slightly less-used terms. That way, you won't be competing against millions of other people to be at the top of a Google search page.

Good luck!

Ruby xoxo

Custom Genuine Vintage Toys Necklace

2011-04-16T22:34:00.001+10:00

So as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I signed up for my first DUST team Craft Swap this month. It was a great experience for me, and as a result I've taken the plunge and started accepting Custom Orders through my Etsy shop.

I'm packaging the completed piece up tonight, but wanted to have a record of the piece as the components are pretty special! I made a huge custom order a couple of months ago from a guy in the US who deals in vintage novelties, gum ball machine and Cracker Jack toys. I had the most fun EVER unwrapping dozens and dozens of tiny parcels, with brightly coloured vintage plastic awesomeness in each one!

The necklace is called "Playtime for Deb" and, like most of my necklaces, is highly customisable. Each of the large coloured hoops is hinged and can be opened and closed securely. As well as fastening the necklace, the hoops also mean that you can remove sections of ribbon to make it shorter, swap them around, swap the charms around, or use ribbons or scarves to tie up the back. You can also do what I've done in the picture, and use your favourite kind of ribbon to tie a bow in the front. It can be worn a different way every time! If you own more than one of my pieces, you can also interchange components.

The front section is a chunky length of black glossy chain, designed to weight the front of the necklace. Black enamelled copper twist jump rings have been used for the charms. Several of the charms are genuine vintage rarities:
- Yellow 1960s Cracker Jack Airplane (G3300 Series, Plane 2): These are particularly hard to find and collectible. Current estimated value can be found in a number of Cracker Jack Price Guide books on Amazon, but should be around $9. I have used hot glue to attach the bail, in case Deb decides to trade it! This was acquired by my supplier in the great buy-out of Cracker Jack several years ago.
- Yellow 1958 Ballerina Candle Holder: These particular candle holders are apparently very rare now, and came to me in the original box. I have added the "bubble" she is holding.
- 1950s Circus Clown Patience Puzzle ("Indian"): This was acquired from Pennsylvania in a buy-out of old circus novelties that had been warehoused, still in their original packaging. Circus clowns in the US used to throw these ones out to the crowd, while the larger versions were won as prizes. They have two ball bearings which you are supposed to get into the holes.
- 1960s Dollhouse Lamp: This came to me in a complete set of doll's house living room furniture. They were acquired from West Virginia from an old plastics factory which was shut down many years ago.

As well as these vintage beauties, I have also included a number of other charms: a yellow tea pot, a green badminton racquet, an orange dove, a cupcake brad in chunky blue-green frame and a pink record player. there are also two tiny cupcake brads at each end of the black & white polka dot ribbon sections.

I'm looking forward to doing some more work with vintage novelties. Then again, I might just sit on the floor and play with them for a while..... !

If you're interested in a custom Ruby Tombstone piece, just go to www.rubytombstone.etsy.com and click "Request Custom Item".

Now THIS is creepy.....

2011-04-16T19:13:00.001+10:00

A few weeks ago, I was flicking through my collection of witchy books. I have a large stack of vintage books about witches, all with the stereotypes: hook noses, flying broomsticks, cauldrons, black cats etc etc. I like to keep them to remind myself that not everyone has an open mind when it comes to witchy stuff. Anyway, I was flicking through the pages, and discovered that in the whole book, only two paragraphs had been underlined. The paragraphs discussing how to identify a witch..... by torture. Hmmmmm. It does make me wonder about the previous owner! I do hope they never put this to the test. Meep.

From "Witches" by Olga Hoyt. Brrrr.

Custom Crazy!

2011-04-10T18:51:00.000+10:00

In recent months, I have had the opportunity to create a few custom pieces for friends. I've really enjoyed the challenge of putting myself into someone else's shoes, trying to put my own preferences and habits aside to create a piece that is a reflection of that other person instead of myself. This month, I stepped it up a notch by participating in the Etsy DUST Team's bi-monthly craft swap. This has added another layer of challenge, as I am now creating for a total stranger. I won't pretend that it has been easy. I have spent many hours racking my brain as to how to create a piece based only on a few statements. How DO you create a piece that reflects the personality of someone you've never met?

Custom Piece made for and inspired by a friend

Then I had an epiphany. When someone asks you to create a piece for them, what they are asking for is to apply your imagination, creativity and style in a way that also suits them. After all, it is not your technical skills they are after, so much as it is your imagination! Once I viewed the task from that perspective, I found the ideas flowed much more easily. I had started to work on a piece that, in all honesty, I wasn't particularly fond of, but I thought that the other person may be. Instead, I am now working on a piece that reflects my sense of style, but with a new twist. I am finding myself much more enthusiastic and inspired by the task. With a bit of luck, I'll also pick up some new skills, knowledge or ideas that would never have occurred to me before.

Custom necklace & ring set I made for myself

I have been so inspired by this task that I have finally taken the plunge and enabled the "Custom Order" link in my Etsy Shop. I have set a few ground rules to make sure that the buyer understands that my role is to apply my creativity to the piece, rather than simply assembling it. I have developed a set of questions for the buyer to answer which help me to identify the general direction of the piece, and to clarify any specific needs or constraints. For example, I have asked buyers to select a theme for the piece (and given some examples), as well as a colour palette. I have also asked if they have any specific constraints such as sizing issues, types of materials they may not like etc. I am looking forward to some challenging requests, and to some new inspirations!

Ruby xoxox

If you would like to order a Custom Piece from Ruby Tombstone Etsy, simply click on the Custom Order link in the shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/RubyTombstone

Five horror movies that genuinely freak me out

2011-03-08T17:22:00.002+11:00

Today I got sent a link by the wonderful @ADDblog on Rue Morgue's Rodrigo Gudiño, talking about five movies that freak him out: http://bit.ly/gPcowB. I was surprised at how different they are to my own. I guess everyone has their own private fears.

Films that freak me out tend to be about people doing horriffic things to other people. To me, I can really believe that these people exist, which is what makes them scary. In fact, several of the films that freak me out the most are based on the real serial killer Ed Gein. The true story of his life eclipses even the most horrifying film. On the rare few occasions where I have come close to people who have perpetrated this kind of calculated violence, perhaps enjoying it, perhaps as "nothing personal, just business", I can't tell you how that has chilled me to the core.

So here are my Top 7 Genuinely Scary Films

1 - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Tobe Hooper's original). Although there was very little actual gore, I squealed at a couple of points the first time I saw this. In fact I still do! It's the realism, and the anticipation of knowing what is about to happen that makes it so uncomfortable to watch.

2 - House of 1,000 Corpses (Rob Zombie). Like TCM, it is based on the life of Ed Gein, and while it goes a little overboard towards the end, it still only hints at what Gein was capable of. The pleasure that the family takes in their killings, the way they play with human bodies and lives is genuinely scary.

3 - Martyrs - Again, this is so uncomfortable to watch because it is people that coldly, and with forethought are the protagonists. I know many people that have seen this film and said, "I'm glad I saw this, but I never want to see it again." I know exactly what they mean.

4 - Descent and Outpost - I have ranked these two together, as it is the same thing that is scary about both films - the anticipation, holding your breath and waiting for the inevitable, which somehow still makes you jump. Knowing what lurks around you, and being unable to escape it. Having to somehow face your fear to survive.

5 - Poltergeist and Paranormal Activity - I saw poltergeist as a child and was absolutely terrified. I had read books about poltergeists and was fairly convinced that I was somehow attracting them at the time! While the film doesn't scare me anymore, the thought of poltergeists still kind of make me shiver. Paranormal Activity is the modern day equivalent to me of Poltergeist, and still makes me shudder a little when I think of the ending.

Ruby xoxo

Showcase - AusDisasterRelief Shop

2011-01-17T20:23:00.008+11:00

I've been helping out a little behind the scenes in the charity store today, and am amazed at some of the stunning pieces that have been generously donated by people all over the world. Here's a showcase of just a few items currently listed. Remember, if you love something.......get it now with free shipping!

All proceeds from donated goods (after fees) go to The Queensland Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal to assist people and communities in North Eastern Australia who have been affected by devastating floods.

Purple tartan flower hair-clip

This stunning punk/burlesque piece is by an artist in one of the flood affected areas - Brisbane: Fascinique

Fuchsia Necklace

This perfect sparkling jewel was donated by Alkaz Design from Korumburra, Victoria, Australia.

Bunny Mo Art Print 5x5 inches - Year of Rabbit

This supercute art print was donated by Little Mo & Friends of Perth, Australia.

Custom Made Black Tuxedo Bow Tie Collar for Dogs or Cats

This is just awesome! It was donated by FurkidsCloset in Singapore.

If none of these take your fancy, there are another 250 or so items listed currently in the store...

Ruby xoxo

Etsian Australian Flood Appeal

2011-01-16T23:37:00.003+11:00

As you may be aware, many parts of Australia are currently experiencing horrific flooding. Thousands of people have been affected by the rising waters and communities have been devastated, with some families losing everything. Seventeen people have tragically lost their lives to date, with twenty-eight still missing, including whole families. Over four thousand people are currently housed in evacuation centres, after being displaced by the water.

75% of the state of Queensland, in Australia's north-east, has been affected by floods. That is an area roughly twice the size of Texas. The town of Toowoomba has been hardest hit, being destroyed by an "inland tsunami" (Toowoomba is 700 metres above sea level!) that came unexpectedly from nowhere and literally swept parts of the town away.

The third largest city in Australia, Brisbane, also flooded affecting close to forty thousand homes and businesses. There are currently fifty thousand volunteers are helping to clean up the city which is covered in stinking flood mud and scattered with debris.

The Queensland Premier has established a flood relief fund (which will be overseen by the Red Cross) to raise much needed funds to help people get back on their feet. Some members of the handcraft community wanted to do something to help raise funds, so we have banded together and set up the Etsian Flood Relief Appeal store. Artists and crafters from around the world have donated items to sell and 100% of the proceeds (less Etsy and Paypal fees) will go directly to the fund.

All items include FREE SHIPPING, also donated by the artists and crafters.

By shopping at the store, you can own a lovely handmade item, get a fantastic bargain AND know you are doing something good for people in need!

If you can donate a handmade or vintage item to sell in the shop, visit the AusDisasterRelief Etsy Shop for details on how to donate.

As of Sunday 16 January 2011, the shop has raised around $3,500 USD. Help us raise that total if you can!

Three More Short Film Reviews

2010-05-22T23:57:00.006+10:00

Again, I'm lazy but I love my movies. Here's my take on the three I watched today:

"Case 39" (2009)
Predictable from the very beginning. It was reasonably creepy, but you always knew whwre it was going. I spent the whole film wanting to slap Renee Zellweger and say, "Wake the fuck up!". But that's not a new thing.

"The Wizard of Gore" (2008)
I will I admit that I haven't seen the original 1970 version of this, but I will have to now. I had such low expectations coming in, since it did feature Bijou Phillips and the Suicide Girls, but I have to say it totally won me over. It's an alternative horror-noir which totally captures a mood and a look. I didn't know where the film was going right up until the end, and I'll have to watch it at least once more before all the pieces fall into place for me. It was also just visually captivating. And did I mention gory? Go. Watch. This. NOW!

"The Fly" (1986)
It's a classic for a reason. I have never watched it all the way through before, and the version I own includes some truly grosstastic deleted scenes, so this was a great viewing experience. It sucked that it left itself so obviously open at the end for a sequel though, with a major plot point unresolved. Generally, that's the kiss of death for me. But in this case, I just have to know what happens, and will track down the sequel despite knowing that I'll hate it. That's just the way I am. But if you've never seen it, get the version with all the extras and look for a deleted scene called Monkey-Cat. That's all I'm sayin'......

Three Very Short Film Reviews

2010-05-21T22:40:00.003+10:00

My brief thoughts on the three films I watched today....

"The Invention of Lying" (2009)
I wanted to like this film, but there was far too much working against it. Firstly, Ricky Gervaise has become a caricature of himself since US mainstream audiences discovered him. But what really bugged me were the absurd assumptions underlying the plot. Firstly, there's the assumption that in a world without lying, everyone would be shallow and vacuous, labelling people at first sight. I don't get it. Another of the more preposterous assumptions was that in a world without lying, people would only get married based on their best genetic matches. "I do love you, but we can't get married because our children would be ugly." What the.....oh nevermind. It's not worth trying to get into the heads of American film executives.

"Cherry 2000" (1988)
Easily the most fun of the three of films. Wonderfully kitsch late-80s take on the future of technology. Melanie Griffiths doing her very best to emote. Sexbots, explosions, crazy car stunts, futuristic 80s apartment design, post-apocalyptic badlands, insane frontier characters ...... this film has it all. No wonder it's a cult classic.

"The Sinking of Japan" (2006, Japan)
Like most disaster films, this film was at least 45 minutes longer than it needed to be. It was bright and shiny, with big explosions, a romantic sub-plot and a small child to rescue. All the usual elements. I do suspect that the science in this film was slightly more realistic than certain others (yes Roland Emmerlich, I'm looking at you), and it definitely catered to a more Japanese sensibility (less humour, more sentiment) but at the end of the day it was just another disaster movie.

Why Zombie?

2010-04-29T15:07:00.001+10:00

Time and time again, people ask me the age-old question, "Why Zombie?". Some people like vampires or werewolves or ghosts. Some people find dragons to be all "majestic" or something. But I dig zombies and here's why:

Zombies Always Win - Okay so that might be a minor exaggeration, but think about it. Nine times out of ten, the brave human survivors escape the hordes of zombies surrounding their house/basement/mall, only to be eaten. Notch up another win for the zombies. You can't say that about vampires can you? The vampire almost always gets staked in the end. Lame.

Zombies Never Give Up - Zombies are single-minded in their desire for warm quivering flesh and organs, and that's an admirable quality. Have you ever seen a zombie get shot, say "Fuck it", shrug and shuffle away? Never. A zombie never quits. A zombie can be doused in petrol and set alight, and it will still try to feast on your brains. That's dedication.

Zombies Are Everywhere - The zombie "virus" spreads quickly. What starts as a handful of zombies soon turns into a vast legion covering the landscape. How amazing is it when you see that footage of hundreds of thousands of zombies stretching as far as the eye can see? Now THAT's majestic. And that leads to the potential for someone eventually waking up and finding that they're "The Last Person on Earth". Spooky, no?

Zombies Are Individuals - There are bride zombies, stripper zombies, janitor zombies, biker zombies, even Dixieland Jazz Band zombies. The possibilities are endless. Whereas if you've seen one werewolf, you've pretty much seen them all.

Zombies Are Inherently Funny - Zombies are, or were, human. But for a range of reasons (decaying flesh, foul odour, rigor mortis, loss of higher brain function and fine motor skills etc) they run into trouble while trying to do normal everyday human things. And that my friends, is always funny. I saw a t-shirt the other day that showed a group of zombies at a protest rally. It said, "What do we want?", "BRAAAAINS!" "When do we want it?" "BRAAAAAINS!" See? Comedy gold.

Zombies Are Gruesome - Zombies eat flesh, preferably warm bleeding twitching human flesh. The human brain is their favourite delicacy. In turn, they can only be killed by the destruction of their own brain - a shot to the head, decapitation or fire usually. They can lose a limb and still keep going. They can be crawling with maggots whilst still functioning, at least to some extent. The zombie potential for gore is limitless! Let's face it, other than making the walls drip with blood occasionally, ghosts just aren't that gory. Compared with zombies, they're just a bit of a snooze.

3 MOVIES IN 3 WORDS

2010-04-01T22:39:00.001+11:00

These are three films I watched today, and their three-word reviews.

"Caotica Ana" (Chaotic Ana) - 2007, Directed byJulio Medem, Spain
Boring Spanish hippies. (5/10)

"Amusement" - 2009, Directed by John Simpson, USA
Dull and unamusing. (3/10)

"Splinter" - 2008, Director Toby Wilkins, USA
Gorefest with heart (7/10)
Link to the official site

Once again, horror films educate the masses!

2010-03-29T19:49:00.000+11:00

I'm halfway through finally watching Saw VI, and this quote from Jigsaw (John Kramer) just jumped out at me as a wonderfully succinct description of everything that's wrong with the healthcare system in America, and in most "developed" countries:

"Did you know that in the Far East, people pay their doctors when they're healthy? When they're sick, they don't have to pay. So basically, they end up paying for what they want, not what they don't want. We've got it all ass-backwards, here."

Another great quote delivered by John Kramer on the subject, from the same scene:

"These politicians, they say the same thing, over and over and over again. 'Healthcare decisions should be made by doctors and their patients, not by the government.' Well, now I know they’re not made by doctors and their patients or by the government. They’re made by the fucking insurance companies. Piranha."

For anyone in the US (or elsewhere for that matter) struggling to follow the Healthcare Reform debate, that's it in a nutshell.

To the writers, Patrick Melton & Marcus Dunstan, thank you!

Ruby xoxo

WINNERS Of The Ruby's Claws Competition!

2010-03-23T22:33:00.000+11:00

First off, thanks to everyone who entered the Ruby's Claws Competition. I had a ball making up all those crazy colour combos, and will definitely run another comp like this again. For everyone who entered: All the kits are up online in the Ruby Tombstone eBay store. If you bid on and win your own set, just let me know and you'll get $5 off the final price.

For everyone else, the sets can be bought for $14 AUD and contain everything you need to do your nails a different way every week for six months, plus a Ruby's Tips Sheet which tells you everything you need to know to make sure you NEVER spend longer than 20mins once a week creating awesome nails.

So the winners are...

BEST COLOUR COMBO - Tractorgirl from the Etsy DUST Team

BEST ORIGINAL THEME - "Romero Zombie Princess" - BJ Colangelo

BOYFRIEND'S CHOICE AWARD - Redeem Designs (1) - From the Etsy DUST Team

To see all the other Ruby's Claws Kits, click here - Ruby's Claws

Ruby's Claws Competition!

2010-03-09T20:26:00.000+11:00

See all the entries here: http://tiny.cc/CLAWS524

All of these luscious Ruby's Claws DIY Nail Art Kits have been suggested by contestants, who will get a creative credit on the eBay listing. There will be 3 winners:
1) Best Colour Combo
2) Best Original Theme
3) Boyfriend's Choice Award!

These kits will go live on the Ruby Tombstone eBay store by the weekend, and winners will be announced Friday. In the meantime, take a look at the Ruby's Claws DIY Nail Art Kits in store at the moment...
http://tiny.cc/RCLAWS828

The Rose Garden

2010-03-09T17:37:00.003+11:00

Something in this film I'm watching (The Orphan), just reminded me: I lived in this flat once. Down the back of this row of flats there was a manky old srip of dirt, overgrown with weeds. One day I went down there and pulled out all the weeds, dug up the soil and saved a lone scrappy old rose that had been hidden. Around it I planted herbs & sprinked some nasturtium seeds. One night, not long after, I woke to see the vague figure of an old lady standing in the doorway to my bedroom, wearing a serious expression. Our eyes met, we stared at each other for a minute, then she nodded once and faded away.

The next week, my landlady came to visit. She saw what I'd done with the strip of garden and was so happy. It turns out, the strip of garden had once been tended by her elderly mother, who had grown roses, and who had passed away a couple of years before I moved in. When she died, my landlady had scattered her ashes among her mother's beloved roses. No one had bothered to maintain the tiny garden until I moved in. My landlady was touched, and said it would have made her mother very happy to have someone tending to her garden.

I guess she came to check me out for herself. Evidently she approved...!