Winter White

White is a call into the crisp air for simplicity. The absence of pigment; every color spectrum of light combined. Perhaps darker colors traditionally are worn to keep you warm in the cold as the days grow longer and darken, but there's something about surrounding yourself with snow white sheets and sweaters that has a special kind of coziness about it. There is a serenity in the clarity, after a summer and autumn of ever-changing color. It is a breath of fresh air as you slip into your sheets.

I'm craving chunky knits. It fascinates me, textures and pattern, and I love wrapping myself in these gorgeous delicate works of art. Fall is the perfect time to knit, preparing for the crisp Winter air slowly moving in.

What better way to spend a fall or winter morning than in bed, reading or sketching or even doing work on a laptop? The chill of morning brushing against your cheeks, you wrap yourself in soft neutrals that calm your spirit as you slowly wake.

The day becomes a dream while you swim through knits of wool and cashmere, your creativity sparking in all directions as you sketch in bed. I'm not sure if there is much in the world as pleasant as this. You feel radiant and warm enveloped in the calm of this Winter world you have surrounded yourself with. 

Days like these remind me why I love Winter so much.

All Hallows' Eve

Ghosts and spirits, witches and magic, demons and strange creatures. Halloween opens the door to these things that many people turn a cheek to out of fear or misunderstanding. It poses the frightening question, what is real and what is possible?  

Halloween originated as a way to use "humor and ridicule to confront the power of death." Trick-or-treating originated from the medieval practice of "souling" where the poor would go door to door asking for food in return for prayers for loved ones. Death is confronted and honored through food and gathering in many cultures in different ways, including Mexico's Day of the Dead.

Unfortunately in today's culture it has been skewed to represent an event where many people dress their sexiest in order to find a hot date for the night, completely disregarding the history and meaning of the tradition. But, as times and traditions change, the upside is that Halloween is now a holiday for people to be anything they want to be, especially what may not be appropriate or accepted in daily life. 

And for that reason, along with the deep questioning and oddities involved, I love Halloween. 

It was recently brought to my attention that the tacky decorations are what may turn so many people away from celebrating this holiday (I cringe because those decorations are corporate advertisement and have almost no true relation or authenticity to the spirit of Halloween's origins). So, obsessed with a life of style and being true to authenticity and tradition, I found some hand crafted Etsy items that would be great, spooky decor for this year's All Hallows' Eve.

Vintage photographs have always intrigued me. I think it's a great thing to adorn a wall with for a Halloween celebration. You couldn't Photoshop them (at the time), and digital cameras did not exist- when that shutter opened it captured whatever was in front of it and that was that. There is something amazing about old photographs that have been found that organically included oddities, deformities, ghosts, and other mysteries that to this day may still have no explanation or parallel. 

find here

At summer's end, or Samhain, on October 31st, it was tradition to build large bonfires to ward of bad energies and prepare for harvest feasts. The light and fire of course would attract insects, which in turn would attract their predators (bats) to swarm the air. Not only a strange looking creature of the night, also tied to the theories of vampires, they have been a symbol of Halloween festivities for ages.

find here

find here

Potions of poison, magic, and strange ingredients- apothecary mysteries that hold the juice of life or death. Old apothecary jars are another one of my favorite things. Protected curiosities, due to fragility and poisonous qualities, they are the giant red button that says 'do not push.' With their delicate labels with signs of old age, and their intricately shaped glass blown forms, one sip and you are toying with the hands of death and magic.

find here

Oddities and curiosities are like food for my soul. Nature's creativity has formed so many incredible and strange things, and we match it with our creations of destroyed objects and mysterious items. They are the essence of the soul of Pandora's Box. Creepy and strange and with shades of fleeting mortality, oddities are some of the most intriguing objects and pieces of history in the world.

find here

Spiders are thought to be another creature with connections to the supernatural, often being affiliated with witchcraft. Their web weaving abilities have been said to represent time and fate, two mysteries of human life. Their tendencies to be poisonous also aids itself to be an added fright factor, and it's eight lengthy legs are so thin you'd almost never know if they were right on top of you.

There is a history of people killing black cats around Halloween time due to the animal's affiliation with witchcraft.
Please be nice to all creatures and keep your pets safe!

There are many amazing decorations for this celebration that harness the true spirituality and tradition of All Hallows' Eve, or Halloween. If you take the time to look, you will be able to do great justice to this holiday and tap into the true historic element of this beloved holiday.

Here is a link to a few great short explanations of Halloween symbols, so you can choose your celebratory decor wisely. 

Happy Halloween everybody!

Falling Forward

Fall is creeping up slowly, and if I had it my way it'd be here already and going strong in preparation for Winter. Fall/Autumn is great because the trees turn orange, the weather changes, the air is filled with the scent of pies- just kidding, I live in SoCal where trees are evergreen and the weather is pretty much always averaging in the 80's and the p-word in the air is pollution. (I love you SoCal, but I'm a Winter girl, and that's just not in your vocabulary.) But that's okay! A girl can dream and still enjoy "Autumn," a thing that we may only notice because clothing stores are changing up what's on their racks.

So far my only plans for Autumn is relaxing at home (kind of...). While many of my friends are on their way back to college, many on the chilly East Coast, I'll be crafting in my studio ideally with my record player on full blast and incense burning in every room of the house. I'll try to catch up on some recommended Netflix indulgences on lazy days, probably redecorate my Christmas-light lit room another hundred times, and take some more classes (ceramics, weaving, and welding are currently on my list). 

I've also taken on a new internship for a Music Supervision company (with my dad, hi dad) so I can learn the ropes for when I join the big guys in other parts of the music industry. This job, although proving difficult at times, runs through my blood and I feel so motivated to be working. 

While what I do may seem all fun and games, constant creating and trying to make some kind of living off of it is really hard. (Captain Obvious?) But that's okay, because I love it. I've tried so many things in my life, who knows how long this will last, but any job that brings me joy is one I'm going to work hard to keep and become great at.

New crafts are on my mind. I've taken up weaving, which has been tricky but entertaining, and jewelry making, which is costly but really creative. Sometimes I need a break from painting to do something more pre-planned and mindless, and it helps me achieve the balance of relaxation while still being productive. You can find my jewelry, and in a few weeks also weavings and artwork, here:

www.etsy.com/shop/CassidyBlissVintage

With new art sales I'm preparing my savings account for what winter will bring, which hopefully will be some traveling so I can put my big vintage coats to use and maybe even see some snow! Until then I'll have to stick with my knee socks and vintage kimonos in this confusing California weather. 

If you're wondering where to shop, Forever21 is my go-to store. H&M has nice items depending on the season, Love Story for the occasional boho-glam item, Brandy Melville for cardigans and loose dresses (nothing else fits?), and maaaybe I'll do a quick look in American Apparel and Urban Outfitters, but not likely due to price- I'm on a budget! 

In Forever21 you're paying for what you get, but they have really good designs if you are willing to dig for an hour, and pieces will last long if you just take care of it.

My favorite vintage stores are Iguana Vintage, American Vintage, and Jet Rag. Goodwill is also a go-to store if you're willing to dig for a while, but it's usually worth it, and way cheaper.

One great thing about Autumn in SoCal is that the change in the weather is a relief more than anything. I can wear that beautiful Summery dress that has been sitting in my closet all Summer because it was slightly too thick to wear in heat of this Summer. It's the perfect mid-point where the days are still warm, but the nights are just right no matter if you are bundled up or forgot your sweater at home.

It's a good time to experiment with things such as the long sleeve dress, without having to wear layers of tights underneath. Socks, shawls, cardigans, polyester fabric- this is their time to shine.

I plan on cooking. A lot. I've been collecting recipes for months (as shown in a recent blog post) and have tried my hand at a few recipes, but I think it's time to actually dive into cooking as a true hobby. If I'm ever going to fend for myself, I need to know how to not burn broccoli. Not to mention I want to be as healthy as I can be, and cooking from scratch is going to ensure that more than pre-prepared freezer meals.

Healthy treats are on my list of what to make as well. My body has been very strict in letting me know that order-in pizza and sugary baked goods are the last thing I should be eating. Plus, it's so much more enjoyable and filling to eat say, a zucchini/carrot cake topped with fruit, rather than a store bought cupcake with refined sugar in every cell of it. Many vegan recipes opt for healthier ingredients as well, making the road to health and happiness much easier.

Going back to nature in what we eat is important. Eating foods with as little unrecognizable ingredients as possible allows for a healthier and more active life. So to go hand in hand with that, I also hope to be adventurous and active in these upcoming months as well. 

Maybe not so large scale, but enough to balance my homebody-ness out. Taking advantage of the somewhat cooler weather, hikes will be beautiful and pleasant, camping on the beach would be dreamy, and road trips to different cities is always a necessity for inspiration. A few picnics wouldn't hurt either.

Whatever this Fall brings, I'm going to infuse it with nature, nurture, good food and good times. Cheers to constant inspiration.