When real things happen to imaginary people

I have now used the 30% glycolic acid peel twice. I'm also using 5% glycolic acid cleaning wipes on my face every night, because that's what a lot of the skin care forums recommended. And doing the usual stuff: really good, soothing moisturizer every night (Bee Friendly, yes, really), and wearing sunblock every day.

I have noticed an improvement in my skin. The texture is smoother, and the brown spots from hormone wackiness are definitely lightening. They're not GONE (yet), but they don't jump out at me whenever I see myself in a mirror.

(I know, I know, probably no one else noticed them.)

So! Putting acid on your face! I totally recommend it!

Today was the group expedition to JoAnn Fabrics, Michael's, and Home Goods. There was much exclaiming over glittery skulls and whatnot. And by whatnot I mean glittery candy corn wreath. No, I didn't buy it. I knew I didn't really need it, and it wasn't the sort of front door -decorating Halloween wreath I was searching for. But I did have to put it on my hat.



While at Michael's, the sentence "Jilli! We found your sippy cup!" may have been called across the aisles.



I bought two of those.

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Other Halloween loot included glittery black roses and leaves (decor for future hats); an elaborate wreath of black and red roses, silver leaves, and black feathers; a skull teacup with a spiderweb saucer; some spooky hand towels; glittery skull candles; and a black throw pillow with a large skull screenprinted on it. I successfully resisted all of the red velvet decorations; while I really want a red velvet flocked skull-onna-stand, I know it would be an instantaneous cat fur magnet.

It's Lipstick A Day May over in Tumblr-land.



NYX soft matte lip creme in Transylvania. Of course I own a lip color named Transylvania.

While digging through one of my makeup drawers, I ran across my pot of Gothica Lip Hybrid from House of Beauty. IIRC, it feathered and smudged on me, but I'm willing to give it another try tomorrow. More interestingly, tho', is the statement from House of Beauty that the Lip Hybrids are eye safe. I emailed them to double-check, and they said that yes, they were. Don't use them on the waterline, but otherwise, safe! Hmmmm. I'd love to use Gothica (or Cabernet!) as a lid color & liner. I wonder how sticky it would be ...

ECCC day 2!

Tomorrow is going to have cooler weather, THANK GOODNESS. Because I plan on wearing my Beetlejuice frock coat and a Very Big Hat, and I don't want to have to stuff ice packs down my front.

Big Hair, which confuses Miss Erzabet No Biting





... what?

(the embroidery on the hem of the blouse is "fngs 4 th mmrs" - bandom fic ref for the win!)

Part 3 of this ongoing madness of trying on BRIGHT pink lipstick. Makeup For Ever Aqua Lip liner in “16c”, with NYX “Hot Pink” lipstick on top. And hair that is going through goth upkeep tomorrow.

I’m going to try this lip liner under one of my dark red lipsticks and (maybe Revlon Black Cherry?) and see how that looks. But I kinda like the OMG BRIGHT PINK lipstick thing. I need to try it with a darker smoky eye shadow, copious amounts of black liquid liner, and a super-witchy black lace outfit, too.

It was a tiny bit too warm for it to be a perfect walk in the Arboretum. But despite the blazing orb, it was still a nice walk with the Stroppy One, and I got to scuffle through fallen leaves.

Last night the StuntHusband and I toddled off to the monthly club night we like.



It was also Santarchy, so there were all sorts of drunk characters in varying degrees of Santa costuming. But! There was also someone in a full Krampus costume, who stopped at our table and gave us a leaflet proclaiming we had been naughty, with a short explanation of who Krampus is. Yay!

A bonus photo of me tormenting the StuntHusband, with context! I have a ridiculous fondness for overwrought gothic romance novels from the 60s/70s/80s, and the more outlandish, the better. Someone on Tumblr posted the cover to one that I immediately had to get. As it turns out, this particular novel is notable for the fact that it's all the classic gothic romance tropes, but with queer characters.



StuntHusband refuses to read it. I, however, am going to be indulging in it tonight.

So the Infamous BlueJay made me a mermaid skirt. Which I like a lot, even if the Body Image Demons were muttering really loudly. I decided to ignore them, and wore the skirt (and one of the batwing hem jackets that BlueJay made me years ago) to Six's reading at the Wayward Coffeehouse.



( OMG NO PETTICOATS! )

Then today I did a Halloween thing I'd never done before: I went to a pumpkin patch! With theda and Thekla! I totally blend in at a farm, yep.

From Tuesday, the triumphant, if tired, look of a woman who wrote 20+ command reference topics in about 8 hours:



(Hate writing command ref topics. Haaaaaate.)

From today, a lot of necklaces (ankh rosary AND a sterling silver raven claw!), a big hat, and perhaps a bit too much caffeine:



And then, fan art! I'd mentioned over on Tumblr that I wouldn't be around much because there are some hellish deadlines happening right now (plus other, additional stress, oh joy), and a couple of folks decided to draw pictures of me!
( Behind a cut for ease of scrolling, if that's what you want to do. But there's a picture of me with a giant bat! And a picture of vampire Dave Vanian giving me a cupcake! )

I won't even try to fib, I LOVE when people send me fan art. it just makes me giddy.
Yeah, busy. Stressed. But I vanquished one of the work deadlines, and things are getting better.