Maudlin moment

FRANKEN-SOAP (or making new soap from old soap)

2009-09-22T18:36:00.001-07:00

Now ghoulish friends, you know i love to reuse and recycle and this little article just gladdened my blue black heart.

To recycle your soap scraps into new bar soap, place 2 cups of grated soap scraps in a saucepan and cover them with water. Let them soak for 24 hours, giving them a stir every now and then. Next, bring the pan to a boil, remove it from heat and add a tablespoon of vegetable oil for each cupful of soap soup. Pour the mixture into molds–milk cartons work great. After they've hardened, you can cut them into smaller bars, but let them cure for two weeks before you use them.
from www.curbly.com

Maudlin Beauty

2009-08-29T02:53:00.000-07:00

We do love old and somewhat dubious beauty tips and tricks. Naturally we don't recommend practising them! But i just found these mind boggling buds of beauty wisdom from 1919-

SPOTS ON THE FACE.—Moles and many other discolorations may be removed from the face by a preparation composed of one part chemically pure carbolic acid and two parts pure glycerine. Touch the spots with a camel's-hair pencil, being careful that the preparation does not come in contact with the adjacent skin. Five minutes after touching, bathe with soft water and apply a little vaseline. It may be necessary to repeat the operation, but if persisted in, the blemishes will be entirely removed. *OUCH!*

And in keeping with the current obsession of youth-
OLD LOOKS.—Sometimes your face looks old because it is tired. Then apply the following wash and it will make you look younger: Put three drops of ammonia, a little borax, a tablespoonful of bay rum, and a few drops of camphor into warm water and apply to your face. Avoid getting it into your eyes.

Where do i start... Don't do this at home! Though perhaps George our skeleton in residence would benefit from the Cure for old looks.....

THE DEATH MOOK- book review

2009-06-02T03:51:00.000-07:00

Well i just howled with pleasure over this publication. It's a delicious confection of scrumptious morsels all tied together by the specter of Death. It features various authors and writing styles exploring death in all of it's guises. If you had the pleasure of reading Morbid Curiosity Magazine and mourned it's demise then i think you will promptly claw your way out of your crypt for this one. Anyhow get out and have a wee nibble at this collection of dark lozenges. Spooktacular!
check it out at
www.vignettepress.com.au

Ouroboros- feline style

2009-05-25T02:13:00.001-07:00

Words of wisdom

2009-05-04T00:23:00.001-07:00

Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional..

Tres Chic for the fashionable pooch.

2009-04-16T17:59:00.001-07:00

Lovely Lucy- fashionista extrodinaire says this is what the hottest puppies are wearing through the most fashionable doggy doors right now! Her stylist calls it a "short clip with a shag and shake tail"; we call it ooh la la for the pretty pup; she gets our grrrr of approval.

DRACULA- twitter style

2009-03-15T13:44:00.001-07:00

Gotnul is bringing the classic Dracula to 2006 with a Twitter style interpretation.
Funny stuff check it out!
http://www.gotnull.com
see post: "Dracular Told via Twitter"

Disaster- the great equalizer

2009-02-11T13:09:00.000-08:00

Just in case you hadn't heard catastrophic bush fires have been blazing across Victoria Australia. Thee has been much loss and tragedy and this photo captures the link between man and beast in times of great disaster. Our thoughts go out to everyone touched by this awful event.

Grinchy Wishes from Miss Jeannie

2008-12-29T15:33:00.000-08:00

I do hope everyone has happy holidays and Miss Jeannie wanted to send her own special brand of festive or perhaps festering wishes!

CRAPPY CRAFTS- Yarn ball flowers

2008-06-05T13:00:00.001-07:00

We here at the maudlin mansion love a bit of DIY and i found this little gem hovering out there in cybre space. I am thinking this is in the crappy craft category, but perhaps i just haven't seen it executed with real panache.......

Yarn Ball bouquets.
MATERIALS:
various sizes of yarn balls
Skewers - same number as yarn balls.
1 vase

Simply impale the yarn balls on the skewers and arrange in the vase. Voi-la instant yarn ball flower arrangement..... Kiddies, don't try this at home. :-)

Hair raising moments in History.

2008-05-15T22:40:00.000-07:00

Despite amateur lady hairworkers of the early 19th century, professional women (predominantly under the employment of men) began to populate the hairworking industry, some even controlled their own concerns. This reached the point where jewellers who bought the worked hair and set it were becoming overridden by the hairworkers who not only worked the hair, but mounted it as well.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a single curl cost a shilling, but with seed pearls and gold embellishments, the cost could go as high as five shillings or more!

- a Memorial memory from The art of mourning website

Now i am off to cut off someone elses hair- for profit of course!!!

The Big Black Easter Bunny...

2008-03-16T15:44:00.001-07:00

It's that Time of Year again when the big black lop earred bunny tries to sneak past Miss Jeannie (Kitty Princess) to deposit a bounty of calories on my door step. But never fear Miss Jeannie is secretly a brave Battle kitty (when she isn't snoring or demanding better room service) and she is relentless in protecting my corset stays - which strain alarmingly without the wicked sweety goodness of the forbidden chocolate plunder.... bless you miss Jeannie.

A big HAPPY EASTER from the Maudlin Mansion, Miss Jeannie and The Bent bunnies (with butt cracks)

Bad babies

2008-01-30T01:37:00.001-08:00

Ok we never claimed to have good taste when it comes to humor at the maudlin mansion....

these vintage knitting pattern babies were just asking for it!!

THE MANY MAUDLIN MOODS OF THE FESTERING FESTIVE SEASON

2007-12-12T16:19:00.000-08:00

THE 12 MOODS OF XXXMAS

1DISBELIEF- they are putting out Christmas stock, Catalogues and Decorations in the stores in October.

2 DISMAY- it’s nearly the end of another year and you haven’t tackled anything on your New Years “to do” list.

3 FRUSTRATION- What will you give to great aunty Ethel???

4 DISGUST- at anyone who is organized enough to send out Seasons greetings before New Year. Doubly so for those who have erected trees, decked out their houses or finished their Christmas shopping.

5 RAGE- while you endure the crowds, extreme heat/cold, cues and never ending auditory assault of Christmas carols in the pursuit of the perfect, probably useless and mostly unappreciated gifts for loved ones.

6 AGGRAVATION - You still don’t know what to give to great aunty Ethel.

7 HORROR- seeing the balance on your bank account.

8 PANIC- You still haven’t worked out what to give Great Aunty Ethel and the ONLY toy your 5 year old wants is out of stock and won’t be back in stock until the new year.

9 SHOCK- at your expanding waistline from all of that canapé and champagne consumption at the annual round of Christmas soirees.

10 FEAR- that you might not have enough Champagne to survive the silly season and retain some semblance of sanity.

11 SURPRISE- at receiving a lovely and thoughtful gift from someone you haven’t seen and certainly didn’t plan to see in some time, let alone exchange gifts with.

12 RELIEF- in a little over 24 hours, the scramble and chaos of Christmas will be over…. And you can start planning for New Year……

Having one of those days?

2007-10-17T18:35:00.001-07:00

A TRIUMPHANT RETURN

2007-08-10T16:25:00.000-07:00

Do forgive my absence maudlin friends, I have been on safari to the darkest, shadows of the Maudlin mansion and have only just found my way back. Ahhhh, but what treasures I brandish, truly worth the wait…….

The Maudlin Princess woke with a stretch and a yawn. “What a remarkable slumber” she exclaimed, “I feel as though I have been at rest in the arms of Morpheus a hundred years!”She looked about her with a mix of curiosity and disgust “what on earth are those hideous rags you’re wearing?” She said glaring at their pastel colors and thin leather neck ties and the shamefully short skirts of her female attendants and then looked with relief at her own gown of full skirt and velvet bodice.
“Actually you’ve been asleep for ages.” ventured one of the men.
“Yeah, and we’ re stoked that this bloke came along and woke you up with a kiss.” cried one of the ladies, Pushing a pimply faced youth toward the stunned Princess.
At once the Maudlin Princess burst into tears – not only was her rescuer quite the most skinny, pimply, unattractive prince she had ever laid eyes on, but she had woken up in the 80’s.

Cupcaketastic

2007-05-09T23:37:00.000-07:00

OK, ok i know it isn't maudlin, but there is nothing more comforting than a sweet treat on a gloomy day! And this is cupcake action from Australia- so I'm offering it up for your drooling pleasure. Oh and i can personally vouch for their deliciousness. ;-)

http://cupcaketastic.blogspot.com/

A Stroll about the cemetery

2007-05-03T03:19:00.000-07:00

Just a few charming photos of the lovely Stratford cemetery near Bairnsdale in East Gippsland. We were enchanted by the crocus bulbs peeping up on some plots and also a gorgeous and unusual dove on a headstone. There were beautiful porcelain bouquets too - some still in their original glass domes.

Stomping grounds for the antique and curio addicted.

2007-04-10T17:17:00.000-07:00

Well this is exciting; a fab new blog for those of us who love searching for old treasures! Here is the low down on antique and collectors fairs in and around Melbourne- yippeee (In the most maudlin way of course).

http://antiquesinmelbourne.blogspot.com/

on a personal note my last delicious curio was a fabulous grouse foot kilt pin- i had one of these as a child so i nearly keeled over with the vapours when i spied it. It now tastefully adorns my handbag- Miss Jeannie (Kitty Princess about the maudlin mansion) is concerned

Grim Gardening at the 2007 international flower show

2007-04-01T19:58:00.001-07:00

Perhaps the current state of drought here in Victoria inspired the grim gardening exhibits at the International flower and garden show here in Melbourne. Really it was a sight for maudlin eyes and i have a few snap shots to share and inspire.

Welcome some new and interesting fauna into your yard

A few extra green thumbs can be handy

You can never plant too many bones and skulls in your yard

IF all the world is a stage, perhaps gardens are the side shows

Now i am all inspired to pop out into the cemetery and get a little dirt under my talons- happy pruning!

LIQUID BEEF

2007-03-27T03:33:00.000-07:00

Mmmmm, delicious Liquid beef, need i say more!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

2007-02-15T00:37:00.000-08:00

Despite all of our maudlin-icity here at the mansion, we do love a celebration and we couldn’t pass up to opportunity to wish all and sundry a Happy Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year is steeped in tradition, ritual and superstition. So here are a few tips to ensure a prosperous New Year:
1: Don’t wash you hair on New Years Day- you will be washing away all of your good luck. (Let’s face it unwashed hair is food for the gloomy bloomers)
2: Wear some Red. Hey if you are going to ditch your black- Red is rather a fabulous option. (Also highly recommended when dancing on the graves of the not so dearly departed.)
3:Don’t use knives or scissors on New Years Day as you might cut off your good luck. Really knives and scissors are always a risk here at the Maudlin Mansion.

Anyway Happy Chinese New Year for February the 18th. 2007 is the Year of the pig!

CLOWNS are scary

2007-02-04T15:06:00.000-08:00

Well we Maudlin dames do love a good ferret about at the secondhand shop/jumble sale and i was very pleased to find this irrefutable proof that clowns are scary- quite possibly evil.

*** do note the eyebows in particular. The expression suggests torment by rubber chicken

Perhaps you can indulge that special someone in your life who wishes to be deeply disturbed with one of these alarming play things.
Sadly the card was pretty much on it's own so i can't give suitable props to it's creator. None the less i do hope you enjoy it as mch as i did.

An A-bear-ation

2007-01-21T21:45:00.000-08:00

What abearation has occurred here? Is it merely the result of an over exuberant Teddy Bears picnic; or something rather more sinister? Perhaps you can glean something more from the scene- note the flushed fur, the limp stuffing. Maybe not all of the Teddy Bears were having a wonderful time today….

Bloody berry granita and cocktails

2007-01-10T18:41:00.000-08:00

Ok i have become obsessed with frozen fruity goodies to cool down while we go throught he summer sizzle.... Maudlin dames everywhere can be heard shrieking "Ahhhh I'm meltinggggg." But banish murderous thoughts with these delicious goodies.

BASIC BLOODY BERRY GRANITA. Delicious and not to woeful for the waistline
You will need:
berries- any berries frozen or fresh or a mixture of frozen and fresh.
the juice of one fresh lime or half a lemon.
a couple of teaspoons of sugar or aftificial sweetener
half a bottle of champagne (sham-pain is fine) OR (If your not in touch with your vices or you plan serving it to the little spooks) some diet fruit flavored mineral water (you want the bubbles so that it doesn't turn into an iceburg and you don't want anything too sweet.)

Method-
force everything into a blender and whip it into a frenzy
then spread it meanly (not too thick- so it will freeze faster)

To serve you are going to want to scratch it about with a fork - Devilishly delish, tart, fruity and a most diabolical color

SINFUL SIMPERING SIZZLE KILLER COCKTAILS. So good you wont want to suck down just one.

for two generous cocktails you'll need:
350gms Frozen fruit (I recommend rasberries and Pinapple is both readily available in the supermarket freezer.) A hand full of fresh berries- Black berries are outstanding, but strawberries or blue berries would be good too. You want to have more frozen fruit than fresh.
4-6 small ice cubes- you want this shivering cold.
Champagne (Sham-pain is fine, you don't need to break out the good stuff for this)

Throw your fruit and ice cubes into the blender with enough champagne to get it to a slushy shaved ice consistency. I like this really thick, icy and blood red and thick, but you can of course thin it out a bit to taste.
Now if you have left over Champagne you wont use right away you might consider freezing it in ice cube trays to add to your next batch of sizzle killer cocktails.