Black Friday's Realistic Blood Punch/Cocktail

Haven't you always wanted to feel more authentically like a vampire while getting drunk at the same time? I've always wondered why I could never find a recipe for an alcoholic drink, be it a punch or cocktail, that resembled blood beyond just being red. Why was there nothing out there with the consistency of blood, too? 

The goal for this recipe was to avoid food colouring, and get it the right colour just with the ingredients. Theoretically you could make just about any drink red by adding food colouring, but that feels like cheating. It also needed to taste good. What I really wanted to achieve, was an alcoholic drink that felt and moved like blood. This may not be perfect but it was the closest I could get whilst maintaining the flavour.
Be the coolest/weirdest host ever by providing your guests with a punch that not only looks, but feels like blood. Best of all, it tastes lovely and makes for easy drinking. Serve it cooled, or leave it slightly warm to make it feel creepier. You can add ice cubes (I recommend ice with red food colouring in it) but remember if you put ice into a pitcher or punch bowl, this will dilute the punch and thin its consistency as it melts. 

Best Halloween punch ever? I think so. The recipe can be scaled up or down to make a whole bowl or pitcher of punch, or just a couple of cocktails. The recipe below yields two or three servings. Simply multiply the recipe depending on how many people you're likely to be serving. For example, if you're serving 12 guests, multiply the ingredients by 6. For 20 guests, by 10, and so forth. The measurements don't have to be exact!

You will need:

• 150ml/5oz Red wine (merlot or cabernet sauvignon)
• 30ml/1oz Cherry brandy or cherry liqueur
• 60ml/2oz Vodka
• 30ml/1oz Raspberry syrup or cordial
• 30ml/1oz Grenadine
• 120ml/4oz Pomegranate juice
• 3tsp. Arrowroot powder

Method:

• In a small, separate dish, mix the arrowroot with 3 teaspoons cold water. Stir until you have a smooth white liquid with no lumps.
• Put the other ingredients together into a pot on the stove.
• Heat carefully over medium heat. It should get hot but not boil, about 80˚C/176˚F. Do not let it boil!
• Gradually add the arrowroot liquid into the pot, stir consistently. 
• You should start to feel the mixture thicken slightly as you stir, this only takes a minute or two.
• Remove from the heat and put into a heat safe container. Put in the fridge to cool for 30 minutes or until cooled. Leaving it for too long will cause it to congeal a bit.
• Pour into a punch bowl, pitcher, or cocktail glasses. Garnish and serve!

Watch the video:

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If you make this yourself, please (if you can) take a photo and tag me on social media so I can see your creation! Enjoy and have a safe and happy Halloween xx

Store Spotlight - Dellamorte & Co.

Well, if there's a shop I've been pining over for literally years, it's this one. Dellamorte & Co. makes some of the most awesome shit for the home I've ever seen. A number of their items have been on my wish-list for a long time, the only thing that holds me back is the cost of shipping weighty items internationally, but I reckon they're worth saving for.

Amor Aeternus Wall Plaque

Dellamorte & Co. makes statues, vases, magnets, barware, wall plaques, lights, and more; everything the macabre household could do with to improve upon its macabreness. Each piece of quality dark art for the home is handmade to order. Much of the inspiration comes from the wish to create functional art, and it is precisely that; many of the things you can find there are not just for display, but to use.

You can find anatomically correct heart-shaped vases, realistic skull planters, tombstone magnets, tentacle winestoppers, and much more. Also can be found exquisitely morbid items purely for decoration, such as wall plaques that look like they've been taken from centuries old sepulchres. At Christmas time, you can decorate with cheerful Krampus decor, or hang the Headless Horseman from your tree.

Anatomical Heart Vase in black

The only piece I own is a conjoined twin fetal skull, which was gifted to me a few years ago. It takes pride of place in the centre of my living room's display cabinet. It's always been one of my favourite decorations, and I have, like I said, pined to own more ever since. Dellamorte & Co. has managed to find the balance between spooky and classy. A lot of home decorations can look cheap and Halloweeny, whereas these pieces are pleasingly morbid as well as elegant and smart.

Fruit Bat Wine Accessory Set

If you are someone who decorates for Halloween all year round, and likes to do it with style, then you should definitely visit Dellamorte & Co's online store. Their pieces also make excellent gifts for fans of the dark and macabre, as I said, my piece was a gift, and one of the coolest I ever remember receiving. Thank you for visiting, hope I've given you something new to admire!
Until next week x

Book Picks ~ November

Christmas is (somewhat) soon, and it's a good idea to get your gifts ready before shipping gets stressful. Also, books! More awesome books recommended by you guys, for you guys. I've linked everything to Book Depository, because it's where I usually buy books; they have free shipping worldwide!

The Red Plague Affair by Lilith Saintcrow

The service of Britannia is not for the faint of heart - or conscience ...After defeating a clockwork army bent upon regicide, the sorceress Emma Bannon and genius detective Archibald Clare have come to respect each other's skills, despite the fact that magic and logic are usually opposing forces. So when the Queen asks Emma to track down a missing doctor who holds the key to a deadly new weapon, Archibald's deductive talent may be just what she needs to find the man, before his destructive discovery sets the entire capital city ablaze ...The game is afoot. And the Red Plague rises.

 

The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb

Young Fitz is the bastard son of the noble Prince Chivalry, raised in the shadow of the royal court by his father s gruff stableman. He is treated as an outcast by all the royalty except the devious King Shrewd, who has him secretly tutored in the arts of the assassin. For in Fitz s blood runs the magic Skill and the darker knowledge of a child raised with the stable hounds and rejected by his family. As barbarous raiders ravage the coasts, Fitz is growing to manhood. Soon he will face his first dangerous, soul-shattering mission. And though some regard him as a threat to the throne, he may just be the key to the survival of the kingdom. "Fantasy as it ought to be written" - George R.R. Martin

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett

IT'S THE NIGHT BEFORE HOGSWATCH AND IT'S TOO QUIET. Where is the big jolly fat man? Why is Death creeping down chimneys and trying to say Ho Ho Ho? The darkest night of the year is getting a lot darker...Susan the gothic governess has got to sort it out by morning, otherwise there won't be a morning. Ever again...The 20th Discworld novel is a festive feast of darkness and Death (but with jolly robins and tinsel too). As they say: You'd better watch out...

 

The Wild Ways by Tanya Huff

Charlotte Gale is a Wild Power, but there's nothing wild about the life she is living. When her meddlesome aunts start interfering, Charlie ditches her cousin Allie and their grandmother's Enchantment Emporium and joins a Celtic rock band on the summer festival circuit. All Charlie wants to do is play music and have a good time, but she soon becomes embroiled in a fight between an extended family of Selkies and an unscrupulous oil company willing to employ the most horrific means possible to get what they want, including one of the Gale aunts...

 

The World of Tim Burton

His films are cult classics: "Beetlejuice," "Edward Scissorhands," "The Nightmare before Christmas," "Alice in Wonderland." Less well known, but no less relevant, is the artwork that Tim Burton creates outside of Hollywood. His drawings and paintings, poems and short stories delight his fans just as much as his adventures on the silver screen. In the spirit of Surrealism, Burton playfully blends elements from popular culture--cartoons, comic books and B-movies, as well as gothic culture. This catalogue affords fascinating insight into the bizarre, magical imagination of this exceptional multimedia artist. And like the title of his new film, these pictures leave the viewer in amazement, inspired, with "Big Eyes." 

Thanks for your suggestions! If you'd like to suggest a book for next month's book picks, write to me here on the Contact page and select Other. Happy reading! x

Gift Ideas for Goths

Yes it's horrifyingly close to Christmas, but if you're like me, you either leave gift buying to the last minute, or wait for Boxing Day sales. Personally, I like giving people gifts any time. If I were able to, I would give stuff to my friends and boyfriend all the time. Anyway! If you're ever wondering what a nice gift would be for the dark, creepy weirdo in your life, here are some cool ideas for your perusal.

Absinthe Kit

    

            

Try finding a Goth that doesn't like Absinthe, or doesn't at least pretend to for the sake of cool cred. Why not give the gift of a beautiful Wormwood Leaf Absinthe Spoon, or put one in a kit with an attractive glass, and some specialty wrapped sugar cubes. Nipping down to the local bottle store and grabbing a bottle of Hapsburg 89% is pricey, but all together makes one hell of a cool gift.

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Dark Books

Books are a timeless gift. Even better than a good, dark book, is one with a pretty cover to match. You can't go wrong with a leather bound collection of Poe, or some morbid poetry from Baudelaire. The latest vampire story from Anne Rice, Prince Lestat is just out, and is flying off the shelves. Or if you prefer your vampires old-school, there's always the original Dracula.
I'm currently reading The Art of Gothic, and so far, so amazing. I'll be reviewing it soon! The same author wrote Worldwide Gothic, which is now firmly on my wish list. Book Depository is my favourite site for buying books, free international delivery! Fyeah!

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Creepy Toys

Fact: one is never too old for dolls and toys. Especially when they are creepy and/or covered in blood. Here are popular Living Dead Dolls Banshee, Lamentia or Haemon. They come inside their own coffin with death certificate, how sweet!

          

Less creepy but more stylish are Bleeding Edge 'BeGoths' Dolls, such as Silent Storm, Penelope Fabrique, or Greta Vendetta.  Most have sfx contact lens painted eyes, piercings, dyed hair, and amazing outfits. Also... Skelanimals are cute. Shut up.

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Too cute? How about a bible that actually bursts into flames. Now that's darque, dude. Real darque. 

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I had wanted this article to be longer, but that thing happened where I lost the whole lot and had to start all over again. Don't you love it when that happens? Hope you've found this helpful, I'll doubtless be back with more cool gift ideas in the future. Maybe people will be nudged into gifting one of these things to you by sharing this on Facebook.

Until next time, stay spooky  ^^;  ;^^

Stuff is Coming!

I know I should wait a bit but I'm so excited about the stuff I've got coming up for you over the next few weeks. I'll be putting up videos that have been requested by you guys, plus some other cool ideas, and I've just obtained a proper webcam, so they'll be much better quality from now on. Woo!

I'll also be putting some pretty neat stuff into my shop. Eep! Much excite.

Also, since I get a lot of questions, I'm going to do my first Q & A video soon to cover the things I get asked the most frequently. If you have any questions you'd like to submit, I have a new Contact page *points at the links above* where you can send your questions to me, and I'll answer them in a video.

'Til next time!  Stay SpoOky  x