Alchemy blogs
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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Wednesday, February 7, 2024
New Year, New Creations!
We have come to what is supposed to be the end of winter and nearly the start of spring... and yet it is still so dull and chilly! With Christmas over and the festivities dying down, it feels like the warmer days will never come. But it is the perfect time to really focus on all the good things in our lives, New Year's resolutions, and of course, revamping our wardrobe!
There is nothing like a style refresh to blow away those cobwebs - or actually adorn ourselves with!
As the wheel of the year starts to turn the first Pagan festival Imbolc (Feb 2nd) marks the start of Spring and a time for new beginnings. For anyone wishing to observe this celebration, Alchemy has your ritual embellishments covered - see the enchanting crescent moon pieces that come with a choice of different coloured droppers. The crystals can match any outfit or taste, as well as represent the things you wish to manifest in your life. I will definitely be picking The Green Tear to aid abundance and prosperity after the expense of the festive season!
What could be more of a formidable piece than Alchemy's new necklace The Undertaker ? This design exudes a dark omen essence with the skull and cross bone detail and the dark chain. Complete with a working stopper, the wearer will look like an apothecary carrying a sinister potion - is it an elixir or poison? You decide.
For those fans that are fascinated by all things Nordic, then the Journey to Valhalla may be the ideal totem for you. This piece is a tribute to Valhalla - the Viking warrior heaven - and would be the perfect accessory to hang over your favourite band t-shirt or muscle vest. This piece portrays a helmeted skull with a runic symbol and could be used as a protection symbol for those heading into everyday battles!
If you prefer a more subtle addition to your wardrobe, look no further than the delicate goddess earrings Danu, simple and classy and an homage to Wiccan beliefs. Not to mention the new collection of Alchemy rings which are sure to add a unique twist to your everyday work wear, Le Chat Noir is a cunning little character to spice up the boring office dress code.
And of course, no Alchemy collection would be complete without an ode to ravens and the grandmaster of gothic literature Edgar Allan Poe. The Nevermore Raven is pure sophistication as well as a foreboding sign of the dark world beyond the living realm with the inscribed words from Poe's most famous poem. And the terrifically terrifying Curse of Coronis choker will ensure that everyone knows that the wearer is a force to be reckoned with - like the raven: majestic, beautiful, and menacing.
Finally, not forgetting the new Alchemy calendar The Spellbound Heart - it's not too late to order yours! With unique Alchemy artwork for each month, you can work through 2024 with these majestic gothic designs skilfully created by the Alchemy team of artists.
So let Alchemy help you get ready for the "New Year, new you!"
https://www.alchemyengland.com/new-products
Monday, June 19, 2023
Spiders: Scary and Spectacular!
Acrobatics
Spiders from the Selenops genus have the startling ability to glide and can even parachute down from tropical trees. These creatures will stretch their legs out and steer themselves in mid-air to control their descent and landing, which sounds both astounding and terrifying if you happen to be walking beneath the tree canopy during these spiders' retreats! However, thankfully these spiders typically reside in the tropical forests of Panama and Peru so you are fairly unlikely to encounter these aerial experts on an ordinary nature ramble. Phew.
Fashion show!
All creatures in the animal kingdom love to show off their beauty, especially for mating rituals, and arachnids are no exception. Of course, spider attractiveness is rarely appreciated by us humans but some species are just too stunning to ignore.
Located in Asia and Oceania, the Peacock (Maratus volans) spider is as eye-catching as you can imagine. The radiant colours and patterns on its body are simply gorgeous and definitely refer to its animal namesake - the bright feathered bird. There are many different types of this spider but the males all sport a distinctive colourful flap that they raise like a peacock’s fan tail during courtship displays. On top of this impressive exhibition, these spiders also love to show off their fantastic dance moves to impress the females. If you have got it then flaunt it!
The Mirror or Sequined spider (Thwaitesia argentiopunctata) is also a creature of extraordinary beauty, Adorned with reflective scales, this spider looks truly magical like a mosaic work of art! The reflective quality of their bodies is actually formed from guanine within their digestive system and it works as an effective camouflage against predators. It is even said that one may actually be able to see their reflection in their bodies, although they are pretty tiny only measuring up to 4mm - making them tiny jewelled beings!
Superpowers
The Funnel-web spider (Hadronyche and Atrax) is given this name due to the shape of its web and tunnel-shaped hideaway lair, and can definitely be considered a super-spider! They create their habitat by burrowing into sheltered areas, such as rotting logs, under rocks, etc., and then create a series of trip wires over and around the entrance that alert them to any trespassing insects that will make a tasty meal. These silken lines can also warn the spider of any potential danger or even passing mates which is certainly a useful feature to have from within their safe and dampen refuge. When they are hunting for food and become aware of said intruder, they quickly leap into action and rush from out of the entrance of their home to grab hold of the unsuspecting victim subduing them with their poisonous fangs. Not only is this a terrific form of meticulous planning and super speed, but they also have a deadly venom that can kill humans in only 15 minutes!
Just weird
Now, we have looked at the marvellous things that spiders can do but sometimes there are just plain weird behaviours of these confounding creatures.
The aptly named Bird Dung Crab spider (Phrynarachne ceylonica) uses its spidey skills to literally disguise itself as a blob of bird poo...nice. The method behind this madness is that it attracts insects with a faecal appetite as well as forming protection from predators who will avoid what looks like a fresh splat of poop. This is a very strange technique of camouflage but it works most effectively! It truly fools other creatures with its warty appearance, shiny wet skin, and stinking smell, and also immobilises itself to add to the facade. Simply, all this spider needs to do is assume a curled-up position and wait for dinner.
Another BIG weirdo from the spider species is the South American Goliath Birdeater (Theraphosa blondi) - already sounds horrifying by the name! A real freak of nature this is the largest spider known in the world and can grow up to 12 cm with a leg span of up to 28 cm. Despite being huge, research shows that its bite is not deadly to humans but it very is unpleasant as they use their needle fangs which measure up to 1 inch in length. These would most assuredly come sharp! They also have another bizarre defence method that they employ by rubbing their legs together and shredding their urticating hairs which cause skin irritation and even allergic reactions in humans. Fortunately, there is some warning if you are in this spider's territory...they are known to make a loud hissing sound which can be heard from up to 15 feet away. On top of this, you would also hear them coming as at their largest they can weigh the same as a puppy and their feet make a clicking sound that is described as horse hooves hitting the ground. YIKES!
Emerald Venom (P432) ~ Necklaces | Alchemy England
Spider (HD10) ~ Hanging Decorations | Alchemy England
Emerald Venom (R222) ~ Rings | Alchemy England
- Rose Jekylle 🌹
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Bizarre Mythical Beings
When we think of mythical beings the usual suspects come to mind: unicorns, dragons, pixies and elves! But what about those creatures that come from other myths and legends? The creepy and down-right bizarre beasts that come from all corners of the earth and dwell in the deep.
Let's delve in and take a look...
Harmless Hybrids
The Hippocampus was said to have been formed within the waves of the ocean and relate two both Greek and Roman mythology with their appearance reflecting the God Neptune as well as the aforementioned Poseidon. Despite resembling a horse, they are often portrayed as having scaly green or blue skin and looking very much like a gigantic seahorse! So even though they travel in groups and are large in size, these seem to be the creatures you would want on your side when you set sail.
Monsters of the Deep
It also possesses a deadly stare that will kill anyone that looks directly at it. But differing from what we may know about the myth, it isn't actually that big in size and was supposedly formed from a egg laid by a cockerel and then hatched by a snake giving it's other name 'Cockatrice.' It is also thought that the sound of a cockerel crowing would kill the Basilisk. At least that's some defense from it's destructive powers!
Doom Mongers
Their screams are said to shatter glass! The origins go as far back as the 8th Century and seem to refer to women known as 'keeners' who would sing lamentations for the dead or dying. This seems to have evolved into a terrifying notion that these women somehow know when death is coming and thus created the frightening creatures of legend that will send fear into the hearts of many who are unfortunate enough to hear their wailing cries!
https://www.alchemyengland.com/pendants/1341-white-hart-black-rose.html
https://www.alchemyengland.com/pendants/1621-mammon-of-the-deep.html
Monday, February 27, 2023
Deadly Dolls in horror
Dolls. Cute, cuddly, childhood companions...but deadly? Horror films have used the anthropomorphic toys in many different ways from chilling china dolls to demonic marionettes! But what makes these supposedly adorable playthings so sinister? What is it about them that makes them so unnerving?
The Innocent ones
The first dolls to look at are the ones with innocent child-like faces that many of us and our parents had as infants. Whether china dolls or baby Tiny Tears, these look disturbing enough with their frozen expressions and empty watching eyes but also their faces attempt to mimic human features with blinking eyelids and dimpled cheeks. In the film 'Killer Dolls - Barbarella,' in 60s b-movie fashion, the scantily-clad heroine is attacked by a hoard of tiny dolls with dead holes for eyes and sets of razor sharp teeth - complete with a snapping jaw with each bite!
Unsurprisingly this scene distressed the audience of the time but what made it worse is that the ringleader controllers are weird frenzied children who embody the murderous behaviour of the dolls - the little girls being the real life version of the toys! This in turn explains why this scene is found so freaky...children being murderous and violent is a terrifying and unexplainable notion. 'Pet Sematary' definitely shows how much it horrifies us and these type of dolls literally have the faces of babies. Creepy.
Film (1989): 'Pet Sematary'
This leads us nicely into dolls that go that step further into mimicking human anatomy. In the film 'The Boy' a couple hire a nanny to take care of their son...who turns out to be a life-sized porcelain doll. The plot reveals that the parents lost their real son years ago and this doll is supposed to be a "therapeutic" type of replacement. Not only is the concept unsettling, but a series of peculiar incidents lead the nanny to believe the doll is in fact alive!
The more recent film 'M3GAN' also looks at the theme of real-life companions where a young girl is given an AI friend in an attempt to help her psychologically cope with the loss of her parents. Of course, the loving life-sized doll doesn't stay that way and becomes overly protective and possessive of her human leading to violence and murder. This utilises two doubly fearful concepts: the unhealthy and downright freaky attachment to a toy but also how something that is supposed to safeguard you becomes out of control and dangerous.
Safe to say that imitations of human life just really give us the heebie-jeebies.
The Abnormal ones
But what about dolls that don't look all that real? Ones that are just plain bizarre looking. Why is it that those make the hairs on the back of our necks stand up? Puppets and ventriloquist dolls immediately come to mind. Painted faces and often jerky-moving limbs are nothing like humans...or are they?
A theory by the psychologist Sigmund Freud is that of the Uncanny - how certain experiences we have as adults remind us of earlier stages in our psychological development, an example would be how things we believe in our childhood are still in the backs of our minds and uncertainty can shift what we perceive to be real.
The combination of things that are both uncanny (unfamiliar/uncertain) and canny (familiar/safe) creates a really odd and often frightening experience for us. Is it real? Is it make-believe? Did it move or did it not? Did the doll smash the glass itself or did it fall over?
In the 'Saw' franchise, we see the use of a puppet called Billy or sometimes referred to as Jigsaw (the man behind the homicidal torture in the film). Billy is distinctive due to his red eyes, spiral cheek design and his movements around on a red trike! He appears either in person or on a television screen, drilling fear into the trapped victims with his humanistic yet utterly devilish appearance. He literally is the face of the violence and creates a more frightening performance than the real human killer. A human profile is understood by us and no matter how horrible humans can be we can find understanding in the sight of something manlike, but this is wholly unfamiliar and yet it has aspects of something unconsciously familiar - anatomically it resembles a person!
In the series 'Annabelle' the doll itself is purely a conduit for evil spirits...bad enough already right? Although, strictly not a puppet, her ventriloquism style countenance and spine-chilling moving eyes rank her a truly harrowing doll that haunts your every step, tapping into that confusion of what is real and what is a childish fantasy. This doll would give any child, and adult for that matter, nightmares for years. It is strange but in other genres such as family films, the idea of toys coming to life is a lovely thought e.g. Winnie the Pooh, Toy Story, but in an adult setting it is just bloody terrifying!
Of course you have a lot of other iconic dolls in horror such as 'Chucky,' posing as a child's doll it is actually the soul of a dead serial killer who transferred himself into a toy who commits brutal murders, yet looks like some knock-off Cabbage Patch Kid mixed with a Babyborn. Surely the unsuspecting victims are given some kind of clue of what's to come as most of these dolls already look horrible to begin with!
So if you fancy your style being a bit tongue in cheek as well as actually being generally spooky then check out this month's suggestions I have for you below:
https://www.alchemyengland.com/pendants/1182-voodoo-doll.html
https://www.alchemyengland.com/miniature-ornaments/1681-demon-skull-miniture.html
https://www.alchemyengland.com/studs/1521-demoneye.html
https://www.alchemyengland.com/socks/1816-562-feet-are-killing-me-socks.html#/15-size-m_l
- Rose Jekylle 🌹
Sunday, January 22, 2023
Wassailing - the Winter Blessing
What is Wassailing?
Wassailing is a fun folk tradition that has been practiced for centuries - it involves raucous merry-making and uplifting singing to awaken the spirits of fruit-bearing trees to encourage a bountiful harvest!
A Pre-Christian practice, this event is celebrated by those of pagan beliefs and folklore communities but is open to anyone who wants to give blessings for a good harvest and to the land itself.
The phrase "wassail" is a Middle English toast, meaning "be in good health," and the appropriate response is of course a similar merry retort "drinc hael." So during a ceremony if wassail is called then everyone must shout drinc hael back!
Music is a key part of the tradition as it is used not only to inspire cheer but to literally wake up the trees to invigorate the start of their growth. Instruments, bells, drums and even pots and pans are used to bang out a beat! It makes a wonderfully enjoyable event to take part in for all ages and the more energy and dancing the better.
The blessing itself involves hanging toast on tree boughs and sprinkling cider or apple juice on the tree roots, often accompanied by the rhyme: "apple tree, apple tree bear good fruit, or off with your head and up with your root!"
Community involvement
The Wassailing heritage is believed to be a very important custom on a community level, particularly in counties where cider apples are grown, such as Herefordshire and Somerset. This tradition may even be going on today in farming communities.
Feast and revelry were common place during these events and often a bowl of punch was served that was a mixture of cider, ale and mead which would be infused with spices and crab apples. Perfect compliment to your merry-making!
I even had the privilege of being part of a Wassailing ceremony myself, on Sunday 8th January, a local nature reserve opened the event to the public and this was officiated by a local Druid grove. This occasion included such entertainments as Morris dancing, story-telling and then a procession to the orchard where the main ceremony took place.
Everyone (even little children) took part in the blessing by tying toast to the trees and by creating a cacophony of sound using handheld instruments. And amongst the jubilation a very special guest was joining in...
The Mari Lwyd
The Mari Lwyd was the very exceptional, if slightly sinister looking presence, that graced our Wassailing event. A Welsh character, originated in Celtic Folklore, the name translates as the 'Grey Mare' or 'Grey Mary' and it is constructed from a horse skull which is draped in a white robe and is thought to be able to pass to the Under World. The head is adorned with ribbons, bells and symbols while the body and mouth is controlled by an actor hidden under the robe who creates the playful and blessed role. If the Mari Lwyd is present at ceremonies it is seen as a sign of optimism and good fortune.
She is thought to have taken part in such customs as singing outside of people's homes in order to gain entry and have food and drink - similar to a type of caroling tradition! In Welsh lore, the sight of the Mari Lwyd is a symbol of hope through the dark and cold season, especially her colouring (white coat) which creates an ethereal bearing.
During our ritual, she joined the circle as an honoured member of the ceremony and afterwards wandered between the trees as an animated being, delighting and spooking adults and children!
Druid blessings
One main part of the event was the blessings which were conducted by some friends of mine from the Druid grove. Firstly, the lead Druid acknowledged the spirit of place - this is to ground oneself and to encourage those involved to close their eyes and appreciate the environment around them. Next was calling the Quarters which is where we welcome the spirits of North, East, South and West and again connect oneself with the elements of the place (Earth, Air, Fire and Water). The Druid prayer was also spoken and the lead Druid helped everyone with the reciting of the following words: "I swear by peace and love to stand, heart to heart and hand in hand. Mark of spirit and hear us now, confirming this our sacred vow."
Finally the Awen incantation was spoken to encourage and celebrate divine creativity. This was performed by breaking the word into two syllables and stretching the note like a song prayer - when everyone got involved it created a wonderful melodious harmony. Then the circle was closed and we bid hail and farewell to the elemental spirits in turn, and this was when the offerings of the toast and cider began.
It was both a sacred and lively occasion where the energy of the event was enjoyed by all and we were all tuckered out afterwards - even the Mari Lywd needed to take the weight of her feet and have a coffee break!
If you fancy having a go at Wassailing or performing a winter ritual, or simply decorate yourself with symbols that reflect sacred blessings, then feast your eyes on the marvellous creations below:
https://www.alchemyengland.com/candle-holders-tea-lights/1879-faust-s-familiar-cat-candlestick-.html
https://www.alchemyengland.com/droppers/1865-eve-s-triquetra.html
https://www.alchemyengland.com/pendants/1267-wiccan-elemental-pentacle.html
https://www.alchemyengland.com/plant-pots/1872-witches-spell-garden-plant-pot.html
- Rose Jekylle 🌹
Trade with Alchemy!
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