10 Absolutely Terrifying Obscure Horror Movies

Looking for something to watch tonight? It’s raining in Chicago so I’m planning on getting cozy and putting on one of these flicks. It’s rare when I see a list of horror films where I haven’t seen most of them!

Halloween in the Office!

The company I work for, Brad’s Deals, is having their annual Halloween party today and I am fully prepared. Not that it’s much of a stretch, but I am dressed as a Pin Up Doll 🙂

It’s all about the glasses.

My partner in crime dressed up as Salad Fingers; one of the creepiest web-based characters of all time and I’m so impressed. He wins the costume contest in my book.

Hope you’re enjoying Halloweek 🙂

5 Albums that Helped Form My Personality

 Below is a list that I am very passionate about. These albums aren’t just “good” or well-produced, they hold clouds of memories from my past and have helped me learn about myself in ways conversation or lessons never could. Consider this list a photo album of memories through music.

Disclaimer: this is not a list of my “favorite” albums. Judge me all you want, but this is the good shit.

 The Beatles- “Revolver” 1966

When I was little, my dad had set my clock radio to wake me up for preschool or daycare or whatever it was, and he set it to play “Good Day Sunshine.” As soon as I was old enough to figure out how to work the CD player, “Revolver” was the first album I stole from my dad (there were many more to follow.) When I fell in love for the first time, I decided that “Here, There, and Everywhere” would be the song I walked down the aisle to. When I fell out of love with that same person, “For No One” was played on repeat until my mother came into my dimly lit room and kindly told me, “Jesus, get over it. You’re only 14.” “Revolver” taught me what love should and shouldn’t be like, what it’d be like to live in an underwater community, and how sad it would be to end up like Eleanor Rigby, with no one to mourn me at my funeral. It also made me predisposed to hating “The Man” and the future of dealing with taxes…which I’m currently well-aware of when I see a quarter of my paycheck disappear to the ubiquitous government cloud that surrounds us all.

-The Essential Michael Jackson: 1969-2005

Now I know this is kind of a cop out, considering it contains hits from all of his albums, but I certainly could not pick just one. I was in dance classes from the time I could walk, to performing professionally in early adulthood. As every dancer knows, Michael Jackson is the King of Dancing, as well as Pop. My first dance number, in a little black and white leotard and baby-sized jazz shoes, was to “Rockin’ Robin”. The first time I heard “Ben” and “The Love You Save”, back when it was still The Five on Motown Records, I fell in love with little Michael. Being a kid of the 90’s, I had the full Michael Jackson catalog (belonging to my older sister and other dancers at the studio) and took the time to practice and perfect those signature dance moves. When I heard “Dirty Diana” on a road trip through the mountains of Colorado with my sister, I DID feel dirty, in the best possible way. I guess that’s the best thing about MJ; regardless of what went on in his personal life, his songs stir up specific memories for anyone. Whether it be the videographer at my sister’s wedding in the middle of the dance floor during “Beat It”, executing MJ’s dance moves perfectly, or my best friend singing “Man in the Mirror” at every karaoke opportunity, everyone has memories associated with Michael Jackson songs. On a good day, you can still catch me dancing down the street to “P.Y.T.” blasting in my headphones on the way to the subway station because I just. can’t. stop.

Against Me! “As The Eternal Cowboy” 2003

Before Tommy Gabel became Laura Jane Grace in 2012 (good for her), Against Me! produced “As The Eternal Cowboy”. This record is the combination of all my high school summers in album form. I remember sitting in a sweaty basement with a bunch of dudes, playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and watching skate videos. It was in one of those skate videos that I heard “Turn Those Clapping Hands into Angry Balled Fists,” and my life was changed. WIth such rawness and rasp, Against Me! quickly became my favorite band and has remained at the top of my list to this day. “You Look Like I Need A Drink” catapulted me into the fast-paced world of skanking and moshing at basement and garage shows put on by neighborhood kids where the parents would be inside, keeping an eye out for underage drinking and potheads. “Sink, Florida, Sink” was another song I would play on repeat when mourning the loss of another short-lived high school fling (I fall in love very easily…). This album is unlike most punk records; with a few acoustic numbers, such as “Cavalier Eternal”, you feel like you’re sitting around a bonfire with these dudes, drinking beers and talking shit about relationships and how you should never be in one.

Regina Spektor “Begin To Hope” 2006

When I listen to this album, I picture myself sitting on the roof of my best friend’s house in the suburbs of Chicago, smoking cigarettes and feeling far too existential for a pair of sixteen-year-olds. This album is a bi-polar mix of upbeat and optimistic and cripplingly depressing. Hearing “Samson” I felt this new sensation of a swelling in my chest and the welling of tears in my eyes; I had no idea heartbreak could be so audible. “On The Radio” was my anthem for the longest time; one verse in particular. “This is how it works; you’re young until you’re not. You love until you don’t. You try until you can’t. You laugh until you cry. You cry until you laugh. And everyone must breathe, until their dying breath” This Russian girl and her piano had a voice that spoke directly to me, even if it was in a different language (“Apres Moi”) and my best friend and I played and played this album until we knew every word; even the ones in Russian. “Begin To Hope” helped me appreciate music as an art form. Just a girl and her piano could teach me things about myself I wouldn’t have ever known.

Lupe Fiasco “Food and Liquor” 2005

I was raised on hip hop. As a dancer, I was exposed to all the greats; Tribe Called Quest, Notorious BIG, Wu Tang Clan, you name it. But when I heard Lupe Fiasco, a Chicago native, I felt refreshed. “Food and Liquor” brings me back to the days of lurking around the skatepark in my neighborhood, trying to catch the eyes of the shaggy haired kids who were oblivious to anything but dropping in and landing tricks. “Kick, Push” was the soundtrack that played in my head when my friends and I would roll around the burbs, get into trouble and  kicked out of skate spots. “Daydreamin‘” uses one of my favorite samples in a hip hop song and spoke of my generation and life in Chicago in a way that made me angry and excited at the same time; “I’d like to thank the streets that drove me crazy, and all the televisions out there that raised me.” Ugh. It was his fresh writing and perspective that made me excited about where hip hop was going…unfortunately it hasn’t headed in the best direction; but here’s hoping autotune is outlawed (ASAP) and MCs shift their focus from drugs and money to beliefs and storytelling like the good ol’ days.

Stay Gold,

Family Tattoo

As many of you may know by now, I am fairly covered in tattoos. Love em. What I love even more than getting tattoos, is encouraging others to get some art of their own. One of my roommates, J, had asked me to draw her up a rose that she wanted to get on her wrist. This is what I came up with.

Pretty Rose

(Forgive my sloppy shading, I only had sharpies to work with!)

J really liked the design and was ready to head to the shop. So yesterday, after texting my artist, we took a day trip to my favorite shop in the city, Family Tattoo, and to my artist, the great Gilly Smash.

Family Tattoo is an awesome shop that puts out amazing traditional work by even more amazing artists. I’ve been getting my work done there for the past three years and I have never been disappointed. The shop is clean, the artists are super talented and friendly, the atmosphere is professional, and there’s always metal playing…which is awesome.

Front of Shop

After deciding my drawing was up to his standards, Gilly went to work on drawing up a stencil and setting up his station. J was hardly nervous, more just excited to get started.

Gilly doin work.

So after J was situated and comfortable, Gilly applied the stencil and got to work.

“Tickles, right?”

Jen was a champ. She never once complained from the pain (the top of the wrist is not the easiest spot to have tattooed!) and when Gilly was done working his magic, Jen was ecstatic.

If you’re looking for an awesome tattooing experience, head to Family Tattoo. They are open 7 days a week from 2-10 pm and are located at 2125 Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60618.
Call (773) 281-6392 to set up a meeting time with Gilly or another one of Family’s awesome artists.

Walk-ins are also welcome!

Hope you all had a great weekend,

Stay Gold

Fall Outfit of the Day

It seems we’ve skipped fall and dove straight into winter here in Chicago. Pardon the selfie, but today’s multi-layered outfit consists of:

Carhartt Beanie

Lululemon Harmonious Hoodie

Forever 21 Denim Vest 

BDG Black Skinny Jeans 

Thrifted Flannel

Stay warm, Chicago!

Late Night Craft Scavenging

Endless Crafting Opportunities

As it is my last night home, and having had far too much coffee today, I decided to go on a search for crafting materials to bring back to Forest Park for this Moleskine project I’m working on. It took some digging, but man, did I find some good stuff.

So much awesome paper

I’ve found a bunch of awesome old cards, great paper, vintage patches, photographs, old ticket stubs/mementos and drawings. Not to mention all the great beads and charms I found! I couldn’t help but make a couple bracelets before I forgot about the beads once again.

Cool Beads for October.

I also found this Grace ring which I totally forgot I had. Then I found these great turquoise beads I’d gotten for my birthday (my family knows me so well) which I used as a closure for the black skull bracelet.

Cross Closure

So I’m all packed and ready to head back home after a decompressing few days at my parents’ house. I found the perfect use for this awesome Tiffany’s box; it is the new home for my craft supplies and my beautiful new camera 🙂

With all the trying situations I’ve been faced with this past week it feels so good to create and organize. I feel like taking some time for yourself to create something beautiful is sometimes just what you need to get your mind off hard times, but it has certainly helped me. I only hope this creativity keeps coming!

By the way, I set up a Graceisgold Facebook page for my blog so feel free to “like” and check out more updates!

Alright. Time to try and sleep.

Stay Gold,

Pumpkins in the Burbs

Today was a very productive Saturday after a very rough week. It felt good to take my mind off things by spending some quality times with a good friend and losing myself in some good old Halloween activities.

After being woken up by this bedhog, I got a text to get up and moving.

Gabby Baby

After filling up on breakfast and too much coffee, one of my oldest friends, M, and I decided to make the most of the day off and carve pumpkins and watch scary movies.

Good ol’ IHOP with M.

I got a balloon bracelet from the IHOP Clown.

We headed over to my parents’ house, spread out some garbage bags, and got to work on gutting our gourds.

M may have helped me with some of the strenuous knife skills….

Muscles.

So once we got the pumpkins gutted and cleaned, we cheated a little bit and cut out some patterns to make our jack-o-lanterns look badass.

Whooo Whooo

I went with a creepy owl. M went with something a little more detailed which you will see shortly…

*Chewy Noise*

CHEWY! I commended M on his detail and dedication to Star Wars. Mine turned out pretty awesome as well!

With our pumpkins finished and glowing with electronic candles (it’s the future), I set to work on the OTHER best part of the pumpkins; THE SEEDS! I decided to do a sweet and spicy blend; this is what you’ll need.

• Preheat oven to 375
• Two egg whites
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 3 tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

And of course…

Cleaned Pumpkin Seeds!

So you wanna whisk together all the ingredients mentioned above in a medium sized mixing bowl, and add the cleaned seeds, like so.

Strain out the extra egg whites and add the seeds to a greased cookie sheet. I like to salt the seeds with a little sea salt as well.

Bake for 15 minutes or until seeds are golden brown. Then add a little more salt and enjoy! Warning: They’re addictive.

I hope everyone is having as great a Saturday as I am. It feels really good to be home and productive. Nothing beats spending good time with friends, family, and pets after having a hard week. Coming home to such a warm environment makes me feel so grateful for all I have in my life and all I have to be happy about. Who knows, maybe I might make being domestic a repeat occurrence.

Stay Golden,

…maybe not

Friday Cuddles

It’s chilly in Chicago, and working from home today I have been lucky enough to snuggle up with some of my favorite things. I thought I’d share some of my fall comfy-day favorites with you.

 

One can never have too many cute pillows, coffee mugs, hats, and scented candles on hand when trying to be as comfortable as possible. Most of the items above can be found in Urban Outfitter’s Apartment Section, Topshop, and Fossil (iPad Case found on Amazon)

Hope you’re staying warm today! I know I am 🙂

Grace is Gold

New Theme :)

Decided to change things up a little bit. Let me know what you think of the Foxy new theme 🙂