To All People Who...

  This is kind of just an open letter, to anyone who feels the need to inform women how to dress or behave. You know the ones, telling us that if we dress “slutty” that we'll attract pigs instead of “real men”, or the “women” who are really girls because they want us to cover up, so we can stop attracting their boys attention and that way they would focus on them, like they should have been doing in the first place. This has been happening a lot lately and it is all over the internet, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter all places that I frequent.

  The reason I feel like I should write a letter to these people are because they are hopelessly ignorant about the way they are making women feel. They think they are doing this for our benefit, as if we didn't perhaps know that them not telling us how to dress would somehow fix all the problems in our lives. The problem is, these people think they are being heroes! “oh, she doesn't know she was dressing like a slut, let me tell her so she'll stop.” No, let me tell you something. All women have brains. Every single one of us.

  I'm using my brain to inform you that calling a girl a slut, or telling her that she dresses like one isn't making you the hero, it's making you the messenger, and you know what I do with those? I kill them. They are unnecessary and are thus dealt with. A slut, is a slur created by men, to put women who have a healthy sex life, i.e. not following society's century old views of how women should behave. It is 2014, the years are long gone, when you should be concerned about how she dresses, or if you have enough goats to give as a dowry.

  A lot of people are attacking women who are comfortable with their sexuality and comfortable with their bodies on instagram. The real issue isn't that the women are showing off their bodies, the issue is that they feel like they can. Woman who are confident in themselves AND their bodies? Why they must be punished straight away! Meanwhile, men/boys can post pictures of their penis for everyone to see, even though 99.9% of the time, they are unwanted, and their profiles are perfectly fine and protected. That right there is a double standard, that has captured instagram at their core.

  There is a war on women and it's gaining power and it's gaining power fast. If we don't pay attention it's going to take hold, and we'll be pushed so far back that we'll never be able to recover! Our voting rights will be stripped from us, We won't be able to have a say in our health, our ability to chose; abortions, or conception will be unavailable, and we will be literally at the mercy of those, who see us as nothing more than birthing machines. I know I was born for more than that, weren't you?

  We need to tell these boys and girls alike, that they have absolutely no say in our lives! If you wake up and you want to wear a miniskirt you can, you know why? Because NO ONE OWNS you. YOU are in charge of YOUR OWN destiny. If you decide that you want to wear the patch or get the implant contraception you CAN, and should be ENTITLED to do so. You should be able to tell a Police Officer about your rape, and NOT BE LAUGHED at. Boys and Girls following this kind of thinking are not your friends and they are not looking out for you or your safety. These boys and girls should have been taught NOT TO RAPE, not victim blaming. Being a victim of rape, has absolutely NOTHING to do with what you were wearing. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with how much you drank. If that person was told NO and they kept going the ONLY person at FAULT IS THEM!

Stop telling Women Don't Get Raped, Start Telling Boys and Men NOT TO RAPE.

  Stop telling Women to cover themselves up because it makes your boyfriend's eyes wander (Get a more loyal boyfriend.) or it makes you feel uncomfortable, because GUESS WHAT! I damn sure wasn't put on this earth to make your insecure ass comfortable, I was put on this earth for a lot more then to earn your “respect”, and I was damn sure put here to do more then to listen to you over and over tell me that I'm not wearing enough clothes for you. Also, that tired as tale that ya'll keep spinning, Women with class cover up? I only have one thing to say to you. Class is a state of mind, not a clothing choice.

Sincerely,

Gabriella

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Cinema #4: Dear White People (Spoilers)

 When the first trailer for Dear White People came out, I was so excited. Finally a movie that was going to bring to light what we go through every day, it was going to be funny , it wasn't going to pull any punches and for once we were going to get a movie, without tyler Perry, or some type of master/slave dynamic. I knew as soon as I found their facebook page, that this was a movie I was definitely going to go see, and even more importantly, write notes about what I wanted to say when I finally wrote about it! Over all the movie wasn't bad, I would like to go see it again by myself, to make sure I didn't miss anything, when I went to go see it the first time, it was an entire family affair.

- They pretty much touch on everything a person of color has to go through except Gay rights. The fact that a key character was gay and they didn't give him any safety or refuge, they didn't make him one of their own, and the reason that they were
fighting Garvin house was because of the party, not to avenge Lionel.

- The app that caused Sam to win written by Reggie. Why would Reggie need to cheat? If he was smart enough to create the app, why wouldn't he just shut it off? If he had the finesse to rile up the group for a protest, then why didn't he just run himself?

- Would it have been so bad for Sam to actually be dating the T.A.? Instead of them just being friends with benefits? Everyone has this opinion on how black a black person should be, and if you don't fit it then you aren't "black enough" but the real thing is you only have to be "black enough" for yourself, Because at the end of the day, you only have to answer to yourself. Life is too short to answer to anything else. As a woman of color dating a Caucasian man, it comes up all the time, in our conversations, in whispers we hear, while we are out in public, As long as the couple treats each other with respect, I honestly don't see what the issue is.

- If that Chick doesn't stop touching his hair? I do NOT understand the appeal of wanting to touch our hair! This is not a petting zoo, I can NOT stand people who do not understand how degrading wanting to pet us is. It reduces us to nothing more than animals for your amusement, and we've had centuries to many of that kind of treatment, it's time to move forward.

- When Lionel goes to Sam for help and she refuses. She's all about change, She's all about black respect, and bringing black back to Winchester until she actually has the chance to do it! It irked me to no end that she waited until the last possible minute to join the fray. It made her seem like a poseur.

- My Father's Favorite Phrase: Everyone wants to be black until the Cop's Come.

- Pastiche's editor, That actor never is not playing a dick. The first time I saw him he was "beaver" in Veronica Mars. Now he's just as big as a dick, except it is on the big screen. Will he ever not be type-casted as a cruel/psycho jerk?

- Do all mixed girls feel like they have to choose a side? I'm perfectly fine sitting on the fence. I have no issues with whether I'm black enough for anyone group of people. I am black enough for myself, and I feel like everyone should feel that way. You can't help your heritage, so you might as well embrace it, it's a part of you, and you should love it, just like you should love the rest of you.

- Will there ever be harmony in the black community? Even within our ranks there are quarreling about light-skin vs. Dark-skin vs. Redbones. Like We're all black, just deal with it. Sectioning us is the same thing as segregation and it is a total step in the wrong direction, It's totally defeating the purpose of what our fore father's wanted for us.

- Why didn't they expand on Lionel's relationship with the Editor? The way they left it kind of made the editor seem like he was using Lionel. I don't know if that was the case or not, but the way Lionel was being treated throughout the entire movie, kind of made me angry, and they should have expounded on it. Honestly, they really should have developed all the characters much more.

- Real Life Examples: I like that through the credits they showed real colleges, with black face and segregation tactics, but they didn't really solve the issue at Winchester. I also didn't appreciate the way the Dean was treated/acting, he might as well have just been Master's (The Principal) right hand puppet. I just expected more from this movie. It was funny, but I feel like it just didn't delve deep enough.


Peace Out!
~Gabriella!~

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OOTD: A Dream Come true

 The other night I had the wonderful experience of going to see Suicide Girl's Blackheart Burlesque LIVE in Cincinnati~!!! Not only was it a fun time over all, but I also had the amazing pleasure of Meeting my favorite top of the top Suicide Girls, Radeo Suicide. If you don't know who she is you should really re-evaluate your life! I've always admired the Suicide girls for their complete confidence. Sometimes, I wish I had the confidence to flaunt it like they do, in a  photo shoot, live on stage, for a dvd. It's something I have always admired about them, and wih I could have just a pice of it to supplement my own life.
 Last night was my first Burlesque show, and it was amazing! My favorite performance was link! Although venue was kind of cramped, and there was barely any seating it was a good time, I thought I might get a better view by going into the crowd, it didn't work very well, once the show actually got started, but Alex (My tall knight in shining armor) found me a chair I could stand on, so I could see, and take even better photos! Some of them turned out really well, granted I took about 400, so I would be hella depressed if some of them didn't come out. I got a hoodie to rock during the winter, and a pair of panties that Radeo could sign, and some cool stickers!! I can't wait to put them on my laptop! I love going to events like these, rather than huge conventions, where people actually care about their fans. It makes me super happy, to be in love with anything.
 I can't wait for the next cool opportunity to pop up on me! Since I live in a new place, I'm totes' ready for trying something new. What I wore: White Bunny ears ( I bent them with a pair of pliers + Purchased on Amazon), a White Corset (Hot Topic) and Jeans (lee, which were a perfect fit and only took me 20 minutes to find! Purchased from Wal-mart)
If you guys know of anything cool happening in the Cincinnati/Nky area, Make sure to leave it down in the comments!! I want to try and get out more. As always more updates and such at the
Twitta + Insta! Make sure to stop by and say hi!!

Peace Out!
~Gabriella!~

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Blogger's Corner 101: The Pro's of Blogging

Welcome to the Blogger's Corner; a new series about the awesomeness of blogs and how to get started.  I've been blogging since 2006. Vulcan Sugar and Spice has gone through quite a transformation in the last eight years, and so have I as a blogger. Blogging can be a great hobby and sometimes with enough work it can even become a profession. Here are three positive reasons that I love blogging, and hopefully after reading this, you will want to start blogging as well.


   Podium for your thoughts: One of the coolest things about blogging, is that it gives you a place to speak. Whether you are an outgoing person, or rather shy, the internet provides a forum for you, and your blog is your ticket in. Everyone has something to say. Either they write it in a diary, they put it on note cards and speak to the people, or they face a camera and hit record. Either way, Everyone has a voice, and the world has about 850 ways for you to express it. It allows you one way to show the world what you are made of, and why they should perhaps take a listen.

   A chance for your hobby to shine:  A well put together, and often-updated blog not only  allows for a steady following but can also double as a portfolio. It gives you the chance to show everyone exactly what makes you so magical. Blogs have been the foundation to many a successful indie Business. Since practically everyone is and everything is done online, having a positive online presence could lead you to many a great opportunity. Having a positive area for people to find will lead you to many a great opportunity.

   The ability to network: My favorite thing about blogging is the people that you meet. Not only are you able to meet people that you normally wouldn't know exist, but it gives you the ability to network and to meet people that share the same interests as you! For the longest time, I thought I was the only person into Professor Layton Video Games, but there are lovers of this game all over, some of my early gaming posts about Layton still get props from people all over the world. As much as I want to say that success is all about the hard work that you put into your: blog, business, youtube what have you, knowing the right people, does put a foot in the right direction. Networking through blogging allows you to open doors that possibly weren't there before. 

   To recap, To Blog is to create, and no matter how many of us say "oh I'm not that creative" What's more creative then the freedom to express yourself in a space that is all yours? Blogging allows you a safe forum for your thoughts, creates a pedestal for your favorite hobby, and gives you the ability to network, with people and countries, that you otherwise, would never come across before. 

Until Next Time Cadettes,

~Spokhette!~

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Halloween Countdown: Costume Tips and Tricks with Nerdy Fox

I’m big into cosplay and love, love, love making costumes. I just wanted to share my process of how I go about making my costumes.

PLAN AHEAD!!!

I seriously start planning my costume in May or June. This way I can make a list of things that I’ll need for my costume and start searching for things early. It sounds crazy, but if you’re making your costume, it is going to take time and it’s better to be done early than freaking out at trying to finish it all last minute. Write down your ideas. Look at pictures of what you’re trying to recreate and take some notes on the details you like.

Make A List! 

… Of everything. Seriously, everything you need. Down to make-up, underwear, accessories… craft
supplies. Anything and everything you might need for the costume. This seems ridiculous and excessive, but at some point you’re going to go, “Did I need this? Where is that list….? “, I promise. Also, it helps with only making a few trips to store and not like twenty.

Thrift Shops

I get at least half if not more of my costume stuff at thrift stores. I am constantly looking for things that I can either use or alter to fit my costume. Find stuff that is the right shape you’re looking for. Color is the next thing you need to find. If you find something that’ll work but isn’t the right color, you can always dye it.

Amazon

Oh goodness, amazon is a lifesaver. I’ve gotten so many random things off of amazon for costumes –
pocket watches, monocles, top hats, wigs…  If I know I am going to have to buy something (like wigs) I check amazon first. So, you’ve made your list, you’ve gotten stuff from thrift stores, and now you’re on amazon. Get the things you know you’re not going to find at a craft store – wigs, accessories that you can’t make, etc.

Craft Store

This is the dangerous part of the process. You don’t want to end up going overboard with crafting. Walk around the store and find things that you’re going to want to use for the costume but don’t grab
everything you WANT to use. Does that make sense? Get the things you NEED not all the things you WANT.  Also, plan on getting fabric glue, hand needle and thread, and hot glue, trust me on this one.

D.I.Y.

Work on your costume. Work in sections. Do the big parts first (the body) and then work on the smaller details.

Tips for D.I.Y.:

- Hot gluing everything might sound like a good idea at the time, but your costume will fall apart if you don’t add some hand stitching in there.

- If you’re gluing something that is going to have to go around the curves of your body (boobies and
booties are a pain!!) try it on, pin it and work from there. I personally try on things as I go, just to make sure that it’s going to be hanging the way I want to and that as things stretch over my body, it’s not losing the appearance that I’m going for.

- Pinterest is going to be your best friend. I’ve learned so much from just searching “cosplay” on there.

-If you order a synthetic wig and you get it in a big tangled messed you can detangle it by soaking it in a mixture of 4 parts water 1 part fabric softener for about 30 minute. After it’s done, squeeze as much water as you can out of it and then pin it to a foam head/wig holder and comb it gently STARTING AT THE BOTTOM and working your way up.  If you want to curl it after it’s been detangled, use those foam curlers while it’s still wet and set in a warm place for it to dry. Never ever use heat on a synthetic wig!

Poison Ivy:

I made this costume out of clothing I found in my closet and ivy leaves I found at a craft store. I dyed the clothing underneath the leaves a dark green, and then glued/sewed on the leaves. The boots were spray painted to match the green. The tights were from target and the wig was ordered from amazon. This costume took me about 2 months to complete and it was one of my more “thrown together” costumes.

Hope these tips help you with your costumes!

P.S. I wish I had this guideline, when I first started making my own costumes, it would have made my life so much easier!! Make sure you guys check out Heather's Blog!


Until Next Time,
~Gabriella!~

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Welcome to the Menagerie

 Welcome to the re-branding of my blog. The Noire Menagerie is a looking glass to any and all that interest me. An all-encompassing lifestyle blog! My hobbies have changed slightly since the days of Mistress Arachnid and Vulcan Sugar and Spice, and the Noire Menagerie will allow me to brand and showcase myself in a brand-new way! This overhaul has been a coming for a while, mainly because I was honestly just loosing interested in blogging. It wasn't fun to log in, it was tedious to create articles, I just felt like it wasn't the way it used to be. Which for me, always means I need a change.
 So here is to new adventures as I grow and expand my horizons as I hope you will join me for this journey. What you can look for with this re-branding:

- A more laid back approach to blogging
- Posts 2X a week
- Personal Style
- Knitting + Crochet projects and Patterns
- Baking and Recipes
- MORE VIDEO GAMES + Interviewing Girl Gamers
- Youtube to arise from the dead.
- Easier Navigation, Being able to find exactly what you need.
- Convieniant Instagram and Twitter tie-ins.
- Even More Interaction!!!

 I hope to Launch Noire Menagerie by the 5th of November!!

See ya soon,
~Gabriella~

P.S, For more information, please refer to Twitter and Instagram!

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Mini Hiatus

Hello My lovelies,
 Vulcan Sugar and Spice has been grand, perfect even. But I am at a pivotal moment in my life, and it has caused some upheaval. VSS is going on a hiatus, and during this Hiatus it will endure rebranding, and an all new format. Do not fear!! Things will be different but very very much the same, and I am so looking forward to this new stepping stone in my life. I hope you all will join me on this adventure as well. In the meantime, just in case you miss me, I can be found here and Here.

Heart you all immensely,
~Spokhette!~

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