The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
GemeraldaBy Doe Deere QuailBellMagazine.com Gem + emerald = Gemeralda. She loves antique-shopping in small towns, walking her dog, and 70s London fashion.
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
The Picture Apothecary: Pocket MagicianBy The Picture Pharmacist QuailBellMagazine.com Dear fledglings, As devoted Quail Bell(e)s, you undoubtedly love magic. Whether in the form of Hogwarts wizardry or Houdini's antics, you cannot help but wonder about the world of illusions. In fact, some small part of you--or perhaps even a large part--has always wanted to wield magic. Wouldn't it be so easy to snap your fingers, mutter a few fake Latin words, and see your Autumn lawn completely raked? Or what about that Fall Ball your school keeps threatening to throw? Shouldn't you be allowed to conjure a double who has to endure the humiliation of dancing with awkward boys and stomaching too-sweet punch instead of you? Well, since I like you and want to make your parade of graceless blunders a thing of the past, I have a wee gift for my fledglings. See that sinister fellow in the Halloween color scheme? Right now he's lounging by some flat-chested vintage chicks, but as soon as you download him, print him out, and put him in your pocket, that fat magician's going to get to work. Bid farewell to mishaps and nastiness. With this pocket magician, you're sure to become the next Audrey Hepburn of your social circle. Take my word for it. Yours Truly, The Picture Pharmacist
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
A Better Greek LifeBy Julie DiNisio QuailBellMagazine.com For QB readers in college: Are you tired of hearing about Greek life? Does the sight of Greek letters embedded on unstylish, baggy t-shirts make you physically ill? Does it bother you that you can quickly and accurately pick out frat boys and sorority sisters in a crowd and on the streets, just based upon the way they talk and carry themselves? Don’t feel badly if you have answered yes to all of these questions. I also have. Fortunately for like-minded college students, Richmond, Virginia has an entirely different Greek life–in the form of architecture. Greek Revival architecture exploded in Richmond in the 1840s. Obviously, many important structures in the city have been influenced by this product of Hellenism. The State Capitol, Monumental Church, many of the beautiful homes lining Monument Avenue–all prime examples of Greek Revival. However, elements of this style can be found in some of Richmond’s more run-down neighborhoods, such as historic Jackson Ward. At the end of the Civil War, Jackson Ward became a booming business and residential community for African-Americans. Unfortunately, when the neighborhood was split in two by the highway, its cultural and financial value declined. Throughout the years, though, the city of Richmond has made strides to revitalize Jackson Ward. Currently, many Virginia Commonwealth University students reside there, adding a contemporary charm to an antiquated area. Regardless of its current status, Jackson Ward provides subtle and tasteful additions to Richmond’s collection of Greek Revival architecture. The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Wings of HopeBy QB Camera Eye QuailBellMagazine.com This painting hangs in Safe Harbor, a shelter for survivors of domestic violence, in Richmond, VA. Magical enough for our fledglings? The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
The Science of GhostsBy Paisley Hibou QuailBellMagazine.com Ghosts, UFOs, electronic voice phenomena, urban legends, crop circles--the paranormal does exist, just not always as Hollywood portrays it. There are folks who consider themselves serious scientists dedicated to researching the logic and less of the fiction behind these oddities. One organization committed to such projects is the Foundation for Paranormal Research, a non-profit based in Atlanta, GA. Fascinated by their line of work--which they conduct primarily in the Southeastern United States and completely free of charge--Quail Bell asked their top fella a few questions. Here's what Rick Heflin, Board Chair, Director of Special Projects and Senior Investigator at the Foundation for Paranormal Research had to say: So, give QB readers some background about the Foundation for Paranormal Research. Who are you and how did you get started? How did you spring up in north Georgia?
A little over twelve years ago, I was a member of another group, based in Athens, GA. It was called the Georgia Haunt Hunt Team. I trained as an investigator under Cheri Mohr Drake, one of the true pioneers in the field. After several years, that group folded and some of the members got together with members of Georgia MUFON and we formed the Foundation for Paranormal Research, based in metro Atlanta. I was elected as the founding Chairman of the Board of Directors. My mentor, Cheri Drake, recently joined our Board of Directors and is a huge asset to our group. Our Board is comprised of some of the most talented individuals I have ever had the pleasure of working with. We are very fortunate in that respect. Could you tell us a little about yourself? What exactly is your job and how did you become the foundation's Director of Special Projects and Senior Investigator? I grew up in South Mississippi and when I was 15 years old in 1973, the Pascagoula Incident occurred during a UFO flap there. I read everything I could find about Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker and their "abduction.” I was hooked. I spent hours scanning the night skies, looking for UFOs. Fast forward twenty years and I was married with three kids and read about a group investigating hauntings locally and thought, "Sign me up!" For the first six years, I was the FPR's Chairman. After doing three hundred field investigations, I was getting a little burned out. I actually tried to retire, but the Board felt that I still had more to contribute, so they gave me my own team with the ability to pick and choose our investigations, so that if we decided to investigate Bigfoot in the north Georgia mountains or UFOs in Alabama, we did not need special permission from the Board to do it. Our intention is to create a team for quick response and in-depth investigations. Just recently, our Chairman, Bev Greenfield, has retired and the Board has elected me as Chairman again. I have not devoted as much time to the Special Projects Unit as I would like, but we will be up and running soon. What are the foundation's main goals and projects? It seems that you study everything from UFOs to urban legends to paranormal activity in all shapes and sizes. Our main focus is to assist people who have had paranormal experiences. We have found that most people that have had something happen in their lives that they cannot explain just want someone to believe them and provide confirmation. We can investigate and either provide a mundane explanation or advise our clients that, in our opinion, paranormal activity is present. The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Shop to Keep QB in BusinessWe're eagerly awaiting your company. Please check back as we continue to add new inventory.
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Eleven Weeks of Eclectic EleganceBy QB Camera Eye QuailBellMagazine.com After her freshman year of college, our Executive Editor Christine Stoddard interned for WashingtonPost.Newsweek Interactive for the summer. During that period, she documented what she wore every single day for her now-defunct website, Paisley and Parasols. She called the project, "Eleven Weeks of Eclectic Elegance," and used it as an opportunity to highlight vintage and thrifty fashion in the Washington, D.C. area. David Fuchs and Helen Georgia Stoddard took the majority of the photographs, though Nina Starfish and Mark Stoddard contributed, as well. Over three years later, Christine recently went through the photographs and gleaned her favorites. Here are her top picks: The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Remembering to Forget a Former LoverBy Starling Root QuailBellMagazine.com The ghost of a lost lover follows you everywhere - -never granting you more than a moment of peace. His face emerges from the rock, the hill, the amount; his eyes thrust through clouds, doors, and spatulas, warped by excessive heat. The brick laying in the middle of the sidewalk echoes his jaw-line and the twisted tree branch scratching your bedroom window reminds you of his nose. The ghost of a lost lover never disappears. He may fade temporarily when a new beau conquers your heart and mind; he may be kind and take a sort of apparition's sabbatical and diffuse into the wind and sky just long enough for you to love again - -but he will refuse to be forgotten. Occasionally, you will see him shine through your new partner's eyes or you may notice a glimmer of his smile dancing on your new sweetheart's lips. It can happen at anytime, in fact. Your new sweetheart may be sitting at the breakfast table, innocently jabbing a slice of bacon with his fork or munching on a burnt bagel when suddenly - -there he is! That man of long ago! That eyebrow - -that arched eyebrow! The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Make Your Faeries Come to LifeBy Sandra Scholes QuailBellMagazine.com Even if Bob Hobbs' Fantasy Artist's Pocket Reference: Phantastic Faeries is a book for those who just want to draw fantasy art, there will be those readers who like it purely for the fairy lore references in it. Built as a Who’s Who of all faerie icons from around the world it serves as a reference guide for those who might not already know of some faerie types inside this book.
With over 80 pages of faeries to read about, plus their rich histories it is an essential one to own. Each page has the particular faerie listed with a respective picture on the left hand side completed, while in the right is the history of the faerie and sketches of it and how it was rendered. They start out as a hand drawn sketch using a computer art package then are coloured in and detailed in an original way. The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
The Grunge DollBy Luna Lark QuailBellMagazine.com The grunge doll resembles a modern-day version of the Dickensian street urchin. She prefers old-fashioned fabrics in dark or muted colors that she heaps upon her delicate frame, layer upon layer. Even in the summertime, there is a certain fullness to her attire. She also favors boots and Mary Janes in blacks, grays, and browns. Her accessories tend to be nostalgic--such as cameos, lockets, and pocket watches--but she generally only wears one or two at a time. She is partial to scarves, hats, and varied hosiery. Hair-wise, she opts for a natural, slightly disheveled look. Very nearly always, she wears her hair long and wavy or curly. Her nails tend to be bare, though they may be painted a subtle shade of pink or beige. If she is a little gutter rat, her nails may be gray, black, or navy. She wears heavy eye make-up and some powder, but no lip color. she has no tattoos or unusual piercings.
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Blue Scarab in BellevueBy David Fuchs QuailBellMagazine.com This blue VW Bug was spotted sitting in an alley in Richmond, VA's Northside: The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Goth Fairy BirdhouseBy Christine Stoddard QuailBellMagazine.com Make a mossy little mess of a birdhouse by assembling the following items and slapping them together with the kind of thick, sludgy glue that really sticks.
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Learn the Ways of the CrownBy Paisley Hibou QuailBellMagazine.com Barbie Princess Charm School is a Mattel-infused Hogwarts for the fashion-conscious. This new line of dolls, games, and DVDs sucks little girls into a land where earning a B.S. in Princess Studies is a real possibility.
Enrolling in Princess Charm School is easy. All you have to do is go to Barbie.com and sign in with your first name. Immediately after your quickie registration, a congratulatory message pops up: “You've been accepted to Princess Charm School! You & classmate Blair are ready for royal adventures!” In the world of Princess Charm School, “Blair” is just code for “Barbie”—because we all know that Blair is quite the princessy name (“Gossip Girl,” anyone?). The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Meet The Goat SuckerBy Jade Miller QuailBellMagazine.com By Luna Lark For a fleeting moment in my childhood, I wanted to be a cryptozoologist. This was after the even more unreasonable career path of the superhero Earthra but before the practical choice of marine biologist. Cryptozoologists study cryptids, which are creatures whose presence has been suggested but is consider improbable if not impossible by the scientific community. So, you have Bigfoot, the Yeti, the Loch Ness Monster and of course, the chupacabra.
Chupacabra literally translates to ‘goat sucker’ in Spanish. This creature has been described in a range of ways, with the most common being an animal that is reptile-like with a dog face, spines down its back, and large fangs. Unlike regular predators, the chupacabra drains its prey of blood through three holes in the shape of an upside-down triangle, which matches the way canine teeth sit in the mouth. The chupacabra also leaves behind a tell-tale sulfuric scent. The chupacabra has mostly been spotted in Central and North America and was first seen in 1995 in Puerto Rico. This sighting accompanied the discovery of eight dead sheep, drained of their blood and with three puncture wounds in their chests. Just a few months later, again in Puerto Rico, another 150 farm animals and family pets were reportedly killed by the creature. This creature is a celebrity in its own right, with an episode of “The X-Files,” the Scooby-Doo movie, and, more recently, an episode of “Bones” and the video game “Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare” all featuring the chupacabra. In almost every case, the chupacabra has turned out to really be a coyote with severe parasitic mange, weakening the animal and turning its skin a bluish color. In its weakened state, the coyote preys on livestock since it's easier to bring down than wild prey. The most recent sighting and killing of a chupacabra occurred on October 7th of this year in Mississippi. The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Seashells and Lace: Romantic Vintage CollageBy Starling Root QuailBellMagazine.com By Christine Stoddard Maybe your wall's screaming for some more vintage vomit to accompany the '70s quilts and WW2 love letters you've already stuck there. Or perhaps you just need a touch of DIY. Either way, QB has a suggestion. It's quick, easy, and definitely a conversation piece for your next tea party or masquerade ball. We call it the "romantic vintage collage." All you have to do is raid the bargain bin at your local craft store for cheap, pre-stretched canvas and throw some Tacky glue and acrylic paint into your shopping cart if you don't already have your own supply at home. Once you're "in the zone," stick your favorite found objects onto the canvas. Remember to press onto each object for several object and allow the whole assemblage to properly dry before you paint over everything in your preferred shades and hues. Here are just a few of the materials used to make the above collage:
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Fairy Tale HousesBy QB Camera Eye QuailBellMagazine.com Once upon a time, a little fledgling wandered around Chesterfield County, Virginia. Clicking away with her T2i Rebel Canon, these are some of the half-timber fairy tale houses she spotted: The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Getting Something to Cinch that WaistBy Jade Miller QuailBellMagazine.com When looking into buying a corset, browsing the World Wide Web makes you feel like you're on a quest for the Holy Grail. Quail Bell's here to give you some boning behind this garment. By Christine Stoddard First of all, you as the buyer need to decide if you would like an actual corset or a corset-style top. The difference is all in the boning, as a corset is boned with steel and shapes a woman's body by redistributing the body's fat to make for a more voluptuous shape. A corset-style top (or bustier) is boned with plastic and is only a fashion piece, with no real shaping happening. Do not wear a bustier as an actual corset--that can actually hurt you and leads to the rumors that corsets are bad for you. A properly fitted corset should not hurt, and if anything, does very minimal damage to the body.
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Historic Hotspot: Annapolis, MDBy Christine Stoddard QuailBellMagazine.com The southern tip of the Mid-Atlantic probably has an unfair amount of officially recognized and preserved history. Between Maryland and Virginia alone, there are nearly 200 National Historic Landmarks and almost 60 National Historical Parks. Washington, D.C., which is sandwiched right between the two states, bumps up the area's National Historic Landmark count by 75. At least as far as numbers go, this makes the colonial city of Annapolis, MD a mere face in the crowd. Statistics aside, Annapolis sparkles as the front tooth of the Severn River and makes up part of the gleaming smile that is the Chesapeake Bay. More or less equidistant from Baltimore and Washington, D.C. (about an hour either way), Annapolis was founded in 1649 and incorporated in 1708—making it one of the oldest cities in the United States. From 1783 to 1784, Annapolis served as the nation's capital. Today the cobblestoned home to over 38,000 presides over Maryland as the state capital and Anne Arundel County as the county seat. Famous for its maritime scenery and history, Annapolis attracts 4.5 million tourists every year. Annapolis is also every bit as brainy as it is beautiful. The city proudly lays claim to both the United States Naval Academy and St. John's College. Theater, museums, and monuments add to the city's thriving cultural health.
Visitors to Annapolis can choose from a wealth of educational and just plain entertaining diversions. The Annapolis Maritime Museum presents over 400 years of maritime history, even offering lighthouse tours in the summertime. Meanwhile, the Banneker-Douglass Museum gives visitors a look at how African-Americans shaped the city's agricultural industry in the 1800s. The Charles Carroll House lures guests into the private life of the sole Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence. Other particularly interesting sites include the U.S. Naval Academy/Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center, the Waterfront Warehouse, and the Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center. That's not to mention the city's nearly 20 miles of waterfront, vibrant sailing community, dozens of family-owned businesses, and notable seafood festival. Self-guided walking tours—choose from one with Walter Cronkite or another on African-American heritage—give visitors the opportunity to explore Annapolis at their own leisure. For a horse-drawn tour around town, the Annapolis Carriage takes guests for an adventure into the past. There's also nothing wrong with just wandering around on your own two feet, literature-free. Annapolis, MD is a must-see for any Quail Bell(e). The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Celebrate Life After Death the Mexican WayBy Jade Miller QuailBellMagazine.com Day of the Dead, or El Día de los Muertos, is a Mexican holiday but that doesn’t have to limit who celebrates it. Though this holiday has just passed us by, taking place on November 1st, All Saint’s Day and November 2nd, All Soul’s Day, you can start preparing for next year’s celebration or even embrace some of the traditions year-round. Day of the Dead can be traced back to the Aztecs, who had a festival to celebrate the goddess Mictecacihuatl, the queen of the underworld. She has been represented in pictures as just a skeleton with her mouth open wide to swallow the stars during the day. It’s easy to see that influence within modern Day of the Dead celebrations, with skeletons peppering everything having to do with the holiday. November 1st , El Día de los Inocentes, honors children while November 2nd honors adults. During the span of the holiday, which can sometimes include October 31st as well, families clean and decorate the graves of their loved ones, almost always with marigolds. These flowers are thought to lead souls to the offerings, letting them leave without straying and being stuck in limbo. Photo of QB Managing Editor Josephine Stone's altar at Penny Lane Pub. By Geo Oberlander. Families also set up altars, which feature the favorite foods and drinks of the departed, as well as photos and memorabilia. For examples of El Día de los Muertos altars right here in QB's native Richmond, VA, check out the altar for our recently deceased Managing Editor, Josephine Stone, at Penny Lane Pub on 5th Street. There's another one for the Harvey family at World of Mirth in Carytown.
Usually, the family will spend time at the altar, telling stories and anecdotes about the deceased. Sometimes families will spend the whole night in the cemetery at the grave site of their loved one. To those with literary talents, writing a short poem called a “calavera” (skull) describing interesting or funny facts about the deceased is another way to honor their souls. El Día de los Muertos is a very beautiful way to keep someone loved and lost close to your heart and celebrate life instead of death. There is some form of this holiday in almost every culture and with good reason. It gives the living hope to think of loved ones having a good life after death and comfort to think of them visiting once a year. The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Plunge Away Your DayBy Luna Lark QuailBellMagazine.com By Christine Stoddard We all know that finding a half-decent job is as hard as finding a lover with good teeth—even when the economy isn't dismal. Of course there are some obnoxious folks whose skills companies constantly crave. These same irritating human beings are just so gosh-darn talented that they can trim your hair, write an annual report, balance fifteen bank accounts, sing an Italian opera, and flip an omelet all at the same time. You can one-up them in one respect, however, and that's in the realm of churning butter.
Churning butter may not be a classical art, but it has one major perk. Although your competition's full of regular Da Vincis who can draw, invent, and discover painfully well, they cannot churn butter. Nobody can—unless they're Amish or otherwise still stuck in Abe Lincoln's time. Everybody else just goes to the store and picks up a tub of Blue Vomit or Land O' Fakes. Now do you see how your skill will be priceless? Good. Because we don't, but we still want you to be able to put something distinctive on your resume. Fledglings, this is how you churn butter:
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
A Crease in Your CrownBy Starling Root QuailBellMagazine.com The finishing touch or even the defining accessory for a hipster or a 1940's tough guy, the fedora is a men's felt hat that dates back to at least 1891. At that point, fedoras were considered a woman's fashion and only gained popularity with men starting after World War I. Fedoras are distinctive for their crease at the crown and pinches on both sides of the hat. Originally, fedoras were sold uncreased, giving owners the freedom to crack a crease however they pleased. Now fedoras come creased, a practice that started popping up in the 1950s.
If you need inspiration to break out your own fedora, here's a list of six famous fedora-wearers, in no particular order: The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Walking with Ghosts in Charm CityBy Paisley Hibou QuailBellMagazine.com Sure, Baltimore, Maryland is a friendly place. And, yes, the city did create an advertising campaign in the 1970's to brand Baltimore as "Charm City," during which time tourists received complimentary charm bracelets and were prompted to buy charms from local attractions. But did it ever occur to you that the nickname might also apply to the city's high level of paranormal activity? Well, if it didn't, maybe Baltimore Ghost Tours can convince you that B'more is a supernatural haven. What's the basic history of Baltimore Ghost Tours? Who founded the company and how did it evolve? How did the idea spring up in the first place? Baltimore Ghost Tours was founded by Melissa Rowell and Amy Lynwander. We both lived in Fell’s Point in Baltimore (Baltimore’s version of Greenwich Village) at that time, and wanted to work on a project together. Amy ran conventions around the country, saw other ghost tours in other cities and suggested it to Melissa. We both thought Fell’s Point was a perfect place for a ghost tour, [so we] did the research and launched our first tour in October 2001. We’ve [since then] added a ghost tour in the Mount Vernon neighborhood and a haunted pub tour in Fell’s Point along the way. Describe the atmosphere of the typical tour. Should guests prepare beforehand? (i.e., bring an extra pair of underwear?) We don’t have anyone jump out at you, so the extra pair of underwear is probably not necessary. Guests should bring an umbrella since the tour runs rain or shine, and a camera for ghostly pictures. People on our tour get a lot of orbs. What are the pluses and minuses of each of your three main ghost walks--The Original Fells Point Ghostwalk, The Mount Vernon Ghostwalk, and The Fells Point Haunted Pubwalk? We’ll start with the easy one. You can drink on The Fell’s Point Haunted PubWalk! Fell’s Point is probably more rowdy and has more humor, and Mount Vernon has beautiful, grand architecture and is more spooky. The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
Tick-tock in Old-timey StyleBy Christine Stoddard QuailBellMagazine.com Sure, you can pull out your phone to check the time, but wouldn't you rather be all White Rabbit about it and carry something more elegantly designed for that exclusive purpose? I'm not talking wrist watches, though those can be pretty nifty throw-backs, too. Think more along the lines of steampunk glamour. The towering top hat. The swirling cape. The bug-eyed goggles. Got it yet? Yup. The pocket watch. Pocket watches are beautiful and, pardon the pun, timeless. Pocket watches first popped up in the late 1400s/early 1500s, during a time when most clocks still lived in church towers and cathedrals. Earlier mobile watches were inaccurate, boxy objects worn around the neck or belt. Today historians often credit the German locksmith Peter Henlein of Nuremberg as one of the first pocket watch inventors. He thought up a hog bristle spiral spring whose winding and uncoiling would move the clock's hour hand. In fact, the hour hand was the clock's only hand at that point in history. Minute hands came about in the late 1600s. Pocket watches first came in steel and, later on, brass, silver, and gold. It wasn't until the 1700s that English watchmakers started making protective cases for pocket watches and adding glass crystals to protect the dial. Pocket watches remained luxury items until the late 1700s, when painted watches became available even to sailors. In 1857, Waltham (formerly known as the American Watch Company) put Model 57 on the market. 57 was the first pocket watch to use standardized parts, lowing the cost of manufacturing. In the mid- to late-1800s, the rise of pocket watch factories and the widespread use of railroads led to the pocket watch's ubiquity.
Sadly for pocket watch lovers, wristwatches overshadowed the popularity of pocket watches in men's fashion after World War I. Previously, society had seen wristwatches as a feminine accessory. During the war, military men realized how much more convenient it was to wear the time on your wrist than in your pocket while on the move. Given current fashions, you might have no idea about where to find a pocket watch. Or what to look for once you actually find one. Or how much to spend. You, being a Quail Bell(e), want to be an informed consumer. That's why I put together this article. Call the QB Crew your humble servants (preferably à la A Little Princess.) Here are tips for buying your first (or tenth) pocket watch: The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
The Picture Apothecary: Bunny BasketBy The Picture Pharmacist QuailBellMagazine.com Dear fledglings, Clearly it's nowhere near Easter. It is All Saints' Day, though--the day that celebrates when those in Heaven literally see God. For us mortals, it's just a guessing game, but that doesn't mean we don't all have our own perception of Him. So put this bunny basket baby kid in Photoshop and show her what God looks like. She's stoked. Sincerely, The Picture Pharmacist
The Breadcrumbs widget will appear here on the published site.
1, 2, 3...Read with glee! What is Executive Editor Christine Stoddard reading right now? Here are the three historical fiction & fantasy books currently on her list:
|
|