Boutique Du Vampire in New Orleans

(Photo above: Myself modeling my new Coffin Purse I got from Boutique Du Vampire)

Website: http://www.feelthebite.com/

Boutique Du Vampire is a store tucked away in the French Quarter and the only sign advertising it is a little plank of wood outside with a Vampire boy's portrait on it.

you know what?

I LOVE that they have tucked themselves out of the tourists site. 

While I was shopping in this wonderful little store I didn't have to deal with giggling tourists making fun of everything they didn't or don't understand including myself. 

The staff inside are incredibly friendly smiling folk who gave off a vibe to me that... they were indeed vampires themselves. ;) 

The store has a wonderful incense smell, it is full of local art (GREAT local art), shrunken heads, vampire items (of course), soaps, body mist, coffin purses, fairy related goodness, and books. LOTS of books.

What even gives this store sky high cool points in my book is the fact that all of their books are signed by the author.

I don't know any stores yet that can say that about their book collection on sale. 

I took some photos of things within the store I found visually pleasing:

I highly recommend going to this store if you are ever in New Orleans and you are a person inclined to finding the beauty in dark odd items.

Pricing was right on the mark. Remember that everything is handmade in this store which means slightly higher prices but not through the roof pricing. 

Stay Spooky!

Allison Eckfeldt

The Eye of the Artist. (The Importance is not in the equipment.)

I have a story from my life that I feel like needs to be shared. 

This story has inspired me constantly as an artist. 

I hope it can do the same for whoever reads this. :)

My college photography professor told me a story about how one of her best students entered a series of photographs taken with an Iphone into a large judged gallery showing. She ended up winning the whole gallery showing. Anytime people in my college class would brag about equipment or tell others they needed better equipment my college professor would remind every one that her best student she had won the gallery judging just off of Iphone Photography and the fact that it's not about having the most current expensive device, but rather about the eye of the artist. 

As I've gotten older it becomes more apparent why my college professor would drill this story into our heads; A lot of people are very concerned about having the best of whatever equipment because "having better equipment equals having a better piece of art"

Well it's not true.

The real source of great art is the artist's mind and their mind's eye.

Not the thousands of dollars or hundreds someone has spent on top of the line supplies. 

Please keep this in mind whenever you're making any form of art; you are an artist, equipment doesn't matter. What does matter is the ability to put emotions onto paper or convey images or sounds properly, your goal is to make the viewer feel an emotion (good or bad) and get them to think.

Stay Spooky!

Allison Eckfeldt

Museum of Weird in Austin Texas (Originally posted in 2013)

(**ATTENTION** This is an old article I posted on my other blog in 2013 but I wanted to move it onto this blog site. So please keep this in mind while reading or looking at photos. Thank you! <3)

Exploring the museum of weird in Austin Texas...how do I put my emotions into words? I felt like I did whenever I was five and would go to toys r us (kid toy store in the USA) for the Saturday Pokemon card tournaments.... Which was to be excited to share my love of something unusual with other unusual and like minded beings....and bask in the rarity of this event.

Walking inside the small building you are immediately greeted by a cute gift shop full of unique little toys, decor and shirts. (not too high on pricing ether)

Beyond the gift shop past the tiny door frame into the back is where the fun really begins.

It's $8 to get in which is worth it the first time (taking into account memories that are made) but I sure as hell wouldn't pay $8 to see it again. 

In general you walk through a very small hallway crammed with 'ripley's believe it or not' type items and move on to a show room (tiny show room) with animal birth oddities and wax life size monster figures... 

Here are some photos of things I really liked within the crammed hallway:

fortune telling machines with a Zoltar type vibe...hell yes. Give me two. One for my living room and the other for the bedroom

The classic Mermaid. I remember seeing a photo of one of these guys in a book fair magazine as a child and thinking, "we'll that's it! Mermaids are defiantly real."  

Haha!

It wasn't until I grew up some more that I realized it was actually a hoax.

-and here are some photos of things i liked from the large room containing wax figures and animal oddities: 

A mummy.... I can't tell you the exact date I fell in love with these wonders but when I did I fell hard. I use to check out books from the library all the time on how and why they were made....mostly to just look at the pictures. Ha! 

The mummy at the museum of weird is very short and small but worth seeing for sure. 

A real Victorian skeleton who is said to haunt the building since they bought her. She is roughly 15 years old and a physic told the staff her name was either Eliza or Elisabeth. I love ghost stories so I was all over this like a fly to sugar water. 

She use to belong to an odd fellows group and was used to scare new members as a part of initiation. 

I find that tragic and I'd be a pissed ghost too if my body or what's left of it was used in such a manner.

Walking through the rest of the rather small building isn't too riveting. Supposedly Johnny depp lived upstairs in 1992 when he was trying to become a musician but I am doubtful of this. 

Upstairs they also do a like 'freak show' which was cute but slightly awkward at the same time. Haha

This is normal for freak shows however and the men performing were very funny and friendly so what more could you ask for?

All in all the experience was great and I look forward to exploring Austin Texas more in the future. 

Stay Spooky! 

Allison Eckfeldt

My Hermit Tarot Card tattoo on my left arm. (Originally posted in 2013)

(**ATTENTION** This is an old article I posted on my other blog in 2013 but I wanted to move it onto this blog site. So please keep this in mind while reading or looking at photos. Thank you! <3)

The Hermit is my card as a Virgo and is also my card to live by.

Here are Some frequent keywords for this card:

• Introspection ----- Silence ----- Guidance ----- Reflection
• Solitude ----- Looking inward ----- Reclusion ----- Being quiet
• Inner search ----- Deep understanding ----- Isolation
• Distance ----- Retreat ----- Philosophical attitude
• Stay Spooky
• Allison Eckfeldt

Oklahoma City's Abandoned Buildings (Originally Posted in 2013)

(**ATTENTION** This is an old article I posted on my other blog in 2013 but I wanted to move it onto this blog site. So please keep this in mind while reading or looking at photos. Thank you! <3)

Brady and I love to ghost hunt and find different evidence towards the paranormal. So the other day while Brady was at work he saw an article on abandoned buildings within our city and decided that we should go check them out. (He already knew I'd be completely down. haha) 

I didn't bring good shoes or my ghost kit sadly but we did see some beautiful buildings.

The first building was a Speak easy in the 1920s. It was completely boarded up with a fence all the way around. The city can't tear it down since it is technically a historic building.

I wanted to get inside badly and explore however its right in the middle of the city and someone driving by would see us jumping the fence or pulling a board off for sure.

It was such a beautiful building. I can only imagine what it looks like inside... or what haunted wonders may fill its halls....

I'll be back to this place at some point I'm sure.

The next building we went to was a place for people living in lower income areas. A place for kids in crime areas to hang out and possibly stay out of crime.

Sadly it didn't work out and the place was shut down due to crime.

This was the only non boarded up entrance we found. We didn't want to stick around for long though because it still is an area of crime.

A bowling pin. The building use to have a bowling alley.

"Danger Zombies  -----> " :) 

I had only moments before this photo said it looked like a resident evil type scene and then we saw this sign. haha

The next building we went to was a hospital for mental illness patients between the ages of 6-8. It was shut down due to a nurse killing quite a few patients simply for her fun. We wanted to ghost hunt here and probably will in the future when we have a group with us and don't have a possibility of being attacked by anyone homeless.

The entrance. 

The front of the building with the cross has totally been pelted with paintballs...

To see more of this building check out my youtube; Kazlovesbats.

I'll keep you guys updated on if we ghost hunt any of these locations.

Stay Spooky!

Allison Eckfeldt

Hex: Old World Witchery Shop in New Orleans

In New Orleans close to the Mississippi River You will find a beautiful little pagan/witch shop called Hex. It's tucked off in the quieter corner of all the shops. The sweet smell of incense is sure to lure you in. 

I was scared the store was going to be over priced and a tourist trap... I was wrong.

The store is amazing inside full of crystals, tarot, books, incense, blessed candles, oils, herbs and etc. with very affordable prices! 

As an insider tip: This has to be the best Witch store in New Orleans. Hands down.

Here's a link to the shop's website: http://www.salemhex.com/

Books upon books upon books... I couldn't focus on just one title with all the excitement I had. However the shop keeper was very kind and pointed out a title she thought would suit me. (I ended up buying it and YES it does suit me completely. Thank you so much love!<3)

These 'Witch Wash' soaps smelt so delicious. One of each please! 

Now this strand of Tarot cards caught my eye instantly. Turns out it's a blessed majick strand that you can hang in your home according to what you need. This one I was looking at was to keep people from talking about you behind your back, or to help rid negative energy from flowing into your life. 

I wanted it terribly. but it was $200. 

That wasn't going to happen but if I could have gotten it I would have.

As a side note I did buy a book by the wonderful witch who made this named Laurie Cabot.

Since coming back home to Oklahoma I have fallen in love with her outlook and facts about and on witch craft. 

Here's a video of her inside her shop located in Salem.

Next on my list of places to travel to is definitely Salem!

A rawhide Voodoo man. :)

Crystals for sale... I ended up buying a couple for myself. <3

Magic Candles

A giant wall of herbs.

The very nice and helpful Shopkeeper. She was so awesome! She even let me leave some gifts and prayers at the store's alter.

Stay Spooky!

Allison Eckfeldt

Ghost Hunting New Orleans!

The first thing that came to my mind when my fiance Brady told me we were going to New Orleans on vacation was; PARANORMAL HEAVEN...... and Interview with a Vampire *cough cough* Lestat De Lioncourt.

Two Photos above: Me playing with the EMF device trying to see what I get...

So being the kind gentlemen that Brady is he left me to do all the organizing for "Ghost hunting". 

New Orleans isn't exactly the safest city so the fact that I don't know the town lead me to hop onto Yelp and search the local ghost hunting companies. 

We ended up going on two tours by two different companies; 'French Quarter Phantoms' and then 'Witches Brew'. (Once we knew the town better we just adventured on our own to find locations.)

'French Quarter Phantoms' (http://www.frenchquarterphantoms.com/) was very fun and full of laughter and information...Interesting information! So being intrigued I searched some dates and names our guide mentioned so I could learn more only to find; NO INFORMATION on what She told us. I was so irritated that I searched more stories she had told us only to find that about 70% of the facts and dates she gave me was bullshit. so upsetting. I know a lot of people think ghosts are bullshit as well but I actually take this field VERY seriously and the fact that I was told made up stories by someone I assumed was also into the paranormal made me sad. haha!

however

The next day we went on a Ghost tour with a company called 'Witches Brew' (http://witchesbrewtours.com) which made everything so much better! Our guide was very insightful and cheery; I spoke to him about the night before and he showed me the proper dates and names to the stories the guide from the other company had mucked up. What a relief. This company also had given us EMF detectors to use while on the tour. It was a blast!

Here are some photos from our Ghost hunting and some stories to go with the photos. :)

Inside the pub where people meet up that are going on the 'French Quarter Phantom' tour Brady and I ran into these two Ghouls. :) 

I have to say inside the pub the male and female bathrooms where crawling with thick energy. It was so uncomfortable while going to the bathroom; I felt like someone was peering over my shoulder or breathing in my ear. haha!

The photo above is actually the building that was in the movie 'Interview with a Vampire' 

(it was the shooting location for the Set where Louis and Claudia set Lestat's house on Fire)

This next photo didn't have a ghost story but Brady and I loved the beautiful creepy vibe this shadow gave off.

The haunted restaurant 'Muriels'

The photo above is actually the best evidence photo we got on the whole trip. Brady took the photo and you can see the mist under the dinner table. Here's the website for the restaurant with information on their ghost: http://www.muriels.com/html/ghost.html

What's really cool about this photo is the table with the mist under it is actually the table they leave food and wine at for the resident ghost. The only way they could get the ghost to stop the angry activity was to leave him peace offerings on his own reserved table every morning and night.

The hotel pictured above is another beautiful haunted location. Inside the hotel people hear children running, see children in their room or have pranks pulled on them. Next time Brady and I are in New Orleans I would love to stay here. :) However from what I'm told guest check out of here very early due to the activity. 

New Orleans is so spooky and beautiful at night. Every night (photo taken at night) looks like it belongs in a horror movie set.

The EMF detector 'Witches Brew' tours let us use. :)

The 'Witches Brew' Tour company actually took us inside a building to investigate! It was so cool and eerie inside! (see photo above) I couldn't get over the vibes pouring through the walls in this building. It was a whore house at one point where the women killed men after seducing them into the building. They then would steal all the money or whatever the man owned on him.

While inside we could hear floorboards creaking above us and loud tapping on the walls. We actually had some 'hitch-hiking' ghosts trail us back to our hotel him and later to our home. It was horrible. I had to sage our house so much before peaceful energy returned and the thumping/things moving in our house stopped.. 

All in all New Orleans was just as magical as I would have dreamed it to be. 

I highly recommend adventuring and going on ghost tours but be prepared if you are clairvoyant to cleanse your home once you get home.

Stay Spooky!

Allison Eckfeldt.