......pretty pretty 152 year old works of art.....

As fate itself would have it, I came across a man who had a bunch of keys from his Great-Great-Grandfather's brewery from 1857.  I have long been fascinated by keys and locks - wondering what these keys once opened and whose pretty pockets they hid in.  I imagine that the doors they once opened are long gone now and there lies a great freedom.... 

I was so excited to get my hands on these and found lush gorgeous black velvet ribbon to make necklaces with them.  They are now secured with hooks and clasp in the back and in a vintage store in New Orleans I found the most beautiful Victorian ribbon to decorate them with. 

I made all of them during the Leonids meteor shower on November 17th.  I put my own good gypsy magic in them as stars were shooting and streaking through the skies.  With every single one, I thought - may the wearer be able to open the doors of their true dreams...

It's true that each key has its own personality - each one is one of a kind.  Some more rusty than others, some more elaborate, some initialed, some marked with numbers of the doors they once opened....

When I have been putting them together, making them into necklaces, some of them don't like particular ribbon and want a more flowing one, some want to be turned to the left or right - each one unique and antique.

I took three for my own and I'm bringing the rest of them on tour with me.  So if you have the same obsession with keys and locks as I do - swing by the merch stand and take a pretty peek.  I have a few also at  Danger Dame. 

I have been scouring antique shops on the road and I'm also coming up with new designs that I will be putting out on the European tour.  I am a crafting junkie....I love making necklaces - I love putting good magic into them, and hell, I love looking out in the crowd and seeing a bunch of you wearing 'em!

See you on the road!

xoxoox
Veronica

Last night, we started the second leg of the US tour in Oklahoma City.   Over the past month and 1/2, we have met so many amazing people playing all over the US, Mexico and Canada.  The above clip was from when we just arrived in Mexico and the fans were screaming so loudly it brought tears to my eyes.  Touring has been so much fun and I am loving every single minute of it.

I already have tons of pictures and stories....and over the next few days I will be putting up entries on the days I have more time off (or wake up before 2pm - it is a rock and roll tour afterall....).

Tomorrow we are hitting the home of my heart, New Orleans, and playing at the House of Blues....and one of my best friends from high school is coming all the way to see me!  It's going to be a hell of a night.

So - everyone reading this journal - whether we are already friends or friends that haven't met yet - USA, come out, come out, wherever you are!  Let's play!

Oh, and you better throw your bras/neckties on stage for me....afterall, my Daddy says I'm the female Mick Jagger.......

You can order tickets by clicking here!

TONIGHT - Sat-Nov-21 Little Rock, AR, The Village All Ages
Sun-Nov-22 New Orleans, LA, House of Blues 18+
Mon-Nov-23 Austin, TX, Emo's  - All Ages
Wed-Nov-25 St. Petersburg, FL, The State Theatre - All Ages
Thurs-Nov-26 Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Culture Room All Ages
Fri-Nov-27 Jacksonville Beach, FL, Freebird Live All Ages
Sat-Nov-28 Charleston, SC, The Music Farm 16+
Sun-Nov-29 Carrboro, NC, Cat's Cradle All Ages
Mon-Nov-30 Washington DC, 9:30 Club  All Ages
Wed-Dec-02 Brooklyn, NY, Music Hall of Williamsburg 16+
Thurs-Dec-03 Millvale, PA, Mr. Smalls Theatre  All Ages
Fri-Dec-04 Cincinnati, OH, Bogart’s All Ages
Sat-Dec-05 Louisville, KY, Headliner’s Music Hall All Ages
Sun-Dec-06 Pontiac, MI, The Crofoot  All Ages
Tues-Dec-08 Milwaukee, WI, Pabst Theater

The above photo was a candid backstage photo taken by John Bentham at Shanghai Mermaid, seconds before I was about to go on stage.  I love this photo, because in it, I'm working my magic...you are actually witnessing a "glamouring" secret that has been passed down by generations of women in my family - it's subtle, and you only know it if you are related to me, or if you took my Spellbinding Burlesque class.  Yes, my Lovelies....I have a virtual arsenal of spellbinding secrets and magic...ready to be shared.

Yep.  Those behind the scenes things that I worked on with Andrea on MTV's MADE - tips and tricks to being confident and world dominating.....I'm giving them to you!  My class is open to ALL women - all ages, all sizes, all backgrounds, all levels of confidence.  You do not need any dance experience.  While I will be teaching you a full number with "magic" moves to take home with you - the majority of the day will be based on - radiating confidence, finding the magic behind the REAL you, finding your Signature Style and basically owning any room you walk in to. 

Whether you want to be a burlesque performer - or just have the confidence and sass of one - my class is for you!  The last five classes I've done with the NY School of Burlesque have sold out quickly.  I only have a few spaces left on this one - and this is your last chance to work with me in an intensive class before I leave for a month and 1/2 to tour all over the US, Canada and Mexico.

I invite you to be a part of our circle of bewitching bombshells.  Your new life begins.....  Saturday, September 26th - noon to six pm - sign up and get all the details by clicking here -  The New York City School of Burlesque. 

It's a great class to take with a friend!
Here are some things my students have said:

"Veronica Varlow sees the beauty in You, and in falling under Her spell, you fall under YOUR spell. "Spellbinding Burlesque" is all about charm, sisterhood, and secrets!" - Coco La Pearl

"I loved the class! I wished it lasted FOREVER!" - Dame Beso

"Veronica - you gave us such great advice, opportunities, tricks, etc! Thank you!" - Miss Amanda Jones

"Your class is like a super-stylish, slumber party!" - Tallulah Luv

Let's make some real magic together!

xoxoxo
VeVa

Last night, I was coming home from performing at Fashion's Night Out and I was in the back of a car service going over the Williamsburg Bridge.  The driver was playing beautiful classical music and I was looking over the city lights when the clock on the dashboard caught my eye....12:03am.  It was September 11th. 

Eight years ago today I was walking this same bridge with countless others and I will never forget what we saw or how it felt.  My heart has been heavy all day in memory of all those lost - and I wanted to re-post a journal entry that I did back on September 2004 - it said what I wanted to say..........



The above picture is one I took out of my side window at my apartment on a beautiful sunset in July of 2001. 

When I first got to New York City in 1998 and was going to college, I made my living working as a tour guide on the double decker buses.  New York City has always been a love story for me.  Full of history and stories, poetry and bustling life.  It was a place I dreamed of coming to for forever.  After being here for years, I never lost my wide-eyed innocence of the city.  I worked the tour buses, cruising the circles and streets of the city over and over each day.   It was during this time, I immersed myself even further into the structure of the city.  The buildings were my friends, in a time when I was lonely - I had their stories and their history to build around me and comfort me.

On Summer nights, I used to sit with my legs dangling out of my window, wishing on the red blinking light on top of the second tower of the Twin Towers.  It's hard to see stars in the city sky, so I would look towards the peacefulness of the blinking red light on that tower.  It was the highest point in the skyline of the city.  I imagined that everytime the soft red light blinked, a wish would come true to all of the dreamers who looked out their windows in the city.

Three years ago, they were evacuating us.  I was crossing the Williamsburg Bridge on foot with hundreds of other people when I heard that tower with the blinking light fall behind me.  I knew what the sound was.  I knew the second tower had collapsed.  I didn't even want to turn around and look.  I leaned against the railing with people that I didn't know and we all cried.

I got my things together and went back to the nearest trauma hospital to the towers to volunteer.   I will never forget that day.  We waited and waited for them to come in.  Anyone.  Someone we could save.  The firefighters returned with eyes bloodshot from liquid glass.  A man from the Ironworkers Union, a big man, came to me looking for his friends.  They had all rushed into the towers to save people, the towers started to collapse as he was helping people out.  He got seperated from his friends and couldn't find them.  I held him in my arms for a really long time.  The world changed that day.

The next day their faces were everywhere.  Posted on missing person posters lining the city streets.  I wrote down their names in my journal.  I didn't want them to be lost.  Writing their names down was my way to try and fight against death.

I wasn't going to write anything today.  It was just really hard.  But this morning, I passed by Engine Company 33, who lost many brave men to September 11th.  I sat there, across from the firehouse at 7:30 this morning, when I saw moms and little kids walking in, families of the fallen firefighters.  I knew I had to say something here.  Something for them.  For Michael Boyle, for David Arce, for Shannon Fava...for so many others.

My heart goes out to you that have lost loved ones.  My heart goes out to the fallen heroes and the people that lost their lives.  I wish there was something I could have done. 

I will never forget you.

I'm feeling lucky and I hope you are, too....

so the Commanders of the official Veronica's Kissing Army website - Synthetice and Ariel are running the very first official VKA contest! 

Already your entries have been pouring in, and I am absolutely loving reading your responses to the questions of the contest. 

That's right....your answers to my questions!  I want to ask YOU the questions and find out all about my loyal and fierce VKA.

Answer the below questions, along with your name, country you are from and a photo of yourself, all e-mailed to vkacontests@gmail.com. Your answered questions and photo will be featured on the site for all to see!   And check out the entries already posted - you can click on the "Read More" tab in the bottom right hand corner under each picture to see each person's answers.

And without further ado....here are the Lucky Seven Questions...

1. What are three things that you would like to do before you die?
(This was the very first "Crumpet Question of the Day" while we are on
tour. The five of us were drinking colorful cocktails with umbrellas
in them sitting at an outdoor cafe in Poland on a day off. We watched
the clouds turn colors in the square as the sun set - it was a
beautiful night....)

2. You find $50 on the ground, what do you do with the money?
(Interesting side note: Contessa and I found 50 shiny gorgeous euros
on an empty cobblestone street in Germany while on tour. I, however,
will not tell you how we spent that money! *evil grin*)

3. When I came home from the second tour I was on with Emilie Autumn
- the forum was all a-twitter with who I kissed and the original VKA
was born! I was so pleased and proud of all of you. So....question
number three is a two part question - What made you want to fight for
VKA? Do you remember the exact moment?

4. If you could be any faerie tale or story book character, who would
you be and why?

5. Excluding Miss EA and the Crumpets, who out there is inspiring you
right now? It doesn't have to be limited to music. I just want to
know in general - a person that is inspiring your world. Feel free to
include a link.

6. When we are dominating the world together - what is the first
thing you do to make the world a better place?

7. Now it's YOUR turn.....what is one question that you've been dying
to have me answer? Make it good! The five top questions will be
decided by VKA Commanders Synthetice and Ariel. If you are one of the
five lucky chosen, you will get a Who Wants to Kiss Me tour shirt and
a signed postcard and I will answer your question on the VKA site!

To all the girls who carry the poison kiss on their lips.....

It is my pleasure to announce that the
Veronica Varlow "Kiss Me" Puff Sleeve Baby Doll T's are FINALLY available at Danger Dame for a limited time!

With the exclusive announcement of the Emilie Autumn USA/Mexico Fall Tour 2009 happening tomorrow - I am releasing a second reprint of my tour shirts that sold out from the European leg and make them available to you!

These are the sweet baby doll puff sleeved t's that Danger Dames dream of!  Get em' while you can.  We are hittin' the road and it's time for some serious world domination! 

And you wanna look delicious while you dominate all the continents, don't you?

Click here for the Poison Kiss!

Look out, USA, we are COMING FOR YOU!



That's right!  The unstoppable circus known as The Emilie Autumn Asylum Tour is coming to a town near you!  The Sickest Show on Earth is ready to entertain you! 

STEP RIGHT UP!  We've got the plague and it's spreading.  You know you want it, too!

The USA FALL TOUR 2009 Pre-Sales start EXCLUSIVELY at the official website of Emilie Autumn on Friday, August 7th - 3:00pm local time for each city.  This tour SOLD OUT ALL OVER EUROPE!  This is the first full USA tour and it is expected to sell out quickly.  Get your tickets now, push your way to the front and I'll probably end up making out with you.

What the hell are you waiting for?

Get COMMITTED to the Asylum!!!

Posting this new pic from Coney Island's Mermaid Parade because this is how I am feeling at the moment.  Happy.  There's so many things in the works!

First of all....I have joined the evil known as Twitter!  I will be doing free giveaways, giving 1940s style beauty tips and updating the random things going on in my life.  Follow me by clicking here!

Also - I got two mentions this week in fabulous beauty blogs that I wanted to share with you:  Krasey Beauty and eBeautyDaily!

Veronica's Kissing Army will be doing a big giveaway shortly!  Details will be coming over the next week!

AND - I want YOUR pictures!  Do you have any photos of you in the VKA shirt, the
Pretty as a Pistol Shirt, or the Danger Dame Shirt?  Do you have pictures of you wearing the Lost Key To My Heart Necklace?  Send me pictures of you all over the world in these things and I'll showcase you on Danger Dame!

It's a nice day for world domination!

.....Now back to my evil plans.....mwhahahahahahaha.

Because I know how much you love blurry iPhone photos - this is me performing last night at Diane Von Furstenburg's event on the rooftop of the Soho House.  A moment I will never forget:   stepping out on the runway - on the rooftop, poolside - the city lights flickered around me as the full moon hung low in the sky....

And taking my white feather fans and raising them like wings... I did, indeed, dance for the moon and all her mystery.

It was a beautiful evening to be alive. 

And the good news is - there are many more beautiful evenings to be alive - and I invite you to join me in one of them.....

If you live in Washington DC - I am headed your way this Saturday night with the very beautiful Miss Coney Island, Gal Friday and her partner-in-crime, Albert Cadabra.  We will be performing at the one and only Palace of Wonders!

Come out and see the show!  Saturday, July 11th. Doors at 7pm, Show at 10pm
Palace of Wonders, 1210 H St. NE Washington, DC 20002

Saturday, July 18th, I will be performing at Le Scandal in New York City.  Get your reservations now - it usually sells out.  Show starts at 10pm.  Hit the website for details.

Monday, July 20th is the bday party of the uber-dashing evil genius known as Nik Sin at the Slipper Room with a line-up that will kill you.   10pm show at 167 Orchard Street, NY, NY.

Thursday, July 23rd I'm back at the the Coney Island Museum with Hotsy Totsy at Burlesque on the Beach.  Enjoy the amusements and then come for the show at 9pm!  1208 Surf Ave. Brooklyn NY 11224

Come out, come out, wherever you are.....

There's just a few hours left to get your pretty little paws on some of my personal collection - including the jacket I wore in this photo shoot above!

Let me make your dreams come true by Clicking HERE!

xoxoxo