Art + General + Music + Nature
Oh no! I can´t sing! My home remedy for sore throat and hoarse voice
First some tips for singers, performers or anyone feeling soreness of throat and strained voice...
So it happened, I woke up yesterday with sore throat and I cannot barely swallow... of course the first advice I would give myself as a singer is DO NOT overuse now that you are aware you are experiencing loss of voice (whichever the cause, allergies, cold, vocal misuse...). The symptoms of dysphonia vary from a fatigued, raspy voice, struggling to reach the high notes, or having its phonation altered so you squeak like a teenager or lose control of the pitch, or worse even... you're absolutely voiceless. Time to STOP... Let it repair and rest, and check with a doctor if the problem persists too long as it could be masking further and more serious problems like nodes or thyroid gland malfunction.
But let's say you got a respiratory infection, a nasty cold, you sang your lungs out, or you simply partied too much in a noisy environment and you woke up feeling your throat is on fire and having lost control of your voice... What can we do?
Hydration is the key
Number 1 advice is vocal rest but if you do have to perform and it's absolutely unavoidable, drink a lot of warm (not cold) water, keeping your cords hydrated will help you to get rid of the phlegm that sticks to the back of your throat. Sipping warm water throughout the day works wonders against most ailments including this one. Avoid copious food as acid reflux is a vocal cords killer and may cause permanent laryngitis. Bad digestions equals to unhealthy voice. If you feel the need to cough try to repress it. Do not whisper, if you can´t talk, then don´t. Also remember warm up before any speech or performance to relieve further stress. If it gets worse, you were warned! REST! I will do an in depth article (or maybe video about more vocal tips if you are interested, but as I have had to deal with this discomfort myself these last few days I wanted to share here my "miracle home remedy" that helps me to clear my voice when this happens
So I'm voiceless I need a quick fix... Time for a GINGER TEA VOCAL RESCUE
What ingredients do you need?
- Ginger root (fresh, sliced or grated)
- Honey
- Water
- Lemon Juice
- Herbs (optional): Thyme, Peppermint, Sage
- Spices (cardamom, clove, cinnamon, a pinch of cayenne pepper)
Just add the ingredients and heat until it simmers, let it rest until it's warm.
Water of course is the basic ingredient, as I mentioned at the beginning of this article "hydration is the key". So keep in mind to prepare enough to refill your cup when you need.
Herbs and spices are optional but these extra ingredients allow you to make different combinations and vary the taste of your tea and each one has their particular benefits. The honey helps to coat your throat to achieve a smoother voice. You can also use propolis instead which has enhanced antibacterial properties but some people dislike the taste and smell of it. Lemon is acid and promotes the production of saliva, helping to get rid of phlegm and mucus. These herbs can boost your "witchy potion". Peppermint is good to clear the phlegm, thyme is a natural antibiotic and will help to keep mild respiratory infections at bay. Some people add also Licorice Root. The spices also helps in keeping oral health and assist in your digestion... but let's talk of course about the main ingredient ginger root.
HOLY GINGER!!
The rhizoma of Zingiber Officinale looks like a plump fairy or a mandrake root from a witch's apotechary :). Ginger has a lot of medicinal properties, many of which have been proved scientifically... The benefits of ginger tea are proved and lots of singers and voice professionals will tell you this: It simply works!!! It is caffeine free but works as a booster, increasing your body temperature and metabolism, it aids your immune system and also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties- It also helps with nausea... too good to be true? It is also delicious in an exotic way but beware, it's rather spicy too, so if you like it mild use slices instead of grated root.
If you don't like the taste of the tea at all you can also gargle it... though, oh my, what a waste! ;-)
Also if you are in a hurry you can grate ginger and keep it in a glass flask preserved in honey, so when you need the "rescue" you only have to put a spoonful in hot water with lemon and ready to go!
By the way this tea is delicious and you don't have to be sick to drink, it´s also good for self-care and prevention to keep your singing voice in good shape.
I want to state that I'm not a vocal coach, and if you do experience a permanent loss of voice, both a doctor to check and a vocal coach to teach you a proper vocal technique (to sing and/or speak) are highly recommended to avoid further damage. But if you are experiencing just a temporary loss of your voice I hope you find this article useful. I just wanted to share this "quick fix" as it works amazingly well for me.
A little fairy visitor in my music studio... and a little reflection about transformation
´Cause I cannot stay within
This motionless netherworld
Within my chrysalis cold
Will I emerge like butterfly into the vibrant daylight?
Those are words from my song "At the Dreams Door" that was featured in my second album The Underliving.
As you may have already noticed I love fairy tales and fantasy. Not only my music and art nourish from it, I have a collection of illustrated fairy tales. I simply love all those XIX and early XX illustrations with fairies and princesses in my magic attire... :). Reading fantastic stories with a hot mug of tea, one of my favourite thing to do on moody rainy days.
So I was away hiking recently with some friends that were visiting when @hedac made a phone call and told me he had found a little butterfly in the music studio. It had been born from a chrysalis that came along with a purchased plant. The little creature had perched confidently on Héctor and and refused to leave on that chilly and rainy day. So the butterfly got all cozy and was our "fairy" companion for the day, cleaning its antennae with its fore legs, perching on our hands... we were mesmerized and for a few hours we forgot all about our daily tasks to take pictures and film it. So small, and yet so magical... I'm always amazed by the patterns in the wings. As an illustrator I find it so inspiring so I made a few doodles on my sketchbook. I confess I like moths over vivid colored butterflies and I feel more inclined to the muted colors of moths. Maybe because I am myself kind of mousy. But this little butterfly also had these brown earth moth colors... I wonder what kind of butterfly it is, if any knows let me know to edit it and include the species. :)
I find metamorphosis such an outstanding and inspiring metaphor of TRANSFORMATION
So why sharing this personal moment here, because I wanted to speak about change...
we fear change...
Sometimes we feel the need but we refuse to change... we get stuck in our old habits thinking that "changing" would be betraying some rigid and frozen convictions we have built about ourselves, about who we are. We smother ourselves keeping our thoughts inside a pre-made grid because it is what it feels safe... This is the way we usually do things so it's "comfortable" to keep on doing the same. We even feel guilty when the need of change becomes blatantly obvious.
I always say... "Thoughts are boundless" We should not have to feel fear of what comes next... if we "open our eyes" we can peek what lies ahead... It is not like moving forward blindly, but still there comes a moment where you have to take risks and nothing ever changes unless we give a first step... I know, it´s difficult for most of us, for me too, thus I write these motivational posts, they are also self-reminders. I can be bold and brave sometimes, but I also have moments where I'm beset by doubts and fear... fear to change!
And why do we fear to change? I guess we know that sometimes this transformation is a time where we feel like stalling, slow, trapped... The process is not immediate, it takes time, effort, energy.
Hatching from a cocoon is a hard and very delicate time until we can unfold our wings and get ready to fly...
If not... ask this little fellow! :)
We can change for the better and that is not betraying ourselves...! We decide who we are, we decide who we will be.
And maybe there comes a time where we need to transform into something better, or more correctly something different to fulfill a purpose... and that doesn't mean we are betraying ourselves or our work... we evolve, we grow, we transform and on our journey and sometimes we become something different than what we were when we started... still being OURSELVES. And the same with our goals and dreams... they shift too along with us.
We must acknowledge our mistakes and learn from them, but we must do it without self-punishing ourselves for having committed them but being proud of have been able to overcome them. Every struggle we have had to undergo has already changed us... They have made us stronger, and more aware.
What lies ahead is always UNCERTAIN, it has to be that way... but still we must fly away
**Mood: Becoming...!
Above: me with our visitor... I even filmed some scenes for a forthcoming music video, for a little while she was our "starlet" and model. I say "she" cos it´s a fairy princess in disguise... Then it vanished into thin air... we kept opening the door the following days so we hope it found its way out. Grateful for the magical moment you provided and the thoughts you evoked :)
Pd: In my head I'll imagine my little friend like this... hope it made it somewhere safe. This other photo is another butterfly enjoying the lovely outdoors on a warm Spring day...
Who is longing and yearning for Spring? and butterflies?
But wait! almost time... all around me is changing and transforming too... all awaiting to grow!
Untrodden paths, finding our own way...
Sharing some pictures of me, taken last weekend. As you may know already, besides music and illustration I love to hike in Nature and create Fantasy inspired photography as a way to tell short stories (sometimes motivational).
It is chilly outside... It may snow again tonight! We are all summoning Spring but Winter is still sitting on the throne...
But every season has its own magic, I love the way snow can transform everything overnight. I somehow welcome and need that "change" too... It is like when you wake up and everything has been covered by clean and pure white snow so you can walk on a new untrodden path. You can set your course, chose your way... Every possibility lies before you. And I am sure many of you will understand what I mean. ;). Maybe even the footprints that you leave will help others to follow.
Dare to venture... our souls are wild...!
Is there snow where you live?
Photos of me taken by Héctor Corcín February 2018. My fantasy photography is usually in collaboration with him (sometimes other fellow photographers as well). We often film on these locations and we use these footage on our own music videos too, so it´s all part of the same project in that way :)
Cloak by myself, antlers by Costurero Real
Random fact about me
- I was born in the Canary Islands, where snow is such a rare event :).
You can touch the Moon... a little motivational story for artists
I wanted to share these series of photos of me along with a little motivational story for all artists out there. As a singer-songwriter and illustrator I have faced discouragement so many times, but I have always stood up and kept on fighting. It doesn't matter if you are emerging or if you have already decades of experience. Sometimes we move forward, sometimes we stall. In my case there have been sweet moments, there have been struggling ones, but I've never stopped perceiving myself as an artist. This has been my journey half of my life already.
So you have a dream... and it´s like touching the Moon...!
So very often you will stumble upon people who will tell you straightforward "it is useless", "it is impossible", "You cannot touch the Moon, it is out of your reach and that is an actual scientific fact!". And sometimes you are overwhelmed by the logic of it all, and suddenly what you aim for feels like "just another silly dream", a source of frustration and wasted time... But it is not. Keep the Moon at sight!
But they don't understand that you are already "touching the moon in your own way" because that is precisely the magic of "ART" that it is a for to express our spirits and share a piece of our souls. True Art is not ruled by the "actual facts" but by "feelings". And when I say "True Art" I make no mention if it´s good or bad (that depends on everyone´s taste and is another matter entirely) I mean if it´s something born from the heart.
Even an illusion or a metaphor it is able to carry and convey the MEANING and purpose of an artist creation. All is real in your mind eye and that thrill is enough to keep a dream alive. The spark of imagination creates your own and unique way to do it. Howl, dance, sing believe! Create! Do not become obsessed to measure your worth in numbers,. Just worship and appreciate how you evolve and improve... that´s the biggest success of all. And this is also a reminder to myself, in those moments I forget.
You have a dream, and you can touch the Moon!
Thoughts are boundless.
PD: All photos were taken by my partner Héctor Corcín during a Super Moon in Navarre, 2015
Windband Incantations: What are bull roarers and Wind-Bands? A simple yet haunting music instrument
Hello again, I'm sharing this improvised "Wind incantation" I recorded in Samhain, 1st October 2015. Wind has always been an inspiration and a personal "obsession". I even wrote a song called "The Wind song" in one of my albums. As I mentioned in my introduction post, I love to collect and play rare and folk instruments to layer the sounds in my work, so here is a "Capella" improvisation just with a "wind-band".
What are wind-bands and bull roarers?
Wind bands are in fact instruments inspired in the "bull roarers", an ancient music instrument consisting in a piece of wood attached to a cord that you just spin to make it buzz. There are archaeological evidence of their existence since the Paleolithic period in several continents. From Scandinavia, to Ancient Greece to Australia, it is found in many cultures with different names. It was used to communicate over distance (the low frequency can travel and be heard several miles away) and also in rituals to keep "evil spirits" at bay and summon good forces.
Wind bands are a modern type of "bull roarers" and belong too to the same category of music instruments called "aerophones" as the sounds depend on the vibration caused by air against the surface of the instrument. They are very easy to build and the sound it produces is somehow a mix of the didgeridoo and the classic bull roarer. They are usually constructed of wood with a rubber band resonator. It doesn't require any special technique except twirling it with the handle, depending on the speed it can create a variety of sounds and is tune-able to different pitches.
When you spin it it produces a drone sound, kind of eerie and ghostly, the pitch can be changed adjusting the distance of the "dividing piece", if you place such piece in an angle it can create harmonics too. Some stores sell "double wind bands" to mix two tones. As you can see the building plan is rather simple. I love to bring it with me when I hike and I just improvise along with the drone. I love rare instruments, fantasy, myths, legends and music.
Video:
Iberian Wolf... look at these eyes.... don´t look away! Protect endangered species!
Above: Iberian Wolf (Picture from http://defensaloboiberico.org
Canis Lupus Signatus, the Iberian Wolf, It is a subspecies of wolf endemic from the North of Spain. Lookt at it well, in its uniqueness! 
:( Almost extinct once, populations recovered, though it still remains to be vulnerable and endangered. In the 50´s and 60´s Francoist Government tried to wipe it out and almost succeeded, a few packs saved the species from extinction and it slowly recovered. Still, despite knowing our past mistake, our Spanish Government still allows the hunting down of a percentage of them each year, not adding the constant "poaching"... when are we going to learn?. Honestly when someone asks me about my political inclinations I've been voting for the animals party since ages, because they still do not have representation. Isn't this a beautiful creature? Well, look at him well, because some time from now it might not be... If we see the number of species gone the last 200 years, it gives me chills of terror
I confess sometimes I watch on youtube footage of already extinct animals.. it´s like I don't want to forget... when you see the Thylacine moving in film, you almost feel like it might be still somewhere, yet it is not... It is not, EXTINCTION means GONE, FOREVER... even cloning back extinct animals in the near future, would not be the exact thing that we lost. And once than, they can say "what a pity" but there is no undo button for extinction.
HOW SELFISH WE ARE AS A SPECIES... wild animals belong in the forest, we hunt them down as if they were an unwanted molestation, animals do belong to Nature, it´s us plaguing it. We have destroyed our environment (and keep on doing it while our blinded race to the point of no return draws to a fatal conclusion). But we still treat a few thousands animals as "plagues" when millions of us fill the Earth with garbaga. If I meet a wild boar, I hike regularly and I have read how to make precautions, I don´t blame the animal, I try my best, in respect to cross our paths in peace (one of the most beautiful experience in my recent hikes was to stumble with a sounder of boar in the mist)... but first option for many, let´s kill it, let´s hunt it, as scientists, we have ways to treat catch and release them with treatments so they are less fertile. There is no need to get rid of them by hunting or killing, it could be done ANOTHER WAY. More let´s get trained about what to do and don´t if we find a wild animal... an teach respect to all creatures, and find SOLUTIONS that don´t imply torturing, killing, hunting and destroying endangered species like the Iberian Wolf is. Aren´t you so smart and clever HUMAN? Don´t you say that something merciful is HUMANE in your language (such a lying concept)... Look at these eyes, don't look away.
Status: VULNERABLE
The first day of 2017: "How mist become soft rime" Winter photoshoot
So as you know Héctor and I enjoy going outdoors to Nature. For me, overall, last year it was a year to reconnect with Nature, and heal with it in so many ways, so what a better way for us to spend the FIRST day of 2007 in an absolutely enchanted place. It was freezing cold but we stumbled upon a forest covered with soft rime, and then I remembered I had a lovely white mask and dress in the boot of the car... so I had to go for it... We had hot tea and a good predisposition, :) so we went for it, and here is the result of our photoshoot :) Yay, I survived!
“How mist become Soft Rime”
Model, concept, stylism and edit Priscilla Hernández (http://YIDNETH.COM;https://www.instagram.com/yidneth/)
Photography: Héctor Corcín (https://www.instagram.com/hedac/)
Mask by: Vincent Cantillon (https://www.etsy.com/shop/VincentCantillon
Location:1st of January 2007 (Happy New Year), Navarra, Spain
Some behind the scenes pictures :)
More pictures in my instagram feed instagram.com/yidneth
More pictures of the landscape alone (it was an absolutely enchanting place covered with rime and ice) at Héctor´s account at instagram.com/hedac
Visit to Barcelona and Halloween Steampunk-Vodoo-Witches Photo shoot
Sigh, back from a week visit to Barcelona... Oh my god, How I miss the city and my friends there...! It was not long enough and I'm already yearning to return. It's been a couple of years I moved to Navarra, Spain, and though the Nature and forests here and gorgeous, still I miss my former home-town too much.... Said that I want to thank to all the friends that had time to spend with me in this brief visit :). As one of the highlights my friend Vany Miranda kidnapped me into this Steampunk-Vodoo-Witchy photo shoot, very fitting for the forthcoming Halloween... SO MUCH FUN! as you can see in the pictures :)
It was really darker and different set for me, to play a witch among book of spells, poisons and even a crystal ball to foresee the future... :). But don't worry, I won't curse you if you're good with me :) ;-) Happy Halloween/Samhain/All Hallows´eve
Credits for all the pictures below:
Photographer: Alassie from El Costurero Real
Props by Felix Goggles and Marc Zorrilla from Crisálida Creaciones
Models: me, Priscilla Hernandez (blonde) and Vany Miranda
Garments: Vany's by herself, all I'm wearing is from El Costurero Real
Taken at 274Km Studio (Barcelona, Spain)
As it is about witches I also share my cover of Come little Children from Hocus Pocus
Last picture: our assistant Felix Goggles from Factoria Goggles.
Hello October... Chant with the wind!
Hello October 15...
The leaves are turning gold, the days are becoming shorter, the twilight is now more golden and longer than ever... I welcome you and the changes you bring... I am undergoing myself a time of change and I turn the page only to dive into a new exciting chapter...
A couple of days ago I fixed my wind band (originally from tribal thunder) and went on a walk to welcome October. A wind band is an instrument that works like a bull-roarer a prehistoric instrument found in many cultures. It had broken and remained silent over a year so I took the first chance to climb a hill and spin it as soon as it came back to life and sound. In Britain and Ireland they were used in ceremonial thunder spell rites and it is also found in other cultures.
Héctor and I went uphill, to Guendulain, Navarra, through paths full of wild bushes and withered wildberries, into old discarded melancholic ruins. We found some honeycombs with buzzing busy cute bees making honey that buzzed along with our musical instrument.
Above: Guendulain´s ruins (Navarre, Spain) bathed in golden light on our way. Picture by Héctor Corcín.
Above: me with my wind band already repaired, repainted and with a new rubber band. It was spun and buzzed and chanted and resonated with the wind on top of a hill against the most glorious twilight. :) It was a very spiritual experience, also some kind of soul cleansing, all bathed in golden light. :) Time for new beginnings :).
All photos and video by Héctor Corcín
And HOW DOES A WIND BAND SOUND? So here there is a little video with a short improvisation, spinning it and chanting along, It was somehow very pre-Samhain :). hope you like it! :)
Delicious blackberries! a gift from Mother Nature!
Oh what a lovely afternoon! And what a delicious treat we got from nature! We had plans to go somewhere else but sadly the place was closed and we were forced to change our plans, so accidentally stopped by a lovely forest full of shrubs fully loaded of ripening wild berries!
And I return with half a box of wild blackberries, and I ate hands full of them. Vivid colourful and lovely little packages of health, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins... such a gift!. Thank you Mother Nature! Now I have some tough decisions to make... pie? jam? hmmm LOL a wealth of yummy possibilities!
Our purple stained hands revealed us guilty of gluttony! :) Nom! Nom! Nom!
Above: me collecting blackberries... sometimes painful but rewarding! :)
pd. All pictures above by Héctor Corcín.
Taika in the garden...
She might be old already but she certainly knows how to enjoy fresh air and the garden. These are some delightful pictures Héctor took yesterday of my "fufunchi" in the garden. Isn't she precious?
Lurking in the wild....! Photo by Héctor Corcín (May 2015)
Oh the fresh breeze! hmmm it smells nice!
I'm so cute... and I know how to pose!
I'm enjoying this moment so much!
All pictures by Héctor Corcín (May 2015) Model: Taika :)
And this is Taika, all happy, after nom nom nom a delicious treat!
Good bye Ritva, my lovely sweet birch branch
Above: Ritva (October 2011-December 2014)
Ritva is gone... she left us last Christmas Eve and we buried her with her sister Tuula in Christmas day. She fought stubbornly and was a loving creature until her last breath. She covered me with kisses and groomed her sister Taika in farewell, and there she was gone... :( 3 years and 3 months my strong birch branch is flying now free in the wind (that´s what Ritva means because she was mostly white and light grey). We have dealt with a lot of sadness during this holiday season, we miss them both (our fufunchis Tuula and Ritva) so much! :( Ritva was so strong and she proved she loved to live and made her own decision to fight until the end. She showed us she wanted so and it's also a worthy lesson to make us appreciate the gift of life a little bit more. Taika is still here, mourning and really sad, she´s not coping very well to be alone and I really do not wish to grow old on her own, wondering if we must allow new "life" in, but missing my girls so dearly. I want to think of a place where I can be with them again, with Kira, with Toto and with my fufunchis. That´s all I long and wish for if it could exist, but meanwhile it can exist in my heart, my imagination and in my dreams, and they are indeed still around me.
Here me singing to Ritva "you'll be in my heart" I sang it to her in her last moments too, she was turning 3 in the video but though she was already frail she leaves almost three months more.
I love you Tuula. I love you Ritva... the wind and the birch branch. Mummy, Daddy and Taika miss you.
Your love lives in me and so you live too!
Here you can see many videos of my fufunchis 1.0 Tuula and Ritva since they were babies. I'm happy to think they had a happy life, they indeed were very loved.
Wandering elf in Irati´s forest and we even found a REAL KODAMA
Below some pictures of me last sunday 9th March in Irati´s forest (Navarra, Spain). It was Héctor´s birthday and we went in the forest to take some pictures. I had won a green fur vest and gauntlets from Elfic Wear (lovely fairy clothes store) and I arranged the rest of my green and brown rags in pixie-fashion :) First three pics by Héctor Corcín. Last one, sugar-coated candid self-shoot with Héctor himself :) and at the end some pics of the place (Irati´s forest). We even found a KODAMA
Above: me with my cuffs and vest from Elfic Wear. I won their give away :) so be sure to check their facebook page, they run give aways often, and it works cos I won these goodies and it was amazing to receive them.
Above: candid shot of me and Héctor Corcín. Happy birhtday Héctor!
Irati´s forest in winter... hauntingly beautiful
And there in a moss cradle we found a real-life KODAMA, SO CUTEEEEE
Cosplay party!!
As some of you know I enjoy fantasy costumes, I have the pleasure to wear pretty things I've been endorsed or even made myself :) and I also keep a blog of fantasy costumes for fun. Said that, as it's pretty obvious I love to Cosplay a lot being my preferred style fairy of course. I really had a hard week, my rat Ritva got sick and underwent surgery, and sleep deprivation and stress did wrong on my energy that needed very much to be boosted. My baby is doing better :) and now wants attention all the time. She's so cutteeee. And I'm so relieved.
Above: Ritva... "Mum, I'm feeling better, but I enjoy the extra care. More cuddles....!
But I reached my top of stress so I took one day to record with my ensemble and create music, what makes me feel better almost inmediately and then me and my friend (also make up artist Arashi Hyou) organized a mini-cosplay wig party just to mess around and have fun and have chocolate hehe :) And I'm sharing some snippets and candids right now, though there are a couple of pictures from the photoshoot I'll work on and will share later on, these are the way they were taken.
It made me wonder how different we can look by simply changing our hair, or the colour of our eyes. It´s almost scary LOL
Above: me with red short red hair wig. I can´t barely recognize myself LOL... :) Still I'm devoted to long hair, always, but like the dark lush read on me.
My contact lenses are courtesy of Kiwiberry 1 Collection :) (thank you). These are brown-orange. Feel tempted of a lush green or purple, or light gray right now... hmmm. must check their site again, they really have affordable cute lenses. It wasn't intended but with this look It reminded me of my own "little red Riding hood" drawing I painted some time back. Definitely wolf-eyes! There is no color correction in this photography except for the light we used when it was taken, so that's how the contact lenses look like with no alteration. I have a lolita wavy wig in a tone darker than my natural, :) I love fringe, not intending to dye but starting to think "fringe" can be an option :) As I said, though not intended I thought of the Red Riding Hood I painted myself some time back
Here's the drawing I'm referring to
me and Arashi waving "hi" on an instant shot we networked when we were having fun. The white wig is from Lockshop wigs and you'll see it soon on me (next videoclip hint hint LOL hahhaa)
Lots of fun LOL
Above: getting silly, but don't worry, among hundreds there's like "two serious" pictures hahah you might see soon XD
Above: me and Arashi on a cell instant shot :) we shared in our networks when we were having fun! Another me! Many faces, one heart :) <3
Still more make overs LOL hahha :)
Welcome home Taika :)
Some listeners and fans when I had Totonika my hamster (love u still Toto, mummy misses you) sent me plush toys of little rats. At the end I had all these three, a white, a brown and a gray one. They´ve seen since then in our room. Then Fufunchis my rats found our home, a lovely white husky RITVA and a brown agouti :) TUULA. Their names are finnish and means Birch branch and Little Wind. But then last 16th December!! (yes my birthday) a baby russian blue gray cute in my friend´s rattery (Piece of Heaven rattery) and I asked cautiously if there were gray females in the litter, they replied there were in fact three but all reserved and I thought well it was not the time... but that´s the magic about it all :) she finally was un-reserved and I got a call to ask if I wanted her... and suddently there's a third gray rat in our family :) just like the plush toys over I had...
The prophecy became true... Welcome home TAIKA (means magic, spell in finnish too)
And thus FUFUNCHIS are now THREE and have their "muppet plush toys clones" LOL hahaha. Though we don't discard to increase our family ;-) there´s a little gray ball now there, so tiny and so cuttttttttttte! Only two days and learning so fast, still there´s some time until we can make full presentations of the babies and adult ones as they require to get used to each other bit by bit, but so far, so good they gaze each other with curiosity :)
Here's TAIKA as a three weeks baby (now she's five) We visited her in the rattery too :) as soon as we knew she was going to be part of the family :)
above: photo of Taika courtesy of Piece of Heaven Rattery
And now the little earthquake now in our home, her first pictures exploring :) Hope you'll have a long and happy life with us. We love you already. Welcome home TAIKA!
you can click for high resolution photo
Me and Taika (from finnish "magic", "spell"). She is grows since he came home but still sooo tiny :) Hello Taika, this is mummy!
Taika besides The Underliving digibook so you can see how small she is still :) (yeah subliminal self-promotion, thank you sweet baby!)
I'm curious about EVERYTHING :), yep this is cool! :)
And I'm so perfectly CUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTE :)
Taika, just like Tuula and Ritva now their new two elder sisters, come from Piece of Heaven Rattery. And for any stumbling upon this blog because they found a cute rat pic ;-) Taika is not alone, she'll have two friends, always pick more than one rat and do it always from a breeder, you'll thank the advice and the likely long term health of your rat.
Welcome home Taika :)
and remember, if you want to send a welcome card to Taika or any correspondence to fufunchis! (or me, though I admit they get more correspondence than myself LOL)
Priscilla Hernandez attn. "Fufunchis"
Pobox 18046
08080. Barcelona. Spain
Photoshoot with Rebeca Saray (making of)
Last thursday me and some friends had fun in a photoshoot with reknown spanish photographer Rebeca Saray. We all gathered in El Costurero Real workshop where Alassie arranged our hairs and spent all day working hard in 14 different stylisms, hairdos and make ups, then me and friends were photographed in 274 Km studio (Barcelona).
It was exhausting, friendly and cozy :) and indeed we all had a great time
All these snippets I share in this entry are silly pictures I took with my hand camera, for the final and proper pictures we have to wait still quite a bit :) but you can make an idea of what might come out :) and the great time we shared :)
This is before taking any pictures, when we were rehearsing poses, I made the dress. The wings were also designed by me and manufactured by Enchanted costumes.
Had a great fun with all my friends Duncan Trisquel, Felix Goggles, Vany Miranda, Wui de Lue, Nimue Arianhrod, Dramian Corvus and Jafet that were photographed too. Thanks everyone for the super-funny (though exhausting) day :)
Above: Vany Miranda and me. She was teaching me to strike a pose... :) by the way I handmade the butterfly feather eyelashes :) and dress :). Make up and hair by Alassie :), pendant by Inner Fae Creations :)
Above: Wui de Lue, me and Duncan fooling around the camera, of course I say again these are not the proper shots, for the serious and good ones we must wait till Rebeca finish the edition :) but I'm sure it will worth the wait. You can guess we had loooooooooooots of fun :)
And when I returned, I had a hard time washing my face and disarranging the hairdo, snif... it felt like Cinderella at midnight. :)
this is me and Tuula in my bathroom mirror... mirror mirror on the well who´s the fairiest of them all? Of course my beautiful rat Tuula :) she needs no make up :)
Rescued a folder with my old writings... reading them again after decades is like finding my old self
When I was a child I wanted to be a writer :) I really never played with dolls, I loved to write an paint my own stories :) That is how I ended up making drawings, illustrating my own writings. When I was eight I was gifted a typewriter, in just a few months I passed my typewriting exam. Now speed was in my hands and I used to save money to buy blank paper LOL to write my own tales and novels. When I was nine I wrote my first full book, it was called Lestar :). The premise couldn't be more childish and naive, a winged magical horse LOL. I even made a bud of a song with my toy piano (when I was six!). I remember it had a mix of Oz/neverending story vibe into it, but I cannot recall all details about it (still I play and remember the song though). I used to type like I was making a book bending the paper and sewing it afterwards and making even an engraved hardcover. Then from 10 to 14 I embarked in a bigger fantasy/epic sword and sorcery novel (as naive and childishly written as I was a teenager infatuated with Tolkien books). When entering high-school I made a book of short-horror tales called "Los cuentos del sendero".
Recently I travelled to the Canary Islands, and looking for photographies of my recently deceased father I found a big black folder hidden in the wardrobe, when I opened it... surprise! and shock! It was a thick full folder full of my writings, maybe 600 or 700 pages, some poetry, tales, even great parts of those initial novels.
I picked some of the tales and writings and pages that were in front of me, they range from 8 years to 15 or years old of my age. So reading them is like going back to my head back so many years. I confess I've only re-read a bit and I was blushing all the way. But it reminds me that I should sit down and finish the novelization of "Yidneth" and maybe get back to my dream as novelist. Maybe a logical step would be releasing "Yidneth" as a comic and then the book version. Some months back I had already saved in a folder some recent short tales, hmm wonder if I should give it a try. I wonder if I should re-write some of the old writings as they are really coming from a child imagination, or if I should leave them as they were. I'll find out as I feel while re-discovering this pieces of my own work.
Curiously enough of of the few "Cuentos del sendero" (The tales of the Path) rescued was "The Willow" that inspired in some way my own song The Willow´s lullaby.
Curious, afraid, ashamed, proud of reading this... finding myself again.
About love and remembrance...! And living through the long way
Sorry that it has been a little while I've not updated the blog :) as you all may know already we have also a microblog and a message board in the site and thus somehow I've been a bit lazy with this section, so probably there and in the front pannel news you can get to know a bit of what's happened lately. But one important event has committed me to write an entry, my father Emilio Hernandez Pais has left me, suddenly, last week, unexpectedly and at the best of his life due to a heart stroke. He finally left us 22nd of August. He helped so much people, he was joyful, friendly and in his own particular way, very wise. When young he travelled the whole world working in a ship, then he invested and bought his own fishing boat. During my childhood I was the daughter of the captain of a little fishing boat with a dozen working sailors. I remember those time fondly. He worked all his life, in a cab, and at the end as massage therapist like my grandfather was (and my family was quite acknowledged for our healing power somehow). Like me, He loved painting and in fact he was quite well known for his landscapes, specially those showcasing the wild beauty of my native island La Palma and sea landscapes. He was a person that always lived his way and always lived intensely, and in fact he did till the very last moment leaving at his best. My father didn't know much about music but loved playing an old guitar he had and that I hope I'll bring soon home, thus I'm encouraged to learn guitar now and I've started taking lessons in order to be ready to play my father´s guitar when the time comes. Sounds like a challenge. I am not sure if my style of music was his favourite, but he always supported me without question, and I was moved by all the people lovely comments at the funeral of things my father had told them about my work, and I felt proud and moved, and encouraged. And I miss you, Dad, really, a lot. My grandfather (daddy's father) was such a good man, and I hope they find a way to be together if only in my dreams and hope for it. Safe journey, papa! :( We will miss you.
Above: My father Emilio Hernandez Pais (1944-2012)
Above: painting of "La caldera de Taburiente" made by my father
But if something I've learnt about love and remembrance, is to treasure every memory, I won't let any detail to fade to hurt less, but will find the courage to make it into joy, I'll learn to remember you to summon a smile. I'll try to learn to do it even through the pain of not having you close,
Almost a decade ago, my companion, my dog and little sister Kira left me, still I cry for her, but also fills my heart with joy to think that I shared such lovely time with such wonderful spirit. I love Kira so dearly. Love is not a thing that understands death, but I can tell you, love is so very real. It's not an utopic term, and it never fades.
Above: me and Kira
Summer has always been for me a time where my beloved ones have left my side, thus I confess it's not my favourite season of the year despite being a lover of bathing in the sea. June took me Kira, August my father and a September Toto. So looking forward the leaves to fall because summer´s sun is jealous of things too bright and has taken them away from me.
Also yesterday 5th September it was one year that my golden ball Totonika Nova died, she healed me in so many ways. :( We just uploaded a video and I've put the song I composed for her "Totonika Nova" as free download in her site "a thing so small and yet a life so big"
I now enjoy my time with my two fufunchis (my rats) Tuula and Ritva and try to think about life and that there is no short or long life, just LIVE, life is intense, vibrant, take the most of it and live. My father taught me that, and taught me to be brave to try to pursue my dreams. Thank you papa
I love you Daddy,
I love you Kira
I love you Totonika
Everything stays, you're here, safe with me.
And now I'm going to burn a candle, for love, and for remembrance
Me and "Fufunchis" wishes you a Merry Xmas and a happy closing of the year
And of course all the best for 2012, luck but above all determination and will to fight for your dreams to come true!
Here are the "closing of the year" / Yule / Xmas whatever you celebrate card from us to you
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Above: Priscilla Hernandez with RITVA
Below: Priscilla Hernandez with TUULA and RITVA
By the way now my rats TUULA and RITVA (aka. "Fufunchis") have their own youtube fufunchis channel (Please SUBSCRIBE it will be updated often!) and we´re posting videos since their arrival so you can get to know their little lives. We don't forget KIRA and TOTONIKA forever part of my heart and my soul. Kira and Toto portraits and candles burning were on our Xmas table as part of the family, because they're remembered and loved too. Now I'm happy that even the wounds of missing Kira and Toto are not entirely healed as they'll never be I'm sort of happy that they both have their own songs (Totonika Nova and Good Night Kira) in my latest (and recently released) new album The Underliving that was published in their memory... And now... now I have my cute "Fufunchis"
All I want for Cristmas...
One of my illustrations win an award
Yay, totally exhausted but happy, back from Mallorca Fantastica Festival (Mallorca, Spain) with the award for Best Fantasy illustration for FRAYING BONDS one of the illustrations featured in my upcoming album THE UNDERLIVING 
that i'm sharing very soon. It was really great to bring back the award, specially cos I'm far more recognized as musician than as illustrator and for a change (despite the fact me and my cello player performed a couple of songs) get an illustration award. Watching it printed huge and hanging in the street with my name on it was a big boost. I've posted a picture of the banner here :
Met several new friends and artists, like Enrique Toribio (photographer) and also writer Salvador Sainz, came back with lots of gifts (the books of Joana Pol and Cristina Puig) and wonderful leaves necklaces from a new friend Marta :) from floripondios.es. Lovely lovely items! I'm in love with them. And above all had a lovely time with my band member and cello player Biel :) who is from the island so we could rehearse a bit for upcoming faeriecon in the states.
Remember I see some of you in a month at FAERIECON (usa) more info at http://faeriecon.com
We are still crowdfunding, so please consider to spread the word about theunderliving.com and make a little contribution, no donation is small, there are people that have donated a single dollar cos it´s what they could and I'm equally grateful.
I feel the UNDERLIVING WORLD is finally rising...rising...
