My tweets
- Mon, 00:54: "Mercilessly on brand" pretty much nails it, yah. https://t.co/2q0G7qKaJ5
My tweets
- Sun, 14:48: omg, can't be online 3 days without running into "herbal substitute for graveyard dirt because real graveyard dirt… https://t.co/2HERw8xs8o
- Sun, 15:40: wow, ok, the online conjure/-adjacent landscape has gotten *way* crowded. I'm gonna need a tour guide. Y'all, what/… https://t.co/VEH05dYYDz
What Became of Karma Zain?
I'm not dead. But I've been under a rock for over four years. I'm just now starting to make my way out.
It's gonna take a while for me to sort through the rubble and make things right with some clients I left hanging and generally to restore my reputation, if it in fact can be restored. But you can read the details about what happened at the wordpress version of this blog, at bigluckyhoodoo.wordpress.com, if you care about them. And if you were one of the clients left hanging, you can read about my plans to make that right, at least to the extent that it can be made right so very, very late after the fact.
I will continue to update Big Lucky Hoodoo at wordpress as I make progress towards sorting the chaos and shaking the dust off.
I will not continue to update this version of the blog at livejournal.
It will stay here for archive purposes -- there's some good stuff in the comments from some great people -- but if you want to keep up with what's going on and what's new, the wordpress blog is the place to do it, and you'll find updated social media and contact links there, too.
Mea culpa, and may all your works be crowned with success.
All my love,
Karma Zain
It's gonna take a while for me to sort through the rubble and make things right with some clients I left hanging and generally to restore my reputation, if it in fact can be restored. But you can read the details about what happened at the wordpress version of this blog, at bigluckyhoodoo.wordpress.com, if you care about them. And if you were one of the clients left hanging, you can read about my plans to make that right, at least to the extent that it can be made right so very, very late after the fact.
I will continue to update Big Lucky Hoodoo at wordpress as I make progress towards sorting the chaos and shaking the dust off.
I will not continue to update this version of the blog at livejournal.
It will stay here for archive purposes -- there's some good stuff in the comments from some great people -- but if you want to keep up with what's going on and what's new, the wordpress blog is the place to do it, and you'll find updated social media and contact links there, too.
Mea culpa, and may all your works be crowned with success.
All my love,
Karma Zain
My tweets
- Sat, 04:58: Long time no see… https://t.co/54Q0Y2hnaz https://t.co/Q8NbeQvtiB
current coupon codes: Oct 9-15 + giveaway / prize drawing
So this is the home stretch, or the last gasp, or however you want to see it. I'm not as caught up as I'd like to be (as if there's such a thing as degrees - I mean, you're behind or you aren't!), but I'm still working, and I'm still struggling to scrape together the funds needed to get everything made and shipped. And of course the fun continues on other fronts (the household has a vehicle in the shop -- again -- for instance).
So I should have another box of packages going out today or tomorrow, but there is still a whole 'nother big bin full that needs shipping, so this is another sale, good from now until my self-imposed deadline of Oct. 15 (see earlier posts for more info).
I will probably be going through the site and pulling down items that I probably won't be able to afford to restock the supplies for until I am out of the crunch, like soap and candles, so if you had your eye on anything like that, don't wait too long. (I *needed* to do this way before now, only it's a question of time - there's a limited amount of that and the time is generally consumed wholly by the Quest To Get Caught Up rather than the Sorely Needed Maintenance and Application of Common Sense Measures That Might Help.)
I will probably be going through the site and pulling down items that I probably won't be able to afford to restock the supplies for until I am out of the crunch, like soap and candles, so if you had your eye on anything like that, don't wait too long. (I *needed* to do this way before now, only it's a question of time - there's a limited amount of that and the time is generally consumed wholly by the Quest To Get Caught Up rather than the Sorely Needed Maintenance and Application of Common Sense Measures That Might Help.)
And I really do think I'll get some finished shrines put up today or tomorrow too - let's hope. I have some previews of some related stuff in the previous post and below.
Prize / Drawing / Giveaway
And every order that comes in between today (Oct. 9) and midnight on the 15th of Oct. will be eligible for a drawing to win one of these handmade sacramentals / altar items / talismans / whatever you want to call them, created for the saint, spirit, or loa of your choice and consecrated to that spirit or saint for you in your name. I will draw randomly from all eligible entries after the deadline on the 15th and I'll give away at least two of these - whether I do more will largely depend on whether I will be closing the shop for a while or not on that date.
You can see an example of a fairly simple one that I made for a friend/client last week, and another, larger and more complex, piece in progress in the previous post. I suppose you could call these Karma-Zain-style detentes or badges or even package amulets in some cases. Generally these are double-sided, involve at least some sewing, and have cords or tabs for hanging or pinning. They usually range in size from palm-sized to desktop-sized, but we can talk about what you prefer if you are a winner, and about what in the world you might call these things if you care. But if you win, you can call them yours!
I haven't quite finished any others because I'm focusing on getting orders made up and packaged still. But in the photo below you can see a collection of in-progress pieces I gathered to give you a taste of what will hopefully be done this weekend. The sequined piece on a white square background would be my largest and most elaborate "badge" / detente to date when finished, though most are more along the lines of the Ghuede / St. Gerard piece posted previously - the sequined one involves more detailed sewing than I really have time for right now, so there won't be anything else quite like it 'til I catch my breath, I'm afraid.
You don't have to do anything special - just place an order. That will function as one entry into the drawing/giveaway. Two orders = two entries. And *every single order, no matter the order total, will have an available coupon code* - there is no minimum amount required to take a percentage off, though as usual lately, the more you spend the more you can save.
Use code ides15 to take 15% off any order at all, regardless of cart total.
Use code ides20 to take 20% off orders over $25 (before discount, excluding shipping).
Use code ides25 to take 25% off orders over $60 (before discount, excluding shipping).
Use code ides30 to take 30% off orders over $100 (before discount, excluding shipping).
Use code ides35 to take 35% off orders over $160 (before discount, excluding shipping).
Use code ides40 to take 40% off orders over $250 (before discount, excluding shipping).
All good through midnight Oct. 15.
For instructions on using coupon codes, see the applicable heading in the FAQ.
Terms of Service re. shipping/handling and prep times apply.
Read the FAQ here, including instructions on how to use coupon codes if you need them.
Read the latest status updates, including matters affecting shipping, communication, etc. here.
Your use of this site constitutes your acceptance of our Terms of Service, including your understanding of our posted shipping, handling, and turnaround times; guidelines for contacting us about a current order or service; and instructions for how to request a trace on a shipped item.
You can see an example of a fairly simple one that I made for a friend/client last week, and another, larger and more complex, piece in progress in the previous post. I suppose you could call these Karma-Zain-style detentes or badges or even package amulets in some cases. Generally these are double-sided, involve at least some sewing, and have cords or tabs for hanging or pinning. They usually range in size from palm-sized to desktop-sized, but we can talk about what you prefer if you are a winner, and about what in the world you might call these things if you care. But if you win, you can call them yours!
I haven't quite finished any others because I'm focusing on getting orders made up and packaged still. But in the photo below you can see a collection of in-progress pieces I gathered to give you a taste of what will hopefully be done this weekend. The sequined piece on a white square background would be my largest and most elaborate "badge" / detente to date when finished, though most are more along the lines of the Ghuede / St. Gerard piece posted previously - the sequined one involves more detailed sewing than I really have time for right now, so there won't be anything else quite like it 'til I catch my breath, I'm afraid.
You don't have to do anything special - just place an order. That will function as one entry into the drawing/giveaway. Two orders = two entries. And *every single order, no matter the order total, will have an available coupon code* - there is no minimum amount required to take a percentage off, though as usual lately, the more you spend the more you can save.
(c) 2015 Karma Zain
Current Coupons (through Oct. 15):
Use code ides15 to take 15% off any order at all, regardless of cart total.
Use code ides20 to take 20% off orders over $25 (before discount, excluding shipping).
Use code ides25 to take 25% off orders over $60 (before discount, excluding shipping).
Use code ides30 to take 30% off orders over $100 (before discount, excluding shipping).
Use code ides35 to take 35% off orders over $160 (before discount, excluding shipping).
Use code ides40 to take 40% off orders over $250 (before discount, excluding shipping).
All good through midnight Oct. 15.
For instructions on using coupon codes, see the applicable heading in the FAQ.
***
Terms of Service re. shipping/handling and prep times apply.
Read the FAQ here, including instructions on how to use coupon codes if you need them.
Read the latest status updates, including matters affecting shipping, communication, etc. here.
Your use of this site constitutes your acceptance of our Terms of Service, including your understanding of our posted shipping, handling, and turnaround times; guidelines for contacting us about a current order or service; and instructions for how to request a trace on a shipped item.
saints and sacramentals: relics, badges, scapulars, detentes, amulets, etc.
Again, no time for a real post, but a quick collection of notes about saints, sacramentals, scapulars, relics, badges, and the essentially-untranslatable usually-South-American but sometimes-European item called a detente, which is often what gets called "scapular" on sites like ebay and pinterest. These are links to some Pinterest pins in which I comment on a few examples. If all goes well, I'll elaborate with more examples when I'm caught up later this month (fingers, toes, etc. crossed, God willing and the creek don't rise, etc.)
Sacred Heart and Mother of Sorrows - this one has the word "detente" on it even.
eBay seller called this Sacred Heart badge a "scapular" and a "second-class relic," which is total rubbish since it's neither, but it's a beautiful piece.
Now this is actually a scapular.
Peruvian Sacred Heart detente.
Good example of handmade embroidered detente described inaccurately on eBay - I wish I'd captured the original seller notes since those are long gone and you can't read what I'm responding to anymore.
Beautiful hand-embroidery on this scapular, and it IS a scapular.
Handmade Peruvian scapular.
Even reputable sellers can give you bad info on relics, which can get quite technical and complex.
Silly rabbit! Relics aren't for kids! Bad Latin, no cookie for you!
I'd call this a badge, but you could make a case for detente (I'd want to see the whole piece, 3D, before I made my own call). It might be a relic - can't tell from the photo. But it's by no means a scapular.
Beautiful St. Rose of Lima detente.
I'll eventually get around to posting some info and definitions, history, and descriptions, but not this week for sure. I'll also eventually get around to finishing all my own examples I've started over the years, like the one below (which admittedly isn't my fanciest -- I made it very quickly as a gift so as not to hold up a package from shipping any longer than necessary). (And yes, many of mine merge elements of South American packet/package and bottle amulets -- like the ones I make custom for clients -- with elements of other sacred and religious folk art and sacramentals.)
front and back, (c) Karma Zain 2015
And here's one in progress, below - as you can see, many of the ones I've previously made or am making combine traditional saints' iconography and images with elements of that saint's manifestation or portrayal in religions of the African diaspora, like the below piece that features elements of the vodou loa Ghuede / Gede and will have St. Gerard on the other side.
(c) 2015 Karma Zain
Look for the next post on how to win a custom handmade badge/detente for the saint or spirit of your choice.
Sacred Heart and Mother of Sorrows - this one has the word "detente" on it even.
eBay seller called this Sacred Heart badge a "scapular" and a "second-class relic," which is total rubbish since it's neither, but it's a beautiful piece.
Now this is actually a scapular.
Peruvian Sacred Heart detente.
Good example of handmade embroidered detente described inaccurately on eBay - I wish I'd captured the original seller notes since those are long gone and you can't read what I'm responding to anymore.
Beautiful hand-embroidery on this scapular, and it IS a scapular.
Handmade Peruvian scapular.
Even reputable sellers can give you bad info on relics, which can get quite technical and complex.
Silly rabbit! Relics aren't for kids! Bad Latin, no cookie for you!
I'd call this a badge, but you could make a case for detente (I'd want to see the whole piece, 3D, before I made my own call). It might be a relic - can't tell from the photo. But it's by no means a scapular.
Beautiful St. Rose of Lima detente.
I'll eventually get around to posting some info and definitions, history, and descriptions, but not this week for sure. I'll also eventually get around to finishing all my own examples I've started over the years, like the one below (which admittedly isn't my fanciest -- I made it very quickly as a gift so as not to hold up a package from shipping any longer than necessary). (And yes, many of mine merge elements of South American packet/package and bottle amulets -- like the ones I make custom for clients -- with elements of other sacred and religious folk art and sacramentals.)
front and back, (c) Karma Zain 2015
And here's one in progress, below - as you can see, many of the ones I've previously made or am making combine traditional saints' iconography and images with elements of that saint's manifestation or portrayal in religions of the African diaspora, like the below piece that features elements of the vodou loa Ghuede / Gede and will have St. Gerard on the other side.
(c) 2015 Karma Zain
Look for the next post on how to win a custom handmade badge/detente for the saint or spirit of your choice.
current coupon code: Sep 26-30
Still hustling to get some packages out and trying to fit in finishing some new pieces (mostly shrines and altar bottles, particularly some seasonal Day of the Dead, Ghuede, Les Barons, vodoun, Santisima Muerte, and Halloween stuff), but taking a moment to post a new coupon code (since every cent that comes in is immediately consumed by competing demands - labels to be paid for and printed and refunds to be processed - I am continuing to juggle all this as best I can and keep income coming in so I can keep packages going out).
Use code FALL20 at checkout to get 20% off any order totaling $50 or more (before shipping), good now through midnight on the 30th.
For instructions on using coupon codes, see the applicable heading in the FAQ.
Terms of Service re. shipping/handling and prep times apply.
Read the FAQ here, including instructions on how to use coupon codes if you need them.
Read the latest status updates, including matters affecting shipping, communication, etc. here.
Your use of this site constitutes your acceptance of our Terms of Service, including your understanding of our posted shipping, handling, and turnaround times; guidelines for contacting us about a current order or service; and instructions for how to request a trace on a shipped item.
Use code FALL20 at checkout to get 20% off any order totaling $50 or more (before shipping), good now through midnight on the 30th.
For instructions on using coupon codes, see the applicable heading in the FAQ.
***
Terms of Service re. shipping/handling and prep times apply.
Read the FAQ here, including instructions on how to use coupon codes if you need them.
Read the latest status updates, including matters affecting shipping, communication, etc. here.
Your use of this site constitutes your acceptance of our Terms of Service, including your understanding of our posted shipping, handling, and turnaround times; guidelines for contacting us about a current order or service; and instructions for how to request a trace on a shipped item.
saints: St. Benedict and his sacramentals
The clock is ticking quickly away on my self-imposed deadline to get caught up, so I don't have time to make the post I want to make -- I happened across this excellent information on St. Benedict and his sacramentals, plus September features the feast days of a few of my favorite saints like St. Cyprian, Our Lady of Sorrows, and Sts. Cosmas and Damian, and *God* how I have missed writing about interesting things and posting cool prayers and images on this blog! -- but I still want to share a couple of links about St. Benedict anyway. I'll post again later about status update stuff and the latest coupon codes.
So here is a link about the medal of St. Benedict, its uses, and its authorized blessing formula.
And here's another, which explains the symbols on the medal in detail (with pictures).
So here is a link about the medal of St. Benedict, its uses, and its authorized blessing formula.
And here's another, which explains the symbols on the medal in detail (with pictures).
status update + current coupon codes/sales + giveaways/freebies
Order Backlog:
I got one huge Tupperware box of packages safely in the hands of the postal pickup lady last week, and I am working on the next. Operation Backlog Deadline is moving forward, and if it's not moving forward as fast as I'd like (guess whose car went *back* to the mechanic last week, after dying on the way to a job site, meaning I didn't get to the job and didn't get a paycheck for it???), I do have to say that at least a couple of handfuls of folks will finally get their packages this week, along with some freebies by way of apology and a letter from me (longish, but don't just toss it unless you're totally done with me, because somewhere in there or on a card in the box there is likely a coupon code just for folks whose packages ended up in shipping limbo for a while).
I am running low on some herbs, butters, and oils I need to make some stuff for orders already in-house and need to order those this week, so I was absolutely right that I didn't have enough squirrelled away from my out-of-the-house jobs to get everything made and shipped in one fell swoop, as they say. (And besides the damned car breaking down again, just a few months after it needed a new transmission -- and before I got the personal family loan for that mechanical work paid off! -- I have quite a few nasty chunks of expense I can't avoid or delay any longer, such as getting myself, the offspring, and the dog to their respective doctors and dentists and such, retaining an attorney and an accountant to deal with some serious unpleasantness with a creditor and with the government, and dealing with some insurance and doctor billing stuff that got messed up a while back and that needs money applied to it to fix.) But I am whittling away at the backlog, and as funds trickle in to the Paypal account, which is blessedly no longer in the negative, I am continuing to print shipping labels. Everyone *will* get their stuff as soon as I can get it to them, and I am happy to say things are going at least a *little* more quickly now than they were.
Email Backlog:
I haven't made any real headway there beyond scanning quickly for new stuff or fires that need putting out, or going in to search for a specific message. I am prioritizing getting these orders out, but I'm trying to get some help on the continual challenge of sorting through, labeling, filing, etc. iwith the inbox so I know what's what and what needs what action instead of just dipping randomly into an undifferentiated mass of messages (and there are *hundreds* of them, many hundreds of them). This will take time.
Reports and Services:
See above and previous messages for why I am prioritizing tangible items over services. These are the next order of business after the orders are caught up, and some refunds will be involved, which will be another messy element affecting the speed of order processing and shipment. But I do still plan on offering free phone sessions to folks who still want the session and who have been waiting longer than their original estimated turnaround (which is pretty much everybody now). I will discuss teh details separately once I can actually start scheduling things.
Current Sale (through Sun, Sep 20):
Everything in this BOGO collection/category is "Buy One Get One Free." You don't need to do anything special - when I see an eligible item in your order, I'll add the second item along with the first as I prepare your stuff. You do NOT need to leave a note to tell me which items are eligible -- I already know that -- and you don't need to add the second item yourself; if you are buying one 2-dram bottle of Attraction oil, add that to your cart. I will make and send TWO 2-dram bottles of Attraction oil if your order is placed while the sale is active. If you put two bottles of Attraction oil in your cart, the system will not discount the second bottle; you'll just get a grand total of FOUR bottles when you get your package and you will have paid for two of them.
Basically, anything appearing in this collection -- that's all regular condition oils, powders, and bath/floorwash crystals, excluding specialty and custom-made items -- is BOGO Free, so if you order one, you get two in your package. If your order also contains items that aren't eligible, you still don't need to do anything - I know which are and aren't eligible, so I'll add the extra freebies and skip the stuff that isn't eligible for a second item/bottle/package free.
Because there is no coupon code you have to use to take advantage of this offer, you can still use other available coupon codes with your order as well, so you can pile on the savings with this one.Offer applies to orders placed between 12 am Sunday, Sep. 13 through midnight Sunday, Sep. 20.
Current Prize Drawing/Giveaway (open through Oct. 1):
My daughter agreed to sew another couple of treats for me to give away to two of you guys, whichever two are the winners of the random drawing that I'll hold after October 1. You don't have to do anything separate - any order placed between now (Sep 13) and midnight on 1 Oct will be automatically entered to win. Given the backlog, it's possible that larger and/or custom orders will not be ready to ship until I've drawn the winners anyway, in which case I'd send the custom-finished prize with your order, but if you are identified as a winner after your order has shipped, I'll just send it along separately later.
I'll post more about this later, but I will have two mojo plushies (read more about them and about how this works in this post) to give away to winners. I have one small evil eye plushie as well (more info here), and the first prize winner can choose the plushie or the evil eye if s/he prefers that. If s/he wants the plushie, then the second prize winner will also have the same choice.
Current Coupons (through Sun, Sep 20):
Use code SEP15 to take 15% off orders over $30 (before discount, excluding shipping). Use code SEP35 to take 35% off orders over $80 (before discount, excluding shipping). Both good through midnight Sunday, Sep. 20.
For instructions on using coupon codes, see the applicable heading in the FAQ.
***
Terms of Service re. shipping/handling and prep times apply.
Read the FAQ here, including instructions on how to use coupon codes if you need them.
Read the latest status updates, including matters affecting shipping, communication, etc. here.
Your use of this site constitutes your acceptance of our Terms of Service, including your understanding of our posted shipping, handling, and turnaround times; guidelines for contacting us about a current order or service; and instructions for how to request a trace on a shipped item.
current coupon codes / sales: Sep 4-12
As I mentioned in the previous post, I've given myself a deadline for getting caught up with everything. Part of getting caught up is finding the funds to fill and ship every order that is currently in-house, which includes a jumbo-sized Tupperware bin full of packages that are ready to go except for their labels, along with a fairly hefty stack of orders that will be packaged up as soon as the bin is empty.
I am about to ship some of these, but I doubt I have the funds to send them all off, and I know I don't have the funds to fill and ship every order that is in here, so this is another one of those sales designed to turn some of this stuff -- these supplies and materials and jewelry and such that I have around -- into cash so I can ship everything sooner rather than later. That means deep discounts for you, because I am operating under the "a bird in the hand" principle: it really doesn't *matter* anymore "what things are worth" or how much time/money I have invested in them already, because the *only* thing that matters is fulfilling my obligations to my customers and clients.
So I need to turn stuff into money, period, spending any incoming funds on shipping beyond the minimum expense required to fill orders (I need more patchouli, for instance, to fill current orders, and will probably need plastic bottles too - stuff like that.)
I will be running some kind of special or another between now and October 15, which is the deadline I've given myself to get caught up. I will try to update more as things go, and there will be various coupon/sale options as I get things sorted out, including some more giveaways. And, if I can get some other bottles and boxes finished, I'll be adding some stuff as well.
For now, though, here's what I've got, which is all good through Sep 12 at midnight Central time. You can use the following coupon codes at checkout, good for any item or service in any store category/collection at all (though I don't recommend you try to book or order anything urgent, obviously).
code sep40 to get 40% off any order totalling $80 or more (before discount, excluding shipping).
code sep30 to get 30% off any order totalling $50 or more (before discount, excluding shipping).
code sep20 to get 20% off any order totalling $20 or more (before discount, excluding shipping).
For instructions on using coupon codes, see the applicable heading in the FAQ.
Terms of Service re. shipping/handling and prep times apply.
Read the FAQ here, including instructions on how to use coupon codes if you need them.
Read the latest status updates, including matters affecting shipping, communication, etc. here.
Your use of this site constitutes your acceptance of our Terms of Service, including your understanding of our posted shipping, handling, and turnaround times; guidelines for contacting us about a current order or service; and instructions for how to request a trace on a shipped item.
I am about to ship some of these, but I doubt I have the funds to send them all off, and I know I don't have the funds to fill and ship every order that is in here, so this is another one of those sales designed to turn some of this stuff -- these supplies and materials and jewelry and such that I have around -- into cash so I can ship everything sooner rather than later. That means deep discounts for you, because I am operating under the "a bird in the hand" principle: it really doesn't *matter* anymore "what things are worth" or how much time/money I have invested in them already, because the *only* thing that matters is fulfilling my obligations to my customers and clients.
So I need to turn stuff into money, period, spending any incoming funds on shipping beyond the minimum expense required to fill orders (I need more patchouli, for instance, to fill current orders, and will probably need plastic bottles too - stuff like that.)
I will be running some kind of special or another between now and October 15, which is the deadline I've given myself to get caught up. I will try to update more as things go, and there will be various coupon/sale options as I get things sorted out, including some more giveaways. And, if I can get some other bottles and boxes finished, I'll be adding some stuff as well.
For now, though, here's what I've got, which is all good through Sep 12 at midnight Central time. You can use the following coupon codes at checkout, good for any item or service in any store category/collection at all (though I don't recommend you try to book or order anything urgent, obviously).
Current Coupon Codes:
code sep40 to get 40% off any order totalling $80 or more (before discount, excluding shipping).
code sep30 to get 30% off any order totalling $50 or more (before discount, excluding shipping).
code sep20 to get 20% off any order totalling $20 or more (before discount, excluding shipping).
For instructions on using coupon codes, see the applicable heading in the FAQ.
***
Terms of Service re. shipping/handling and prep times apply.
Read the FAQ here, including instructions on how to use coupon codes if you need them.
Read the latest status updates, including matters affecting shipping, communication, etc. here.
Your use of this site constitutes your acceptance of our Terms of Service, including your understanding of our posted shipping, handling, and turnaround times; guidelines for contacting us about a current order or service; and instructions for how to request a trace on a shipped item.
