Current Issue
Devotion
August 2026
Somewhere, someone is still hard at work after everyone else has gone home. A performer rehearses the same movement until it feels effortless. Another stitch disappears into antique lace beneath the glow of an artist's desk lamp. A designer pulls an old sketch from a drawer, discovering the right time has finally caught up with the right idea.
It is easy to admire the finished work. The standing ovation. The beautifully restored piece. The thriving business. The wedding day. Whatever your cathedral looks like in practice.
What we see considerably less of is the private acts of faith and stewardship that makes these things possible. The willingness to keep believing when the outcome remained uncertain. The conviction that something divine was taking shape.
That is the thread woven through this issue.
We explore devotion in all its forms: to craft, to authentic self, to the people we carry with us and to the relationships that shape our lives. These stories remind us that the things we hold most sacred are shaped by what we're willing to give of ourselves.
For free, subscribe below and/or read the full issue digitally here.
With devotion,
Amanda
Cover: courtesy of Emma Vauxdevil of Cobweb Cabaret shot by @rachel.z.photography.
Feature Articles
Practical Magic Returns: Your Witchy Style Guide
Channel Sally, Gillian or the Aunts ahead of the long-awaited sequel
By: The Lace Ledger Staff
With Practical Magic 2 arriving in theatres this September, the spell has been thoroughly renewed. We found ourselves returning to the nostalgia of original film and the wardrobes that made its magic feel so lived in.
At its heart, Practical Magic is a story about women choosing one another. The Owens women survive because they combine their strength; their power grows through sisterhood.
In anticipation of their return, we created three fashion capsules for finding your place in the Owens family. Sally offers witchy daywear built for real life. Gillian takes that magic out after dark. The Aunts dress for midnight margaritas with absolutely no concern for the calendar.
Whichever closet calls to you, wear it in the spirit of the Owens women: entirely yourself and surrounded by women who make you stronger.
Tap In: A Conversation with Psychic Medium Christina Curran
From spirit guides to summer séances, Christina’s stories gave us goosebumps!
By: The Lace Ledger Staff
Summer has a way of calling us back into the natural world.
We trade fluorescent lights for sunsets, office walls for scenic hikes and crowded schedules for slow evenings spent beneath open skies. Somewhere along the way, our curiosity expands beyond what can be measured, leaving room for intuition and the unexplained.
It felt like the perfect season to sit down with Psychic Medium and Reiki Master Christina Curran to explore the spiritual world. Together, we discuss intuition, past-life regression, spirit guides, guardian angels and even dos and don’t for communing with those who have already crossed over.
With that in mind, we invited medium Christina to share the experiences that shaped her practice. She revisits her own spiritual evolution before unpacking the recurring themes that surface during past-life regressions. If you're feeling inspired, she also offers a gentle introduction to hosting a summer séance.
From Spark to Studio: Mary & Shelley's Deadstock Design Philosophy
Lindsay and Natalie revisit the years between an ambitious idea and the independent leather goods label they imagined all along
By: The Lace Ledger Staff
Great ideas have a funny way of torturing their creator until they are fully animated.
The first spark behind Mary & Shelley appeared years before the brand itself. Long before the leather guitar bags and deadstock materials, there were two alt fashion students with a shared passion in horror and music, and ambitious to pursue design. The concept lingered, bubbling beneath the surface, through corporate careers and years spent learning the realities of an industry they would one day disrupt. Rather than rushing to build something before they understood it, they allowed the idea to evolve alongside them.
For impatient individuals (present company included) immersed in a hurry-up culture; this method can feel tortuous. Yet Mary & Shelley is a reminder that some of our best ideas need time to mature like a well-cellared vintage, developing depth and character before they're finally uncorked.
Ahead, founders Lindsay and Natalie revisit the origins of Mary & Shelley, unpacking the realities of building an independent fashion brand and sharing why patience became one of their greatest creative assets.
Love at First Site (Visit): Inside Toronto's Vegas-Style Elopement Chapel, Two of Hearts Chapel
Hannah Stein reflects on building a love letter to Toronto, creating a space where couples can celebrate with authenticity and pizzaz
By: The Lace Ledger Staff
Most often, we think of weddings as celebrations of the devotion between two people. Yet, before we can devote ourselves to a partner, we first have to remain devoted to the life we want to build.
For Two of Hearts Chapel founder Hannah Stein, that meant refusing to accept a version of a wedding that was aesthetically basic and boring, not to mention egregiously overpriced. Overwhelmed and underwhelmed by lacklustre "big wedding" options, she imagined something more fun. A place where couples could celebrate on their own terms, leaving with treasured memories instead of years of debt.
So, she created a space where couples are invited to begin the next chapter of their lives surrounded by whimsy, leaving behind the pressure of a traditional wedding in favour of the simple luxury of enjoy the moment.
One year after opening its doors, we connected with Hannah to reflect on her journey into the wedding industry, the joy of building a business unlike anything else in Toronto, why the most meaningful ceremonies are often the least complicated and what witnessing dozens of love stories has taught her about devotion—to one another and to ourselves.
Past Issues
About Us
The Lace Ledger is a gothic-inspired digital magazine for romantics, misfits and dark-femmes who live just outside the lines.
It’s a space for style, culture, decor, discourse, the arts, wellness, travel, intentional living and beyond — created for those who never fully saw themselves in mainstream media.
For those seeking a publication that values elegance with attitude, this is for you.
Founded by writer and poet Amanda Albert, The Lace Ledger blends fashion, literature and cultural curation into a digital anthology where depth meets decadence and personal style becomes its own form of storytelling.
Whether you come for the fashion, the poetry or the watch lists, we cordially invite you into a world shaped by dark feminine aesthetic with a splash of defiance.
Here you’ll find:
Style — fashion, accessories, beauty and the gothic archetypes that inspire them.
Literature + the Arts — original and beloved poetry, reading lists, gallery and bookstore recommendations, artist and author features and more.
Culture — music, film, television and fun for the romantic and the restless.
House & Haunt — moody interiors, darkly refined entertaining and decor.
Gift Guides — curated for every occasion and recipient.
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