Shivers of Delight

I found the most scrumptious purveyor of Goth/Lolita skirts the other day. I have to share it with you. The shop is called Lady Sloth and it's virtually located on storenvy.com. The shop is physically located, however,  in Poland which makes it even cooler. These skirts are made from photo fabric. The photos are mystical, strange, and lovely. The skirts are not those pencil thin ones that only a Morticia figure can wear, but are full and flattering to all figures and have an adjustable waist. What do you think? Raven Mansion Fairytale Melancholy Winter Cemetery Baroque  Dark Symphony Silk Stained Glass The skirts come in a variety of styles. Lady Sloth also carries dresses and blouses made in a similar vein. These are so wonderful that you just might need to plan a party to wear one.

GeckoRouge is a British Etsy shop that makes divine cross stitch kits. The designs are rich in color and detail, and there are hundreds to choose from. Not all the kits are spooky, but there is an entire fantasy section.  I had a hard time choosing which kits to show. Cross stitch is a good hobby for everyone who likes to count and follow directions (that's me). It's also good for times when you are sitting with nothing else to do; say you're stuck on an airplane or at a doctor's appt. You can take it anywhere. The kits come with canvas, directions, and thread. These are not your grandmother's cross stitch kits. Ouija Board Raven's Moon Tardis and Cat Adelita: Day of the Dead The Bride Doll Maker Extra Large Day of the Dead Nightmare in the Flesh Memento Mori Pied Piper Ok. I'm done. Really, they're great. Go look for yourself.

On June 26, 1948 The New Yorker published Shirley Jackson's short story The Lottery . Readers were outraged and it has been said that The New Yorker had never received so much angry mail over a story. Even Jackson's parents wrote her "Dad and I did not at all care for your story in The New Yorker ...[I]t does seem, dear, that this gloomy kind of story is what all you young people think about these days. Why don't you write something to cheer people up?" ( Mental Floss: 11 Facts about Shirley Jackson's The Lottery ) I can still remember being assigned this book in school and being horrified at the unexpected ending. Jackson was a master at making the ordinary seem frightening and her stories are still as unnerving as they were when written. I admire Jackson because she wrote haunting stories as well as she wrote about the humor in her own life of raising children in Vermont in memoirs such as Raising Demons . It's my belief that you can't appr...

It's hard to believe that Gris Grimly hasn't made an appearance in this blog till now. As an artist who has created books, videos, and movies in the whimsical-sinister style I love so much, there is so much to say that I have not known how to condense it. Gris Grimly's FaceBook post yesterday that he has illustrated Ray Bradbury's Halloween Tree was just the push I needed. It's being released in August. If you're not familiar with Gris Grimly, it's easiest to start with the numerous "children's" books he has illustrated and in some cases written. I put "children's" in quotation marks because many young children may be frightened by them. These are children's books that parents and kids over 7 years will love to read. I'm certain you'll want to start with the  Neil Gaiman and Gris Grimly collaboration The Dangerous Alphabet . The Mad Creator Productions website has a shop where you can purchase books, ar...

Etsy shop Croshame is rather amusing. It sells mildly disturbing crochet figures. You would probably not want to give these for a baby shower gift.  However, they would make a great gift for the person who has everything- because they don't have these. You have to admire the creativity and skill. I'm a fan. Exorcist Playset Sid and Nancy Set Evil Elf #3 S'tan the Man Krampus Set Lambchopped

Lately, Gin and Tonics have been my go-to after-work pour. It's the perfect summer drink. That's probably why the Gin and Sin caught my eye. This prohibition-era drink is similar to a Screwdriver and would be fairly easy to make in a batch for a Halloween party. Most of the recipes call for the ingredients to be shaken, but I like how this recipe from Spirit It layers the alcohol. It's a little trickier to make, but is oh so pretty. Gin and Sin 1/4 oz Grenadine Syrup 1 oz Fresh Orange Juice 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice 1/2 oz Simply Syrup 2 oz Gin Garnish with an orange slice and lemon peel

Last week's post about the Solstice was missing one very important tradition. Going to Stonehenge! I don't know how I forgot it. I guess I was too focused on the Scandinavian love spells. To make up for that slight. I bring to you a blog you may not have seen. The entire blog is about Stonehenge replicas. Yep.  It's called Clonehenge . I know what you're thinking: Spinal Tap or rather " This is Spinal Tap ." Believe me, this blog is even better. They've been recognizing Stonehenge replicas since 2008. Take some time today and surf through the blog posts. You'll be amused. Here are a few to whet your appetite. Knitted Stonehenge Sweaterhenge Chips & Peas Stonehenge Jelly Babyhenge Candy Corn Henge You want to try this with the lunch you brought to work, now. Admit it.  It's kind of funny that their last post in May says that they're going to visit the real Stonehenge and they haven't been heard from since. Hmmmm...

It's hard to believe that the Summer Solstice will happen this weekend. Summer takes forever to get here and then goes so quickly. Here in the U.S., we don't have any community-wide traditions to celebrate the solstices. It's such a shame. The solstices are infused with magic and ritual. Hmmm, that's probably why we don't celebrate them here. Those Puritans were no fun. Anyway, I don't want you to miss out on the celebration so here are a few links for you to find some ways to celebrate with your family and friends this weekend. The Scandinavian countries know how to celebrate Midsummer in a big way. From what I've read that needs to be on a must-do list. They celebrate on the weekend following June 19th. Top Ten: Odd Swedish Midsummer Traditions include midsummer poles, burnings, frog dances, wormwood snaps, and lots of herring. All of these seem doable. There is also a tradition of love spells at Midsummer. Visit The 6 Love Spells of Midsummer ...

If you have been spending time outdoors, then you will have noticed it is the season of the spider. They create beautiful webs that must be seen in the morning with the dew still on them to be fully appreciated. I try not to disturb them, but when I do, I know that they'll just spin another one. I came across a little project when I was researching the post Spider Webs  a few weeks ago. Did you know you could make your own thread out of spider webs?! Instructables.com has a tutorial called How to Make Spider Silk Thread . I would plan on this being more like a meditation exercise than a way to save money on yarn.  However, you could make a small artsy project using the thread just in time for Midsummer. There is something very witchy about that, don't you think? If you are house bound and can't collect any spider webs because, after all, the house spiders' webs just aren't as sturdy as their outdoor cousins, and still desire to capture the essence of a spider,...

"The concept of the homunculus, the little man inside, has been around since the middle ages. Hugmunculus are the sculptural manifestations of these intangible human qualities that perplex, incite, and challenge us all." So says Hugmunculus , the website of Chicago ceramic artist Heather Hug. You're going to love these little creatures. There is a great deal of humor here. Hug's work is featured in galleries and you can purchase work by contacting her through the website. On with the show! Curios Killed the Cat Siamese Twins Bat Little Red Gladys the Good Witch Mask The Brothers Gas Bag Spider