Shivers of Delight

You might say you have too many t-shirts, but you're only kidding yourself. There is always another one, the last one, you have to have. Afterlight Clothing has some whimspookal t-shirts that I think I want and I rarely wear t-shirts. I still buy them. You see how this works? It's a sickness. Shirts come in men's and women's style and tank tops are also an option. Zombie Cat Dead Tarot Card Haunted House Flying Saucers Black Forest Fairy Tale Book Does anyone know the history of the t-shirt? Wikipedia says that the first t-shirts were issued to soldiers as undergarments during the Spanish-American War in 1913 and the word t-shirt became part of the English language by the 1920s. I don't know how accurate that is, but how would we broadcast our identity without them?

Sometimes things are so strange you just have to fall in love with them. That's how I feel about the dead fairies that young adult author and artist Leah Clifford creates. Yep, you read that correctly. Clifford is an author of a trilogy of books about mythological creatures called A Touch . I haven't read them, but I will be checking them out. In her spare time she likes to create dead fairies. They are the creepiest little adorable things I've seen in awhile. Her shop is called Petite Grotesque .  Best part of the fairies is that all animal parts were humanely collected. Luna Moth Fairy Iridescent Fairy Meddlesome Fairy Bat Wing Fairy Fairy Specimen Blood Glider Pixie Excuse me, but these are F*#king Awesome! Clifford also graciously gives advice about caring for dead fairy: "Do not get them wet. Do not feed after midnight. DO NOT TAUNT FAIRIES." I think I know what I'm asking Santa to bring me this year.

On November 28th, 1859, Washington Irving died in his bed in the town that is now known as Sleepy Hollow, New York. To be sure, he was a celebrated author in his time and if there had been airplanes would have been called a jet-setter. Irving was recognized around the parts of the world that cared as a full-fledged American writer and was considered a master of the short story. Edgar Allen Poe asked for his advice. He was also a diplomat, but that's for some other blog. Where would Halloween be without The Legend of Sleepy Hollow ? It's so ingrained in our American psyche that I almost don't even notice it. From cartoons, to plays, to our love of pumpkins, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is everywhere.  Even Tim Burton would have to admit his remake of the story is one of his best movies. "On mounting a rising ground, which brought the figure of his fellow-traveller in relief against the sky, gigantic in height, and muffled in a cloak, Ichabod was horror...

The Christmas Shopping Season has officially begun in the States today. Be careful out there and don't knock anyone over. It's not worth it to give a gift that has already been infused with pain and suffering. I'm avoiding the hassle and staying home today. Instead I'll make lists and one of those lists will be for me. I've been a very good girl this year. I'll be adding Horka Dolls to my list (not sure I've been that good, but worth a shot). Horka Dolls are made by Klaudia Gaugier. She has a few for sale at her Etsy shop , but it you haven't been good enough for Santa to bring you one, you can always ask for a t-shirt.  We've all been that good. T-shirts and phone covers are available at CupSell.com . Funek Chantal Pilar T-shirt/Phone Image Tank Top Cellphone Cover We need to keep the mystery and spookiness in Christmas. 

It's Thanksgiving morning and I'm a little hung-over from Thanksgiving eve so, let's have a little quiet time this morning. Did you ever wonder where the tradition of making a wish on a turkey bone came from? I did and I found this article by Matt Soniak on Mental Floss called Why Do We Wish On the Turkey's Wishbone? A little divination with your cranberries and mashed potatoes is just what is called for today and, if I haven't told you lately, thank you for reading my blog.  You're awesome. Steven Kenney: The Wishbone

Melanie Weyant opened her Etsy shop this year and it's small, but I have to say I like the direction she is headed in. The name of the shop is Dark Pines Designs and Weyant uses a laser cutter to etch designs in wood. She is drawn to the macabre and spooky pop-ephemera that is our culture. Baba Yaga Necklace Wicked Witch of the West Morticia Addams Beetlejuice Lydia Deetz Ghost Moon Phase Pretty nifty, right?

I just finished reading J. W. Ocker's latest book A Season With The Witch: The Magic and Mayhem of Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts  (2016). I have posted about several of Ocker's other books and greatly admire his blog Odd Things I've Seen . I have nothing bad to say about this book; I liked it very much in fact. However, it has taken me several days to work up the courage to write about it because I'm still not sure how I feel about Salem after reading it. Let me begin with this: I first visited Salem about 12 years ago one beautiful Sunday during October. I don't know what I was expecting, but I came away disappointed. Sure, we visited The House of Seven Gables and I enjoyed the tour, we ate at a cute, witch-themed restaurant, we browsed in a shop full of herbs (most likely Artemisia Botanicals) which was really cool, and wandered (and wandered) the streets searching for a museum about the actual witch trials <insert that horrible error noise your compute...

You need some new t-shirts, right? Jordan Haley has a collection you should take a look at. His shop is called Bird Ov Prey and along with the line of occult t-shirts there are pins and patches as well. Phrenology Skull Occult Crow Claw Isolationist Death's-Head Cicada Strike True Palmistry  Gnothi Seauton The website also has some stunning jewelry, but there are no prices available, so fall in love at your own risk. Hacksaw Gold Ritual Dagger Crow Claw Bird Ov Prey also has an Etsy shop if that's where you like to save your favorites. That way your friends and family know what you'd like for Christmas.  You know that's why you have that list.

I first saw the work of Nina Huryn at Ghoultide Gathering a few years ago. Huryn uses leather and paint to create spooky images. The leather is tooled and cut and when you see a finished piece you have the urge to reach out and run your fingers across it. Or, in my case, to rub in on your cheek. Others do that, right? Huryn's work reminds me of a crazy carnival in Hell. It looks a little scary, but also kind of fun. You can purchase her work on Etsy at Creature of God . The Skeletons Watch the Purple People Eater Hands on the Planchette Alice the Extraordinary Flea Skull with Brown Hat Red Devil Yellow Eyed Witch Pillow The Black Pines aka Caution Trick or Treating Can Be Dangerous The more I look at these pieces the more I need one. The shop also carries painted pillows and purses.     You'll want to take a look at those, as well.

I really don't know how I haven't come across Christine Altmann before this. Altmann is a full-time Halloween artist and she is on every art site that I regularly visit. I don't get it. How have I not seen her work? It's embarrassing. She must have assistance, because I can't imagine where she finds the time to create art if she is also managing that many different shops.  She is on Etsy , Zazzle , Society6 , Deviant Art , Craftsy -  I could probably find more.  If she doesn't have help and is looking for an online-presence manager, I'm available - just saying. Altmann's art is highly detailed and harkens back to an era where Halloween was all pumpkins, witches, and ghosts. I love the traditional colors and boldness of her work. Her paintings remind me of what I loved about Halloween as a child. The one thing I didn't find was where you can purchase her original art work. In her shops you'll find high-quality prints on everything from canv...