Bats Are My Friends

Don't you love those images of little bats wrapped in colorful blankets that pop up on Facebook every few months? I do. Every time I see one I think "I want a baby bat!" In reality, I probably don't want one. Did I ever tell you about the time one of my cats caught a bat and left it (alive) next to my head while I was sleeping? There may have been screaming involved. Fortunately my housemate rescued the bat and helped it recover quietly till he released it. And, no, none of us got rabies shots which may explain a few things.

In honor of my bat bedmate, I'm looking at these adorable bat pendants.

Hand-carved Bat Necklace by TheArcaneForest

Metal Hanging Bat Necklace by TwinBatMetals

Black Silver Fruit Bat by PeggySkempJewelry

Sterling Silver African Bat Pendant by ZooInfinityAndBeyond

Awake Bat Necklace by PuccoonRaccoon

Sterling Silver Bat Necklace by KirstenSabinaDesigns

By the way, if you do come in contact with a bat out in the wild (or next to your pillow), you really should have it tested for rabies or undergo the horrid rabies shots. Don't be like me.

Knitting Myself in a Corner

I can't help it. I'm just fascinated by crocheting and knitting. How can something that looks so simple be so difficult? Except that it can't be that difficult because I've seen children doing it. Why can't I read a pattern? I try, really I do. Maybe I just need to channel my dead grandmother who could whip up an afghan before you could finish saying "Is it cold in here?"

Anyway, here are some great things I can't make:

Knitted Fruit Bat by MadeinCiderBarn

Crochet Skull Mask by DeweyDecimalCrafts

Knitted Hearse Toy by DrFrankKnits

Crochet Sugar Skull Mask/Hat by MarrryGKnitCrochet

Crochet Skull Scarf by KellyzKreationz

Crochet Spider Web Baby Blanket by ABerryCrafts

Knitted Day of the Dead Bride & Groom by EmilyJohnMakes

My desire comes from having this image of myself as an old woman sitting in a rocking chair in a haunted house and knitting something spooky- like an evil doll of myself. I guess I still have plenty of time to learn.

Everyday Spooky Attire

You may remember that last Fall I talked about my Halloween wardrobe (don't forget to check out my Pinterest board if you'd like more ideas.) These are pieces that have a touch of the macabre or spooky that I can wear everyday- not just during October. I stumbled upon a great source for my Halloween wardrobe that makes "up-cycled vintage wear".  Best part is they like to add a lot of skeletons.

The shop is It's Me Designs and the designer is Dawn Heisler. The studio is located in Florida and has a beautifully photographed website. You purchase items at the Etsy shop. You'll find spooky wardrobe pieces for your entire family here.

Cemetery Dress

Skeleton Ruffled Blouse

Strapless Spider Dress

Black Bat Party Dress

Skull Hands Mandarin Collar Button Down Shirt

Skulls Black Short Sleeve Button Down Shirt

Skeleton and Rose Button Down Shirt

Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Button Down Shirt

The hardest part about shopping here is not falling in love with something that isn't in your size. The best part is looking at the beautifully-photographed, attractive people in delightfully creepy outfits.

Tiny Halloween Houses

I found a shop that sells all kinds of vintage items and creates spooky little houses that can light up a shelf. The shop is called Magia Mia (my magic, in Italian) and while you'll find quite a few Christmas decorations here, if you look deep enough you'll find our kind of magic. The houses are constructed from foam core, chipboard, and paper clay.

Handmade Putz House with Tombstones

Lighted Handmade Putz House

Full Moon Cat & Tree Decoration

Old-Fashion Halloween Kerr Box Display

Fairy House

Magia Mia has a blog so you can follow along with the latest finds and creations. There is a post on the Halloween Putz Houses. I hope more will be made!

Cemetery Art from Ohio

I have a feeling everyone who reads this blog has some level of appreciation for cemetery art. Katie Kelly has always loved cemeteries and wanted to find a way to preserve the beautiful tombstones she saw. She puts it well, I think:

Thinking of the people who have come before us, the skill and craftsmanship of the person who created these hand carved one of a kind gravestones, the love of the person who commissioned the headstone, all these things I thought about as I explored these places.

Kelly found a way to make a master impression of the stone without damaging it. She then recreates the images in clay and fires them in a kiln. The results are beautifully haunting. Her shop is called Grey Squirrel Studio.

17th Century Tombstone Impression

Curiosity Dish

1800's Tombstone Impression

1800's Headstone Impression

Primitive Tombstone Dish

Gravestone Willow and Urn Impression

Kelly also uses tiny impressions to make jewelry.

Gravestone  Jewelry Collection

All of the Grey Squirrel Studio items are very reasonable priced. These are pieces to look at and contemplate- about the people that were buried beneath them, about our loved ones who have died, and about our own death. Memento Mori.

Masks: Fantasy Via Nymla

Caroline Eklund is a Swedish artist who creates magical woodland and fantasy items. Her masks are enchanting. That's what I spied first. These are heirloom pieces that you'll save up for and then pass down to your little magical creatures, but they're well worth it. Once upon a time, I used to be feel bad about staying home and watching tv on the weekends so I would wear a fancy ballgown. It made it a little more special, like an event. I think Eklund's masks deserve to be worn on a daily basis as well. I don't have a problem with that. Visit Eklund shop Nymla on Etsy.

Glowing Mushroom Boar Mask

Mossy Bird Mask

Beaded Wolf Skull Mask

Twin Bird Skull Pendant

Nattmara Tote Bag

Conjoined Birds in an Egg

I'm swooning over the masks right now. The wild board mask with a ballgown would suit me I think.

Insect Art from Atomic Folk Art

If you're a sci-fi fan or perhaps a Steam Punker you'll love the blog and shop created by Atomic Folk Art. The three artists behind the venture imagine themselves as visitors from another place visiting earth and write about their adventures on their blog. In their shop they carry alien weapons, space tourist trinkets, intergalactic collages, and, what I'm featuring today, earth specimens and bones. They're very amusing and you should support them. They are refugees of a sort.

Framed Leaf Insect

Cemetery Lantern with Taxidermy Bat

Blue Weevil Beetle Specimen Jar

Giant Mantis in Ornate Vintage Frame

Framed Bat Skeleton

Just so you have an idea of other items in the shop, here is a selection.

The Adjustable Beamer

Abnormal Motherhood

Toy Model UFO 

It would be wise to befriend these so-called aliens. You never know, they might actually be from another planet and we may need to evacuate this one.

Hysteria Machine: Purveyor of Macabre Accessories

I saw some of Hysteria Machine's pieces up close when I attended the Goblin Ball last Saturday. If you need a stunning piece of gothic jewelry for your attire you must check out the shop. The headpieces and masks I saw were absolutely gorgeous. Hysteria Machine lists itself as a "designer and purveyor of fine headdresses and macabre accessories."

Costume balls are becoming more and more popular and you never know when you'll get a last minute invitation. Shouldn't you have a few pieces on hand for emergencies? After all, if you had just one magnificent piece as your costume you could wear a black garbage bag and no one would care.

Blind Horned Mask

Nevermore Crow Crown

Emerald Chest Piece

Silver Faux Horn Headdress

Golden Triple Skull Headdress

Cathedral Stained Glass Headdress

These are heirloom pieces to be sure. Yes, I think any niece or nephew would be thrilled to inherit such an item. Well, at least they'd have a good family story to tell. 

Hysteria Machine also sells some less expensive small jewelry pieces that I'm going to make you search out. That way I know you'll check out the shop.