Shivers of Delight

You know the deal. This is where I share some odds and ends I've been looking at over the last few weeks. Hope you find something that casts a spell on you. Gravestone Print Pillow from Morose and Macabre Evil Eye Pillow from Homesite Primitive Metal Bat from Gray Vervain Vintage Brass Spider Web Dish from Haines Vintage Brass The Midnight Society Pin from Grim Pin Co. Skull Coffee Mug from Goblins Hoard Skulls and Dried Flowers from Artificialia Room Make sure you click on the links to explore the other items these shops are offering. You look like you need something new. Save Save

Are you familiar with Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell- the two most promising magicians of England? If you're not, it's well past time you got onboard. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell  (2006) by Susanna Clarke is a most fascinating book. I read it when it first came out and it's one of those books that stay with you for a long time. And, you're going to need a long time because the book is long and complicated. Please don't take that as a criticism. I loved the book. The story takes place in the nineteenth century and follows the career of a magician, Jonathan Strange, under the tutelage of Mr. Norrell. Along the way, you learn about wars the British are fighting and the history of the Raven King, ruler of the fairy world in England. In the end, it's a love story between man and woman and magic.  What makes this book so complicated is that it is written as if it is a history book and not a novel. The footnotes can go on for several pages and go off in  a...

Yes, I prefer to think that animals that have been given an afterlife through taxidermy might just be happy about that. I talk to my rat, Hazel, (who has horns and wings) all the time and she never shows a hint of unhappiness. I'm confident that any mouse would be pleased to have an afterlife in the hands of Amber Maykut, who has an extensive resume of taxidermy education and experience. Maykut was associated with the Morbid Anatomy Museum while they existed (lower your head and mourn) offering taxidermy classes there and she created a custom mouse for cult film director John Waters. She now has a shop called Brooklyn Taxidermy . Fortune Teller Gypsy Taxidermy Mouse Diorama Beetlejuice and Lydia Taxidermy Mice Taxidermy Grim Reaper Mouse Tattoo Artist Taxidermy Mouse Taxidermy Coffee Shop Mouse Maykut has a great skill and a great sense of humor, and fortunately for us, she is cleaning out her apartment that is full of taxidermy. Visit her shop for that p...

I have a fairly large flower garden for a city house that I like to play in. It covers most of our back yard and it's always changing. The flowers seem to want to go someplace other than where I placed them so I'm constantly trying to corral them and make them behave. I have a notion in the back of my head that fairies come at night and move things the way they like them. So far no wars have broken out between us. For some time I've been considering the idea of creating an area for poisonous plants. You see our garden is fairly cheery. There are brightly colored flowers and quirky garden art pieces, but I haven't been able to bring in my dark side yet. It somehow doesn't feel balanced to me. I'm going to be exploring this idea this Spring and I think the best place to start is with some Gothic touches. I'm looking at these trellises. Panacea Gothic Garden Screen at Amazon Tall Gothic Arbor at Amazon H. Potter Bell Gothic Trellis at Wayfair H...

Attention: Lovers of the supernatural- do you know what tonight is?  Tonight, April 24th is St. Mark's Eve and you may be able to see the ghosts of those people who will die within a year. Yep. Awesome!  We're not going to concern ourselves with who St. Mark was because it really doesn't seem pertinent to what supposedly happens on St. Mark's Eve. According to an old English tradition, if you sit on the steps of a church on St. Mark's Eve from 11pm to 1am and are very silent you should see a parade of ghosts passing by who represent those who are going to die within one year. Some traditions say that you have to sit for three nights. Other traditions say that once you begin this tradition you must observe it every year for the rest of you life. I've never tried this because I'm usually in bed by 9pm and don't like to plan a year in advance let alone the rest of my life. You could see how this tradition could get very out of hand. The one person ...

"Darkly Stitched Delights for the Curious Minded" That's the motto for Remnant Black ; a shop that offers embroidered pillows and jewelry for people like us.  An interest in anatomy and circus freak shows are the focus here and you won't be disappointed. The artist uses a combination of free machine embroidery, hand embroidery and drawing to create these beauties. Crypt Brooch Freak Show Tattooed Man Blood Striped EyeLady Sacred Heart Plushie Tattooed Severed Hand Pin Cushion Morbid Heart Medal Revolting Rosette Dissected Rat Skull Pillow The free machine embroidery detail is fantastic. I would love to see a video of the artist creating one of her pieces. I'm fascinated.

On April 20, 1912, Bram Stoker left this world. That's right. He died. Stoker is known around the world for his novel Dracula (I'm embarrassed to even mention that because I know that you already know that, but sometimes the obvious just needs to be said.) I'm honoring Stoker today by setting up Edward Gorey's Dracula: A Toy Theatre . This was a gift from my sister that hasn't been opened yet. I felt I needed to wait for the right occasion. Ta Da! This is only Act One: Dr.  Seward's Library, but you get the idea. I intend to set up all three acts and read the synopsis aloud to the cats as I go. It's convenient that I have a bad cold and am staying home from work today. I think that my sore, scratchy throat will only add character to my performance.  Pyewackette is eagerly awaiting the start of the show. By the way, in case you weren't aware, Dracula was turned into a Broadway play in 1977 by Hamilton Dean and John L. Balderston. Edwar...

With Spring comes bugs- lot's of bugs. That's ok with me as long as they give me my personal space because they really are fascinating to watch. I'm also fascinated with the textile bugs at mysouldesign .  Natalia sculpts delicate insects from fabric and I don't know what all. I just want to stare at them. These are bugs you want to pick up and hold. White-Cream Cicada Brooch Spider Mushrooms Gold-Black Beetle Brooch Stoff-Skuptur Bats Grasshopper White-Cream Butterfly For me the scariest bug is the grasshopper. I'm always afraid they're going to jump on me. One of my terrifying tales is the time I threw a shoe at a grasshopper chirping in my bedroom one night. The shoe knocked over the lamp and I was left in total darkness with the still chirping grasshopper. I know- horrifying. Natalia's bugs are ones that I would actually proudly place on my body. Visit her shop. These textile insects are stunningly beautiful.

Whenever someone new enters our house I always feel the need to apologize for my dark side. I think it must seem odd to enter a house painted with bright, cheery colors and then start to notice the macabre art hanging everywhere. I usually make some excuse about loving Halloween and not being able to put it all away once the holiday has passed. I'm sure it's not as weird and disconcerting as I'm afraid it is. It's just that as people walk around, their heads are whipping from side to side as they take it all in. That's when I start quickly shuffling them through. The truth is I don't see the items as Halloween decorations at all. The house is an echo of my personality: sometimes playful, sometimes brooding. I need to stop apologizing for it. It's a whimspookal house. This all came to me yesterday as I was putting some glasses away in the dining room china cabinet. The cabinet was made by my grandfather and I remember it at my grandparent's house ...

I don't get to Texas very often, but the next time I'm anywhere near Houston I'm planning on going to the National Museum of Funeral History . Their motto is "Any Day Above Ground is a Good One." I already like them. (I have heard that funeral directors are some of the funniest people, by the way.) The museum is celebrating it's 25th anniversary this year and there are some interesting special exhibits taking place. One is a tribute to George Barris whose custom cars became legend and include  the original Batmobile and the Munster Koach and Casket for the tv show The Munsters. A replica of the Batmobile will be on display. Permanent exhibits at the museum include 19th Century Mourning, History of Embalming, Día de Los Muertos, Coffins and Caskets of the Past, Historical Hearses, and so much more! I can't believe I haven't been there already. (I want one of these for a bed for my six cats) After you see all those fascinating exhibits the...