Shivers of Delight

This past weekend we took a mini-vacation to Baltimore and Philadelphia. I wanted to check a few things off my bucket list, you see. Two of the spookier things I checked off where a quick visit to Edgar Allan Poe's grave in Baltimore and then a visit to The Mütter Museum in Philadelphia. I was happy to discover that Poe's grave was just a 10 minute walk from our hotel, so with coffee in hand, I dragged my husband out of bed and off we went. After walking uphill most of the way, I had a brief moment of panic when it looked like the cemetery gates were locked. Fortunately, one was wide open and welcoming. The cemetery is tiny, nestled against a church and tucked between the high-rise buildings of the medical college and office towers. When you first walk in there is a large marble monument to Poe and his wife and mother-in-law, but keep walking to the back to see Poe's original place of burial. The dates on the headstone are not his birth and death, but rather the...

If you're one of those people, like me, who enjoy dark humor then I expect that you're also a fan of Edward Gorey. Many people recognize his cartoonish intro to Masterpiece Theater, but may not know much about him. My husband and I recently attended the exhibit Gorey's Worlds at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, CT as well as rough cuts of the film The Edward Gorey Documentary Project . The exhibit centers around a collection of art that Gorey bequeathed to the Wadsworth Atheneum. This is art that Gorey collected himself. The Wadsworth had no idea they were in Gorey's will and were quite surprised to hear they were receiving his collection. In the book accompanying the exhibit, the first sentence made me laugh. "Edward Gorey may have thought of it as 'The Doubtful Bequest,' because its arrival was unannounced, like the peculiar visitor in one of his stories." (Gorey wrote a book called The Doubtful Guest. ) Because of our schedule, I actual...

The weather is finally starting to feel like Spring here in New England and this past weekend I pulled out my warm weather clothes and realized I needed to add a few pieces. It's sort of a signature style of mine to wear skull clothing throughout the year and so right now I'm looking at Vintage Galeria  (Los Angelas, CA.) Janet Zuniga owns the vintage-inspired, Mexican Day of the Dead themed, clothing boutique, and you'll find clothing for women, men and children here as well as accessories. Zuniga's pieces are bright and colorful and will remind you that Summer is on it's way. Class Monsters Top Men's Dancing Skeletons Western Shirt Skulls and Roses Dress Day of the Dead Dress Girls Sugar Skull Skirt Day of the Dead Necktie These pieces would be fun to wear for a family portrait. Just think about your annual Halloween card!

Dr. Rupert Edward Lockfield was one of the pioneers of Cryptozoology. Over many years, he collected and observed the monsters and mystical beings that only exist in folklore and myth. His collection includes such specimens as Nymphalem Natural (Faery Queen), Infantem Sanguisuga (Fetal Vampyre), Lupis Hominis (Lycanthrope, Adult), and Syreni (Mermaid). Or, so we're told by the amazing team at Spookhouse Productions - a film studio with a very interesting side project. Apparently, pieces of his extraordinary collection are now for sale and you can find them at the Lockfield Collection . Hell Bat Taxidermy (faux) Eternal Lovers Skeleton Wall Hanging Antique Apothecary Poisoner's Cabinet Voodoo Amulet Chicken Foot in Magic Box Preserved Succubus Demon Preserved House Gnomes I hope you'll take a few minutes to read through the Rupert Lockfield Collection website . It really is quite fascinating and very, very clever.

Illustrator Mila Rosha describes her work as filled with "melancholia, romanticism and mystery." Rosha in an illustrator who works primarily in ink, but also works in oils and thread. Her website gallery (reached by clicking on her name) is filled with hauntingly beautiful images.  Rosha's prints can be found at Mila Rosha Art . The Night Guardian Vamprye Gothica Haunted House Lady Datura Doth Not Thee Cry The Vampyre print is my life in a nutshell. I think I'm starting a new wall of prints....

The Bedroom Thanks, Miranda for letting us peek into your bedroom! It's a perfect example of what I call "whimspookal." I use that style in my house too.  If you're not familiar with Miranda's blog Spooky Little Halloween , you're missing out.  She is the founder of the Samhain Society (a group of Halloween bloggers) and you can find her posting daily on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram . Miranda is one of the busiest spooks I know.

I love going to museums. It's not for everyone, I know, but I think spooky people tend to like them. After all, you generally get to see dead things or things dead peopled owned. I feel surrounded by ghosts when I walk through a quiet museum. It's why I'm fascinated by the tiny pocket museums created by Dianne (Derbyshire, England.) The diminutive, mixed-media, glass boxes hold objects that you can ponder and assign meaning to. There are only a few in her shop at the moment, but Dianne also creates some interesting jewelry you might like. Take a look at ComeDayGoDay . Miniature Natural History Pocket Museum Curiosity Art Pocket Museum Pocket Museum Assemblage Antiqued Skull and Crossbones Lapel Pin Medicine Bottle Necklace Bone Collector Necklace Aren't these wonderful?! They seem so mysterious to me.

One of the reasons I love Day of the Dead art is because it's so joyful. The Mexican Catrina figure is the ultimate symbol of the Day of the Dead holiday and I can't get enough of it. The elegant skeleton makes me smile. Catrina San Miguel is a shop that carries beautiful, ceramic, hand painted pieces of Mexican folk art and has a very good collection of Catrinas. Now is the time to add to your collection before the panic of Halloween sets in. Day of the Dead Horse & Carriage Beautiful Pink Catrina Couple on a Bench Talavera Catrina Frida Kahlo Catrina Bathing Skeleton Catrina with Basket of Flowers The pieces in this shop are very reasonably priced. I know I'll be adding to my collection. Oh, and if you like to see my small collection of Dia de los Muertos art just click the link.