Shivers of Delight

Caroline Elliot calls her pottery "fraught with symbolism." Her pieces are shaped and carved by hand and you can almost imagine her making them with moonlight streaming through the window. These are quiet pieces for contemplation and spells. Elliot's shop is Burnt Thistle Ceramics . Fortune Teller Bowl Moon Phase Box Murder of Crows Bottle Bat Spirit Bowl Anatomical Heart Tray All Seeing Eye Bowl Prices range from $6 for a tiny bowl to hundreds of dollars for a larger piece. They draw you in, don't they?

I discovered The Crafty Hag on Instagram (you're following me on Instagram, right?) and instantly fell for her blocky linocut prints of spooky stuff. Coralette Damme's images are printed on totes and towels too. The images are bold and simple and scream Halloween. Bela Lugosi as Dracula Solo Tuyo Tea Towel Sideshow Wonders Print Collection Ghost Octopus Tea Towel Creepy Skeleton Telling a Ghost Story Guardian Rune Raven Tote Bag Das Vampyre Tote Bag There is definitely a sweetness to this spookiness. Love it!

I had a great aunt who had a collection of little glass cats and other tiny porcelain animals. I loved looking at her collection and wanted my own one day. Now I have a "collection" of real cats and not any tiny glass animals, but I would consider collecting the glass figures by Thomas von Koch. His little glass figures lean toward creepy and crawly so, yeah, I'm there.  His shop is WGK Glass . Hanging Black Widow Hanging Glass Devil Glass Ghosts Dragon Dichroic Spider Hanging Bat Black Cats I had to post the cats in honor of Great Aunt Hazel. She would have loved them. There are hundreds of glass figures in this shop. Something for everyone.

Halloween artists' shops are loaded with goodies right now. If you're not on Etsy everyday, you're missing out. The mass-produced Halloween decor will be around for awhile, but the best one-of-a-kind Halloween pieces are snapped up quickly. Nora Clarke's shop Hidden From The Light is stocked to the rafters with wonderful Halloween sculptures. I love her grinning vampires and pumpkins, and the candlesticks make me swoon. This is a shop to max out your credit card. Just sayin'. V Is For Vampire Two-Sided Ghost Candle Eye in Palm Figure Victorian Zombie Girl H Is For Hag Pumpkin Bat Girl How do I choose?! It's especially nerve wracking because I know I can't wait too long to decide. I hope I win the lottery.

It's true that I usually lean toward the whimspookal, but I appreciate eerieness as well. I don't want to see violence, but I like getting a chill from dark art. Joy Schwarz is painting scenes that make me stare. I'm drawn to her surreal images; they'll take you to a dark place. Her shop is Schwarzrum . Never get rid of. Sisters Their Pounding Hearts Under My Chest Together Cough Within Me Burning Schwarz is offering original watercolors- not prints. They really suit my mood these days. Get them while you can.

I don't know Marsena Adams-Dufresne personally, but I think we should probably be besties. Her profile describes her as a lover of "cats, cocktails and the macabre." It's like we're twins! To top it off, her art is embroidery. I'm smitten. Each of her black and white pieces will send a thrill down your spine. Her shop is Uncouth Curations . Enjoy! Father Time Goat Man Witches Sugar Skull Pelvis There is Death in the Pot I'm jealous of Adams-Dufresne's lettering! It's so tight and clear. Maybe when we're hanging out one day she can show me how she does it.

Vanessa Dorsch is sculpting some pumpkins that I would say are fairly grumpy. They make me laugh.  Dorsch calls them whimsical oddities inspired by nature." Her pieces are each hand-sculpted and hand-painted. Any of them would make a lovely addition to your Halloween art collection. You'll find them at Grimwood Forest . Stacked Trio of Pumpkins Jack O'Lantern with Top Hat Princess Pumpkin Grumpy Pumpkin Pumpkin and Ghost Pumpkin with Party Hat I know it's hard to believe, but I think one of the pumpkins just winked at me.

The Victorian Trading Co. is another one of those shops you might forget to check for Halloween decor, but I've found them to be a reliable source for anyone looking to create an elegant sort of spookiness. They carry beautiful costume accessories and household items that belong in a Victorian horror novel. A new item this year is giant bat wings that I really must have. It's exclusive to them. Bat Wing Costume Spider Web Tree Beaded Spider Web Gnarly Pumpkinhead Light Twilight Bat & Moon Weathervane Set of Three Potion Bottles If you haven't decided on a costume yet then you should check out their costume accessories. It might just spark an idea.