Ghoulish Days for Celebrating

Having a healthy interest in dark subjects and art doesn't mean we have to be gloomy and dour. In fact people who find the macabre interesting usually have a very good sense of humor and like to celebrate- though often with just a few close friends.

Over the years, I've collected a number of dates to celebrate and honor. Sometimes it's just by raising my glass in a toast and occasionally I make the effort to gather people for a small party. The dark side of life should be looked at honestly and acknowledged as part of the cycle of life and death; not with reverence necessarily, but with respect. I hope you find these days as a way to toast life.

I'll continue to update this post.

P.S. I prefer to mark death dates rather than birth dates because remembering someone's death lets me honor their life's work.

January

• 1 (1818) "Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus" by Mary Shelly is published
• 1-2 Imbolc/Candlemas, Pagan celebration of Spring
• 5 (1886) "Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stephenson is published
• 5 Schnabelpercheten (Austria) 
• 5 Befana Arrives (Italy)
• 8 (2007) Yvonne De Carlo: Lily Munster Dies
• 14 (1978) Blossom Rock: Grandmama Addams Dies
• 16 (1979) Ted Cassidy: Lurch Dies

February

• 1 (1851) Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley Dies 
• 2 (1969) Boris Karloff Dies
• 3 (2006) Al Lewis: Grandpa Munster Dies
• 9 (1855) Devil's Hoof Prints Sighting, Exe Estuary in East and South Devon, England

The Moon: Macabre Mix Monday

The moon is on my mind lately- probably because I'm seeing it more often. It's actually shining brightly before I go to bed! I'm an early riser, you see, and that means I often go to bed earlier than the moon rises. (I'm secretly hoping that one day I can have a cup of morning coffee with a local vampire before he heads to bed.)

Metal Moon Garland from BASEROOTS

Moon & Stars Fabric Wall Decal from KokoKids

Velvet Full Moon Pillow from BetsyBennLTD

2020 Moon Phase Tea Towel from alittlelark

2020 Moon Calendar from TheCreativeSparkShop

Celestial Moon from TheCircusofLostDolls

Little Luna Art Doll from AlteredPoshDrop

Large Man in the Moon Ornament from HarlanMcKennaDesigns

Moon & Night Stars Combat Boot from ConjuringMages

Vintage Stars & Moon Leather Shoes from littlelightVTG

Blooming Crescent Moon Print from twentythreefaces

Felted Moon Crown from HexHouseCrowns

Stars & Moons Cape from EmmaDeeSewing

Beaded Moon Face Pendant from StyxxAndStonesStudio

It's always better to buy something uniquely made by an artist rather than a factory-made item, don't you think? Support small businesses.

Not a Creature Was Stirring: Classic Mouse Parade

"Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse."

It's the night before the "Night Before" and I'm scurrying around like a mouse in a cheese factory trying to get everything done so we can have a nice visit with family. But when I saw the mice taxidermy from Classic Mouse Parade, I knew I had today's post. Rachel's tableaux make me giggle. Her mice are adorable and festive for the holidays.

Decorating the Christmas Tree

Mouse in Christmas Stocking

Bird Skull Angel Tree Topper

Hanukkah Mouse

Happy Christmas Family

Krampus Mouse

Snow Day Mouse

Until this moment, I didn't realize my holiday decor was lacking. I also realize I need to leave a snack for the little mouse living on my back porch. 

Posts this week may be rather sparse as I run around with a cocktail in my hand spreading Christmas cheer. Best wishes to you and your's.

Creepy Art Dolls: Moody Misfits

Jade Perez's creepy art dolls are also kind of adorable.  I'm not sure how these dolls haven't crossed my path till now. I love that there is always a new spooky artist out there waiting for me to find them. Perez's dolls are hand-sculpted and painted and I feel I need to know the story behind each doll. Her shop is Moody Misfits.

Devil Doll

Voodoo Doll

Skull Collector

Creepy Monster

Gothic Girl

Gothic Boy

It's never too late to buy yourself an awesome gift. Head over to the shop!

Sculpted & Embroidered Portraits: The Ry Pepper

I came across the work of Ry Pepper and found it so interesting. Pepper sculpts faces from clay, applies them to fabric, and adds embroidered stitches to create odd little characters. I haven't seen anyone else doing this and I like the results! Pepper also makes necklaces with weird little faces.  The shop is The Ry Pepper.

Floyd, Clay Embroidery Portrait

Stanley, Clay Embroidered Portrait

Miranda, Clay Embroidered Portrait

Francis, Clay Embroidered Portrait

Sybil, Clay Embroidered Portrait

Mantus, Sculpted Necklace

I kind of want a custom portrait! I wonder if Pepper does that?

Winter Queen: Owisteria

Yesterday we had a storm of snow and ice. It wasn't one of those pretty ones where the ice covered the trees and sparkled in the light; it was just one of those miserable, messy, cold ones. It was a constant drizzle of needles. I dread winter more than death. It's true! Therefore, I'm trying to focus on the spooky, dark aspects of winter that are mysterious and magical. I'm thinking that whenever I'm feeling down about all that grayness, I should put on a crown of ice. It's all how you look at it.

Kiersten is creating some icy crowns that I love. Does it matter that she lives in Richmond, VA and can only imagine the enchanting, deadness of winter? Probably- I wouldn't want to wear a crown of the dirty gutter snow that exists from January through March. Kierston's shop is Owisteria. Let's be queens.

Winter Moon Goddess Crown

Stardust Tiara

Red Quartz Briar Crown

Golden Forest Crown

Aura Quartz Mini Moon Crown

Icicles Hair Comb

Now to find a winter gown to wear to my nightly Netflix watching session. By the way, Kiersten also sells necklaces you should see.

Weird Woodcuts: Horse and Hare

There is something about the strong lines of woodcuts and linocuts that always catch my eye. Kerry and Neil Stavely's shop Horse and Hare have lots of weird and mysterious block designs that are printed on paper, fabric, and interestingly, wood. I featured one of their ornaments yesterday. You're going to find lots of things to like here.

Block Printed Skull on Wood

Bela Lugosi Dracula Wall Art

Edgar Allan Poe Bookend

Skull Monster Linocut Print

Stephen King Journal

La Mort Tarot Card Print

Krampus T-shirt

Great designs here.

Celebrate the Dark Christmas: Macabre Mix Monday

People like to downplay the fact that Christmas is actually a pretty spooky holiday. All the action happens in the dead of night and revolves around a man sneaking into your home. Ok, there is also the story of a pregnant woman traveling a dangerous road to get home only to be turned out into the cold and then angels/ghosts showing up to to make things more confusing. Scary stuff like that.

Even if you tend to downplay those details in your Christmas celebrations, you might still want to honor the darkness of Christmas with at least one skull Santa.  Just sayin'.

Gothic Skull Santa Ornament from theweewoodturningco

Skull Damask Black Santa Hat from GrimoireConjourings

Metal Santa Skull Decor from BadDogMetalSigns

Santa Skull T-shirt from EvolveInc

Skull Santa Ornament from Horse and Hare

Skeleton Reindeer T-shirt from FreeWillShirts

Skeleton Reindeer Ornament from GagiePoos

Spooky Santa Sculpture from Myriam Powell Designs

Share your dark Christmas decor with me on Facebook. I'd love to see how you decorate! 

At our house, the Doubtful Guest has even showed up on the path to Bethlehem.

The Doubtful Guest can really be bothersome.