Shivers of Delight

Taina Latvala creates some beautiful Halloween art dolls. The faces are so expressive, but I really love the costuming. Her shop is Rusty Dolls on Etsy and Latvala resides in Kurikka, Finland. Halloween Witch at Dressing Table Woodland Witch Fortune Teller Purple Witch Old Ghost Woodland Witch with Lantern They're fantastic, right?!

I cannot believe it's over already! I look forward to Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween in Marshall, MI every year and it's gone in a blink of an eye. Truly, I think this one was the best ever. This was my 5th trip to the show (4th for Bewitching and once for Ghoultide Greetings.) There were 52 vendors this year and 6 new artists. Bewitching Peddlers never disappoints. Jennie Hepler Takens of My Dearest Witch runs the show and has a booth. I don't know where she finds the time. This year Eastend Studio & Gallery in Marshall had an exhibit of some of the artists' works and was open for a meet and greet event the night before the show. It was really great to be able to talk to artists and collectors because during the show it's rather hectic and not as easy to catch-up. Marshall is just the perfect setting. The town is friendly and adorable! This is my 3rd year of staying in an awesome Airbnb downtown- and yes, I've already been penciled in for next year ther...

 If you're a Halloween art collector, you know that this is the time of Halloween art shows. All Hallow's Art Fest in California was this past weekend, so watch for those artist's website shops to be stocked with pieces they didn't sell. This weekend is Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween in Michigan and I'm headed out there with my husband. I'm so excited!! If you can't make one of these major Halloween art shows, don't despair! There are still lots of Halloween artists that don't get into a show that are wonderful. Case in point: Ahania Art Dolls located in Turkey. I've followed this shop on Etsy for many years and there are some great Halloween pieces available right now! Best of all they've got their shipping down to a science and you'll not have to wait long to receive it. I have my eye on a few pieces, but if you act before I do, no harm done! There is plenty for everyone. Anthropomorphic Raven Doll Anthropomorphic Owl Figurine Pump...

Well, well, well. I'm back!  It's been too long and believe me when I say I've thought about this blog and my followers nearly everyday since my last post. Lots of life got in the way, but Halloween is in my blood and somehow I knew I'd be back.  The thing that jump started my heart was the 2023 Fall Collection of pottery from Ephraim Pottery ! Oh my gosh, it's fantastic. I've always had a warm spot in my heart for Arts & Crafts style pottery (especially if it depicted bats or spiders) and so when the new collection popped up I was giddy. Ephraim Pottery is a small collective of pottery artists headed by ceramicist Kevin Hicks in Wisconsin. I've kept my eye on their shop for years (I first posted about them in 2014) just waiting for the right piece to speak to me and this is the year! Their collections are small because every piece is made by hand and often the pieces are limited releases.  Take a look at these. Fright Night Ceramic Bowl Antiquity Potte...

My winter project this year is switching my dining room and Halloween art gallery rooms so that I'd have more room for my art collection. My original schedule was to have the dining room moved and finished by the end of January, leaving February and March for the art gallery space. I'm a little behind schedule- no surprise there, but have enough of the dining room done to give you a peek. This was the Halloween art gallery as I was taking it apart to re-design it as the dining room. I stripped the room bare and started painting. The wall color choice is based on a purple I use throughout the downstairs. There are different tones of this purple, but it's used in our laundry room, kitchen, living room and the former dining room. It's sometimes used as an accent wall and sometimes covers all the walls. Grey also features largely throughout the downstairs. (That's Uncle Rufus in the photo who supervised me the entire time.) I knew that I didn't want the energy of or...

Bonnie is a graphic designer who loves making paper snowflakes. Of course, what caught my eye are her Halloween paper cuts in her Etsy shop BibBon .  Haunted House and Spiders Paper Ornament Cats and the Fall Moon Spiders and Eyes Witch Hats and Cauldrons Pumpkins and Bats Ghosts and Spiderweb You can order these lovely paper ornaments in a variety of sizes. I think they're adorable!

I happened upon some beautiful skull rings designed by Andrea Sciacca. Her shop, located in Genoa, Italy, is called Fingers Overkill . I like the medieval mood of these rings. They're not shiny and delicate- they mean business. Skull Ring Memento Mori Ring Yattaman Skull Ring Era Ring Anatomical Heart Ring Fly Necklace You'll also find many sea creature designs in the shop. It's all so fascinating.