Shivers of Delight

I like this handy guide to freeing your house of evil spirits. I think there are several good ideas here for holiday gifts for friends and family. The possibilities are endless. It's all in the name of safety. I think we can all appreciate that. Click to enlarge Spirit House by GlendaJordan LuckySoleDesigns   LuckySoleDesigns Witch Ball by LucyBerger A spooky Mezuzah by RuthShapiro

So my quest to transition from a spooky house to a Christmas house just took a leap forward! MexicanSugarSkull has an entire line of Christmas themed skeletons. Why? Because they can. Well, maybe because Mexican traditions are much more comfortable with the idea of death than American ones, but whatever, it works for me. I need to mention that all these figures are handmade by traditional craftsmen. I have purchased items from MexicanSugarSkull in the past and love them. No, I haven't been asked to endorse them. Really, you flatter me, silly. They just have such fun things! The nativity comes in 1/2 inch and 1 inch sizes Fa la la la la, la la la la. Now if I can just find a turkey skeleton...

I don't even remember how or when I came across The New English company. It's a group of UK artists that make contemporary ceramics and they seem to love skulls as much as I do. Take a look at these happy skulls that are a small part of a complete dinnerware set. If you're planning on getting married next Halloween, I think you need to have these on your gift list. I might have to get remarried. They also make some purely fun sculptural items as well. Visit their website to see more.

Last spring we made a trip to Chicago where we visited INTUIT: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art. They had a great exhibit on art created by institutionalized people, but that's another story. What caught my eye was a small exhibit in their "Bathroom Wall Gallery" of Memory Jugs. Memory Jugs are thought to have originated in Africa and were later revived by the Victorians. I love those crafty Victorians. Jugs, vases, or other objects were covered in clay and then tiny objects were imbedded into it to either help the deceased make their journey into the next world in the case of Africans or, in the case of Victorians, to remind them of the deceased. I like this as an alternative to leaving mementos on graves when it's not allowed. It might also be a great way to decorate the urn of cremated ashes. Laurie Beth Zuckerman is an artist who has been sculpting Memory Jugs. These are lovely. Visit her website for more images. Zuckerman has inspired me to m...

I think it's a shame that more cemeteries don't let you leave mementos at gravesides. Sure, you can say it makes the upkeep difficult, but really? I think it takes more energy to remove something than leave it alone. Mementos give the grave personality. They help bring the deceased to life for someone who doesn't know them. They make you stop and take notice. We visited a few cemeteries in New Orleans and I was always on the lookout for mementos. We heard stories of leaving pennies on children's graves so that they could buy penny candy. I left a few pennies myself. You have probably heard how people leave gifts on the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau's tomb. The funny thing is that Laveau's tomb is being repaired and is fenced off to the public so people are being told that a different tomb is Laveau's and they are leaving gifts there. Another tomb houses the remains of a man who made shooting craps popular and there are dice on his tomb. Good stuff. Here are a ...

I get so depressed after Halloween is over and everyone wants to rush into Thanksgiving and Christmas. Can't we just take a few weeks to watch the scary movies we didn't get to watch yet? I haven't even had a moment to watch "The Great Pumpkin!" Then there is the issue of putting all the Halloween decorations away. I used to wait a week and then everything went back into bins in the basement to wait another year. But over the years, I've left behind Target Halloween for works by artists. I can't just put those away. They stay out year round. So, the cheap skulls and skeletons have pitched a fit and say they want to stay out too. What's a girl to do? My solution is a Christmas somewhere between Tim Burton and Dr. Seuss. It's complicated and still evolving. I hope you'll stick with me as I work out the details this season.

New Orleans had the best pastries and bread I've had in a long time. Really, it was delicious. That's why I think the sculptures of Scott Hove , an artist I saw at the Red Truck Gallery, are the perfect way to end the week. You see, Hove has a thing for cake and teeth. This is cake that will bit back. A dieter's delight? You should also check out Hove's website for a complete cake installation. I would love to wear these shoes... The Red Truck Gallery has several other artists you should see including Adam Wallacavage and his octopus lights that I posted about just a few weeks ago. The gallery is located at 938 Royal Street, New Orleans.