Shivers of Delight

For a long time, I've been interested in learning how to hook rugs. My interest really peaked when we visited the Shelburne Museum in Vermont in 2017 and saw an exhibit of hooked rugs. (I remember the date because I just looked at my photos. 😂) Last fall, I purchased a small pumpkin hooked rug at Brimfield Antique Flea Market that my cats, unfortunately, have adopted as their sleeping spot.  Anyway, I was aimlessly wandering around Etsy last night while drinking an Old Fashioned (a favorite) when I came upon some wonderful finished hooked rug pieces made for Halloween.  The finished pieces I could even contemplate being able to purchase are made from patterns. A one-of-kind piece would be way out of my budget right now. A pattern piece doesn't make it any less desirable though because it takes a great deal of skill as well as artistic talent to successfully recreate the pattern. Here are a few of the pieces I found that are delightful from Wellesley Willow , Tweedful Things ,...

Please excuse the mess and keep an eye on the page for new posts. Happy 2025!

It's our Season of Delight and though I've been posting in this blog for 10 years (gulp) I thought it might be a good time to re-introduce myself. Some very good friends of mine, Jen & Pat Healy of Mixture Group, have watched my passion for collecting Halloween art grow over the years and took it upon themselves to create and produce a fun and quirky short video about me and my unusual hobby. I'm brimming with delight because it's both scary and wonderful to see myself on video and have a camera focused on me. <insert another gulp here> First and foremost I am a passionate collector of Halloween art. The blog and how I decorate our home is my expression of this. The video is about 4 minutes and I hope you enjoy it. Happy Halloween!

I have to admit that I rarely take a lot of photos at the Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween show because I'm too busy shopping. By the time I'm finished, some of the booths are empty and others are nearly so. That happens within the first hour. I'm not kidding.  The Early Buy Ticket is $20 and starts at 8am sharp. Standing in line before the doors open is an event within itself. Collectors with numbers come early even though we have a guaranteed spot in line. I want to see who is there, hear what they're excited about, and check out their outfits. Most people take the effort to don their favorite Halloween clothing.  Jennie Hepler-Takens, Show Producer The best part of standing in line is when Jennie Hepler-Takens (show producer and artist behind My Dearest Witch ) and Amy Schneider (show photographer and assistant extraordinaire) come through the line handing out tote bags, mugs, and an official ribbon to wear- all for the price of admission! Maybe someday I'll hav...

For the last several years, my true Halloween kick-off event is making the trip to Marshall, Michigan for the Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween art show. If you've been following the blog or know me personally, you'll know that for me, attending BPOH is when I go completely delirious with joy. It's the one time every year that I can count on feeling like a child again. At one point during the show this year, my husband, Rich, actually told me that I should probably go sit in the car for awhile to calm down and relax for a bit. Ha! He was right! I needed a time out. "Bewitching" was last Saturday (Sept. 28) and I'll give you the quick rundown. (It looks long, but really, I'm leaving a lot out.) It takes us about 12 hours of driving to get to the show from Connecticut. We leave before dawn because my goal is to get to Marshall on Thursday evening in time to claim a number to stand in line for the early morning sale on Saturday. This isn't a ticket. Just ...

This is a post to bookmark! I'm going to keep a running list of Halloween artist pop-up sales, shop updates, and shows that will be taking place for the next few months. These are events that I see in my social media feeds and email and want to remember. I have a feeling you do as well.  Just don't buy what I want. heheheheh October 5th Darksome Art & Craft Market at Mount Moriah Cemetery , Philadelphia, PA 7th Stacey Bear Fall/Halloween Sale , Online 8pm EST 15th Tattered Moon Halloween Shop Update , Etsy 7pm EST 16th Forever Fall Halloween Shop Update , Etsy 7:30 CST 17th Vintage By Crystal Halloween Shop Update , Etsy 11am EST 18-19th Salem Night Faire , Salem, MA 19th  Clay of the Dead shop update 10am MT 25-26th Salem Night Faire , Salem, MA 25-26th Gothic Harvest Market at Lyndhurst Mansion , Tarrytown, NY Stay tuned for updates! So sorry, did you miss these? September 3rd  Erstwilder Halloween Brooches Release  12:30pm AEST 13th  Farm and Foundry sho...

You may have been wondering what I've been up to lately.  Well, I've been caught in the cycle of busy work where nothing significant gets accomplished.  I haven't lost my passion for all things spooky. I'm just waiting for this phase to pass. It always happens when I'm feeling a loss of direction or purpose. Rather than slow down and work it out I just add more mundane tasks to my to-do list. Do you do that too? For some reason, this blog keeps getting pushed aside. Perhaps I've been cursed? While I figure it out, I hope you'll follow me on Instagram and Facebook where I'll post a daily inspiration (am I crazy?!) spooky stuff that inspires me, and hopefully you, to focus on what really matters: a deep connection with the mysterious, dark, and unknowable.