El Día De Los Muertos

I received a catalog in the mail from USPS yesterday and was delighted to be reminded they released these Day of the Dead stamps in September of last year. (It's been crazy here, so perhaps I can be forgiven for my lapse!)

In perusing the catalog, I discovered the USPS isn't offering their 2019 issued Spooky Silhouettes stamps any longer. (A bummer, certainly, but maybe your local post office still has a few left?) Even so, adding Day of the Dead stamps to your outgoing Halloween cards this year could be just the thing to brighten someone's day. 

Out of curiosity, I did a search for other skeleton-themed stamps and came up with these two beauties from the long-ago.

The last one is from an art display in Wales from a few years back. Artist unknown. Pretty creepy, eh? I love the way they used the blue palette.

Baby, It's Bloody COLD Outside!

And as much as I live to have my hands in clay, I can't express how torturous it is to have to wash off my tools in forty degree water! I have never missed the utility sink I bought for my old studio more than I do now!

But creativity needs an outlet, so I started playing with jewelry. Downtown L.A. has a mind-boggling amount of top-notch beading stores, run for the fashion districts needs. You can get pretty much anything you can imagine if you just have the time and patience to look. And believe me, before the plague hit, I looked!

My mom had a leftover stash of jewelry makings. Beads, findings, wire, all of it. I added some beads and chains to that stash. A dear friend sent me some Halloween pendants to play with, and those have almost all been incorporated into some new pieces!

So far, these things are the only necklaces in the ShellHawk's Creations shop, though I have more to post and will be posting over the next week or so!

I have fallen in love with agate beads, and love the blues and all their variations! It reminds me of those beautiful Hawaiian ocean waves!

I made some little suncatchers, as well. Or they could hang from a rear view mirror. Or somewhere out in the garden...

So pop over to my ShellHawk's Creations Etsy store and pick up a nice treat! (There might just be a 15% discount code for my blog readers!

Done! Well, Done-ish...

I say "done-ish" since I can't seem to find a place to fire him, as of yet. *Sigh*

I thought about doing a design on his "body," but then I thought that since I'm going to Raku him, I'd see how the crackle pattern would turn out as visual interest. I can always make another one with more details!

The gray-looking, flowery bits around his eyes will be black after the firing. The other colors should darken a little, after the clear crackle glaze goes on and gets fired. I like his lid. A friend calls it his "green man-bun," but I don't care! I'm looking forward to seeing how it looks after the Raku firing!

And here's another little friend! I really like how darn happy he is!

And this sugar skull jack-o'-lantern is shaping up really well! It's not done, yet, but I like the way the colors have turned out, so far! This one will also be getting a clear crackle glaze before the Raku firing.

I'm really pleased with how these projects are developing! Have I mentioned I can't wait to get them fired? ;) 

A Fiesta Hallowe'en

One of my favorite ceramics places, Fiesta Ware has Hallowe'en dishes!

The ghosts are just too stinking cute! WANT!

Skull and Vine is so El Dia de Los Muertos!

I've always said a girl can't have enough Skeletons!

I guess I know what needs to go on my housewarming gift list when I finally get into my own space!

Click here for the full collection.

The Calvarium

While I was at West Coast Haunters Convention, I ran across a booth with the most gorgeous gothic furniture, all upholstered in original design fabric. I loved it, and if I didn't know Mr. ShellHawk would not approve of re-furnishing the house in entirely spooky furniture, I would have bought out the entire booth!

All of the fabric there was designed by Jeremiah Witting, of The Calvarium. Witting lives in Portland, Oregon (you can tell, because of his ode to Voodoo Donuts on one of his designs), and is both an illustrator and an upholsterer.

This would make a great fabric for my home office chair, which I would
actually buy in order to have this fabric!

 You can find The Calvarium on Facebook or its website, and peruse the plethora of designs at The Calvarium's Spoonflower shop.

Good grief! Now I need to find a chair for my office!

What Time Is It?

I happened to run across this image while browsing Pinterest yesterday. I have now found a new "must-have" for my office. 

After all, I don't have a proper clock in there, yet.

Oswald Rotating Eye Skull Clock from the 1920s, made in West Germany. The eyes rotate to tell the time. Also known as a "time of death" clock, the eye on the left tells the hour, and the eye on the right tells the minutes. They're quite rare, apparently, and quite spendy, if you can find them in good condition.

Maya Lord of Death

Images via National Geographic.

Eternal Reign

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Viennese Skulls

We found these in a shop window as we were walking through Vienna. I can't read German, so I can't give you any story or history on these little gems.
I think the detail work on these is wonderful. I really wish I knew where they came from and how the art on these skulls came about.

Skull-licious Tuesday

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New Skull

I got this skull out of the kiln a few days ago. It's the only skull that neighbor V has approved of so far. I think it's because it's glazed, not painted. I'll be making more, for sure!
I've also been using my kick wheel. Man, is that leg sore! However, the $700 for the motor kit for my wheel is not currently in the budget, at least not until I find some work!

Blue Skull

I mentioned a few posts ago that I'd gotten some project out of the kiln at school. Here's the last one, the first of a series of Day of the Dead-themed skulls I plan to create and sell.
He looks charming on Mr. ShellHawk's bookshelf in his office. Neighbor V still says she doesn't find skulls festive. Oh, well!