Artwork of the Week: Shrunken Heads!

Vincent Price's Shrunken Head Apple Sculpture Kit by Milton Bradley 1975

Yes, you know that if it's endorsed by the pretty mug of Vincent Price, this shrunken head kit MUST have been amazing! Milton Bradley put these out in the 70s, five years before my time, but I discovered this vintage set while searching for Halloween-y things to post this week. There are a few available on Ebay and one from LovesAllThingsYou on Etsy, so pick one up if you're looking for the perfect finishing touch to your mad-voodoo-science-lab party. You never know, you may just have an artiste's touch when it comes to sculpting disfigured shrunken heads. [Or you could just try the old-fashioned method.]

Included in the kit: 

1. The Shrinker

2. Face Templates

3. Plastic Sculpting Tool

4. Synthetic Hair (white and orange)

5. Little White Beads (teeth)

6. Large Black Beeds (eyes)

7. Watercolor

8. Jar of Gloss Finish

9. 3 Pieces of Aluminum Wire 

10. Cord

11. Instructions

12. Apple Hanger

13. Wing-nuts and various pieces for hanging the apple and attaching it to a lamp

Happy Halloween!!

- Cathleen 

(last photo via drgangrene)

Cake Delight

Blogger Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo linked to these eye-catching art-inspired wedding cakes. 

Lovebirds by Sweet Elements Cakes

Bright Summer Cake by Cakes by Nicolle 

He's in the Bauhaus by Michelle Doll Cakes

Calling Calder by Michelle Doll Cakes

Chagall's Carousel by Lulu Cake Boutique

La Primavera by Love Street Cakes

Simple Abstraction by City Cakes

Lillian by Elegantly Iced

Sweet Water Lilies by Lulu Cake Boutique 

Peacock Cake by Sweet Element Cakes 

Summer in Vienna by Lulu Cake Boutique

Varoom Pop! By Cake Alchemy 

Mondrian by Elegantly Iced

Celebration Heart by A White Cake by Lauren Bohl White

Brillo Box by Lael Cake

Cezanne's Summer Fruit by Cake Salon

Stacked by Lael Cakes

All photos are by Danny Kim. 

Aren't these cool? I can't decide on a favorite. Which do you like best? 

-Grace 

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

It's fall, so you know what that means? It's time for pumpkin-flavored EVERYTHING! I myself have not totally bought into all of the pumpkin hype, but I do admit that I enjoy a nice slice of orange circle about once a year. This recipe is amazing though because it's just like having pie for breakfast—but healthier! 

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
(Serves 6)

2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal + 3 1/2 cups water + dash of salt
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin (not pie filling)
1 cup milk (slightly warmed in microwave)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups raisons
chopped walnuts for topping

Cook old-fashioned oatmeal according to stovetop directions on box (with water and a pinch of salt), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in light brown sugar, pumpkin, warmed milk (just pop it into the microwave for about 45 seconds so it doesn't curdle once added to the hot oatmeal), cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and raisons. Once mixed together, this scrumptious concoction can be enjoyed immediately in 1 cup servings or divided into individual plastic containers and refrigerated for up to three days, reheated in the microwave for 1 minute on high. You can also freeze it for even later consumption. Walnuts can be sprinkled on top for any extra added deliciousness.

I know, right? Yeah, you can thank me later. 

- Cathleen

On the Block!

These exquisite slippers once belonged to Marie-Antoinette who then gifted them to her manservant (I need one of those!) Alexandre-Bernard Ju-Des-Retz who passed them on to his descendants. 

The slippers just sold at a Parisian auction house for $64,745.00 far exceeding their expected humble $12,000.00 estimate. 

Awesome! I wish I had these. I would stomp around my house all day like a really annoying person.

Enjoy your weekend! Meet you back here on Monday.

- Grace

Artwork of the Week: Beetle Identification Chart

There is almost nothing I love more than classified illustrations. Except maybe classified illustrations of BUGS in shades of PEACH, GRAY and MUSTARD! This creepy crawly perfection was drawn by Minneapolis-based Alyssa Nassner. You can see more of her work on her website: alyssanassner.com 

- Cathleen 

Whale Love!

I came across these adorable little whale images yesterday through a friend and I am hooked! 

By artist Sophie Blackwell you can view more of them here. 

She's thinking of putting them on tea towels which would be awesome but I'd love them all together on a large sheet of paper to frame and hang in my hall. Help me peer pressure Sophie into doing it! 

- Grace

Kashigata Molds

Sparrow, $35 via VintageFromJapan on Etsy

Kashigata are Japanese hand-carved cake molds used to make traditional edible gifts. These beautiful molds, from VintageFromJapan on Etsy, can still be used to make small sweets of your own, or paperclay ornaments, or would even look quite lovely up on a kitchen shelf. The origin story from their site: 

"Often made of sakura (cherry wood) and seasoned for about 3 years before carving, kashigata were used to make dried confectionery made of rice flour and sugar called rakugan. Earliest records show that this practice dates back to the mid-17th century. These confections were used as offerings and snacks for celebratory occasions and even unfortunate events. For example when a person died, it was expensive to give flowers or fresh food so, people made these sweets in the form of flowers, fish etc. These items were then placed on the "butsudan" (family shrine found in the house) for the dead person. Kashigata were also used in the making of wagashi (nama-gashi or freshly made cake and hi-gashi or dried confectionery) for tea ceremonies."

Clam Chestnut, $55 via VintageFromJapan on Etsy

Chrysanthemum Kiku Flower, $55 via VintageFromJapan on Etsy

Square, $45 via VintageFromJapan on Etsy

Pine Tree, $55 via VintageFromJapan on Etsy

Lotus Leaf, $55 via VintageFronJapan on Etsy

- Cathleen

My New Love - Instructables!

Totally late on this, but I just happened upon the website Instructables last night and I'm in love! 

This amazing little nugget of a website has thousands of users who upload pictures and instructions of anything they've done, made, learned, or created for anyone who wants the info. No membership required to view various instructions—love that! 

Here's a great tutorial on how to make linoleum block prints. Check it out!

- Grace

Taking Shell-ter

Spiky Shell Pendant Necklace, $125 via MejiaJewelry on Etsy

As you read this, I am hopefully toe-deep in the sands of Sanibel Island with my honey. It is one of our last solo trips before the little guy arrives, and I really want to make it count. Which means there will be lots of naps, leisurely walks down the beach, and bikinis with my huge belly hanging out. I also plan to collect as many shells as my carry-on can carry—Sanibel is known for its superior shelling. Any guesses on what I want to do with them?

Real Conch Shell Ring, $18 via FeatherAffair on Etsy

Goose Barnacle Stud Earrings, $15 

(sorry, already owned by moi) via bellekelle on Etsy

Spots Cone Shell Pendant, $18 via aPieceOftheSea

- Cathleen

Have a Great Weekend!

What are you up to this weekend?

I'm hoping to attend this estate sale in Westminster, MD (another part of MD I've never heard of!)

If you're local you should check it out- looks like there are some great finds there.

See you next week!

- Grace

Community Forklift

Yesterday I died and went to heaven, at least that's what it felt like. 

I went to a warehouse called The Community Forklift in Edmonston, MD (never heard of Edmonston by the way and I've lived in MD the vast majority of my life.) Community Forklift is a Goodwill for all things home related. People donate home items they no longer want and Community Forklift sells them. 

Photos from the CF website. 

This place had EVERYTHING! Front doors, interior doors, windows, shutters, architectural salvage, sinks, tubs, bricks, granite scraps, door knobs, tools, paint, wallpaper, lumber, lighting, fireplace mantles- I mean EVERYTHING. And the prices were insane! 

I bought these three door knobs for $10 each. Yes that's right I said $10! 

I recommend you check it out.

-Grace 

Artwork of the Week: Butterfly Wings

Bird in Flight, $39 via xpltx904 on Ebay

made with butterfly wings from Malawi Africa, framed 9 x 11"

Butterfly wing art, a popular motif in jewelry from the 1920s-1950s in England, can also be found in a lot of more recently made South American tourist items depicting tropical scenery and kaleidoscopic patterns on trays and other travel souvenirs. I prefer the bird and animal collages created from these gossamer fragments and mounted under glass. They remind me a lot of the work of Giuseppe Arcimboldo, known for his painted assemblages of fruits and vegetables that formed highly detailed portraits of people's faces. But in this case, I really love the representation of flying things made from other flying things. 

Some of the winged images I've included here are vintage and some are from today, but all of them, in my opinion, are pretty amazing. 

Two Parrots on a Branch, $24.95 via rubisco on Etsy

made with butterfly wings from Nigeria, framed 10.25 x 8"

Gazelle Antelope Goat Animal, $39.95 via udderlygoodstuff on Ebay

from Cameroon West Africa, framed 8.5 x 11"

The Parrot, $29 via xpltx904 on Ebay

made with eight different species of butterfly wing, framed 6 x 8"

Set of Two Parrots, $178.55 via michlilypoppy2010 on Ebay

framed 42 x 26 cm each

Birds, $45.99 via illkniterate on Etsy

vintage 1980s, framed 22.5 x 17.5"

- Cathleen