Hallowe'en is nearly here!

It's that time of year again.  The nights are drawing in, the leaves are tumbling down, and there's a definite nip in the air.  Yes it's autumn, and with autumn comes...Hallowe'en!

I've always loved Halloween, the dressing up, the decorations, and the whole vibe, despite the huge commercial circus that it has turned into.  It's hard to believe that, at one time, it was virtually impossible to get hold of Halloween costumes, spooky decor and the like.  We had to be inventive and create our own outfits out of mum's cast-offs, whereas now, you can pick up every conceivable object with a Halloween theme, along with your weekly supermarket shop.

But in spite of this rampant commercialism, there is something about Halloween which brings out the inner kid in me, and I love nothing more that playing with every spooky gadget and rummaging through the fancy dress outfits with my daughter.  No, the commercialisation of Halloween is here to stay, so we may as well embrace it.  Besides, I'm always fascinated by every year's new range of products, which somehow seem to get more gory/bloodthirsty every time, but it is interesting to see just how creative the range of Halloween products can get.  In particular, I love those products which have a slightly different slant on the whole Halloween theme, daring to veer away from the predictable pumpkin/witch's hat/spiderweb/black and orange combinations.

Which brings me neatly to my Etsy selections for this week.  As always, I'm staggered by the huge array of wonderful products out there, and the boundless creativity of the Etsy sellers, especially when it comes to Halloween-inspired creations.  Amongst my favourites are:

Vampire Journal...by IstriaDesign

This Vampire journal by IstriaDesign is dedicated to the little-known Jure Grando, the first vampire mentioned in the written word.  I love the originality of this item, and the combination of goth and vintage elements.  Wonderful stuff!

Haunted London pop-up book by niapaper

 

I've always loved pop-up books, and the way they can convey a miniature world in book form, almost like a doll's house.  Perfect for Halloween is this Haunted London pop-up book by niapaper, uncovering tales of ghosts in the capital, including the Tower of London, Kensington Palace and St. Paul's Cathedral.  Enjoy!

Skull Bats book by Idle Workshop

My final selection is this highly original Skull Bats handmade book by Idle Workshop.  Perfectly capturing the Halloween feel, the book contains 70 pages of wizard parchment and magnificent carved bat-winged skulls on the cover.  Exquisite!

Whatever you're doing this Halloween, enjoy yourself, and if you're working on any Halloween-inspired items, I'd love to hear about them.

Until next time,  have a great week!

Steampunk adventures

The appeal of steampunk appears to show no signs of diminishing.  My latest notebook pays tribute to this genre, using these wonderful sprocket gears from Tim Holz, and patterned endpapers containing steampunk motifs.

Originating in the 1980s, the steampunk genre incorporates elements of science fiction, technology and the Victorian Age.  The 'steam' refers to the steam power of the nineteenth century, and 'punk' is a reference to the 'cyberpunk' style.

Steampunk's influence can be seen in elements of fashion, design and jewellery, and there are some stunning examples on Etsy - too many to mention really, but these are a few of my particular favourites.

Aranwen's Jewelry produces amazing examples of Victorian and steampunk jewellery, one of my favourites being this steampunk watch cuff in Brass and Silver.





Also of note is Le Boudoir Noir  - this pocket watch pendant is a gorgeous example of the steampunk style.








 
Steampunknation  produces some wonderful steampunk pieces.  I love this Steampunk Octopus necklace.







                                                         

Journals and notebooks can also be given the steampunk treatment.  This Steampunk steam engine coptic stitched blank pocket journal from Mamayo Journals is a lovely example.








Have a great week everyone!