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The Creepy and Odd Halloween Costumes of Yesteryear

When I think of old Halloween costumes, what comes to mind are those of cartoons, film, and super heroes that came in a box. They were disgusting feeling plastic that you slipped over normal clothes, and they had a toxic aroma to them as you were sweating under that loose fitting mask. Yeah the storm trooper one I rocked when I was five years old was awesome! But it seems like our forefathers had a vastly different idea of Halloween costumes.

Halloween many decades back prompted some very inventive, creepy, odd, and ridiculous costumes. They typically didn’t have the resources to run up the street and buy something pre-made, but they went out of their way to build and create very interesting pieces to wear or scare around town. I seriously have no idea what is going on with people wearing a telephone on their head or face, but it works. If this was popular today there would be a “slutty telephone head” costume at every mall in the country. Regardless, of the oddness of some of these costumes, It is easy to appreciate how many of these people go all out just as many do today. So peak into this blog post of Halloween costumes from decades ago, and be inspired to make something similar.

Plenty more old costumes after the jumpRead More »The Creepy and Odd Halloween Costumes of Yesteryear

Scott Radke’s Squashes Available Now!

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Remember those wall-mount squashes that Scott Radke teased us with last week? Well they’ve doned their face paint and are now up for grabs via Scott’s website. A run of six unique pieces, each clay sculpt is about 9″ x 4″. Five are available. Email Scott at scott@scottradke.com if you want to add a little flair to your decor this Thanksgiving.

See more of what Scott’s serving up after the jump.

Read More »Scott Radke’s Squashes Available Now!

Halloween Candy Displays from 1969

Throwback time! Jason Liebig, took the effort to scan some old school Halloween candy displays from 1969 for Collectingcandy.com, and we can’t thank him enough. Seeing these old displays is really cool. It seems stores back in 1969 were making piles of candy as a display just like they do today, but the price sure is different. Maybe soon we can see creepy costumes!

A few more images if you click READ MORE!

Read More »Halloween Candy Displays from 1969

Destination Designer Con: Doktor A part I

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Doktor A just announced late last week that he will be coming over to this side of the pond once again for Designer Con. We are beyond stoked to see the good Doktor again gracing us with his presence. He just let us know that he will be releasing the first 100 of the new badge, Edward Geers “Shiny Penny” edition. This highly polished copper and red enamel badge will run you $10 each and there are only 150 total.

Designer Con
Pasadena Convention Center
300 East Green Street
Pasadena, CA 91101

Mikee’s Mail Day: MVH’s Unpainted DX Sludge Demon!

So yes, I admittedly took a week off from mail, but that’s ’cause I was going toy wild at this year’s NYCC!! I will be posting a full Mikee’s Mail Day: NYCC Edition soon, but first I wanted to showcase one toy in particular:

To be completely honest, I love Mutant Vinyl Hardcore’s DX Sludge Demon. I think it’s my favorite sculpt this year; it has this fun/creepy look that reminds me of the movie Ghoulies. Add the fact that I, too, am a very sick and twisted individual who was raised on horror movies and Misfits records, and you can see why this toy may be my soul mate. Rich Montanari Jr., the evil mastermind behind MVH, is a long lost brother from another mother!! Out of the four Sludge DX releases at NYCC (YES! Four! I bought five!), two were themed on horror movies. Did you read what I just wrote? Two were themed on horror movies!!! The header card art for the above “Chest Burster” is riddled with Alien references! I almost cried.

(I instead went back to the place I was crashing at and watched Prometheus, but I wanted to cry.)

It’s also worth noting that this release was coupled with a print by Scarecrowoven. The print is layered and gorgeous and terrifying.

With MVH ready to release a painted version of the DX Sludge Demon in the next month or so, I can’t wait to add to the MVH collection. It’s October, guys: embrace your inner Mikee and be creepy! Don’t sleep on something this awesome!

Until next time, live that 24/7 Toy Life!

Four Artists celebrate the Day of the Dead with “Amigos de los Muertos”

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Artists Jeral Tidwell, Angryblue, Roberto Jaras Lira, and David Lozeau have come together to put a book together celebrating the Day of the Dead. “Amigos de los Muertos” shows off four different styles on numerous takes of this holiday. Flip threw the pages in the book to see sugar skulls, dancing skeletons, dead musicians, the grim reaper, and more.You can pick this up from the artists themselves here.

 

New Swan and Gourdy Goodness from Scott Radke

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Scott Radke continues with his Elf-like animal hybrids with a stunning collection of Swans, now available on his website. Looking on with the curiously vacant gaze present in all of Scott’s work, these gentle creatures long for a place to call home. Of the trio, Swans #80 and #81 remain. Each sculpture sits around 14 inches high and 11 inches long. Email Scott at scott@scottradke.com if you’re looking to adopt.

And just in time for the harvest are a small group of gourds, due to emerge from the earth anytime now. Each of the wall-mount sculpts is about 9 inches tall and 4 inches wide, and all are unique. The Jack-o’-lantern style face works really well on these — those beady eyes see right through you. More news as soon as the paint flies!

Destination Designer Con: Nonesuch Garden

I love the news coming in for Designer Con! Now I have a deluge of info for what Nonesuch Garden has coming to the Pasadena Convention Center, and you can file this under adorable!

Nonesuch Garden is the creations of Megan Baehr, who works some plush magic alongside painting as well. She will making her first trip to Designer Con, so everyone should stop by and say hello while picking up some sweet goods.

Ok enough banter, and let us take a look at what she has coming to Dcon!

Above we have The Berry Sproutlings
The Berry Sproutlings will be available for for an adoption fee of $415 each. You will also receive a copy of the Sproutling Care Guide, a Certificate of Authenticity, and a cute box to carry your Sproutling home in! Hooray!

The Sproutlings are created using air dry clay and a dry felting technique called needle felting. Needle felting is achieved by poking wool roving with a barbed needle over and over again until the desired shape forms. This method of felting is extremely time consuming, but the seamless results are well worth it! Sproutlings have a wire armature inside them that allows for gentle posing. No molds or patterns of any kind are used to make these one of a kind art dolls.

Also Sproutling brooches for $50 each, 1.5 inches high, made with the same materials as the full dolls. The grumpy faces are the best IMO!

Nonesuch Dolls

A collection of 24 different Nonesuch Dolls will be available. Adoption fees range from $75 to $175. I will also be taking pre-orders for designs I don’t have with me and accepting a limited number of custom orders from Designer Con attendees only for my November/December queue. All orders placed at the con will receive free shipping!

The Nonesuch Dolls were specifically designed to be customizable. I wanted the possibilities to be endless while maintaining a unique style and point of view. Each doll is hand sewn from my own, original patterns. They are made out of wool felt, embroidery floss, and polyester fiber fill. I sometimes use acrylic paint for details. They are typically 4.75 inches (12cm) tall and have string jointed arms and legs which allows them to hold simple poses.

Megan will also have the Tiny Monsters original watercolor paintings on hand.

Watch a Crocheted Cephalopod Color a City

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You know I have to post about cephalopods when I can! Now watch a lovely stop motion video of a small crocheted quadropus’  (not octopus) adventure in a city that haphazardly turns things blue! Cephalopods always equal win!

Won’t You Take Me To Monster Town

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The self taught Ryan Heshka has put down a life of interior design to make fabulous works of art and illustration. His work has appeared in more magazines than I have ever owned and numerous galleries, but now he has a children’s book out in time for Halloween called “Welcome To Monster Town“. This heavily image driven book showcases the daily life of many of our favorite monsters including a brunch serving giant squid. Looks like a great coffee table book and it looks even better for youngsters for Halloween. As listed on his site:

“As soon as the sun sets on Monstertown, creatures of all kinds go to work. So hop on the Ghoul Bus and see for yourself who inhabits this ghoulish town. Dr. Cyclops, Postmaster Skeleton, Frank N. Stein, Dr. Mummy, Captain Witch, and many other monster friends – including a junior monster-in-training – will welcome you with open arms!”

You can find more about it here.