Ephemera

I love, love, love paper things!  As evidenced with my toy theater blog earlier.  I scan the web weekly for new ideas and paper collections.  One of my fave (non- free) sites is Lisa Vollrath's Ten-Two Studios.  I have purchased several sheets of ephemera from her but she also has adorable  kits for making shrines, fans and more.  Her website is here: Ten Two Studios
Have fun!

Halloween - Story Time

It was a dark and stormy night...

Need some stories to get you more in the mood of the season?  Try these:

Want something fresh that you may not have known about?  Go to NPR's scary stories from around the world .
 
 For well told tales from the South and Appalachia, listen to The Moonlit Road podcast.

Sometimes silly, sometimes very spooky, this podcast only posts during October and touches on all aspects of the Halloween season.  From TV horror show hosts to Poe, Ancient rituals to kid's mask manufacturing facts, this guy obviously enjoys researching his topics and makes them enjoyable to listen to with his creepy soft voice and sound effects. Give the Halloween Haunt podcast a listen!  I especially like it when he reads some obscure, macabre poem.

Most of what I have seen on this site seems tame to me but I haven't been able to give it much time. It has lots of pages of stories to read.  So, if you like exploring, go here and look around... Halloween Ghost stories.

All out fun and family friendly, these short puppet videos are about a young boy who lives in a creepy castle with some very interesting friends!  Check out  Spookhouse Dave.

Halloween Costuming

 There are so many great places to shop for Halloween Costumes now, but here are some places I've found that you might not know about yet:  Ready made costumes  ,    Premium Costumes ,  Halloween 31  .  Their stock seem to be well made and eclectic.   A couple of steps above the local box stores. 

For a  well made mask check out this Italian  Master mask maker .     And for more cultural looks in masks go here:   Masks of the world     
   
Interested in making your own?  Have a look at "how to make a monster mask"

If you are planning to go with the early theatrical look you should know the characters of the Commedia del'Arte  and the significance of their masks before donning the costume.

Vintage Halloween

I love vintage Halloween stuff.   I have a few choice pieces that I have found over the years...a tin tambourine with a ripped drum cover, a tin horn that has some rust, and some other small oddities.  There isn't much left out there but if you are diligent you may come across some gems for your own vintage Halloween collection.  I love the items for sale at Halloween Collector, and they appear to be authentic.  Of course, if you really get involved you will need the vintage Halloween collectible book  to know what to look for and how much you can expect to pay.

Although authentic old vintage is wonderful, there are now some equally wonderful new "Vintage" Halloween items to be collected.  They really capture the feel of early Halloweens along with being better quality, sure to be highly sought after items for years to come!

Here are more reproductions of old Halloween decorations.  And more here.  Enjoy!

Halloween Music

Midnight Syndicate is a duo who make the most haunting and wonderful background music you could ever ask for!  They are truly masters of eerie music.  I listen to them year round!  They are also very generous in that they allow people to use their music as background for haunted houses free of charge!  Just be sure to credit them.  They have several albums out now.  Each with a different theme. Celebrating their 13th anniversary in 2010!   Check them out here.

Danny Elfman is well known for his film music but he has many lovely/creepy scores that you may not have known were his.  Check out his site here and be pleasantly surprised!
I just found this lovely, wonderful, new "Treasure Chest" of Danny Elfman and Tim Burton musical works!  It isn't out until December but is going on my wish list right now!

For fun, here is Disney's sing-a-long video of the  "This is Halloween" song.

And what Halloween season could be endured without the Funeral march for a Marionette, (which should not to be confused with Dance of the Marionettes.)

Education

I think the public education system in the U.S. needs a complete overhaul.  It is outdated and hasn't worked for years now.  But I won't go off on a tangent today about that.  I will, however, offer a site that offers free educational materials.  It has courses, textbooks...take a look and see what you can learn.  It is called Open Culture.

I've spent too much time on the blog this morning. Time to do other things but I will be adding to this on line education list so sign up for updates and come back often!

Halloween!

Want to give out something that won't rot their teeth and clog their little arteries?  Try Oriental Trading Company, or Rhode Island Novelties for big lots of items that are just as cheap as candy.

And for even more off the wall novelties try Pushin Daisies (Not the TV show which is still in my top 5 all time favorites!)

More to come.  I love Halloween!

Stories

 Gather round children, it's time to re-read your favorite fairy tales...and learn their deep dark beginnings.

How many of you adore the beautiful and heartwarming Disney movie Pinocchio?  Me Too!  But I also love the original version, where the mean spirited, self absorbed wooden marionette that comes to life squashes the cricket who is trying to talk sense into him and is haunted by its ghost periodically...and gets his little wooden feet burned OFF, and more!  A great commentary of the story lies here.

SurLaLune Fairy Tales features 49 annotated fairy tales, including their histories, similar tales across cultures, modern interpretations and over 1,500 illustrations. 

I invite you to do some research on your favorite fairy tale and see how it really ends!

Steampunk

Over the past year or so, the SteamPunk genre has made its way to the mainstream.  Meaning: People are trying to cash-in on the term by labeling anything as being "Steampunk."  Visit Regretsy.com  (now Regretsy Archives) and take a look at the "Not Remotely Steampunk" page if you doubt this.  But it isn't just Etsy sellers.  The big box stores seem to be adding dollops of what they think will entice their customers be up to date and to part with some of their hard earned wages without doing their homework.

I can see how it might be confusing to some, so I've found some sites that will help with the translation.  First, take a look at the French Steampunk  ring site.

Then watch this You Tube video from League of Steam.

Go here for authentic costumes.  Now travel over to Antiquus for accessories for your costume!  If you like to DIY then check out Hicronymus Isambard "Jake" Von Slatt's  page.  He also has some great links to further your education of what exactly, Steampunk is.

For some enjoyable reading visit SteamPunk Magazine or  look through this new anthology.  I haven't read it myself yet but am intrigued and will post a review when I have finished it.

Now hop into your dirigible and enjoy the scenery!

Just for Fun

Cute 3-D pancakes!  

Mr. Picasso Head - Fun with Picasso shapes!

Fun with Jackson Pollock - Create a masterpiece just like this famous artist.  Just move your cursor, left click to change colors.

Oh maaaan...just when I thought I was going to get some work done I stumbled on this site!  Sheesh.  But yet so very cool!  I want one of those half sized Porsches!  And what a cool design for a bike/stroller!  Wish they had those when my boy was little!  Want to see what I'm ranting about?  Go to Toxel.com.  It is dedicated to Design Ideas and Tech Concepts.  Fun!

Abandoned Places

While I'm here I might as well expand on the abandoned theater theme and add this blog that I found.  It is called "Abandoned But Not Forgotten."  They have quite a bit to look through in different states and countries but I suspect there is much much more that could be placed here.  At some point I intend to add some pictures of places I have stumbled upon that have been abandoned.  There is something about neglected places that attracts me.

Did you know that there are abandoned Disney areas?  Ever wonder what happened to River Country?    There are more pics here.   You may even catch a glimpse of the defunct "Legendary Years" hotel if you are at the right place on the Disney compound in Florida.

And speaking of Disney... here is an interesting list: concepts that haven't yet come to fruition...and may never...

Boy...can I get off on a rant or what?  :)  Enjoy my insanity!

Science-fun facts

Speaking of Science...here is another site that makes science fun!  Today In Science History.  You can select any month and day in the upper left corner.  What new thing can you learn?

Biology-Bugs

Ever find a bug that you've never seen before and wonder "What the heck is that!?!"  Well, here is a place you can go to and find out!  What's That Bug?  They tell you lots of interesting things about bugs while keeping it fun!

Theater-Ghosts-Abandonded Places

I used to explore and play in an old school that had been turned into a nursing home, when visiting my grandmother.  The first story was used but the second story was abandoned, probably because it was mostly just a wide open space.  It was the auditorium for the defunct school.  It had a stage and a huge cluttered area with some seats and boxes of who knows what.  This, to an eight year old was heaven.  Although it was off limits, I spent many hours entertaining myself and whatever ghosts were there.  I'm sure they kept an eye on me because I'm sure it was full of dangers that my child brain ignored.
On a whim I Googled "abandoned theaters" and I got this right on top.  The saddest ones still have their backdrops and /or curtains.
I don't think that old school building still exists except in my memory, but it sure is a fun memory.

Hats-trimmings

Oooooh....have you ever wanted to make a hat? Well, you can get everything yo need here! It is a UK company but they have fascinators, sinamays, straws, feathers, trims, wooden blocks, and hat boxes---Don't you just love the internet!?!

Books, Literature, Reading

Just found another free book site...here. "ManyBooks.net"

And for those of you who like to listen to stories, give this site a try. It is all classic tales read by B. J. Harrison. I've been listening to him for years. I think he has a wonderful voice. Sometimes there are editing blips (one or two words overlap as if he re-read it but forgot to cut the first one out) but there are not enough to put you off the story. It's just like having someone read to you with the inflections of an actor. I've purchased a couple from him but he has dozens of freebies to listen to via your favorite pod-player.

Automata-puppets-dolls

I've mentioned that I like dolls, especially puppets which are dolls that can be animated. I am drawn to making inanimate things animate. Along those lines is an art form called automata. Automata generally uses gears and levers to create motion (animation) of something. To make these things work smoothly, you have to understand the mechanics of the structure. I found
this site to be very helpful when I was researching this subject. It has way more information than I have had time to check out so start perusing it now.

The Japanese have a wonderful version of automata that they call Karakuri. These intricate pieces verge on robotics and give a magical sense of wonder with their delicate and precise maneuvers.

Actors-comedians-Harpo

When I was young, I was in love with Harpo. I wanted to be his kid, or grow up and marry him (understand that at that time I hadn't a clue as to what that entailed.) He made me laugh, he had fun at everything he did, AND he played the harp more beautifully than I thought possible...and still had FUN doing it! I just found this official site dedicated to him.
The world could use a few million more like him.

Halloween

I LOVE Halloween! I'm just going to jump right in and post one of my favorite sites...there are so many! Lets start with Elvira, Mistress of the Dark! and her official website. There is also a wonderful fan site, Manor Macabre.

"Nighty-Night...."

Science - Biology

A fascinating video from NOVA about the genome project. I know, it sounds a bit stuffy, but it is very enlightening. It is called Cracking the Code of Life. It is two hours long but they have cut it up into sixteen segments for viewing online, so you can watch a little at at time. But I'll bet you will keep watching them one after another once you get started. It is truly one of the marvels of our lifetime!

Clothing

I just found this site via HBO's True Blood series comments. One of the characters wears a dress from this company in the upcoming series season finale. Its called Trashy Diva but the dresses are truly divine! 40s and 50s looks in fresh fabrics! And for the risque in us all they have some beautiful corsets...guess that's why they call themselves trashy, but really they are gorgeous! I might just have to save my pennies for one (after I lose 30 pounds!)

Dolls

Dolls have come long way in that they are now recognized by many to not only be play toys but works of art. I have a passion for making dolls...specifically dolls that can be manipulated to give the appearance of life...IE: puppets. But dolls, none-the-less. The National Institute of American Doll Artists has been a wealth of inspiration, tips, and resources for me over the years and continues to be so. Check it out.

One of my favorite dolls (I actually purchased one a few years back) is Ellowyne Wilde from Wilde Imagination. I also lust for their Evangeline Ghastly!

Biology...

Something close to my heart and that I get excited about is Biology. I especially like microbiology, so when an article pops up about the odd red rain that fell in India in 2001, I was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. It was through this article that I first read the word "astrobiology." I guess we needed a word for the science of studying microbes on Mars and throughout the universe...I just never thought about it before.
It turns out that NASA has a whole web site dedicated to it! Fascinating information! Well worth the time to peruse it. See it here.

Literature and Writing

Lets start with Bartleby.com. This site was the catalyst for this blog. I found it just today. It has a plethora of classic literature...for FREE!

The Search is on...

I come across so many great sites when I am perusing the web. I have a ton of favorites saved! It dawned on me that I should be sharing what I'm finding. So this blog is going to be dedicated to my favorite sites on the web! Just my personal opinion. I will try to "file" them as I go along to help with going directly to something that may interest you. Thanks for visiting, come back often!
Caio!