[Creepmas] Day 12 - Toys For The Kid In All Of Us

Matt and I collect toys. Sometimes we are asked if they are for our children while checking out and I reply - "we do not have children" and get odd stares. Matt and I also like to talk about the toys we grew up with as kids - many of the same ones circulated within our toy chests! If you are like us and love spooky cute toys here are my top picks. I guess they are suitable for children too but I am allergic to children so use your own judgement!

Vampletes make super soft cuddly creatures to snuggle with. There are many undead critters to choose from including a Vampyre Bat named Hector! I wonder if he was the first in the bat gang to die? Sorry Moz reference!

Winter time means yeti time! This plush will have you yelling for yetis! Say Hello to Yurik your foreign exchange pal who wants to sip vegan hot cocoa with you!

Monster High dolls are not only cool - they serve as fashion inspo for me. Luna is actually one I have in my collection because -duh- insects! We also sponsored a foster child's holiday wish this year and bought her Monster High dolls!

Every Creepmas home needs their own Pumpkin King! Funko Pop figures are fun to collect and again I have this toy in my collection!

Hanging Out In Oakland

I had a group therapy meeting in Oakland over weekend. We have not been to Oakland in awhile so we had to hit up a few of our favorite places and walk around as the sun set.

The group meeting I attended was across from a mortuary - I sat across the street and watched the parking lot for any signs of un-life floating around.

After grabbing chocolate and caffeine at Timeless we walked down to Issues and I found a copy of Beyond the Dark Veil and I almost hyperventilated in the small store. Watching online auctions sell the book for hundreds of dollars I was bummed that I never got the first print. I was not even sure if they would reprint it but here it is - I bought it!

Hanging out at the Colton mausoleum with one of the sphinx twins at Mountain View. The sun was setting as we made our way along the cemetery trails. We saw some deer and the twinkle lights go on as we left. It all felt very magical. 

We ended the night with vegan deep dish pizza from Zachary's and a stroll around the neighborhood looking at books and in shop windows.

Ace Hardware has a neat display going on. It is part mad scientist part vampire hunter. It had a very old time-y movie set feel.

Faux Entomology - DIY Creepy Home Displays

I recently bought a bag of plastic beetles in hopes of getting to do something crafty with them. In the past I made beetle jewelry and this time around I put one aside for that but I wanted to try something new.
I had a bunch of small frames I bought for another project that never happened - you know how that goes right? The frames are the perfect size to showcase my new plastic beetle collection.
I cut out the plastic protective covering with an craft knife - it is in place of the glass. I used the photo template to trace some random scraps of paper I had in my paper pile to fit the frame. I glued the paper onto the cardboard backing and secured it in place. I then used a heavy duty glue to attach the bugs - my first go around was using a glue gun and the bugs dropped off. I let them dry and they are ready to hang gallery style or perched on an end table.Creepy perfection with a cute kick!

The Bone Room In Berkeley, CA

I checked out The Bone Room in Berkeley last Saturday. This is the type of store one can get lost in for hours. Bones, specimen, vintage medical equipment, art and a laid back yet helpful staff and owner.If you are a fan of the show Oddities and like the store Loved To Death in San Francisco, then check out this store. I like it so much more, friendlier staff, allows photos, not 20 security guards in a cramped space...Young and old were in the shop chatting about nature, bone readings and having a good time.

Fetal skeleton: could not get a great shot, it was behind the case at an odd angle. This was in the museum next door, it is an annex to the shopping store next door with more art, books and vintage/rarer stuff to buy. The owner hangs out here - he was supper nice letting me play with his vintage medical scalpels.

A fetus skull cast. Would make an interesting specimen for your coffee table.

On a budget but still want some human bones? Then go with foot bones! $5 a pop! They also had jars of teeth that were pretty cheap.

The shop was loaded with butterflies. My favorite was a Mormon butterfly (not pictured) that was black and red - super cool.

While I am not into taxidermy or animal parts, bones and creepy coffins and tools interest me and have so since I was young. My mom in fact would bring me home casket literature if she had to go to a funeral home...I walked away from the bone room with some fossils that hopefully will be made into jewelry, a broken vintage ceramic doll (they sell doll parts!) and a Bone Room patch. I can't wait to go back, my eye is set on some jewelry and books!