Movie Screen

Before fellow AR-people ask, no animals died in the process of making that fluffy piece! Maybe a Care Bear or two but surely that's acceptable enough, compared to the real thing. The boots are surprise freebies I once received from Pennangalan, and the song is an earworm I picked from Metalhead movie.


For a film enthusiast, times have been good in this town in November! First the horror night of Cinemare offered some wonderful trash, gore and horror through the whole night, and then came Rokumentti Rock Film Festival. So I have spent most days rewinding movies in my head and watching them, both in cinema and at home.

I strongly recommend seeing What We Do In the Shadows if you even slightly enjoy twisted humour and vampires. I have seriously NEVER seen a film that funny, and I've seen many! Wiping away tears of laughter after ten minutes usually is a pretty good sign, and it's hard to get over how heart-warming the dandy vampire Viago was. I would definitely add this hilarious piece to the top three list of modern vampire films.

The first place in my mind belongs to the mesmerizing Only Lovers Left Alive, which, given the chance, I had to see again on the screen. It was perfection packed in an hour and a half; a night presentation where I secretly sipped red wine while melting on the red velvet chair, silently giggling at the thought how it doesn't get much gothier than that. Another intense experience was seeing La Chute de la Maison Usher, the live music show went beautifully with the silent Poe classic. I've seen Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari in the same way, and find the concept of live music and silent cinema altogether beautiful.

And some other small mentions; 20,000 Days on Earth was a must-see piece for any Nick Cave fan, and Metalhead was entertaining, with little sprinkles of Icelandic humour over the quality drama. I'm always eager to hear new film suggestions, so if you have something in mind, let me know!

Hairesis maxima est opera maleficarum non credere

Post Halloween Greetings from Salem! Or any other place where the sickly puritanian hysteria took root, cutting away the lives of innocents.

First I was going with a more complex costume, but then I found this vintage piece hanging in my closet and went with it. (The noose however wasn't hanging in my closet, I'm not that desperate.) It's not historically accurate nor does it deviate much from my usual look, but I liked it anyway. I'm itching to try the same costume idea again, but as a "burned at the stake" edition. Anyway, I had a great night and my guests were sublime as ever! I forgot to take any pictures with all the fun I was having, but we had a visit for example from the Queen of Hearts, Wicked Witch of the West and even a Soul. 

I wish the Halloween season could have gone on for longer, but I'm sure the horror dose will fuel me for some time. Did you have a nice Samhain? Any parties or costumes you'd like to share? :)

A few April pieces

April flew by with minimal blogging, so I thought I'd share a couple of joys from the past month. I had the best of luck with flea markets in April! You know the feeling when you go second hand hunting with a specific thing in mind, and you find just that? That happened so many times I can't believe it. Here's a pick on some goodies that I found only last week, including a vintage lace collar that camouflages me with innocence, two books that I've been meaning to read, frames for my wall projects, another bell jar and a nice stack of other treasures. I wonder what May will bring my way!

I spent countless hours in the woods in April, remembered how lost I feel when nature is not constantly near. I only wish I could live in the middle of a city and the woods at the same time.

Hanged out with Nana, a darling black whippet. (She reminded me so much of Nipsu, the Moomin character as all Finns may know!) 

The big thing about this encounter is that I wasn't allergic at all to her, no matter how much I rubbed my face against her silky black fur. This gives some light hope of having a dog at some point in my life! I'm seriously having the worst case of dog fever, must be driving everyone around me nuts with my daydreaming after huskies and other precious canines. I could die from joy each time I get to pet and hug puppies on my walks.

Had many date nights with the dear one, this one was Cthulhu Mythos themed. Vegan Elder Sign cupcakes, cold brews, 20's jazz and horror soundscapes on the background and the only board game that I can actually enjoy and focus on; Arkham Horror. Nothing says romance like fighting against the elder gods and cultists while desperately trying to prevent the apocalypse, right? The great thing about the game is team work, you don't fight against other players and if you try to go solo you will likely just lose your mind or trigger the end of the world. A true treat for any Lovecraft lover!

And best of all, I FINALLY earned myself a new laptop. This is a huge thing for me and very good news for the blog too! Working on a deeply broken down machine was simply too tiring, so most days I never even opened the wreck. But this beauty works like a charm (plus the red glow is wonderfully diabolical). It's been years since I've had a new computer so I'm ridiculously happy about this! I couldn't even remember how it felt to be able to access files quickly and edit photos without your Photoshop crashing every 30 seconds.

The only flaw is that the HD screen makes all photos look like crap and I can't fix that, haha. All my photos are in a fixed size so they should appear normally here, but Blogger expands and chops them oddly. At least on my screen, I hope you're not seeing what I'm seeing!

Hollow Upon Hollow

I was travelling again over the weekend, can't seem to be able to stay out of Helsinki for very long. After seeing some live music, friends and family I came back  in the hours of the night, and found a package of pages waiting for me. Some books and comics, the usual vice. My mind said a resounding "NO" for the order as it saw the stacks of books piling next to the bookshelf, but curiosity didn't listen to any rational thoughts. And so the pile grew.

I started with Hollow City this morning, the sequel for Peculiar Children. (Thank you Marie S for the hint, I may not have noticed the publication without you!) Peculiar Children was a treat to read, so we'll see if this book can hold the candle to its predecessor. This book also has those wonderful, bizarre vintage photos inside, carrying the plot forward and tickling the mind.

blouse & deer brooch vintage /  skirt , belt & pumps second hand 

I mashed today's outfit here as well, as it was slightly inspired by the feeling of the story. I can sense a mild granny mode kicking in again, recently I've been wearing my vintage blouses and curls and drinking tea a little more than usual. The velvet pumps are a recent gift from a friend. I only wish I could use them outside or on some festive occasion already! That, and being able to levitate. 

What kind of peculiar skill would you pick, if you could? I'm curious! I think I'd go with telekinesis.

22: A peek on my thesis!

Now that some time has brought distance between me and the graduation inferno of spring, I'm ready to show you something about the thesis. Just a small peek! Movement will come later. 

I wanted to create something I had absolutely no hands-on experience of. It's always a risk but I craved to do a piece I would genuinely enjoy making. So, my love for pop-ups and horror tales was compressed to this within a month:

Can you tell what three Poe stories are portrayed here? These three were in the final printed prototype, but I made some designs for a couple more stories too. I hope you like it!

18: The Bone Church

Last month we went on a little road trip adventure with my friend Laura, and at one point it led us to the church of Sedlec Ossuary, an hour away from Prague in a sleepy town of Kutna Horà. I don't know when was the last time I actually sought a church on purpose, but this place had to be experienced! It's a pretty dumbfounding -even surreal- sight, and it took some time to realize we were actually there. I don't think I still fully have.

I hope the photos will speak for themselves as my words seem to fail me with this place! I'd suggest not to scroll down further if you feel uneasy about human bones.

Tourist! My bones are still hidden.

It's horrible, but I think this one looks like a band promo pic.

16: The Addams Family II

Someone might still remember my old Addams Family matryoshkas, and I now I have created another set! Very similar one (as the client requested), but still unique, as always. This particular family will be sailing to England very soon, but I will happily make another in case someone has her heart set on one. And oh, I should finally expand the family to Lurch, Grandmama, Thing and Uncle Fester too. ;)

PS: If you wish to share these dolls somewhere, please always make sure to credit me accordingly. Thank you!

The Man With the X-Ray Eyes

The best month of the year has finally arrived! 

*throwing imaginary confetti in the air*

October, October, even the word echoes so nicely in the vocal cords! 

The highway to All Hallows Eve, filled with fog and edged with grinning pumpkins.

 As Halloween is drawing closer I might be sharing more spooky things here than usual. ;) 

Garments of today include: a thrifted dress from the 40's (one of the best second hand finds in quite some time I must say! Flea markets never seize to amaze me), also a thrifted veil hat from the 40's (paid a total 0,50€ for it, mwahah), a rib cage bag from ReStyle and Minna Parikka heels. The cold winds are blowing from Siberia and so a jacket and extra stockings are essential additions while going out. 

(I love the details in this dress!)

Today's inspiration was snapped from the local hospital. I paid a visit there a little while ago (nothing too serious) and just had to draw my phone out of the bag and take a few souvenir pics from their cabinets of medical history. Taking phone pics in public always makes me feel like such a hipster, but who cares really! A box filled with vintage glass eyes, x-ray photo from the 30's, medical bottles, x-ray manuals.. I don't know how anyone could resist this stuff. ♥

The Raven

*Sponsored post!*

"But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.

Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -

Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -

On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'

Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'"

I was asked to photograph and portray a few designs by a doll Etsy seller, Dahlia Deranged. Being an old customer of hers my answer was a resounding yes! There's something so bewitching in the mix of dark silvers and bird skulls that makes the more material chambers of my heart beat rapidly, and so these grim birds (and one ghostly bumblebee!) flew across the Atlantic ocean to perch upon the pallor of my skin. 

As you might have noticed, I have a thing for ravens and the rest of the corvid family. 

Obsession, perhaps. When I was in high school I used to sketch bird skeletons everywhere, and I knew most of Poe's most beloved poem by heart. Some verses I still do. The raven spread its wings on my thesis and one even sits inked on my skin, and more of its inked kind will some day appear on other parts, no doubt.

Needless to say, I love these pieces!

The simpler ones go wonderfully with more graphic outfits and the more decorative ones 

match victorian and vintage tinted outfits beautifully.

"And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,

And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted - nevermore!"

If you enjoy these designs I recommend checking out Dahlia's shop!:

(You can also find her on Facebook)