I’m almost embarrassed by the number of times I’ve posted about Sandra Arteaga.
I’ve featured:
A Mixture of Works
The Funeral of Mr. Cookie
The Axolotl
And now I give you Last Chapter.
Before I ever considered cremation a possibility, I always thought I’d like my tombstone to be a book open to the last page. Perhaps that is why this sweet little book at rest resonates with me.
See a few more shots here.
Let’s start with a series of (miniaturized) Universal Monster Valentines:
And assorted other goodies…
And he’s not a monster, but he’s the master of suspense…gotta love this:
Don’t miss: MASOCHISTIC, MURDEROUS AND MEATY Valentines.
Unfortunately, I don’t have my whole collection of these with me at the moment. I’m *always* on a quest for more of them though. If you come across any vintage spooky Valentines, let’s share/trade!
Nowadays, zombies and whatever sparkly things pass for vampires are all the rage. But in the mid 20th century, some GENIUS decided to mix Valentine’s Day with the best of all holidays…Halloween.
Personally, I like spooky elements in ALL of my special occasions. I put bats on my Christmas tree and skeletons on birthday greetings (you get the idea).
I wish there were more like these.
Sweet little specters…
Witchy women…
A few favorites from Alexandria Neonakis:
YESSSS!
Another favorite set: Nerdy Dirty:
Adorable quilling:
See Science Valentines from last year too!
Amazing craft idea for the zombie lover in your life!
Imaginary boyfriends are the best.
This is how to get ALL the ladies!
Who knew cupid’s name was…DAN?
Unparalleled romance:
On a related note, the Newton Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Brooklyn is offering a morning tour of its sludge processing facility (I’m not kidding!)
My kinda cupid!
If I ever get married, I would shower my husband with beautiful sentiments like this:
You’ll rarely hear me say this, but…forget the chocolate…I want the box!
I forgot to put this fellow, all spiffy in his Valentine suit, in my Bat Valentine post:
Many folks who frequent this blog would probably appreciate the Tim Burton Valentine Card Set.
Boo Boo the Valentine Ghost just wants someone to love him.
And a couple of other sculpted creatures I found, without artist credit.
I generally don’t mention any kind of service on this blog, but I’m making an exception. This is not a paid endorsement, but a personal suggestion.
I once received a psychic reading from a woman named Charlotte for my birthday. I didn’t believe in psychics…or anything, for that matter. Like the naughty little devil that I am, I even tried to trick her with photos of people I’d never met. It didn’t work. And I mean it really didn’t work.
It’s been nearly a decade since that birthday, and I can scarcely describe the amazing presence this woman has been in my life. Truly impressive.
No subject is off limits: career, romance, health, people, etc. She is also a medium who can connect with those who have passed away (another thing I absolutely did not believe in until…without even knowing MY name in advance…she gave me my relatives’ names, dates and uncanny family details no one could have known).
Why do I call her the irreverent psychic? Because she’s wise, compassionate and gifted without any of the frou-frou New Age nonsense that I find so hard to stomach. No goofy gimmicks. No holier-than-thou guru antics, or images of flowery angels dumping glitter all over you. You may, however, get some hilarious off-color metaphors peppered with the occasional swear or two.
When I mentioned I wanted to post about her, Charlotte offered a special discount on sessions for SheWalksSoftly readers. $65 for half an hour (this NEVER happens and people always ask for it!). You must tell her Dana sent you for this rate! Full hour readings are also available.
For appointments and pricing, call Charlotte at (845) 868-3277 or email SageDelaney@aol.com.
Every holiday is better with bats, Valentine’s Day included. Here’s a little roundup of some bat-related Valentine finds.
By TheGreyFoxStudio:
By ktcrawford:
The Bat Conservation Trust has a whole page of bat e-cards!
I found this little lady here:
There are customizable bat pendants available on Zazzle:
Now for some vintage cuties:
And of course, we have retro BATMAN!
Anyone have others to share?
Dirk Staschke’s food sculptures are slightly reminiscent of decadent Baroque period imagery…
However, I enjoy that these sinfully indulgent displays have a slightly pale, sickly look…often topsy turvy, nearly ready to rot or collapse upon themselves.
This next piece comes from his show opening next month at the Bellevue Arts Museum in Washington, entitled “Falling Feels A lot Like Flying.”
See more here.
I’ve seen countless chocolate skulls, but this is the first I’ve come across that is cast from an actual human skull.
Yep…that’s pure chocolate. It comes in dark as well:
I think it would be rather difficult to find a more lifelike edible reproduction.
A new piece by Mark Ryden to lust after…
An age old patent for all your cow facade needs:
The ORIGINAL stairway to heaven:
Beautiful sandcastle by Adam Gormley:
Excellent idea!
Great party game:
Why not surprise your loved one with an unforgettable toy this Valentine’s Day?
Oh, BELIEVE IT!
At this restaurant, the only thing higher than the lobster towers is the staff’s hair.
I can almost hear the sweet, melodious tune of this duet.
They say history repeats itself. This political cartoon should be reprinted…
Now, I know it’s exaggerated for dramatic effect here, but this is pretty much exactly what my mind’s eye envisions when someone sneezes near me:
Heh. Wait ’til the 21st Century, girl…it’s called the Internet.
But alas…love hurts.
My best friend loves pickles. I sense an edible Pickle Circus setup at a birthday gift!
And I’ll finish off with a video that begs the question “Why is every sport that looks mildly appealing to me a century old and long since laughed out of existence?”
SheWalksSoftly 