ULLABENULLA

Have A Hauntingly Wonderful Halloween!

Here are a few 'discoveries' for today, inspirations perhaps to set your Halloween emotions afire!  Above, a 'Bio-Cycle',  via Black Pudding.  It would be difficult to find a better ride for this weekend!

Below, a Halloween Valentine of sorts.  Romantic and Macabre at the same time!  Available from Dark Knight Armoury.

Or perhaps a real heart is more to your liking, tis ghoulish times afterall...  This one was found on HauteMacabre...

Topping off todays finds are these wonderful Skull Sculptures by JIM of the Skull Gallery.  In his words:  "The inspiration for my work comes from Amerindian and Oceanian cult objects. It also draws from Europe, with ex-votos, relics and cabinets of curiosities. I’ve always been fascinated by death. My art is also contemporary, which doesn’t rule out a spiritual dimension."  Quote and images from an interview with Jim on Build/Make/Craft/Bake.

Happy Halloween All!

A Few More Coffins At The Castle!

The Castle's own wonderful Daniel and a delightful Mother and Daughter team joined me on Friday to round off this years Halloween and Day of The Dead classes!  As much as I love full classes, there is something really special about spending the day with 3 wonderful people like these!

Finding Magic...

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.”

Roald Dahl   link

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Devilishisly Ghoulish Wishes!

If only we still wrote in images...

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Ghosts In The Winds...

I was being chased by ghosts in my dreams last night - my Husband had to wake me from my screaming... I wish they had been as cute as these...

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Pumpkin Theatre's at the Castle!

On Tuesday 4 students managed to navigate the floods and high winds and come to the CASTLE for my annual 'Pumpkin Theatre' class.  Not only did they create amazing pumpkins, but all managed to start a second theatre during class!  Bravo girls!!!

Dia de Los Muertos Shadowbox - Class Sample!

In the spirit of the season, construct a small, casket-shaped shadowbox with a candle holder mounted on top and a skeleton dangling inside. I will show you how to build the shadowbox with a lid that opens and closes, and how to ruche hand-dyed velvet to create a rich looking interior. I will also give you ideas for decorating the skeleton in ways that might suggest a story about his or her previous life. My skeleton is posed in quite a touching way with a small heart clutched in his hand - he died, you see, of a broken heart...

Fee: $95.00 includes all materials plus skeleton

SATURDAY, Oct 24th - CLASS FULL

STAY TUNED FOR NEW DATE TO BE ADDED!

This class is held at:
CASTLE IN THE AIR
1805 Fourth Street
Berkeley, California

Needing Advice! 'Tinsel and Treasures' Make it and Take it

I am doing something new this Fall, and I am really really excited about it!!!  I'll be teaching a series of 'MAKE IT AND TAKE IT' Halloween kits at TINSEL and TREASURES on Saturday September 12th in Alamo.  So here is my question.  I've never done a 'Make it and Take it' nor taken one, and need some advice on pricing. Above is a Halloween Candy Box, complete with interchangeable masks, that I will be teaching. 

 

How much would YOU pay to make this in an hour?  $15.00?  $18.00?  $22.00? More?  Less?  

Also, if you could purchase a pre-printed kit to take home, would you want it to cost less?  the same? 

Have you done 'Make it and Take its' before?  and if so, what did you make, and what did it cost?

I appreciate any advice you have!

THANK YOU!!!

Dance The Halloween Tango!

Vintage party favors available from Ruby Lane.

Halloween Carousel Class at the Castle!

Saturday's Halloween Carousel Class went hauntingly well!  Six wonderful women joined me at the CASTLE for a day of Halloween fun.  I don't often teach classes where everyone starts with the same materials, so it always amazes me that despite this, everyone ends up with something different.  If you look closely at these, you'll see many little differences in each carousel (including a couple of clowning skellies) that makes them unique and special!  BRAVO GIRLS!!!

Vintage Halloween Patent's...

Look at these!  The second one looks more like Mr. Potato-head then Halloween, but still wonderful!!!  LINK

Goblin Fruit's Delicious Autumn Feast!

Beneath the Crook

by Marlo Dianne

Beneath the crook, the bones will wait
Silver shook and minnowed bait
Bits and bites, earthen churned
Twisted rights, nibbles earned

A strand of lash
A split of skin
A soup of tears to mat it in

Leafy veins
And ferning eyes
All gather close to green the guise

Beneath the crook, the bones will creak
Rain sobbed and marrow leaked

No hand or flame
No salt or sign
They clatter close, baubles benign

Beneath the crook, the bones will kill
And rattle down to slurp their fill

Come Enjoy the Delicious offerings that GOBLIN FRUIT has prepared, and enjoy the thrills of being scared to the bone!  (photo link)  Thank you Midori for the reminder!

GINGER SKELLIES

How cute are these???  From Craftzine via Apartment Therapy Ohdeedoh.

Masks from Venice

LINK

Emerging Illusions Fashion Fantasies!

Once a year in the spring, San Francisco plays host to The Emerging Illusions Alternative Fashion show.  Designed to showcase up and coming fashion and costume designers from the Punk, Goth and Industrial scenes, its a tour de force of creative inspiration!  I love the grab-bag feel of these outfits.  Bits and pieces of fabrics, zippers, lace, and trims, deconstructed and then reconstructed into costumes any fashion Magpie would adore!!!  Link

Halloween Carousel Class this Saturday!

This Saturday the 25th, I'll be teaching a Halloween Carousel at the CASTLE!  I think there is still a spot or two left, so call 510-204-9801 if you are interested!!!  For this carousel I decided to use 'iconic' halloween images and cut them out as silhouettes.  I used parchment paper and added rubber stamps for details.  They have the appearance of flying in a haunted forest...  The roof features a witches hat top and fun crepe paper finial!  I love how the whole piece turned out, let me know what you think!!!

Halloween Pumpkin Theatres at the Castle!

Last Saturday I taught Halloween Pumpkin Theatres at the CASTLE!  What an amazing class!  I was so amazed at the individuality of each student and have decided to post both student portrait and close-ups of their projects!  Trust me its worth it!!!  This is such a FUN class, where we cut a faux-pumpkin in half, and then create a scene inside ~ perfect for the season!!!

Thoughts on Decorating For Halloween...

I guess its been a couple of years since I shared how Halloween Decorating goes here at Ullabenulla's house.  My Daughter, now 13, loves Halloween as much as I do and plays a major role in how things are displayed at this time of year.  In THIS POST 3 years ago you can see things do not look too different from today.  As a Mother I love seeing how my daughter gets excited about holidays and decorating.  As a Designer, I gently try to teach her mature ways of seeing and making a display look good.  We 'discussed' a few things about decorating and display this year.

First:  I really do subscribe to the 'Less Is More' concept - really!  I just love collecting so much that sometimes 'More is More'.  Anyone else sail in that same boat???  Well, this year I had hoped to really go through my boxes of Halloween goodies, and ONLY pull out my favorite pieces.  Alas, my daughter kept pulling back everything I put aside, with words of; "Mooommm, I LOVE that one!" or "That's my Favorite one!!!"  So, in conclusion, very very very little got put back into the boxes, and almost EVERYTHING is now on display.  (note:  My favorite addition to this years mantel is an antique Bat School Poster, from the Czech Republic, that I framed in black, see above ~ isn't it great?)

Second:  I tried to talk her through how things look great in groups, but 'lets try to make them look like they are in conversation together, not lined up like little tin soldiers'.  She got that one quickly, putting cats with cats, and bats with bats... now everyone seems to be enjoying the party.  Then the idea of 'Collections look wonderful in groups of 3'!  "But Mom, we have so much more than 3 of these..."

Third, what about colors?  I dream of having a 'black and white' halloween display some year, but it won't be this year...  "How can you decorate for Halloween without Orange Mom?"  As you can see, It just isn't possible, at least not this year...  

I really believe in letting children find their own rhythm in design, decor and fashion.  And letting my daughter be the 'Master of Decorations' for Holidays is part of my respecting this belief.   Its not always easy, as I truly LOVE to play house, but I know that some day down the road, I'll have my own time to decorate just as I chose.  For now, Halloween, at least in this house, belongs to its 13 year old mistress!  

Sooooo, Do You Think HALLOWEEN Is My Favorite Holiday???

My Daughter and I decorated today, but first we had to get EVERYTHING out and just look at it all!  Wow... Here's a few more photos pre-display...  More later...

Halloween Jewelry In My Etsy Shop!

I have added a few Halloween pieces to my ETSY SHOP.  I hope to add more within the next couple of days, including BAT BABIES!