Links zwo drei vier

Hey there! long time no see. That's because I moved out july 5th to Quebec City, and I just got Internet. I don't have much to offer you craft-wise, unfortunately (although I plan to do a wee bit of taxidermy and entomology mounts after pay day), so you'll have to be satisfied with a couple of links.

Playing with Dead Things: The owner of Ironcircus.com presents a walkthrough of her dead pet rat's mummification. Rat guts ahead!

11 Old and Grungy Film Textures: Scans of Daguerrotypes in high resolution to be used as textured layers in photoshop or whatnot. Very useful!

160 Old Paper Textures: Exactly what it sounds like!

Guide to Synthetic Hair Extensions: Lots of info about synthetic hair, most notably how to make and insteal fake dreadlocks.

Monsterlist of Halloween Projects: Lots of tutorials on creating halloween props, costumes and effects. Lovely, and huge!

That's all for now folks. I'll try to share more later on.

Botanical items for your perusal

Recently, while looking around in my room, I noticed something.

There are paintings on the walls, skulls on the shelves, a shrunken head and a dead mermaid now and there, a full library and wardrobe, a few bottles of spirits and musical instruments, a couple of dry insects pinned on a frame, but damn, there's no life in there!

No room should be left without a living thing in it. While I'm contemplating buying myself a few fish or some amphibian, bug or reptile, such a creature might need more care and light than what is available in my modest dwelling.

Thus, I shall probably add a plant or two, to freshen the air, add color, and make the place a bit less gloomy. I'll probably put a terrarium and a couple of succulents, for these are easy to care for, and my green thumb is yellowish and slowly turning to black, if you know what I mean.

A couple of links I found interesting during my research for the perfect vegetation, after the jump!

Of sideshow gaffs & taxidermy

After the success and interest that was bestowed upon my last creation, namely the Feejee Mermaid (from Borneo), I thought about sharing to you a few pieces of information on taxidermy and the art of sideshow gaffs.

Gaffs are simply tricked exhibits. The most famous of them all, of course, is the mummified "mermaid" body exhibited by P.T. Barnum during the 19th century. This creature, dubbed the Feejee Mermaid (from the original spelling of the Fiji islands), was of course nothing more than a hoax.

P.T. Barnum's Feejee Mermaid

More info and pictures after the jump.