I was looking around for an everyday choker. Lazy but fashionable, I wanted it to be attractive but didn’t want to have to take it off to shower. After listlessly poking the internet a bit I eventually came upon EmbellishMaille’s Etsy shop .

I knew what chainmaille was, but I’d never looked at it up close and certainly didn’t know it came in different patterns or weaves. After seeing the impressive, intricate styles available, I contacted the owner and requested an interview and she graciously agreed.

Lucid Chainmaille Choker ($35.95)

How did you get into making jewellery?

There was a time when I was looking at chokers and as I was doing a Google Image search, I came across a lot of chainmaille. I was intrigued and fascinated by the variety of patterns and even color designs. I took a look at a few instructions for some of the patterns considered “for beginners” and thought, how hard could it be? I invested about $50 into some start up materials and it’s been a growing passion. The only limit is my own imagination. I love that it empowers me to get creative and have an outlet to express myself.

Helm Weave bracelet ($18)

How long have you been making jewelry?

I started around the Spring of 2011.

Do you have a favourite piece to make or a favourite style chainmaille?

My current obsession has been the Jens Pind Linkage or JPL pattern. It reminds me of a classic rope braid weave that is pretty durable and unisex.

Music Lovers Bracelet JPL ($18)

What’s the most complicated style to make? How long did it take you to master that style?

There’s a pattern called Elfweave that I remember being fascinated with when I was first exploring different weaves that I wanted to try in the beginning. I had tried the weave three or four times over the course of the last three years and it wasn’t until about six months ago that I could finally wrap my head around the instructions. The instructions were very clear and included photos, but for some reason it just baffled me. Once I finally rolled up my sleeves and took some time to understand it, the pattern itself wasn’t as complicated as I was trying to make it. Sometimes there are weaves that don’t have instructions and those can be tricky to visually break the weave apart to try to re-create. The key for me has been to go into a new weave with a clear head.

Elfweave Chainmaille necklace ($45)

What’s your most popular piece?

The most viewed item is my “Lucid” Choker , which is something of a modified helm pattern. The most popular piece actually purchased is a toss up between the new custom photo pendants and the helm weave choker.

Have you ever tried to invent your own weave?

Not yet, though most people that have created patterns did so by accident. Or they will look at a pattern and say, “I wonder what happens if I do this with the ring instead of that.” There are a ton of variations out there by other folks that have tinkered and invented a new pattern. I think I came to do chainmaille a little late in the game and that most variations I would think of have probably already been done before. One never knows though!

Zig Zag Byzantine Necklace ($49.95)

What would you say to someone who was interested in trying to make chainmaille jewellery? What resources would you recommend?

For anyone interested in making chainmaille I will offer a few tips to know before getting supplies and such…. 1. is that doing chainmaille, not just jewelry but anything can be tedious. Most of it is taking a small segment and repeating it over and over again. For some that’s too monotonous. If you have any sort of carpel tunnel or arthritis, I don’t recommend it.

I would also suggest getting some good pliers. There are different types of pliers for different metals. Since I use aluminum, a flat thin nose and a flat, slightly fatter nose pliers works for me. If someone plans to use steel, I’ve heard that pliers with teeth will be more suited for the task. As for other metals, I’m honestly not sure. However there is one website that has a ton of patterns, photos, forums, etc on everything chainmaille. mailleartisans.org The registration is free and they have a gallery and you can search the weave library and so forth.

As for rings, different people use different places. I started out using theringlord.com and then added stores.ebay.com/ americanchainmail as another option. Some people make their own rings and that’s awesome, but not something I have ever wanted to get into. There’s also some great videos on YouTube for learning patterns.

Stepping Stones Weave bracelet ($17.95)

What materials do you use and why do you use them? Can you shower in them?

When I got started, my budget was tight. I wanted a shiny metal and anodized aluminum offers the shine without tarnishing like silver. It’s affordable, comes in a variety of colors and sizes and is really just easy to work with. The anodized aluminum is pretty easy to clean with the BLUE Dawn hand dish soap and warm water. Depending on the weave, it might recommend having a spare toothbrush to get into the crevices. I do have customers that wear their jewelry everyday including in the shower and I haven’t had any complaints yet. For anyone with metal sensitivity, aluminum also seems to be a great alternative.

You can follow the shop on Facebook: EmbellishMaille and of course the Etsy site is here .

Mythic Articulations , 3D printed skeletons of creatures from mythology as well as cryptids, was brought to my attention by a friend who saw Cerberus in a can (he’s poseable and you build him yourself!) and immediately thought of me. My friends know me well.

Meet Snuffles, Ruffles and Bob.

After admiring the work on the etsy shop I contacted the owner/artist, Brian Richardson, who answered some questions via the electronic mail.

How long have you been interested in mythology and mythological creatures; how did you become interested?

I’ve been interested in mythology for as long as I can remember. I can’t recall what started the interest, it’s sort of just always been there.

What is your design background & how did that lead to 3D printing?

I’ve been drawing since I was about 5. I first learned of 3D printing about two years ago, and took up 3D modeling over the next few months. I didn’t really do a whole lot of sculpture prior to learning 3D modeling, due to material costs and the inherent mess of working with clay or wood or metal. Being able to make basically anything virtually, with no mess, and then have it printed into a 3D object really brought about an interest in sculpture.

Everyone has that neighbour who simply refuses to mind their own business, don’t they? (Rokurokubi skeleton)

Do you have your own printer or do you outsource your creations?

I outsource to a local 3D printing bureau. I have considered getting a desktop printer, but the quality of the prints from most printers just isn’t good enough yet. Maybe in a few years.

In terms of anatomy design-do you have formal training in medical anatomy or are you self-taught?

I took biology classes all through High-school, but that’s the extent of my training. Most of my knowledge of the skeletal system comes from looking at lots of pictures. I probably couldn’t name all the bones, but I know what they look like and how they fit together.

For the Harry Potter fans-it’s a Hippogriff. There’s also a centaur available.

Walk me through the process of creating a new piece, from deciding what it will be to finished product with certificates and paperwork.

I usually just pick which ever creature I think would make a good skeleton or be popular. There’s lots of scouring Google images and Wikipedia to get good interpretations and descriptions of the various beasts. I’ve also got a few books I look through on occasion. I use the program ZBrush to sculpt each one. I start from a virtual ball of clay, and push, pull, cut, and move it around until it looks like whatever part I’m making. I use lots of reference photos of actual animal skeletons.

I’m to the point where a lot of the parts for new creatures are already made (skulls, wings, spines, etc.) and I can just mix and match them with some adjustments to have a new skeleton. After that, it’s off to the printers and a week later I’ve got the skeleton. The paperwork is as simple as swapping out text and photos.

If you’re more interested in modern myths there’s the Flatwoods Monster and other cryptids.

Customers can request custom orders-what are some of the more interesting requests you’ve had?

The most interesting custom order I’ve done so far was a poseable model of a customers original creature design. It looked a bit like a “big-boned” Godzilla.

Cockatrice. That tail looks a bit dangerous.

Would you be open to the idea of sending a piece through some place like Shapeways to have it printed in metal or glass for a customer-do you plan to offer skeletons in other materials in future?

I have actually had a skeleton printed in bronze by them. The only problem is the relativity small size that they can print in metal. I may be offering select models at a reduced size in metal at some point.

Do you have a personal favourite?
It’s a three way tie between Cthulhu , the Wolpertinger and the Cockatrice .

Elder gods never looked so cute

What pieces do you have in the works?

I’m currently testing a Bakeneko (a large, intelligent cat that walks on two legs), a Nekomata (a Bakeneko, but evil and with two tails), and a Wanyudo (a giant flaming head in an ox cart wheel). These are Japanese monsters called Yokai , and there are hundreds of them, many of which I’d like to model at some point.

In the age of ereaders (and I love mine) bookbinding is becoming a lost art, but Dragos Man has elevated something that can be a utilitarian way of attaching pieces of dead trees together into an art-form. His journals and albums appear to be antiques, as well they should since every element of them has been crafted by hand by someone who clearly knows (and loves) what he’s doing.

A Tale from Transylvania

(See more photos of this journal here . On Etsy here .)

As soon as I saw Dragos’s journals on his Etsy site, Dragosh , I had to have one. Then, when I started looking at his other, special order journals on his Facebook page in order to design my own I wanted to talk to the artist who makes them. Happily, he agreed to answer some questions.

I’ve never had a more difficult time choosing which photos to use with an interview, however, so be sure to check out all of the links provided-they open in other tabs so you won’t lose this page.

Per Dragos’ request I have edited some of his responses for clarity, as English is his second language.

The artist and his best mate, Igor

Bookbinding is an art-form but you take it to the next level. How did you become interested in bookbinding? Did you study formally or are you self-taught?

I chose many paths in my life trying to find my real one and I worked in different fields just trying to find my way, like many others have. I always had the instinct to leave life to make choices for me and I just follow them-no matter how crazy that choice seems to be at that moment. And life just guided me here.

I started bookbinding 11 years ago without any knowledge about it because I needed to make some photo albums… and I started with some ugly albums, but I was so proud at that time. In time I started to learn basics in bookbinding little by little and my products started to look acceptable, technically speaking.

For the “next level” my wandering through different fields of work in the past and the fact that I learned from my mistakes not from some school were my aces, because I didn’t have any prejudice about how I had to do things and I applied some unusual techniques from sculpture, metal working, wood working etc.

Antique style journals

(More photos of these journals here . Etsy listing here .)

Take me through the process of making a journal for your shop-not a special order, just a regular one. From having an idea for a new journal to putting the finishing touches on.

It starts with the idea, of course. After that I make a basic design-many times just in my mind-a design that I mostly don’t respect at all, because in time comes new ideas that usually add improvements. I don’t usually plan every detail at the beginning, it’s more interesting to leave your mind to wander all during the process. Sometimes I stay stuck on a small detail like a deer or a car headlight for days. This is frustrating but this is a part of the process. In this situation I put the work aside to wait its answer and start another one.

Hammer of Thor journal

(More photos of this journal here .)

How many pieces are you working on at any given time?

Few, as I said before, sometimes I just have to wait for ideas and leave some work aside for a bit. The problem is with custom orders when you know that clients are waiting for news and I cannot provide any, this can put a little pressure on me, but fortunately all the clients that I’ve had till now were very patient and understand this without any explanation.

Sometimes the opposite happens and I do four week’s worth of work in one week… it’s all about the inspiration of the moment.

Steampunk Leather Journal

(More photos of this journal here .)

In many of your descriptions you say you hand colour the leather. How do you do that?

The leather can be coloured industrially, like in tanneries, for example, on the entire surface. I use sponges, cloth, brushes or airbrushes, even my finger sometimes to apply the color in different shades or in different amounts for every place on the cover to create different effects.

Stone Journal

(More photos of this album here .)

Wood-like Journal

(More photos of this journal here .)

How long, in hours, do you think it takes to make an average journal? When you’re actually, physically working on it.

I really don’t know how to answer this, I don’t count only physical work. It depends on so many things: complexity of design, materials, how many items I make at the same time with similar basic characteristics. For example when I sew book blocks I sew more than one in same day; when I prepare cardboard or leather I do this for more journals at once. In this way I can save a lot of time.

La Marelle Couture album

(More photos of this piece from start to finish here and here .)

Another La Marelle Couture album

(More photos of this piece here .)

Though your Etsy shop has beautiful pieces, the special orders featured on your DeviantArt and Facebook sites are particularly incredible. What would you consider to be your most ornate piece?

It is not as important what piece was most ornate as much as what piece was most difficult to make. And for this La Marelle Couture albums, both of them, are on top. It all started from a few scrap vintage pieces that Marelle sent to me and a logo. All the rest was: “do what you think” and I had to make the albums to be similar to her style. Fortunately she is a wonderful woman and we had good communication in the process and the result is visible. We are good friends now and this says everything.

Other difficult orders were ” The Red Devil’s Flight Log ” and the ” Sleeping Beauty “, you can see them on my Facebook page.

“Called and Chosen” journal

(More photos of this journal here .)

You’ve also done an impressive, and quite large, violin display case . How different was that process from making journals and albums?

It is not a big difference. The principles are the same: first you have to think about the functional part, second about strength and third about design. The rest is just work.

Vintage Violin Journal with violin peg as closure

(More of this journal here .)

Speaking of violins-they feature on several of your journals. As do ships and the death’s head. Can you talk a little about what each of those symbols mean to you-why you keep coming back to them?

Well, here you touched my sensitive chords. About the violin, as shape it is the most feminine instrument in the world. As sound it is the same, can be very tender or very hysterical, depending on the hands that touch it. And as women, she cannot develop her beauty alone, she needs a pair, the arch. You can say I never put the arch on the covers of journals… I make the violins, the arches are the responsibility of writers.

About the ships and skulls… we are what we used to read or listen to in our childhood and I was in love with the books of Jules Verne, Jean Bart, Herman Melville, Jack London etc and as teenager I loved rock music. And I still love those books and that kind of music.

Pirate Journal with Slipcase

(More photos here . Etsy listing here .)

You mentioned liking rock music-do you listen to music when you’re making journals?

Yes, often, and I choose the music regarding the kind of work that I’m doing at the moment, it is a good source of inspiration.

My Fair Lady Journal

(See more photos of this journal here .)

Your pieces have an old world feel about them-as though they were meant to be used by people who’d never heard of the internet or even electricity. You don’t use modern methods, either, why did you make that decision?

Most of my tools are hand tools, but for some of them I use a modern advantage, like electricity, for generating heat. I also use a computer for some calculations, for choosing fonts or even for some design parts. I use that little help from technology for saving time and energy. It is the same reason like why you don’t use a hot coal heating system when you’re ironing shirts-you use electricity.

Sapphire Green Journal

(More photos of this journal here . Perfect for the Slytherin in your life.)

Do you have a favourite type of tool to use or journal to make? In terms of steampunk or Victorian or Medieval, etc?

I like any hand tool, I cannot choose a favorite one or another. My favorite is the one that I need now. My favorite kind of journals are those that have a story behind, at least in my mind. In terms of Steampunk, Medieval etc, I like them all equally, it really depends on my state of mind.

The largest photo album. Ever.

(More photos of this massive beauty here .)

What part of the journal-making process do you enjoy most?

Every part. When I feel inspired I enjoy the documenting and designing part and experimenting with new things, methods of work etc. And sometimes I am too lazy to think about new things so I prefer the routine part of work like sewing, preparing materials etc. And this is what I consider a healthy way to work: not to adapt my mood to the work I have to do, but to make the work that I feel right for the moment. In this way I enjoy every moment at work.

Well it certainly shows that you enjoy every second. Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I look forward to seeing more of your work.

For more of Dragos’ work check out:

Dragos Man’s Facebook Page

His DeviantArt Site: The Book Whisperer

Most importantly you can place an order on his Etsy shop: Dragosh

You can also follow him on Twitter: @Dragosh_Man

He also has a personal blog if you’d like to see more of his work and learn stories behind some of the journals.

Several years ago I came across an ad in the back of a magazine for something called ‘ Villainess Soaps ‘ and thought, ‘Whatever that is, I must try it.’ ( This is my original review from back then.)

I was not disappointed.

My first order was a bar of Miss Edith soap and lotion (called Whipped ). On the Fragrances Menu , Miss Edith is described as: ‘Lemony black tea with milk, English Lavender and Roses beneath a thick layer of dust.’ I liked that it sounds like the character in a Barbara Pym novel or a kindly librarian. Or a kindly librarian in a Barbara Pym novel.

Since then I have tried Ginger Snapped, Blood, Antihero, Truffle Trade and Bathory, as well as some others and the free samples you get in every order (two per order) and my own mix of the Smack (an exfoliating scrub of wonderfulness). My husband and I particularly enjoyed trying different blends of that.

Fragrances are handmade in small batches so they don’t keep every single thing in stock year-round, which means you may miss out on something you’d really like to try (Arsenic & Old Lace, Cobwebs, Nightshade, Pyromania, and Shrapnel are on my list), so sign up for the newsletter.

Stores in Canada, the U.S. and U.K. stock the line, and, of course, they’re online. Shipping has always been quite fast, in my experience, and they include, aside from the previously mentioned freebie soap samples, a couple sweets with each order.

I’ve recently had the opportunity to chat with Brooke Stant the creator/owner of Villianess.

How did you get into making soap and how long have you been doing it?

I have struggled with dry, over-sensitive skin for my entire life, so I was already interested in alternative skincare brands and paying attention to ingredients. I was in a particularly bad eczema flare in late 2000 when I ran across a copy of “The Soapmaker’s Companion” by Susan Miller Cavitch. When I realised I could control what went into my skincare, and formulate a bar of soap for my skin needs? I fell completely in love. I made my first batch in December 2000, so I have been making soap for nearly 13 years.

When did you create Villainess and how did you come up with the name? (It’s the reason I checked out the site in the first place, several years ago. I think I saw an ad in Bitch or somewhere.)

Villainess.net was originally a catch-all domain for web-dev projects that launched in 2001. The idea was that going upstream, or taking a path that contradicts conventional wisdom is framed as rebellious, villainous and upsetting. You rarely see the archetype “anti-heroine” but “villainess” is common. So, the name choice is slightly sarcastic. When I was ready to launch the soap line in 2003 we had a selection of poison themed scents (Arsenic & Old Lace, Nightshade, Strychnine, Silk & Cyanide) and spent several months looking for a brand name that would suit our scents. I felt a little silly when it dawned on me that I’d already been working with Villainess for two years, and that it was a perfect fit for my scent concepts!

How many people are involved now?

We can be a 6-person team, depending on the time of year, projects on the table, and collaborations we’re involved with.

About how long does it take to make a batch of something you’ve made before and how many bars does one batch produce?

I generally work in 60 bar batches - that’s about 17 lbs at a time. At that scale, it can take the same 30 minutes to make either a 10 bar batch or 60. The time spent in soapmaking comes in the waiting for melted oils and lye solutions to reach room temperature. The actual hands-on manufacture goes fairly quickly, because my soap formula traces rapidly and must be poured into the mold before I have a large stainless steel pot full of solid soap.

You have an incredible range of scents . How on earth do you come up with new ones?

Our fragrance development can start with anything from an idea, a single word, a tableau, or a single note. We do a lot of “atmospheric” scents which are designed to evoke scent memories - layering smoke, ozone, and petrichor over more specific notes, or finding a balance that still creates a wearable bouquet. Sometimes we approach oddity for its own sake, and it’s a question of which single notes in juxtaposition will create something new and interesting. In those cases, I push into unexpected accent notes or pairings instead of softening a blend with something like vanilla or chocolate or citrus.

Oddity for it’s own sake is always good, in my book. What does your ‘laboratory’ look like? I’m picturing something like the potions room in Hogwarts, please don’t disabuse my illusion.

The lab may disappoint you! It is unadorned, but we have various bottles and projects stashed varying degrees of completion. There are usually several beakers with prototype scents, cut soaps waiting to go into another batch, and stacks of soap molds hanging around.

Villainess Laboratory. At least it has a skull.

Once you have an idea for a new combination, what goes into actually creating the different products-what does that process look like? And what lucky souls get to test it?

At this point, most of our formulations are established so we are doing less testing for product safety and performance. We had a great bunch of volunteer customers sign up, not too long ago, to test a shaving cream prototype for us. All along, our customer base has been incredible about letting us know what works, what doesn’t work, and what they’d like to see more of. Sometimes we work with our resale partners to test-run fragrances. Because they are exposed to more scents professionally, they can always offer good feedback on a scent’s performance, unique qualities, and marketability.

How did the testing of the shaving cream go? Is there a release date on that? What fragrances will that be offered in?

The general consensus on the shaving cream was that it didn’t have enough “slip.” We’ve shelved it, long term, until we can find a more cost effective way to concentrate the mucilaginous herbal concoction.

Who writes the fantastic descriptions of your scents? Ditto for the designer of your site and labels, etc.

I handle both scent composition and copywriting. For some scents, copy exists long before the fragrance has been mixed up. For others, I find it’s easier to translate the creative process myself, rather than having someone else describe the end product. Our designer is Kira Butler, of Elixireleven.com . We’ve been working together since 2008, and it’s been one of the happier collaborations in our history. Kira’s creative vision is always spot-on. There have been a few releases where I didn’t know which direction we wanted to take them, in terms of branding and making them distinct, and she has happily surprised me every time.

Are there any new scents or products on the horizon you’d like to give us a hint about?

We’re currently working on several experiments - a cucumber/currant/raspberry concoction, something called “Killer Tomatoez,” and a spiky green mess called “Once Bitten.” We’re also ironing out the plans for our 10th Anniversary Release. We celebrate our birthday in September, even though we turn ten in mid-August. That event should be delicious.

What is your favourite ingredient to work with? That blends well with other things.
I tend to use a lot of leather. I joke that I want to blend leather with everything, but I find that both the synthetic single notes and our in-house “rawhide” esential oil bouquet will lend a cool base note and homogeneity to almost any blend. I think my favourite was coconut, leather and ozone/sea salt. After leather, I find that dragon’s blood is a go-to in atmospheric blends, and I tend to rely on peach a little heavily with fruitier scents.

Villainess Mixing Bar. Notes galore.

Are there any ingredients that you thought would work out well and just… didn’t?
Cilantro. I cannot get cilantro essential oil to play nice in any blend. Even in small quantities, it doesn’t just overpower, but it remains intact. When blending, I’d like to hit on a combination where the whole is a new concept; not just individual notes dumped together. Cilantro will not morph, no matter what I pair it with.

Which is rather ironic, since a lot of people say cilantro tastes like soap. What are your personal absolute favourite products and scents to use?

I love our Slick! oil cleanser. I am a big fan of Urban Decay’s 24/7 eyeliners, and… they don’t come off easily. Slick! is my hands-down favourite makeup remover for really saturating makeup and rinsing away without a lot of scrubbing. After that, I still use my own soaps. Right now I’ve got a bar of our olive oil blend, Satiate (all essential oils, vetiver, lavender, oppoponax, pink grapefruit), and one of Precipitate (the avocado oil and shea butter soap from a recent release). Usually the limited editions, and special runs end up in my bathroom, but I always love going back to Ginger Snapped. It’s still the perfect balance of warm spicy sweetness.

Slick is the one product I haven’t tried (yet). When is Miss Edith making a reappearance?

Miss Edith usually makes a February appearance - I think it’s been several seasons since it’s been released, so we can aim for this winter.

Villainess Samples: You get two per order, because they’re awesome.

And the question I ask all the creative people: Do you listen to music whilst making soap?

Oh yes! The tiny iPod speaker dock has a permanent home in the soap room. Radiohead, The National and Soundgarden get a lot of play.

And one other, geeky, non soap related question: You mentioned villianess.net being a catch-all for web-dev: So, were you a web developer/do you still do that or is soap your life now?

I was never a professional web developer - mostly a hobbyist who did a little free-lance work. It was an awesome skillset to get me into e-commerce with a smaller financial investment. Soap is my life now - full time. I’m grateful for the transition in many ways, because it always me to focus on the one thing I do well. But I often miss the web development field, and it’s frustrating to be so out of touch. I pretty much have to outsource help for site upgrades nowadays.

Well, you’ve definitely found your niche, I think. Thank you for your time!

Thank you, Victoria!

From the first time I read the opening scene of the fourth act of Macbeth I’ve always wanted a shelf a dusty vials and jars of questionable contents, labelled with the sorts of things that would make a serial killer blanch. I wanted something unique, but since I have the graphic design skills of a drunken three year old, I figured it would have to exist in the one of the terrifying recesses of my mind. So when I discovered Chocolate Rabbit on Etsy , oh but my dark little heart skipped a few beats.

After looking through her shop I simply had to contact the creator of the labels. Happily, the designer, Betsy, agreed to an interview.

How did you become interested in vintage labels, in general, and designing them, specifically?

I discovered vintage Halloween imagery about 8 years ago and fell in love with how the old stuff was so dark and scary. This was back when Halloween was a holiday for adults. Beistle’s illustrations especially caught my eye with their imps and haggard, fanged witches all done with pen and ink. From there I started really looking at all kinds of colorful ephemera specifically for ornate typography, and the beautiful litho illustrations. The majority was from old holiday postcards and advertising. Even the bad rhymes fascinate me. I’ve always been an artist and have loved beautifully drawn images, pen and ink work, and hand lettering.

I have a rather warped view of things and thought I’d like to experiment at making my own advertisements using the notion that witches and mountebanks were mainstream, and you could buy supplies and their wares in a regular market. I loved the idea of these empowered wise women as entrepreneurs, opening their own companies and producing the old recipes for modern witches in a busy world. it was a fascinating idea, and I started with potion bottle labels. I love the dark, mysterious world. I’ve studied paganism, I’ve researched the ‘old ways’, and have a great deal of respect for men and women who live this passion. I think I must have been a hedge witch in a past life. My current life doesn’t allow me to brew my own potions although I do dance under the moon from time to time.

Though the Halloween labels are my favs (obviously) you have an eye for all sorts of designs-do you do graphic design in your professional life or is it something you do for fun?

I’ve done a few custom designs for people. I was asked to make something for the Salem Witch’s Ball. That was pretty cool! Most of my work is for fun though, and the fact that people buy it is really nice.

What are your favourite types of things to design?

My favorites are the Halloween labels. It is the perfect opportunity to mix up the dark and strange with some silliness. I also love the pseudo-Victorian advertisements that I’ve made. The old ads for patent medicines really make me laugh, and I try to incorporate some of that craziness but like to keep the label looking like it could almost be real.

My husband is a graphic designer-a visual person-while I’m a word person so I can’t picture the process of designing something new. Where do you find inspiration? What’s your creative process look like?

I’m definitely a visual person. When I’m browsing pictures of old labels or advertisements there will be some that just stick out and hit me in the nose…and I think things like “Strichnyne Syllibub…Nettle Nostrum…Hemlock Hotpot…” I know it’s weird. Using the structure of the old labels gives me a great starting off point for my own strange visions.

Something that I enjoy are the names of some of the witches-they’re perfect! How do you come up with them? Do you keep a list of ideas or do they just come to you when designing something?

The witch names..lol! I try to use old fashioned Victorian names. It just makes sense to me that the witch next door would be named Hortense or Esme. I think a witch would be more likely to choose something a little dark as a last name. It just goes with the profession…like Grimraven, or maybe she’s just called “Granny so and so” or “Auntie”. My husband had an Aunt Prim. I just love that. My Great Grandmother was Fannie Mayberry - awesome!

When you’re being creative do you listen to music?

When I work I listen to audiobooks. My favorites are anything by Dickens, and my favorite but sadly departed Jack Vance the master of SF.

I have to geek out for a second: Dickens is one of my fav authors! Bleak House is my second favourite book ever. Do you have a number one fav?

I LOVE Bleak House. I have to listen to that one again. I also have to confess that I love Mrs. Gamp in Martin Chuzzlewit and her “cowcumbers with vinegar”. My ultimate favorite is anything by Jack Vance. He was an artist at turn of phrase, developing outstanding character machinations, and ending his stories with very satisfying justice for the hero. The Lyonesse Trilogy, and the Dying Earth are favorites. Dickens rocks though and is a very close second.

Does every single thing in your house have an incredible label on it? I’d bet so.

Too funny about the labels! Actually no. My house is more like a work that is most likely not going to progress. I have 2 teenage boys and a husband. That should explain everything.

That’s kind of a bummer. I liked the idea of the dog being labelled ‘Dog’. Do you at least have your own little shelf of odd-looking bottles of potions and tinctures in the house?

I actually have a collection of ratty looking potion bottles that I made several years ago. I would love to live in a cottage in the woods with a cauldron on the hearth and a few cats. It would have to have air conditioning and and Internet though… I’d label everything if I had a cottage.

Tins from Betsy’s house

Your font collection must be impressive. (I love fonts.) How many do you have? Ditto for clipart.

Font hunting is a favorite sport. I have just about every free Victorian-esque font available. My dream is to make my own because it is so hard to find that perfect one when you need it. My image collection is probably more than 50GB worth on my computer and there are more coming in every day. There are some great ephemera groups on Flickr and sometimes the owner of the image lets you play. My laptop is sick and I haven’t been able to open Photoshop for several days. I’m getting shaky and scared.

Just thinking about not being able to use my computer gives me the jim jams. What else is in your digital toolkit?

My tool kit is mostly Photoshop. Sadly it is the wimpy version and not the full strength playground of digital delight. I also have Inkscape the free vector program but I’m trying hard to not hate it so much. If I didn’t have a Mac I’d also run SAI. Oh…and a pair of glasses 🙂

I used acrylic matte spray to finish them and it aged/bleached the colours on the last three.

I think the first time I came across the idea of ‘eye of newt and toe of frog,’ etc was in the first scene of the second act of Macbeth, where the three witches are doing an extended potion-making. Have you ever considered doing a sort of Weird Sisters Pack of labels with a bunch of things a witch would need for that spell?

The Weird Sisters idea is great and I’m going to get right on it as soon as I get my computer back! [Note: Since this interview was completed, Betsy’s computer has been repaired and the labels have been created and they are fabulous .]

It’s very cool that you allow people to use your labels on items they sell-your work is such high quality that it alone could be the tipping point for something. Do people ever send you photos of things they’ve put your labels on? If so, what have been the coolest uses of your labels that you’ve seen?

I so wish that people would send me pictures. I hear occasionally what people are going to do with them but never get to see the final product. So sad.

Well, thanks to you, I’ve finally started my first curiosities cabinet -something I’ve wanted to do for ages-and I’ll be posting photos of the potions and such I make using your labels.

Since you’re into the potions, are you a Slytherin, or would you just do really well in that class? What would your worse class be at Hogwarts (and don’t try to tell me you didn’t attend).

Ah Hogwarts! Slytherin sounds so appealing but I have an annoying sense of honor and need to do the right thing so I probably would have been sorted into Gryffindor or Ravenclaw.
I would have excelled at potions. History of Magic would have been too dry and dusty for me.

History of Magic would have been my worst subject, as well. Thank you for your time. Keep making great art!

You can check out more of Betsy’s incredible art at the links below. And you should. Because it’s awesome.
Etsy Shop
Pinterest
Facebook
DeviantArt

Yesterday ScaryDad posted an interview I did with the lovely Amber from Southern Gothica . She makes the dolls below (and many more). Check out the interview here .

Procrastinating doing research one day on Facebook I happened across bizarre little creations that reminded me of contemporary voodoo dolls. Intrigued by Medusa and Cthulhu, I clicked further and came upon the Grinch and Winged Monkeys from Oz (with machetes) and Salad Fingers and thought, ‘I must interview this wonderfully macabre, talented person.’ Said person, Kim, was happy to oblige.

Thank you so much for agreeing to chat with me. Your little creations are adorable and creepy, my favourite combination.

Creepy and cute happen to be my favorite combo too, a bit heavier on the creepy, though, I always hope.

How did you get into making these great little creepies? And how long have you been doing it?

A few years ago I was just knitting socks and hats and things, and my friend who only crocheted had started amigurumi , and happened to buy me a book for my favorite of all days, Halloween. It was my gift with the stipulation that I make some xmas gifts, which was completely cool with me. The book is called Creepy Crochet by Christen Haden . I made a couple of the crochet weebles from that book, and decided I could venture out on my own. AND a friend asked me to make some Left4Dead zombies for his fiance for Valentine’s Day. When those were a hit, I decided I could do this….

Medusa!

What would you call what you do? Is it crochet?

It is crochet, I do occasionally knit parts-chances are if I’ve made a female doll with a dress, its knitted. Not sure why.

What materials and tools are in your kit?

SO much yarn!!! I really only use a few hooks, they’re down in the 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm range, which is small but not the smallest. I have a pliers, for sewing and bending the 24-26 gauge wire I use for armatures, I use polymer clay to make some of my wee accessories, eyeballs and handles to the weapons I make. Sometimes I make a character that’s holding a sword or a hatchet, so I’ve got aluminum sheeting, wire cutters and files. and paint, bloody weapons are more fun than plain, unused ones. Needles of all sizes, and rainbows of threads.

Skull keychains

Bloody weapons are so very much more fun than plain, unused ones.
What other materials do you like working with?

I use fabric sometimes, there are some things that can’t really be crocheted-some of my characters wear capes, which need to flow more than crochet does. This year I’ll be adding some things with wings, so I’ll be having someone make some wings for me, as well as trying to make a few sets myself, so I’m going to try to work with fancier wire and some cellophane, as well as embossing powders. I like adding small beads and charms and wee bits, details are everything to me.

Nosferatu

What’s been your favourite thing to make thus far?

I made Medusa, and she’s pretty great! I had wanted to make one, she’s a favorite mythology character, and a friend asked me to make one for his daughter’s birthday, so I was stoked!

I just made a posable tree, and now I’m staring at trees outside, wondering if I can make that one, or how hard would it be to replicate that bark…

I also just recently made a character from a friend’s book. I wanted to make a really good doll, kind of stretch myself…she’s got great boobs and bum, She came out really nicely!

Posable Tree

How do you decide what you want to make? And once that decision has been made, what’s the process from there? Designing, etc.

About 95% of what I make is custom order, literally, someone messages me and asks if I can make a zombie of their pet, or Cthulhu, or whatever. If it’s a movie character, I always ask for their favorite picture, so I know what look I’m going for, then I try to find as many photos online as I can, movie stills, costume pictures, from different angles, so I can get the right picture in my head. I work with the pictures up on my computer, it’s about 3 feet from my face. When I made Charles Manson, I had the Life magazine picture up on my computer so his crazy eyes were staring at me for probably like 3 days. If it’s not something specific, Cthulhu, I ask the person for a few pictures they like, so I can still have an idea of the direction to go. So very many people give me so much leeway to creating. I check my yarn to see if I’ve got the “right colors” or go shopping with pictures on my phone so I’ve got good color references. Then I pick horror movies to watch while working and go.

Good old Chuck

Charles Manson must have been interesting to make! Was he the most surprising request thus far? (If you ever set up an Etsy shop perhaps you could do a line of serial killers. Release them in sets like macabre beanie babies.)

Um, I think he’s been the oddest request, yes. I can understand all different kind of horror movie characters, and zombies of family members, but it was the oddest. I had no idea how folk would take it either, would they love it, or would they be a bit weirded out by someone making a soft, posable Charlie… Strangely enough folks loved him, all the way through construction, since I show in progress pictures. I’ve had 2 other folks ask me about having their own Charlie Manson, one is asking for one without wire, but a bit more plushie, for his daughter.

For his…daughter… uh huh.
You mentioned watching horror movies while working-do you ever listen to music when working?

I do occasionally listen to horror movie soundtracks on Pandora, but I realized it’s the ambiance in the horror flicks I like.

Who wouldn’t want their own Golem?

You’re involved in yarn-bombings. Please tell me more about that. What’s involved, how did you get into it, etc.

I remember seeing an article about yarnbombers, ones who hid their faces, since technically it’s graffiti and illegal, and being intrigued. They also mentioned that some folks’ installations were taken…and that made me smile. I decided I’d help fill the world with my own yarny brand of love. Sometimes I make flowers and hearts, for outside yarnbombs while I’m shopping, more often I make skulls, different colors, some with hearts or flowers, kind of like sugar skulls. There’s usually a small tag that says something like “creepy things need love too. find me a good home.”

I mentioned to a group of crocheters, or hookers, that I like to yarnbomb, and explained the premise, bringing a bit of yarny love to a place you don’t normally see it, and so many folks jumped on board. Lovely folks made wee stuffies or bunting or flowers or awesome bookmarks, and we all tried to do it nonchalantly, One lady’s blanket on a horse was part of their local news cast! They all were so thrilled, and giggled and smiled and most of all enjoyed themselves, and were so happy when someone had taken their anonymous gifts, it’s kind of addicting.

Yarn Bomb Hearts

I’d like to include photos of your work-including the Medusa and Cthulhu and Charles Manson, as well and the skulls and some other little things I like. Are there other things you’d definitely like me to share?

I’m a bit proud of my Victor Crowley. I made the first one for a customer’s order, and he was so thrilled with his doll he shared pictures on Fb with Adam Green, of Hatchet. I was contacted by the head of hair and makeup F/x, girlfriend of director BJ McDonnel, and asked to make one for his “movie viewing room.” so I did. I made a 10″ Victor Crowley, with her head as the “dead head” he’s holding I made his hatchet too,

Pretty recently a creation I’ve made, a character in an as of yet published story helped the author propose marriage to his girlfriend at the World Horror Convention!

Victor Crowley

That warms my dark little heart.
Do you have any plans on opening an Etsy shop?

I do have plans for a shop, but my problem right now is no stock. I literally don’t have anything lying about. The last time I made something that wasn’t for custom order, I posted it on my facebook page and within 40 minutes it was sold.

That’s a pretty great problem to have!
What’s the best way for people to contact you?

Facebook is probably the easiest place to see everything I’ve made, it’s where I post it all.
Folks who already have an idea of what they want can email me here at [email protected]
This is my Pinterest account.
Also, I just started a deviantArt account.
Kim’s blog is KreepyKim’s Freak Boutique

If you like what you see here, check out her work on her sites and give her some love!

Thank you so much, Kim!