Giving a birthday gift– or any gift!– to the psychically minded is an uncomfortable challenge. Of course, one always wants to present a loved one with a perfect something that he or she will love and cherish. When that loved one has odd — er, discriminating taste, gift-giving is a supreme task. And when that loved one recognizes that his taste is so unique that he might miss a thing he loves so he buys it for himself rather than wait until someone else can…! Well, you see the challenge, right?
This year, however, I must toot my own gift-giving horn! The Doktor was surprised almost to the point of speechlessness– almost being an important aspect since he was talked into (by me!) recording the gift opening process.
The Spirit Dolls in the video were handmade by Chicago-based burlesque performance artist, Red Rum. Red Rum uses actual leftover or worn out costume pieces to make these one-of-a-kind art pieces. I don’t know if they came pre-loaded with magical powers or acquired them upon arrival, but I can already sense an increase in creativity and energy in our space!
These two have taken their place in our home, where they will inspire us to keep surprising ourselves and each other!
Doll Arm and Trilobite Beads Necklace by the Dreaming Squid https://www.etsy.com/shop/DreamingSquidHere are a few more suggestions from the denizens of Dailynightmare.com to make your holidays a little brighter. As with our earlier Weird and Wonderful Gift suggestions, the ideas below are fantastic opportunities to show off-the-beaten-path affection for the macabre-lover, horror fan, or creatively dark individual on your shopping list. If you don’t have enough time to bring your gift-giving fantasies to life before your self-imposed or calendar-based deadline next week, keep this list handy for the other gift-giving occasions that arise throughout the year.
Check out the Dreaming Squid Dollworks & Sundries on etsy. You’ll find lovely and original handmade art dolls for display as well as jewelry pieces that combine skeleton keys, doll parts and trilobite beads.
We are big fans of MakerWorks, the local maker-space which sports a host of resources, from woodshop and metal works to fabric design and laser cutters. Regularly scheduled classes and workshops teach new skills to users of all levels. A membership could be the perfect gift for someone on your list. Personally, we are very excited about the new Punch Card program which gives flexibly of use for a busy person.
You never know what you’ll find at Painted Lady Trashions at the fabulous local art resource, the Rust Belt Market in Ferndale. Are you looking for Ouija board necklaces, vintage gas masks, or a frog skeleton? Their curated curiosity cabinets display a fascinating collection of arty oddities. The Rust Belt is offering extended hours for the next few days; see their website for the details. Not within driving distance? Check out the Etsy Shop.
We’ve written previously about discovering 3DKitbash at the Detroit MakerFaire, and we highly recommend their Boneheads skull kits as well as their printable fashion doll Quin. They’ve added additional 3D printer plans for both lines since we met them, so check out their site. This is a forward-thinking business to keep an eye on.
Screamshaw.com is local business with a webstore that creates jewelry with laser etchings on bone. We liked what we have seen and brought home our own souvenir.
Studio FX 101 in Troy, Michigan is a metro-Detroit maker space that emphasizes design, art, and architecture. The Doktor and I enjoyed one of our weirdest date nights ever making face casts under the skillful tutelage of the workshop leaders. Their offerings also include classes in sculpture and candle making and they sell craft supplies as well. Follow them on Facebook or their website for details on upcoming classes and events.
Gift giving is a common transaction that can be imbued with extra meaning when the gift shows the thoughtfulness of the giver in knowing and honoring the recipient. Although the largest gift-giving season of the year is upon us, showing affection or appreciation to a friend or loved one is not tied to the calendar. Keep these extraordinary Weird and Wonderful Gifts in mind for year-round occasions to come.
My son is a game-nerd and a bit of his zeal has rubbed off on me. But where William geeks out over rule-set elegance and game re-playability, I am truly a sucker for nifty game pieces and beautiful boards. And monsters. A game without a monster just isn’t much of a game.
That’s why I am so pleased with the Alvin And Dexter expansion to the classic game Ticket to Ride. I can’t believe TtR already celebrating it’s 10th anniversary, but if you haven’t yet played it, Ticket To Ride is a fun tabletop game where players compete to build cross-country rail lines. It has a great board and especially cool train car game pieces. But until this expansion, there were no monsters.
Alvin is a blaster-toting space alien and Dexter is a voracious giant lizard. The pieces for these non-player characters are beautifully sculpted and cast in beige resin that shows off their detail. I bought the expansion purely because I loved the figures, but when I realized what these critters bring to the game, I believe I could convince my son that the purchase was essential. In the stock version of Ticket to Ride, the competitive element is rather subdued. Sure, a player could block a key segment of rail when it becomes evident that a competitor is building a connecting route, but the game is woefully good natured. Alvin and Dexter shake things up on a much grander scale. I might be expecting too much from the monsters, but they seem to me to be the very best type of game expansion, the one that reimagines both the game and the strategies needed to win, which can be like playing a brand new game.
Games are perennially popular gifts because the best ones can give a family or group of friends hours of fun together. I’m excited to share this gift with William, so we can enjoy some fresh game play together. And maybe this time I’ll win.
If books and ebooks are on your gift lists, hurry over to ChiZine Publications where a Black Friday Sale continues until Monday. With an 80% discount off of ebooks, this is a great opportunity to snap up some gifts for the horror fans in your life– or for yourself. You’ll also find substantial savings on print publications as well.
ChiZine has a wide selection of titles in their catalog including novels, collections and their ChiTeen lines. The Doktor and I were both highly impressed with David Nickle’s The Geisters (2013), which is one of those books we still talking about. We also enjoyed Joey Comeau’s The Summer is Ended and We are not Yet Saved (2013). We picked up several other titles from ChiZine during a summer visit to Bakka Books in Toronto. On our bedside reading tables include other ChiZine books from Gemma Files, Laird Barron and David Nickle.
Now is the time to stuff someone’s stocking, real or digital, while this Chizine sale lasts.
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. A membership in the group could be a great gift for an aspiring horror writer. GLAHW is a pretty wonderful organization of which we are proud to be members. In addition to supporting and promoting horror writers, GLAHW hosts an annual fundraising party to support local literacy efforts. 
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provide novel reading experiences for lovers of poetry, horror, and typography. 
expansion to the classic game 
is a fun tabletop game where players compete to build cross-country rail lines. It has a great board and especially cool train car game pieces. But until this expansion, there were no monsters.
