Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Important info for MSC customers!

Due to a family emergency, I am out-of-state this week. Let's put it this way: there is nothing worse than packing for a funeral when you go to visit a parent. :( Any purchases will experience a delay in shipping. I apologize for any inconvenience, especially given that this is the holiday season.

I appreciate all the support and well wishes from everyone more than you will ever know.

Keep checking back for updates.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

There's an app for that....

File this under 'whacky news'...

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been given a grant to develop a software application that allows a patient to cough into their phone to diagnose the type of illness. Gives computer hacking a whole new meaning. ;)

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Treasury: Have yourself a scary little Christmas.....

Two creepy holiday Etsy treasuries...what do they have in common? A Mad Science Creation!! Yay!!

'Santa Claws is green' features my Zombie Star Ornaments (thx again, creeplings!):



And my Butcher Knife Bloody Ornaments were added to 'hexmas holidays' (thx, MadHouseMauly) along with a whole slew of talented Etsy Dark Team's offerings:


Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Igor's Curiosities: VonErickson's Coffin Couch


"Why not enjoy the comfort of the afterlife today? " Indeed.

Igor has discovered a wondorous creepy new item to share. Professional prop builder and artist VonErickson's latest creation, the Coffin Couch, is a strange and macabre piece of furniture to rest your weary bones upon. The lucious velvet cushions are available in a variety of colors, but of course, I would choose purple. Why this just may start a new genre of interior design, hmmm, maybe Neo-Victorian Morgue. I like that.

Already a huge fan of their morbid jewelry, such as the Stitches or Dripping Blood chokers, this dream (or nightmare) sofa has pushed me over the edge to full-fledged fan. Keep up up the ghoulish work!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Treasury: Noel Noir




The holidays are coming up and MSC's Snarky Conversation Hearts Ornaments (second row on left) has been featured in a Christmas themed an Etsy treasury, Noel Noir! Featured are incredible items from Etsy's Dark Team. Search etsydarkteam to check out all the cool stuff these talented artists have to offer. :)

Thx, creeplings! :)

Friday, November 13, 2009

Friday's F Word: The Addams Family musical!




This week's installment is both freaky and funny!

A huge Addams Family fan, I couldn't wait to share the news that there is soon to be a musical based on the spooky, ooky clan. Bebe Neuwirth, with her Broadway background and dark character roles such as Lilith on Frasier, is perfectly cast as Morticia, my favorite Addams. Halloween is over but it still looks like good clean creepy fun.

It's Merry Gothmas time again!


Why have a boring, traditional stocking this year?

Just listed are several unique stockings in my Merry Gothmas line with TONS of details! Grommet tape, check. Corset lacing, check. Skull studs, check. Faux fur or goth stripes, check. All are oversized and fully padded to hold lots of goodies. :) Available in both my Etsy and Artfire shops!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Friday's F Word: Regretsy


Every product must find the perfect consumer.

Fetus kitty toy? Fish in a Taxidermy Squirrel Suit? Kitty Litter Bag Tote? Poo Soap? Condom Pillow? You know you want it.

Any crafter worth his or her salt has at least heard of Etsy, the marketplace where creative folks can list their wares. But lurking amongst the treasures are, well, bits of trash. Or at least items we can ask, as we wipe tears from our eyes and giggle hysterically, "what the bloody hell were you thinking??"

Luckily, there is a site that is dedicated to sharing these finds aptly named Regretsy. And each gem is presented with such biting sarcasm that it makes you cackle out loud. Regretsy's motto is "Handmade? It looks like you made it with your feet!" You can also follow them on Twitter.

Be careful, because like a train wreck, you can't look away.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Post Halloween assemblage art for sale



We just returned from a spooky weekend in New Orleans and hope everyone had an eerie and memorable Halloween/Samhain!

Now that I am caught up with custom clothing orders, I had a chance to finish up some altered art pieces. "Celebration of All Hallow's Eve" is the first offering and meant for those (like me) who collect Halloween items all year long. It is a miniature wood box/chest all decked out in spooky accents. The second piece, a decidedly Steampunk style featuring lots of clock parts, skeleton keys, and vintage paper is a combination wall hanging and trinket holder.

Both are now available for immediate sale. Enjoy! :)

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Etsy Treasury: Nice to perfection!


Wow! My items were featured in 2 Etsy treasuries in one week! I'm on a roll. :)

Today's treasury is entitled "Nice to perfection" and includes my Lime Green and Stripes Star Ornaments. Thanks so much, Alman.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Just for magical creatures, like your pet!


Wizard wear has always been my biggest seller. But it's always been limited to bipedal creatures. Not anymore! I just finished the first Wizard coat for pets which is modeled by Larry the dog aka Larry Potter.

Perfect for Halloween but a unique way to keep your doggie warm this winter, especially for Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings fans. It is available in both my Etsy and Artfire shops. This new design will be continued in several sizes with a variety of fabric linings. Woof!

Treasury: Purple People Eater!




Woo hoo! My Vintage Madness store made it to an Etsy Treasury. The theme, go figure, is "Who is this purple people eater?". My purple ornate upcycled frame was included along with a ton of amazing items inthat awesome color. Thanks, ceeyjay60! :)

Friday, October 23, 2009

Igor's Curiosities: The Webcaster Gun

Igor is in an interior design mode this week. File this freaky Halloween product under, "Imusthavethisnow"!! What could possibly be cooler than gratutiously creating creepy cobwebs ALL over your own castle and yard?

Playtime with Ghoulies and Ghosties!




Some of my fondest childhood memories were playing board games with my parents and 2 sisters. We took turns choosing which game to loose our competive spirits and my fave was always Clue.

Imagine the thrill , when I found Halloween themed games!! The classic property trading game, Monopoly, offers Boo-opoly . Jenga and Yahtzee have spooky versions of these popular games, perfect for a Halloween party. For Tim Burton fans (like me!), check out the Nightmare Before Christmas games: Monopoly, Scrabble, and Uno.

And for those with a dark sense of humor, don't forget Goth and Horror themed games. With Goth Trivia, the object of the game is to fill your graveyard plot with 13 tombstones by answering the questions read to you by the "inquisitor." Gloom: The Game of Inauspicious Incidents and Grave Consequences, in which players "assume control of the fate of an eccentric family of misfits and misanthropes, the reward in the afterlife is based on the misery endured in life." Sinister fun!

And what I would not give for a vintage Halloween Chinese Checkers set. :)

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Igor's Curiousities: Snakebitten Halloween

What a week it's been! The highlight? Having to yank the dog back from the bushes by his hind legs as he tries to attack a snake in the yard before we both get bitten. As you can see from the photo below of Larry the dog menacing a tombstone, he is always spoiling for a fight. Yes, he was growling at it. *eyeroll*

In honor of his escapades with serpents, Igor has helped me find some Halloween snake themed projects: Martha Stewarts's Creepy Snakes, Canned Halloween Monstrosities, and Upcycled Necktie Snakes.

Sssssseee you later!

Friday, October 16, 2009

Igor's Curiosities: Killer Pumpkins




Bored with the sickly sweetness of smiling Jack-O-Lanterns? Or gourds with something innocuous carved into them? I sure am.

Igor has also found Killer Pumpkins by artist John Pelico, whose work has been described as the "Disney of Halloween." but don't be fooled, his spooky, creepy, and colorful Halloween scenes are far from warm and fuzzy.

Freaky, yes. But I want them all! :)

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Boo! More spooky aprons!

In time for Halloween, I have concocted more Halloween themed aprons for my Domestic Witch line! One features a slew of Jack-O-Lanterns on spiderwebs and the other a Haunted House with denizens of the graveyard. Spoooooky! Peruse them in both my Artfire and Etsy shops. :)

Hurry, hurry....31 Days of Halloween is half over!

If you haven't checked out Mrs. B's annual "31 Days of Halloween" yet, you are reaaaaaaaaaaally missing out on some spooky fun! Giveaways, guest bloggers, and an awesome Haunted Halloween Blog Tour.

And if you a culinary witch, Mrs. B. always has some tasty recipes to try out. They always look so yummy that even someone who burns water like me is tempted to give them a go. :)

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

A chance to indulge my inner mad scientist!

My lastest addiction in my years of gaming are the offerings on Facebook. It started with Farmville and quickly spread to Yoville, Vampire Wars, Age of Castles, and School of Wizardry. The latter meshes nicely with my Harry Potter obsession but I digress.

How does it work? One simply installs the game app and invites friends to join your Neighbors, Friends, Clan, Guild, or Order, respectively. They all have an MMORPG feel to them, though not as huge as Evercrack or World of Warcraft. Mindless fun nonetheless. A host of games such as Mafia Wars were huge on Myspace and other social media venues so this is not a new way to waste hours at a time.

Farmville is just what it sounds like, a game to design a kickass farm and harvest for coins to upgrade. Mine is pretty huge now and complete with spooky trees for Halloween. Yoville is from the same company as FV and Mafia Wars, Zynga, but is a city where the player is issued an apt and goes to a "job" for coins. What interested me is not the party aspect of it, instead it tapped into my love of decor. But it lacks alot of the same money making potential and other features as FV so I lost interest.

What changed you ask?

Well, for Halloween, Yoville introduced some wicked Halloween items: costumes and decor. And, get this, players could upgrade to a Haunted House. *screams with evil glee* I wasted no time moving into my new spooky crib and getting set up with creepy furniture. Yesterday, I got a witches cauldron for my kitchen. Today I learned that new items have been added including a *be still my beating heart* MAD SCIENTIST collection of goodies!

I MUST have these, ASAP.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Star in Southpark!!


OK, not really. But you can make a custom avatar of you as a character, like I did.

Me, all ready for Halloween, the BEST night of the year! :)

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Caught in a Web: MSC's featured item on Mrs. B's 31 Days of Halloween!

Glad you stopped by...a spooky welcometo you!! :)

As most of you know, I am participating in Mrs. B's annual 31 Days of Halloween. Well, today is day that my donation is featured, a Spiderweb & Stripes Batwing Apron for domestic witches. :)

While you're there, check out the previous day's for exceptionally creative Halloween bloggers and artists. And remember, there are 10 more days til the BIG night!

Friday, October 9, 2009

What in the heck are Igor 's Curiosities?

What do you think of when you hear "Mad Scientist"? No, not menacing castles, although those are excellent locations for an alchemist's lair. And no, not getting struck by lightning or playing with cadavers. Why, experiments, of course!

Wikipedia makes the distinction between archetypes: "...A quick way to tell the difference is that a mad scientist thinks "can I do this" whilst an evil genius thinks "what can I use this for?" Those with Mad Craft Skills embody a bit of both in their 'experiments'. And the mediums have a wide range - from Photoshop to fabric to paint.

OK, getting to the point...

As promised when I started this blog, this post begins a random series to highlight clever creations which are aptly named "Igor's Curiosities". Curiosities are defined as "..a strange, rare, or peculiar object. An oddity." Rather than see the hunchback assistant as a bumbling liability, I view Igor as more of a creepy yet endearing muse.

So.....the MSC Lab is henceforth also a forum to give props to those who push the envelope. Or should I say "flip the switch" to try something unique and ingenious.

Shall we begin....*drumroll please*

The first installment is for those graphic art mad scientists out there who also love Halloween. Design Live shares 30 wickedly delicious tutorials to create creepy retouched photos or scary graphics to celebrate the season. Muhahahaha!

The debut of Friday's F Word!

Just for sake of twisted entertainment value, every Friday (cos we ALL love the weekend!), the MSC Lab will be passing along an online tidbit that fits the category of either "Freaky" or "Funny". It just so happens that the inaugural selection is BOTH. :)

The Domestic Witch herself, Mrs. B., recently introduced me to the most wonderful book site ever: Quirk Books. As a lifelong avid bookworm, moi was like a kid in a candy store perusing the twisted goodies in this store. From "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" to "Crochet a Cthulhu" to "How to Tell if Your Boyfriend is Possessed by Demons." Great fun for those who embrace the strange and morbid things in life.

Now go forth and celebrate Quirktober!

Oh what a tanged web we weave.....

Want an MSC Halloween item for FREE? My wicked Spiderweb earrings are the Trick or Treat giveaway of the day. Check out the Artfire Ghoul's Guild blog for more info. :)

Monday, October 5, 2009

MSC featured on the Ghoul's Guild blog!

Artfire's guild for creatures of the night, Ghoul's Guild, has featured my shop on its blog today! YAY!!

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Trick or Treat on Artfire!!

TRICK or TREAT 2009 has now begun!!

On Oct. 1, 13 days of deals, prizes, and spooky fun from the Ghoul's Guild, Artfire's creative creatures of the night, starts! For more info, visit the blog.

Mad Science Creations is also participating so I have been busy as a bat stocking my store with tons of goodies. Working on some brand new Halloween themed designs that will be listed in the coming weeks as well.

Promotion info below:

Coupon Code: GHOULS09MSC
Details: Free Shipping on US and Canadian orders (coupon code is valid for the entire month of October)

Stop on by!

Monday, September 28, 2009

MadViolet13's Series of Unfortunate Events

This week, I am starting out being a wee bit behind in crafting and listing.

Why is that? You see, yesterday I displayed some of my classic accident prone skills. Doing a face plant on concrete outside the brand new Barnes & Noble...priceless! Note to self: NEVER wear sunglasses in a dark parking garage. Never saw the curb until I was airborne. Totally swollen, bruised and bloody knees and palms. Last night, I noticed that my right arm hurts really bad. :( Friends asked if I had too much drink or if I was texting and walking simultaneously. Nope. OK, I did have one pint at the English pub at a late lunch. But I tend to hurt myself simply trying to remain bipedal. I had to postpone my physical therapy/adjustment at the chiro until later in the week. I can't see driving a standard transmission or working out in my delicate condition. Meh.

Hysterical comment from one of my long-time customers/friend regarding this incident: "...that's a heavy bummer about your tumble. but on the bright side at least you might save a little cash on fake scabs if you hit any early season costume parties; "dude that's so realistic!" ;)". Pixie, you always crack me up!!

And before I headed to the Post Office, I went out to the backyard to find our dog, Larry. He was strangely silent, no barking at all. I found him lurking behind the garage not far from a freshly dead squirrel. There is no blood or scratches on him (or the squirrel). Unless the squirrel fell out of the tree (unlikely), he must have finally caught one. *shuddertwitch* He did look a bit guilty. I refuse to dispose of the "body" so I will wait til my guy comes home from work. :/

All this doesn't bode well for this week.....

Off to cut some fabric and attempt to get some sewing done.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

MSC featured on Dreadful Musings blog!

One of my items, my Plush Bats, were featured today on the Dreadful Musings blog for the " Halloween Crafts" treasury!! Thanks so much, Jinn!! :) Back in July, MSC was also part of a "What's It Like to Burn" treasury on her blog for my Plush Flame Hearts.

Jinn has an Etsy shop, Dreadful Designs, with wicked zombie themed and other unique items. Her treasuries promote sellers from the Etsy Dark Team so if you want to browse some amazing items from the dark side, run to Etsy and search with the team name! Happy hunting!

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

(Almost) Fall promotion!

Liquidation Sale means bargains for you!

Starting today, FREE shipping on ALL jewelry and sleep masks at the Mad Things & Raven Wings Etsy Shop! Yay!!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Happy 09-09-09!

09.09.09, the final single digit repeating date for 92 years. From the article: "....it is also the upside-down number of the beast." lol And this kid will never forget his birthday.

Finding this date extremely enthralling, not only cos I was born on the 9th but because "9", Tim Burton's newest flick, starts today! Been reaaaaaaaaaaaaaally anticipating that one.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Just what every Domestic Witch needs!

Cooking up a new batch of potions? MSC has just what you need...

Halloween is in the air. OK, for me is always is but it's close enough now that I can stop getting strange looks when I put out my holiday decor.

Just listed the first of a brand new creation, Spiderweb Aprons, for my Domestic Witch line! Reversible with pockets on both sides to keep your Eye of Newt or Wand handy. Available in both my Etsy and Artfire shops. More on the way!!



Sunday, August 30, 2009

I stash, you stash, we all DEstash!!

Destash blitz at the MSC Lab!!

Hey there, fellow crafters and DIYers! *poke*

My supplies are literally taking over the house. So, to clear out the surplus, TONS of new craft & sewing supplies are being added to my Etsy shop. Fabric, beads, jewelry findings, stamping supplies, sewing tools, trims, art supplies, you name it. Listing as fast as I can but this might take awhile! *sigh*

Stop on by to snap up some deals.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

MSC now on Facebook!

Mad Science Creations now has a Facebook presence!

Follow me. *twists your arm* ;)

Friday, August 21, 2009

Adventures with black spray paint!

My long-time obsession with spray paint rears its head again....

Years ago, I picked up an old wicker settee. It looked so ragged and worn in shades of mud brown that I almost pitched it to the curb many times. Well, on a whim, I decided to, as Mick Jagger says, "paint it black." I am SO glad I did! Now it is one of my fave things. Check out the before and after...




And I didn't stop there!

I also whipped out the spray paint and attacked 2 wicker cabinets, one of which had a cool mirror, that I just snagged at a thrift store a few months ago. Sorry, no before shots. My bad.

Observe... :)




Hopefully I didn't fry too many brain cells from the fumes after years of this behavior.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Vampires and other things that are Blood Red.

Huzzah! Just listed a couple of new clothing items. For some odd reason, both are predominately red. Hmmm...could be a coincidence. Or my muse could be channeling my vampire themed life of late. TrueBlood's season 2 is on and I started reading "New Moon" at the behest of a pile of friends.

Speaking of the Undead, I recently added a couple of fangy offerings to my store: a Vampire Hat and Vampire Hoodie. :)

Back to the new stuff....

Anyway, the first offering is a new skirt style, a ruffly, flouncy design using coordinating fabrics with a comfy wide waist panel of medium weight black knit, that I plan to make more of. The body is a wicked tattoo and wings print of grey and black on a red background. The ruffle is striped grey and black.




The second is a zip front patchwork dress that I started 2 months ago, got sidetracked, and finally completed. It is gothic mix of carnivale and creepy goodness. I threw in a variety of fabric types (from satin to spiderweb mesh) and prints (harlequin to stripes).


Go ahead and check 'em out. You know you wanna. ;)

Monday, August 10, 2009

Zombies, part deux...


Another creepy submission by moi for the Etsy Dark Team!! The August theme is "They Live on Fear" and what could fit the bill more than a zombie offering?

Amble slowly to my shop and check out my Zombie Brains hardware necklace! :) And for die-hard (or should I say dead) fans, check out this humorous zombie article about those pesky moaning critters with a gruesome palate.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Z is for Zombies


For pretty obvious reasons, I want this reaaaaally bad! *looks longingly at the photo*

It has always been SO dangerous for me to hang out on the ThinkGeek site.

Do I have small children? Nope, we are pet parents but that doesn't qualify. I am just a sucker for twisted toys. Now I need to think of a way to rationalize ordering yet another strange collectible for my evil lair.


Friday, August 7, 2009

Save Some $$ - MSC's Back to School Promotion!



Back to School time already????

Makes me think of that funny Staples commercial where the parents are dancing with happiness in the aisles while the kids give them evil looks as they buy school supplies. *eg*

Limited time only (expires Sept. 15)!!

Oh, and new products coming soon too! :)

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Featured Artist: Batgirl Designs


As a fellow bat lover, I was destined to find the Etsy shop, Batgirl Designs. Alex sells the coolest bat themed ice cream/coffee sleeves. And her newest products, Sugar Gliders and Bat Sachets are super cute!! We became fast friends and needless to say, I purchased several of her batty products for my ever growing bat collection---->

I have an ice cream and coffee fetish and they are so cute that I almost hate to use them for their intended purpose! I have my eye on a few others such as her Absinthe Bat which will fit nicely with my existing all year long Halloween decor in my home. :)

I got a chance to throw a few questions her way:

1. How did you get started in crafting?

My mom taught me everything I know about crafting, she's the next Martha Stewart. She taught me how to sew and she helped me to create the bat cup sleeves I sell and we still colaborate on new ideas and craft together all the time! :)

2. Describe your studio/craft area.

My studio/craft are is pretty much an organized disaster zone. I know where everything is and how high it can be piled and pushed into drawers, but it looks like a total mess! lol

3. How does your muse provide you with ideas?

Well, my muse would be all of my family and friends. I bounce ideas off of them all the time and get their opinions and they usually give me ideas and advice, either directly or inadvertently! :) When I go fabric/craft shopping, seeing all the new and cool fabric and add ons really inspires me! :)

4. When life is not consumed by crafting, what else keeps you busy?

Pretty much my life is consumed with either schoolwork, movies or crafting. I'm an anthropology major at UCSC and I'm working on a minor or History of Art and Visual Culture. Homework, memorizing, studying and reading for both of those classes really takes up all my time. I also love to go to the theater with my boyfriend or spend nights in my apartment watching movies and TV shows like Buffy or Dexter! :)

5. What do you consider the coolest thing you ever made?

Hmmmm... that's a tough one! I think the coolest things I've made are some of my custom orders, but I love my Yeti bat cup sleeve as well as my travel sewing kit which is coming to my shop soon! :)

6. Pretend you have magical powers, how do you see your ideal future (art or otherwise)?

I see my future as being a bat rehabilitator or a bat zoo keeper and still doing my crafts and hopefully being a successful bat cup sleeve/craft seller! :)

7. Lastly, If you had a pet bat, what would you name him/her? ;)

Wow that is a tough question, you have me stumped. I guess I would have to see the personality of the adorable bat and then decide lol


Check her out!!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

A visit to the Dark Carnival!


Just submitted my offering for the Etsy Dark Team's July exhibition.

The theme is "Dark Carnival" so I created a Ringmaster underbust boned corset. The tails are lined with harlequin fabric which is one of my fave prints. It was completed before I left for vac but I just got a chance to list it in my Etsy shop. Whew!

Check out all the submissions- there are some amazingly cool items from Etsy sellers.

Off to have dinner before TrueBlood comes on. :)

Monday, July 20, 2009

Poppy in the City By the Bay!

Well, kinda....

So after the ball at the Harry Potter con in San Francisco last night, a bunch of friends and I decided it would be loads of fun to run to the nearby fast food resturant and grab some munchies. Another group of attendees had the same idea. I looked over and saw a girl in a cute HP dress and recognized the style immediately as a Poppy's Wicked Garden original!

So I asked her and sure enough, it was. And she was kind enough to indulge me and allow a picture to be taken for posterity.

And if you have been living on another planet and have not heard of the talented Poppy, check out her Etsy store. :)






Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Got magic?

Woo hoo! Just created 2 new designs in my Wizard Wear line! Harry Potter themed hats and a new version of fingerless gloves. Just in time for the Half Blood Prince which I saw at midnight last night with a large group of friends. *yawns and sips coffee*





The hat has a long pixie hood, a house patch and is lined in the corresponding house color in gorgeous velvety panne. The gloves feature a house patch and dragon-like "fins" (if you know what those are called, please convo me! lol) on the sides also in the panne.

I am heading out for Azkatraz 2009 (http://www.hp2009.com/) tomorrow, the annual Harry Potter con, and will be bringing along a limited number of these new designs which will be offered at event discount prices!

Monday, July 13, 2009

MSC's foray into the blogosphere....

Join me as I creep into the world of blogging....

I finally had a few spare moments to set up a Mad Science Creations blog. Yay! Prepare for lots of announcements of new items from the dark side, contests, tutorials, promotions and other cool stuff. I will also occasionally feature talented artists and their wares just the share their awesomeness.

Beware....it will be wickedly creepy.... *evil grin*

Oh, and if you are morbidly curious, check out my Etsy shop, Mad Things & Raven Wings!