Meet Marion Held, the creator and curator of the Devil-ish Little Things Museum in Vancouver, WA. Marion shares her passion for collecting whimsical devil, Krampus, and satyr objects. Marion’s collection is brightly colored, mostly from Europe, and is based on fairytales and folklore. Her collection began 26 years ago when she fell in love with the Devil and Cards ceramics by Royal Bayreuth.

Marion is dedicated to inspiring others to appreciate and collect art. Her collection exudes a playful European charm that reflects her upbringing in her native Germany. She loves the craftsmanship behind each piece and is still actively adding to her collection by partnering with a network of dealers around the globe. She has a keen eye for unique pieces and works diligently to preserve the history of each object.

Marion is a well-known beadworker. When she lived in LA, her beadwork was discovered by a Hollywood costume designer. That lead to work in movies like Hocus Pocus and Batman Returns. She also created special creature effects, for movies like Hellboy. After moving to WA and opening her museum, Marion took on doing pottery, which she sells out of her museum gift shop.

“...if young people don't start collecting, everything is going to be lost...I always say go out there, go to antique shows, look around, discover some cool stuff and then maybe you’ll see something you like that will stick with you. And then before you know it, you have a house full of stuff like I do. Then I’ll come see you...” - Marion Held

Visit Marion at: https://www.facebook.com/DEVILishLittleThingsMuseum or https://www.instagram.com/devilish_little_things_museum

Meet Kymmburleigh Clark, upholstery teacher, designer, and restorer of furniture. When her dogs destroyed two of her chairs, she taught herself how to restore them. This started her on the path to learning the craft of upholstery. As a co-owner of a furniture fabrication shop, Kymm learned about the dire state of the upholstery field. Demand far exceeds the number of people with the skill.

After their successful business closed due to a lack of skilled labor, Kymm made it her mission to teach as many people upholstery as possible and Lullco was born. Today you can find Kymm teaching in-person and virtual classes, taking on her own clients, and developing new techniques to keep dated furniture out of landfills.

Kymm offers cautionary advice and inspiration for dealing with furniture, making this interview relevant for upholstery enthusiasts, DYI adventurers, and people who sit on chairs. You’ll hear about scary things found in chairs and other secrets they keep.

Our conversation also delves into Kymm's love for Halloween, with a haunted cemetery travel tip, and all about her upcoming spooky mansion vendor show, showcasing her unique furniture collection.

Mentions:

• Allied Aethernautics Art and Design by William Kevin Petty: https://www.alliedaethernautics.com
• Maker Works (Ann Arbor, MI): https://www.maker-works.com
• Sunset Hills Cemetery (Flint, MI): https://929nin.com/flint-michigan-cemeterys-haunted-crack-the-whip-sculpture-may-come-to-life-at-night

Visit Kymm’s web site at: https://lullco.co/

Meet Deven Blackwell, the creative force behind House of Blackwell, a gathering of her limitless artistic endeavors. Some of her current offerings are spooky decor, tutorials, and patterns. Her diverse set of experience includes graphic design, art, writing, hair styling, and sewing.

Deven is especially known for her spooky cornhusk creations. She loves to create phobia-inducing creatures such as bats and spiders. While she learned cornhusk crafting as a child in Texas, her talent remained dormant until 2020. Bored and unable to celebrate Halloween in the traditional way, Deven fashioned a witch out of cornhusks. Soon she was hooked and creating non-traditional works out of an age-old medium. Her mission is to dedicate herself to innovation while honoring traditional techniques.

Deven also shares her best costuming tip, why she loves her 100 century-old sewing machine, how costumes are communication tools, and introduces us to her studio assistant, Nugget.

“I noticed that a lot of my work has to do with taking old techniques and reapplying them in modern contexts. Sometimes new things are not better. Sometimes older things can be the right fit for people and their needs.” - Deven Blackwell

Mention: Etsy’s Gone Gothic Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/etsysgonegothic

Visit Deven online: https://www.thehouseofblackwell.com

Meet artist Stephanie Tiongco of Stevi T Fiber Art. Stevi’s needle felted animals look so real, you’ll swear they are breathing. In this episode, you’ll hear how Stevi creates anthropomorphic dolls and her unique approach to incorporating antiques into her artwork. She discusses her involvement with doll organizations, giving valuable insight into the world of doll making and collecting.

Stevi’s artistic journey has taken her from making dolls for her daughter to showcasing her work on national television and art shows. Her creativity and tenacity knows no bounds – from dying her fiber in a cauldron to transforming her home into a haunted house.

Stevi’s work blurs the lines between art and reality and is driven by her love for animals. Many people who come into her booth at shows mistakenly think her work is taxidermy. She stated, “I love the art of taxidermy. My animals are not, but I want them to be as real as possible. So, if you think it's real, then I have done my job well.”

Mentions:

• George Dante Taxidermist: https://wildlifepreservations.com
• New York Faerie Festival: https://www.nyfaeriefestival.com
• Old Mill Village, New Milford, PA: https://www.oldmillvillage.org
• Original Doll Artist Council of America: https://www.odaca.org
• United Federation of Doll Clubs: https://www.ufdc.org/
• Wunderkammer Taxidermy Show (NYC): https://wunderkammernyc.com

Visit Stevi online:

• Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/stevit
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevi.tiongco
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Stevit_alpaca_encounters