Deliciously Dark Drinkware - Tiffany bugs festishghost and skeletaldropkick for you

With the onslaught of the gift giving season, I thought I would start sharing some of my favorite artists/shops with you. The cracked and chipped coffee cup from which I drink is not the reason I decided to start with fetishghost and skeletaldropkick. I have admired (and desired) the work of each for quite some time - that they both do ceramics is just a coincidence.

When I was brand new on Etsy, I was lured into fetishghost’s shop by this bracelet.

This inanimate object reached through the screen and wrapped itself around my wrist. I felt like crying. It didn't matter that I would never own it or wear it; I loved it so much it felt like it was mine.

When I was finally able to tear myself away, I found not only more intriguing and beautiful silver jewelry, but exquisite ceramics also. “BoneOrchard Teaware & Gothic Sterling Noir” is right!  When I later joined the Etsy Steam Team, I was thrilled to find fetishghost was a teammate.

I caught fetishghost peeking out of his silversmithing and ceramics studio long enough to answer three questions for me:

Do you listen to music while you create? If so, what were the last three things you listened to?

This one is easy… Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie…not necessarily in that order.

If you could time travel to three other times in history, what would they be?

This one is a bit harder. I'm rather content with the time I live in, although I was a bit shocked, myself, when I realized that. I'd like to go back to the 1940's to hang out with a few favorite artists and musicians... people like Wassily Kandinsky, Sohji Hamada, and Louis Armstrong. I don't really have any itching to go back any further in time than that; things seem to get pretty hairy the further back you go.

What are three things you would like still like to accomplish in life?

Now that my kids are old enough, I'd love to get back to traveling the world. I've always wanted to spend a year in Morocco.
I would like to help establish a successful community art center, (who wouldn't).
Maybe go back to art school for another spell...

I fully suggest a good browse through fetishghost’s shop…make sure to read his profile.

When you’re finished there, head on over to Skeletaldropkick’s shop for dark ceramics with a heavier feel. I wish I was drinking a Coffee Nudge out of this cup right now!

I was so enchanted with skeletaldropkick that I practically begged her to join the Etsy Dark Side team….and I am happy to say the she did.  I also got her to answer the same three questions for me:

Do you listen to music while you create? If so, what were the last three things you listened to?

I have my iPod on whenever I throw, but the rest of the work is kinda when I can make time for it, so I don’t get to listen to much for that. The last 2 things I listened to were: “TV on the Radio”, “You Say Party, We Say Die” and Radio Lab (podcast from NPR)

If you could time travel to three other times in history, what would they be?
Likely to where California is before the Europeans arrived. I would love to see the area I live in the way it was before massive amounts of humans trashed it.
To the ancient Mayan or Aztec eras.
Can I go into the future? I really want a flying car….

Name three things you would like to accomplish yet in life.
Ride in a dirigible. Might be even more fun than saying, “dirigible.”
Travel - New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Ireland, etc…
hmmm… solve the human population problem in a peaceable and ethical way. No big deal, really.


Well Cris, if I see you hitchhiking while I’m cruising in my dirigible, I’ll pick you up & we’ll go off adventuring... Until then, I’m off to make a Coffee Nudge in my old and cracked mug. Yes, dear friends, that was a hint.

Coffee Nudge
1/4 oz dark crème de cacao
3/4 oz coffee liqueur                            “I stopped drinking, but only when I sleep” - George Best
1/2 oz brandy
6 - 8 oz hot coffee
1 1/2 oz whipped cream

More than just a Dick To Cry On

Like a good smack on the ass, the announcement by James Hunnicutt that he was moving to Texas snapped me to full attention. With a stinging sensation, I realized that I've been failing to take full advantage of opportunities to hang out with my friends or going to shows by my favorite local bands.

James Hunnicutt is a perfect example. This past year he has been playing more and more shows, so it was easy to tell myself that I'd go next time - when I didn't have this necklace to finish, or more cash on me, or wasn't so tired..... over the years I've seen him so many times, with different bands and at all kinds of events, that it never dawned on me that I wouldn't be able to for any length of time.

Then Cleo, producer of Burning Hearts Burlesque and one of my oldest & dearest friends, called to tell me he was booked for this Thursday's Bad Motor Booty. Perfect - I could finally have some promo pics taken of the Burning Hearts lovelies wearing my jewelry, hang out with Cleo, enjoy some fantastic burlesque AND see James Hunnicutt & the Revolvers.

For those of you not familiar with James, these bits from an article published in the Kitsap Herald last year say it better than I could

"Hunnicutt, 34, has been rocking in and out of this county, across the state, up and down the coast and all across musical genres for the better part of the past two decades...and been in around 2 dozen bands.

He’s been everything from a crooning, six-string-slingin’ front man in JHATRS to a psychobilly zombie drummer with the Hatchetwounds to screaming loud punk rock lead guitar in the Swinos and Neutralboy. He’s even lead singer of a local Misfits tribute called Devilock — essentially “all the basic rock instruments,” Hunnicut said.
On nights when he’s not pumping out rockabilly with the Revolvers or high-powered punk with Neutralboy, Hunnicutt will play solo, just he, his guitar and his velvet voice, crooning old school cover songs — from cats like Elvis, Johnny Horton and Johnny Cash..."

Over this past week, what seemed a perfect evening has blossomed into an Evening of Importance. First came the announcement from James that he's moving to Texas to play guitar for Wayne Hancok, so this is going to be one of his last shows up here. Then came the additions of special Burlesque performers to the schedule. And, in a cross promotion made in Rockabilly Heaven, the lovely Hanah, of The Rockit Roost, offered up 2 Day Passes to Secrets of a Starlet - 1st Annual Pin-up Contest & Rockabilly Festival on May 16th.

...Don't forget that I'll be vending at the Rockabilly Festival...

For those familiar with James, there has never been any doubt that he would make it big. And though I'm sad that he's leaving the area, I'm excited for journey he's embarking. It's a big world out there, and it needs a little Hunnicutt.

I thought it would be appropriate to have James be the first to answer my 3 Questions, which he did without hesitation...

Three things that make you smile:
Music, Love & Laughter

Three current female singers you'd do a duet with:
Nicole Pike, Miss Elly Swift & Miss Lauren Marie

Three places you'd like to play in your life:
Ryman Auditorium, Carnegie Hall & Abbey Road Studios

Well James, I'm hoping you have lots of music, love & laughter in your life, you play at least two of those venues, and I'll keep my ears peeled for a duet...

And to everyone else...I hope to see you Thursday. Don't let what promises to spectalular night pass you by.