Glass Skulls

Artist Scott Darlington working in Seattle, WA handmade these life size glass skulls.

 

Capt. C says:

The liquid looking nature of the red version made me think of what I imagine to be hiding inside  Mark Quinn's "Self".  I am always impressed by glass artists that we are able to feature here.  It is amazing that you are able to have the skill and patience to work with a material that could cause you serious personal harm.  Thank you for sharing this work with us and be safe out there.

Yogi Gift Guide 2012 - Part 3

World Travelers:
Rosetta Stone $180+ - so they'll be prepared when they finally reach that dream destination.

Warrior Princess Dress/Tunic $78 - Keep packing simple with multi-use pieces like this dress that doubles as a tunic.

Ahnu Footwear $60+ - Comfy, cute, and packs well.

Hanuman Wrap $59+ - versatile, attractive, and great for chilly planes.

Yoga Vibes Subscription $20/month or $200/year - classes on demand when they can't get to a studio.

Yoga Teachers:
Lotus Wei Mini Serums $60 - This mini serums kit is great for giving adjustments and mini massages.

Punjammies $19+ - Beautiful  pajamas  for resting fully - "created in after-care facilities for women who have been rescued, released or escaped from a life of forced prostitution."

White Sage/Sweetgrass Incense $12/box - simplify the constant use of sage and sweetgrass.

The Anatomy Coloring Book $14 - keeping continued education fun.

Stark Skincare, The Whole Shebang $120 - The entire Stark line (minus the lip balm $12).

Toms Shoes $54+ - Tons of styles for everyone that are both comfortable and fashionable. Don't know their size, or think they'd like sunglasses, hats, shirts, etc? Maybe a Gift Card $5+. Just about anything purchased benefits those in developing countries with shoes or sight via the One for One movement.

Adventurous Types:
Hula Hoop $21+ - for getting into the flow in a different way.

We Love Colors Leggings $26 - choose from 51 colors.

Aerial Yoga Class - look around and find a fun new class for them to try.

Mystical Mandala Coloring Book $4

YogaSlackers slackline and dvd set $100 - take their yoga practice (and their abs) to a whole new level.

I was busy! :(

Here are a couple manis that I did over the Thanksgiving break and wasn't able to post.

The first is Ulta's Concrete Evidence with Pinata-Yada in a reverse gradient.

While at home, I ended up raiding my Mom's polish collection and found Sally Hansen's Shell We Dance and...a sharpie! Shell we dance is very sheer and I had to do about 5 coats to get it to this color. I also discovered that Mom does not own a fast dry top coat and because I had to do so many coats of this, I spent about 2 hours waiting for my nails to dry :/ But here's the result!

Happy Polishing :)

Is it too early for a Christmas mani?

Autumn and Winter are by far my favorite time of the year. I love being able to bundle up on the couch next to the fire with my hot cocoa and a great book. Reading and nail painting are essentially tied for favorite things to do so don't make me choose! (Maybe I'll do some book reviews on here occasionally...hmm). Anyway! The past few days have finally begun to be gloomy and cold (only took to the end of November!..but that's what you get in California) and driving home after work with the sun already down and all the Christmas lights up really solidified the feeling that it is in fact winter! My favorite! 

I was feeling inspired by the time of year and landed on PRESENTS! Everyone loves to give and/or receive gifts and I've been slowly finding presents to give to friends and family so it seemed fitting. 

I used, YET AGAIN (sorry!) Sephora by OPI's Mr. Right Now because it is my all time favorite red and I am going to have to go buy more soon. My striping accents (you have no idea how many times I checked to make sure that didn't say stripping accents...) are Ulta's Concrete Evidence and a mini Sephora by OPI called Already Famous that came as part of their winter Tinsel Town Collection. 

Here's my Christmas Present-esque look all together. I ended up using striping brushes that I got off of Amazon. They can be found here. 

When I use nail brushes, I like to make sure that I'm working on a flat surface (table, desk, closed laptop with a towel over it?) and have both hands resting on the table so that I eliminate any shakiness. There are a two basic methods to ensure a straight-ish line. The first is to have the brush do the moving while your nail remains stationary. This one can be a little bit tricky if your brush hand isn't as steady. This method might work best for when your dominant hand has the brush. When you're painting your dominant hand (brush in your non-dominant hand), holding the brush stationary and moving your nail beneath the brush removes the battle of creating a straight line with your non-dominant hand. Through all of this, I make sure my hands are resting on the table to eliminate additional movement. 

 Happy Polishing :)

Skull Pumpkin Cheese

Sonja Horstman of Downers Grove, IL "made this for a party. The recipe was for the Great White Pumpkin from Southern Living. I thought a skull would be more fun."

I love cheese. I'm like Wallace happily shaking my fists in love with cheese. When going to a party, I always look for the cheese...in fact I'm more likely to go to a party if there is a tray of cheese I can hoard in my belly. I also love pumpkin. This skull creation would have been mostly devoured by me...because it's cheese, pumpkin, and a skull all in one. I'm going to raid the fridge now...

[CONTEST] Win a Baby Bones Clothing $100 Gift Voucher

 This contest has ended.  Thanks to everyone who entered for the great comments.

In my honest opinion, there's not enough kick ass clothing out there for kid's these days. I mean, don't get me wrong, there are a lot more skulls going to elementary schools these days than in the past (my high school actually put a ban on skull tee shirts in the early 90's).  These days it's nothing to see boys and girls alike rockin' some skull wear, and this is where 'Baby Bones Clothing' comes stomping into the kick ass picture.  They want to make your kid one of the coolest in their class with an assortment of their clothing via a most generous $100 gift voucher.  Keep reading for entry info AND a discount for just Skull-A-Day readers.

"After a conversation with other alternative mothers about the lack of alternative inspired fashion available in Australia - for a reasonable price – creative mind, Jess, put together a handful of singlets and t-shirts, uploaded photos onto Facebook and thus, Baby Bones Clothing was born."

"With just 5 items available for sale, the orders started rolling in. Baby Bones Clothing was overwhelmed with orders and interest, and it was increasingly evident that this was going to grow far beyond what was originally imagined."

"Mandy joined Jess when she realized the potential that Baby Bones Clothing had. With her expertise in sewing, she was able to add a whole other dimension to the range that Baby Bones Clothing offered."

"Since the birth of Baby Bones Clothing, amazing things have come to manifest. We are growing and expanding. Our gear is in demand. Our minds are constantly filled with exciting and new ideas for our range. We are living and breathing childrens fashion! Join us in sharing Baby Bones Clothing with the world!"

PRIZE INFO: One (1) $100 gift voucher to be used for some kick ass clothing at the 'Baby Bones Clothing' web store.

HOW TO ENTER: Leave a comment below telling us what age you think is appropriate for an introduction into skull art.  My kids have been exposed to it their whole lives so I wanna know what the rest of the world thinks.

CONTACT INFO: If you win, we need to contact you. With your comment, please include your email, or make sure your Blogger profile has a working email link for you on it. Entries are only valid with this information.

WHERE TO ENTER: All entries must be made on this blog post, on Skull-A-Day.com. You can NOT enter this contest by commenting on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.

CONTEST CLOSES: 11:59:59 PM Eastern Time Wednesday, December 5th.

NUMBER OF WINNERS: One

PRIZE SHIPS: This contest is open to all skull lovers around the world.  Think of the children and spread the word worldwide. 

IF YOU DON'T WIN: You can always make yourself feel like a winner by purchasing your own Baby Bones gear or any of the other awesome designs in the online store.  Right now Skull-A-Day readers can receive 10% off by emailing their orders to admin@babybonesclothing.com.au.  Quote the keyword "Skull-A-Day" to make sure you get the discount.  Thanks again to Jess and the Baby Bones crew!

Razor Thin Skull

Anonymous from Anonymoustopia told us: "Used ~200 razor blades as masks, then spray-painted over the canvas."

 2 bit C says:

It is amazing the amount of detail you are able to achieve with this method.  It shows a great amount of skill to be able to spray paint a large collection of separate thin objects and not have it turn into a giant pain blob.  Thank you for sharing this work with us, maybe next time you will let us share your name.

Yogi Gift Guide 2012 - Part 2

Glitzy Yogi:
Handmade Feather Earrings $30 - Dipped in Gold, or Forest Nymph Peacock, or Gypsy Magick Peacock

Nectar Creations Twist Yoga Leggings $50 - Amazingly comfortable ♥

Foat Design Pullover Shawl $42 - Handmade in Minnesota from rescued fabric

Kalyana Jewelry Holder $53 - a pretty holder for their pretty jewelry

Wreck This Journal $10 - remind him/her to get a little dirty

Down to Earth Yogi:
Organic Terrarium $22+ - small, beautiful piece of nature for home.

Kahina Giving Beauty Travel Basics Set $85- or just the argan oil at $36+.

Eat More Kale Tee $25 - Handprinted in Vermont.

Buddha Bowls $25/ea - Good sized bowls handmade in southern California.

Big Head Squirrel Feeder $15 - because squirrels.

Immaterialists: 
GaiamTV Subscription $10/month - Way more than just yoga classes - without clutter.

Experience Gifts - hot air balloon ride, ice skating, tickets to Cirque du Soleil, a massage...

Philanthropic Donations - take that money you would've spent on stuff and give it to a reputable charity.

Flowers – a literal gift of light

Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga by Rolf Gates $15 - Kindle Edition

Happy Skullidays!

Just a reminder that we have several great Skull-A-Day products on sale in our store! Order now and you can get this cool skull-y stuff in your hands before the holidays...

United Skull of America Poster

Skull Appreciation Day T-Shirt Black

Skull Appreciation Day T-Shirt Silver

Skull Appreciation Day Button Six-Pack

League of Space Pirates Record & Print

Plus from now through the end of December all orders are 10% OFF with code: SKULLIDAYS10





Be sure to visit the Skull-A-Day store for a few other limited edition goodies that are almost out of stock!

Nesting Doll Skull

Today's skull is the keeper of a diverse set of hand painted Russian dolls from Mel Rudgley in Australia.

The virgin Mary skull is great all by it's self, but this whole set is a wonderful collection. The group is suggestive of how we should all invite variety into our lives. Plus the snowman made me laugh. Thanks again, Mel!

Essie Beyond Cozy Gradient

It's winter! And after Thanksgiving it finally feels like it! Yay! My favorite! 

Err...well it doesn't snow in my part of California, but a girl can dream, right? I am pretty envious of the those in the cold snowy weather because all I want to do is get bundled up and go play in the snow all day long!

I suppose painting my nails wintery-ish will have to suffice for now, though. So! I present, another gradient look (this time done following proper technique!). I used Ulta's Smoke Screen and Essie's Beyond Cozy for my gradient colors (with a foundation of white).

Happy Polishing.

Yogi Gift Guide 2012 - Part 1

This entire week is devoted to my annual 3-Part Gift Guide. Tons of ideas for everyone you know at a variety of price points. Why? Because giving makes people happy. Whether it's something small or something extravagant - and the holiday season is all about giving.

 Past gift guides:

2011 Yogi Gift Guides: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

2010 Yogi Gift Guides: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Dudes:
Prints of Hubble Photos $6+ - for connecting with the Universe

The Meditator’s Workbook: A Journey to the Center $11 - by Matthew Flickstein

Evolution Tee $44

Manduka 79" eKO® Mat $88 - it's big, and I support that.

Ashram Yoga Rug $50 - 100% cotton rug prevents slipping.

Beginners: 
YogaGlo Gift Subscription $18+ - cause people are more likely to try new things in the privacy of home

Kipling Adara Tote $89 - vegan friendly nylon is easy to clean and still useful if the yoga thing doesn't work out.

Yoga Is: A Transformational Journey DVD $15 - in case they're still on the fence about it.

"Beautiful" Tee $26

The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice $13 - by T.K.V. Desikachar

Stocking Stuffers/Small Gifts: 
S.W. Basics Vegan Lip Balm $5/ea
Essential Oils Deck $12
Buddha Nose Bath Tea Sachets $30
Hydrea Beechwood Body Brush $12
Karma Warrior Keychain $4
Yoga Teacher Barbie $19
Pocket Bhagavad Gita $24
Natural Deodorants: Lavanila $10+ or Soapwalla $12
iTunes gift card $15+ (for podcasts or music)

Relief Skulls

Ivailo Kostov is back again with his "latest Skull madness".

One of my favorite types of sculpture is reliefs. There are many ancient buildings covered in these decorative sculptures depicting people of that time period. This one with skulls reminds me of "The Gates of Hell" by Auguste Rodin. It is inspired by "The Inferno", the 1st section of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy. If you are in the US, I suggest going to the Rodin Museum in Philadelphia, PA to see it. There is also a plaster version at the Musee d'Orsay, and a bronze one at the Musee Rodin in Paris, France. It's truly remarkable. Ivailo's piece reminds me of the bottom where the souls are pushing up.

[BONUS] Skull Mail

A couple of treats turned up in the Skull-A-Day mailbox this week...

We got our official certificate and image for the skull that we sponsored as part of the Mütter Museum's Save Our Skulls campaign! There's still time to pick one of the 139 Hyrtl Skulls to “adopt.” Save a 150+ year old skull & have your name in the Mütter Museum! Details are HERE.

I also got a set of the wonderful edible sugar skulls that were recently offered as part of a giveaway here from the Tierra Dulce Shop and I can attest that they are as delicious as they are beautiful!  Thanks guys!

Sunday Simulacra - Version 6.26

Today's simulacra all come from Skull-A-Day friend and team member, Phil Cheney of Richmond, VA. He was going through some files and found a few that he was compiling for us:

"The first is from a miniature pomegranate tree that we have. It had produced a fruit (actual size is about a quarter coin) that I didn't get to pick before it dried out on the tree. I thought it looked like a skull with a giant head."

"The second is an aerial shot of the High School in Petersburg, VA. This semester I have been look specifically at public land design in Petersburg and found this complex of buildings particularly interesting."

"The third is part of a design on my wife's purse. It looks to me like a sad clown skull with a flower nose."



Thanks for the great submissions, Phil. I hope you're reading this in good skull spirits as well! Don't forget to submit your simulacra for our regular Sunday ritual. We need to remember our skulls!

Super Skullistration Saturday

John MDC is a "bone"ified bad ass skull artist.  Almost everything he creates is of the skull.  He's been featured on our site multiple times (here, here, here, and here) and that should stand as a testament to the multitude of skulls he has to submit. 

John's site is teeming with skull art.  Prints, jewelry, shirts, etc.  I don't know if I've ever seen so much skull art produced by one person, aside from our own Skull Master of course.  Thanks again for the great submissions, John!