Here’s a truly awesome party favor: Lollipops made with real absinthe.

Absinthe has been banned in the U.S. since 1912, but in 2007 an exception was made for “low-thujone” absinthe. The fine folks at Lollyphile are now exploiting that loophole for your delectation.

Our Absinthe Lollipops are really freaking awesome. And we say that without even an ounce of hubris- people go crazy (not like, cut-your-ear-off crazy, tho) for them.

It’s a shame they’re relatively expensive; otherwise I’d be awfully tempted to hand these out at Halloween.

Link (via The Presurfer)

The Literacy Site is offering these cute Bat Nap earrings in their shop. They’re sterling silver with cloisonné enamel and feature a couple of charming chiroptera who want to hibernate on your ears.

For each pair of earrings purchased, the site will buy a book for an underprivileged child.

There’s some other offbeat stuff available if you dig around on the site. This Tibetan healing stone is rather striking, as is this amethyst ring.

Every purchase buys books for children, which is certainly a noble cause. It’s always nice to be able to spend money on oneself and claim that you’re doing it in the name of civic responsibility.

(Hat tip to Fearless Freya)

Checks in the Mail has just begun offering these adorable NMBC-themed checks. It looks like they offer a matching leather cover, too.

I like themed checks; it makes paying the bills slightly less onerous. If you’re not into Jack Skellington, several online vendors also offer generic Halloween or Elvira checks. (This Pirate Treasure set is cute, too.)

Beware: Many check printers offer special seasonal designs around Halloween and then promptly discontinue them, so if you find a design you like it’s a good idea to stock up. I used to use a “Classic Movie Monsters” theme, and was heartbroken when it was no longer available.

To avoid disappointment, I now use my own design. As I mentioned previously, I had custom checks made from a graveyard photograph that I took a couple of years ago. They make me happy every time I get out my checkbook. If you’ve got a favorite spooky photograph or drawing, this would be a fun way to showcase it.

(Hat tip to Hallowbeanie)

I’m a long-time fan of Mezco’s sweetly twisted Living Dead Dolls; one of the Fashion Victims keeps me company in my sewing room.

Series 16 is due out in September, and they all have a Halloween theme! Each doll comes with a pumpkin trick-or-treat bag and a removable mask. In typical LDD fashion, the masks aren’t nearly as scary as what hides behind them. I’m particularly taken with Isabel and her “human” mask, shown here.

The dolls are available for pre-order as a set for around $110 or individually for about $24. Here’s one of several places online that offer the set, so you can get a look at the whole collection.

These would make adorable costume-contest prizes.

(via Uncle Fester’s)

Here’s a fun site that definitely needs a mention: A “mortuary novelty shop” (motto: You’ll Love What We Dig Up for You) with a wide range of funeral-related items. From coffin cookie cutters to hearse earrings to this adorable toe-pincher wall clock, they’ve got something for everyone. Um, assuming that everyone has tastes like ours, I guess.

I’ve purchased several gifts from them and have always been pleased with their prices and service. Check ’em out!

Link

A friend gave me this millefiore barrette a couple of years ago, featuring candy corn and plump pumpkins made of a polymer clay cane. It was signed by the artist, and after doing a quick search I was pleased to see that she has a Website.

If you like playing with polymer clay (or think you’d like to learn), this site is a wonderful source of inspiration. She includes tutorials for several techniques, has links to other resources, and her gallery has some very unique pieces. You can also check out her Etsy shop for newer items.

Of special interest is her Memorial Bead project, creating keepsake beads out of sympathy flowers. Similar beads would make lovely and evocative jewelry for the crafty goth.

Dark Horse Comics, which publishes the Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic books, is releasing a tarot deck based on the series. Buffy comic artist Paul Lee and tarot expert Rachel Pollack teamed up to create this collectible set.

The cards draw on characters, themes, and legends from the series, and fans will recognize a lot of relevant imagery. This is Willow as the High Priestess; other cards include the Sun (complete with turning-to-dust vampire in the foreground), the “First Slayer” as the Fool, and “the Master” minding the Wheel of Fortune. There’s even some tasteful nudity on cards like “Temperance” and “the Devil.”

The deck will be available in September, but can be pre-ordered now. It looks like the cheapest price is to be found at Things from Another World. If you’re a fan of the series or just a collector of unusual decks, this might be a fun addition to your collection.

Skull-a-Day has turned its popular Ornament(al) Skull into this pretty moleskine notebook. The laser-etched book is being sold by Modofly and is available on their site. I like the subtle elegance of the skull in this particular pattern.

Modofly also offers a lot of other notebooks that might appeal to gothy sensibilities, too. I particularly like Mother and Alice.

CryptStitch is the blog of talented crafter Tala, who specializes in soft, pillowy gothy things.

I recently was accorded the signal honor of having a soft, pillowy gothy thing named after me, and couldn’t be more pleased. (Flattery will get you nowhere, but keep talking….) Check out Cobwebs and the rest of the Cryptic Cryptlets at Etsy, and be sure to browse the blog for many other cuddly, creepy toys!

I’ve mentioned Morbid Tendencies previously, but wanted to highlight their Unfortunate Animal of the Month Club.

The subscription is $50 a month (slightly higher for subscriptions of less than 3 months), you can specify the type of creatures you desire, and you even get to choose a Morbidity Rating (ranging from “Slightly Twisted” to “Sick”). Every critter is hand-made, and the artist strives to personalize each beast to the particular nuances of your correspondence with her.

If you’re handy with a needle, the photos are also an excellent source of inspiration. Fun!