First, I think that “Angus Oblong” may be the best author name I’ve ever run into, ever.

Second, Creepy Susie and 13 Other Tragic Tales for Troubled Children looks like just the sort of thing to leave open on your desk to encourage the mundanes to leave you alone. I love this Promo from Random House.

Here’s the Amazon link to buy the book.

Jodi of Tattered Rags makes the most gorgeous handmade raggedy dolls I’ve ever seen. She has dozens in her gallery, most of them wearing outfits that I’d like to own. (It’s depressing when a dolly’s wardrobe is better than yours.) She says that she designs all of the clothes herself, many from vintage fabrics, and the accessories and jewelry are all handmade originals too.

I want to take ’em all home and hug ’em.

(I especially love this pair; I aspired to be Morticia Addams when I grew up, and I actually think I’ve done a pretty good job.)

For those of us who run with scissors, check out these adorable “crafty skulls” from Magpie. Comes with your choice of knitting needles or scissors.

Their Love Craft shirt is a, uh, scream as well.

(via Crazy Aunt Purl)

Note: I’m participating in the unfortunately-acronymed NaBloPoMo this month, so there will be a post every day, including weekends. Can’t you hardly wait? I thought so.

Fantasy Frontiers is primarily an RPG shop, but it offers a range of amusing T-shirts in categories such as “Cthulhu” and “Gothic.” I particularly like the Necromancy T-shirt. (The back says, “Necromancy – Helping To Lessen Our Dependency On The Funerary Industrial Complex,” which makes me giggle.)

Link

…or does “Mansinthe” sound like a porn title?

Whatever. Marilyn Manson has just tried to turn his Goth Volume up to 11 by releasing his own brand of absinthe. Spooooky.

Since the stuff is made the traditional way with wormwood, it’s banned in the U.S., so all of the “where to buy” links are for overseas vendors. Incidentally, it’s also technically illegal to import real absinthe from overseas vendors, although if you’re buying just a bottle or two customs will generally turn a blind eye.

I can personally vouch for Spiritscorner’s product and service; I bought my sister the bohemian Art History professor some absinthe from them a couple of years ago for her birthday. They were fast, efficient, and surprisingly cheap; even with overseas shipping I was able to get her some quality absinthe, a traditional glass, and one of those neat perforated spoons for about the same price that a bottle of non-wormwood “Absente” cost in the states.

Frankly, though, if you’re going to go to the trouble of buying something overseas and having it shipped, forget the “Mansinthe” (ew) and look at some of the many other brands which may offer better quality and value. I’m afraid I can’t offer you recommendations, because the stuff is licorice flavored, and I’d be more likely to drink bat urine.

(Also? Wormwood is banned for a reason, kids. Too much can make you mighty sick. Don’t go blamin’ your Auntie Cobwebs if you go and drink something illegal.)

I think the first item in the site’s FAQ sums them up perfectly well:

What do you do?

I make art out of dead animals and other nice things. YOU buy the art, then I take the money and go buy gin. See how simple it is?

In addition to a neat gallery of work, the site also includes instructions on making one’s own “deadgarden” to clean and give character to animal bones. The writing style is chatty and funny, and I’m strangely taken with Robert, The Best Dead Cat In The Whole World, featured on the home page.

Link

Billing themselves as “low fashion and rock couture,” Love from Virgil offers inspired handmade fashion and accessories. I need to find out where they score some of their fabric, too; it’d be perfect for a quilt I’ve got in mind.

Link (via One Good Thing)

Plaseebo is a group of artists who create unique (their site says “unique one of a kind” with no apparent irony) figures from soft vinyl. Some are available for sale. All are nicely unsettling.

Link (via Ectoplasmosis)

Sporting devil horns (complete with piercing!), a pointy tale, and available in six colors like “Martial Martian” and “Matadork,” Boomwave’s “Diablo” skin is the perfect way to doom your iPod.

Link (via Halloween Hotlist)

This site is partially under construction, but it offers mourning jewelry, reliquaries, and other pretty things.

Link