Ask Ouija?

Recently I read an article that Hasbro has introduced a series of The Ouija Board in electric colors.Will this enhance the purchase by Tweens,Teens,and College bound girls to "match their room?" no doubt they think so.The regular style has long been as one mother said "On or near the bottom of toy shelves in Walmart,ToysRUs, and other stores in easy reach of children."She considers that dangerous.

Some time ago I did a few posts on this blog (4/11/06) with a video and comments of Etsy Artists indicating that it is not a "game"and can be dangerous.As one said "It opens portals" allowing bad spirits or any old spirit to enter,They may lie to mask their evil intentions.Some have had horrible experiences while others laugh off what happened to them.

There are conflicting thoughts about the origin.One author says the board has been around since the time of the Roman Emperor Valens in the fourth century. It is also thought to have been used by the Greeks since before the time of Christ.

Another says Ouija boards came into existence as a parlor game in the mid-1800's, when spiritism and channeling were at the height of fashion.

Adolphus Theodore Wagner first patented Ouija boards, sometimes referred to as "talking boards," in London, England on January 23, 1854.
In the patent, Wagner called his invention a "psychograph" and its purpose was to read the minds of people with "nervous energy." By 1861, Frenchman, Allan Kardac, was describing the Ouija board as instruments with which to open communications with the spirit world.
In seven short years, the Ouija board had evolved from a mind-reader to portal of communication with the dead.

The Ouija board was first introduced in the United States in 1890 as a parlor game sold in novelty shops.
There are several theories about the origin of the term "Ouija". According to one of these, the word is derived from the French "oui" (for "yes") and the German/Dutch "ja" (also for "yes"). An alternative story suggests that the name was revealed to inventor Charles Kennard (one of the three who revised and introduced it) during a Ouija séance and was claimed to be an Ancient Egyptian word meaning "good luck.".

However Ouija is not the Egyptian word for good luck. Since the board repeatedly told Kennard that Ouija was the Egyptian word, the name stayed.

In 1966 the Parker Brothers purchased the rights to the Ouija Board and shifted its manufacturing facilities to Salem, Massachusetts. "Ouija" is a registered trademark.
Reportedly the box says ...A Game Or Is It?

The American demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, stated that "Ouija boards are just as dangerous as drugs."
On the subject reviewed by skeptics is the curious ending with "As a final note about this enigmatic subject; the Ouija Board, whether it be deemed apparatus to communicate with the dead or simply something to help demonstrate harmless psychological behaviour, it is probably best avoided.

The earrings illustrating are from http://nursesnaturally.etsy.com
Designed for "fun" not use...

An Unusual Theatre Experience

If you are into vintage,repurposed and jewelry, you will want to check out the Etsy shop of Junkyarddoll.a variety if cards,[rints and jewelry items are found there with her unique style..
http://junkyarddoll.etsy.com


A very interesting experience was recently related to us as well.Here is her story in her own words;

"I had a strange experience in a theatre I was working in last spring.
I had always come in the actor's entrance and never really looked around the lobby. I wanted some coffee during a performance and my friend and I went the back way around and when we got to the lobby I noticed a framed newspaper article on the wall talking about people who had died in a fire in this theatre's original location. As soon as I said, "Oh, no. People died?" the door behind us creaked shut. I turned to look at it and said "I am not here to bother anyone" the door swung up and shut (like a nod, "ok").
Several people gave me "friend of a friend" stories about things they have seen or felt there. It's a great place."

Interesting.Thank you.
Some of the work is in the Animoto short but do check out the shop at the above address.

Ghosts At The College

Miss Pin Productions told us about her very interesting experience while in School.I will let her tell it in her own words.First a little bit about her.In the shop profile she tells us

Miss Pin Productions is a husband and wife home based collaborative from Rhode Island.

Wife has a BA in printmaking and likes to work with sculpey because it reminds her of when she worked with plasticine as a kid. She has been selling and making chess sets and comic books for friends as gifts, on and off, for over 15 years and has been sculpting Ramones dolls for over 25 years. She has recently completed her first children's book. She loves serial progressions and series which comes from her obsessive compulsion to put like objects into groups and look at them. She also seems to lean toward creating creatures with club feet and, of course, is a big Ramones and loppy ear bunny fan. Husband is in awe of wife's mad skills.

Husband has a BFA in ceramics, is a woodworker and an antique furniture restoration master. He recently stepped back into the ceramics world to produce smoked tiles and other pottery. He has an affinity for birds, fish and other animals which is evident in his work. He is also is a wood carver, making a variety of items from wood plaques to miniature turkey vultures. His work is meticulous and free, all at once. He doesn't like computers much and is a great cook, specializing in curry dishes and homemade pizza. Wife is in awe of husband's mad skills.
While the two artists' work are quite different from one another, their mentality of the final outcome is the same. Both feel like the more they strive for perfection, the less their work looks the way they want it to look. This guerrilla mentality of creation produces an unusual kind of beauty. They do not try to create the pristine item, rather, each possesses a work style which creates the perfect expression of how they see the world. They find that the more they stray in the direction of perfection, the less life the work has.

This husband and wife duo live with their super duper cool two and a half year old daughter who is a wonderful illustrator and drummer.
You may see their work at
http://MissPinProductions.etsy.com
The work is featured in the video below.



Here is the story

"I lived in Aquinas Hall at Providence College. In the 70's there was a fire in the dorm and several young women lost their lives. Very often, the sinks would turn on and off by themselves. We would feel someone tap on our shoulders and when we turn around, no one would be there but we'd hear giggling. Items would be missing and turn up in other people's rooms.

One night I was sleeping on my stomach on the top bunk. I woke to my roommate sitting up in bed, pointing at me and shouting for me to be careful. She talked in her sleep, so I told her that everything was ok. I flipped over onto my back and above me was a face looking down at me. It was glowing so white that it was blue. I assumed that I was dreaming and didn't think much of it.

The next day, we were sitting in the hallway talking to our neighbors. My roommate began telling me about a weird dream that she had. She said that I was sleeping in my bunk and there was a squiggly thing moving around above me and in her dream she was very scared. She said that it was so white...it was blue. I actually finished her sentence. Pretty freaky."
Posted at 4:24 pm, March 1 2008 EST

Etsy Artist Reports Childbirth NDE

RachelRose is a shop that is noted for pretty shiny things.The shop profile tells us

rachelrose is a gathering place for pretty, shiny, things…
Rachel writes the listings, and talks with all you wonderful etsy buyers!
Rose is Rachel's daughter, she takes all the pictures, does all the photo editing, fancy computer stuff, and is finally starting to list her photography:)

Visit my other hangout at HeyChickie.etsy.com
for loads of supplies, vintage lovely, and various and sundry other goodies;)

We LOVE stories of your jewelry adventures, please share!

Here is her story in her own words.
...During my first childbirth, I was floating above the people in the room, could see my Dr. working and the bald spot on the very top of his head, didn't know he had one till then. They had to revive me several times. I made my doc show me the bald spot later just to prove to myself it really happened. I remember thinking, damn, I am not ready to go, here is my child and I won't be there to raise him. I could see my doc shaking me and yelling at me to get back here now, the whole thing was surreal.
Posted at 2:36 pm, March 10 2008 EST
The green and silver choker is a
beautiful example of her work available in the shop at http://rachelrose.etsy.com