Ancient Clock Shoppe - Country Clocks

I took a beautiful motorcycle ride up the Hudson River on Sunday and came across this lovely shop.  The village of Cold Spring sits across the river in New York from the military academy of West Point.  The village itself is a treasure trove of independent antique shops.
Country Clocks is a treasure trove of gorgeous clocks, perfect for anyone's high end steampunk decor.  Proprietor Howard restores the beautiful pieces himself, and has great passion for his collections.  He explained that many of the pieces were sourced locally. A lot of the pieces were made in France, England, other European countries where wealthy immigrants of the 18th and 19th century came from.  The pieces were then passed down through generations and eventually were acquired by the shop.

Kanibal Home

If you are in New Jersey, or looking to decorate your home online, take a look at one of my new favorite shops.  Kanibal Home is a wonderfully quirky boutique selling vintage, re-purposed items, eclectic decor, fashion accessories and clothing.  It's not quite Goth, but it definitely has a darker, wicked edge.

Rumor has it that the proprietor once worked at a morgue, giving her some macabre credibility.  The store's blog covers everything from taxidermy, fashion and fabulous DIY projects.

They launched a small graphic tee and scarf collection.  The artwork consisting of antique typewriters, chandeliers, vintage silverware and skulls.
What makes them tick? Their philosophy is "devouring the old and creating something new."

Steampunk Night at Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Looking for some period nightlife in the City of Angels?  This Saturday, the Los Angeles Country Museum of Art is throwing Muse 'Til Midnight.  The party is a celebrations of all things Steampunk.

First, you have the League of S.T.E.A.M. a Victorian parlor of interactive art and performances.  An open bar, the Stargazer garden featuring large scale Steampunk installations and clockwork fountain.

If you're looking for style, don't miss the Steampunk fashion show.  There is a stilt circus and moustache mayhem for sillier fun.  Purchase tickets online here.

Mattel's Dolls of Monster High

Did you buy the cutesy Goth/Punk Barbie last year?  Are you looking for something edgier and fashion forward?  Mega toy brand Mattel finally recognized that young fashionistas want darker, sleeker styles.

A new collection of dolls was released this summer called Monster High.  The story is that these chic horror chicks are the teen descendants from famous monster classics.  The dolls go by the names like Frankie Stein, Clawdeen Wolf and Draculaura.

Mattel is putting its full weight behind promoting these ladies.  There are music videos, a cartoon series and an upcoming full length feature from Universal Studios.  Their website is a lot of fun.  You can play games, register for school and unlock promotional codes for goodies.

Photos courtesy of Ebony Nicole at Brooklyn Stars Forever

Dead or Alive: MAD Museum Exhibit in NYC

Is there beauty in death? At the Museum of Arts and Design, thirty artists attempt to prove this true. Through sculptures, installations, the works in this exhibit are made from items once living, now dead.

Some of have re-purposed bones into new objects. Some have made use of the decorative patterns and silhouettes of insects into beautiful decor motifs. Usually, an exhibit with such a theme provokes artists who create for shock value, or are politically abstract. Instead, the actual craft and design of these pieces are so well thought out, many could even be functional.

Feathers have been a prominent embellishment in fashion in current seasons, and fits perfectly into this exhibit. The iridescent wings of butterflies take on the silky sheen of many taffeta ballgown, its mural giving elegance to a room.

A motorcycle of engineered bones has the edge and style that would make the American Chopper Boys Drool. The delicate manipulations of beetles in a Victorian home setting might convince you it was an aristocratic estate piece.

The exhibit runs until October 24, 2010.

Photos by Stanzie Tooth

Beyond The Brambles - Exhibit by Jade Kuei

If you are in New York or New Jersey, check out artist Jade Kuei's new exhibit at the Kanibal boutique. She was previously profiled for her creepy cute jewelry collection, and has not graced us with a wonderful collection of paintings.

What nightmares can you encounter when you get lost in the woods? The exhibit examines the monsters that a child imagines he would encounter... What I love about Jade's work is that the child in her art are never victims. The child always seem to befriend or conquer the phantoms he encounters.

The art show runs until August 23rd, 2010. Can't make it to the exhibit? You can always peruse her Etsy shop or view her online portfolio.

Viktor & Rolf's Revealing Fall 2010 Show

Designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren of Amsterdam brought a new meaning to the phrase "layered look". For the Viktor & Rolf presentation for Fall 2010, they brought out model Kristen McMenamy in every outfit of the collection.

The designers peeled away garment after garment to reveal luxurious pieces. The color black dominated the runway. It was translated into multiple silhouettes and textures.

Take a look at the video: