What's good, internet? How ya doing? How ya feeling? TGIF, but it's not just any Friday—Happy Friday the Thirteenth! Today has been known to be an unlucky day, and I've started off my own day fairly roughly, but I'm hoping to channel good luck, good vibes, good thoughts, and good feelings your way, today and always!
Now that we're gathered together on this chilly autumn day (first frost was last night—finally!), there's two things I wanna talk to you about: Over the Garden Wall and HowtobeHuman. "What are those?" you may ask. Well, dear reader, allow me to elaborate.
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Over the Garden Wall is a delightful, animated, ten-episode mini series by Patrick McHale. It aired on Cartoon Network in a week-long event in November 2014, and in the three years since, it has become the quintessential fall viewing experience for many millennials. So much occurs in this series, only 110 minutes altogether, yet it's difficult to explain any one point too thoroughly without the risk of spoiling it.
Let's start here: we begin in media res—two brothers, wandering a land of eternal autumn, lost in this eerie woodland... How did they get here? Why are they lost? What on earth are they wearing? Is that Elijah Wood's voice? It's multi-faceted, often both silly and somber, esoteric and obvious, and the palette makes me long for hay rides and a mug of hot, spiced apple cider.
So many hidden symbols and lot devices lie in the gorgeously painted backgrounds, and the anachronistic details from mixed time periods only add to the mystery of the series—there's a heavy sense of nostalgia and timelessness, and it'll fill you with childhood longing for the simple days of trick-or-treating, while also giving you space to reflect on your interpersonal relationships now that you carry more adult responsibilities. Earnestness and innocence carry a lot of weight in the plot, and you'll find yourself crying a lot more than you might expect.
The animation is simply breathtaking at times, which makes the simple character designs wholly worth it. The art book is stunning. The background music is phenomenal, as well as the actual songs, and the soundtrack was even a vinyl exclusive. There's also a cassette tape featuring in-character poetry, music, and radio drama-esque foley from the cast, and the comic book series has become quite popular as well, filling in the gaps between the dream-like episodes and shedding light on some of the more confusing elements. It's a world you can indulge in purely on the surface level, or you can choose to dive deep into the story and immerse yourself in lore.
It's available to stream completely on Hulu, and some of the episodes are also on Cartoon Network's site. I highly recommend watching it at least once a year, and if you want to watch it with me, I'll be streaming it this coming Sunday night! On October 15th at 8:00 PM, Eastern Daylight Time, I'll host a free viewing party through Rabb.it, and we can get in the spooky spirit of the season. Keep an eye on my Twitter for the link. I'll also randomly give away a copy of the cassette tape, entitled "For Sara." If you want to buy your own copy of the DVD, click here!
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HowtobeHuman is the accessory shop that I run. Everything is made and/or designed by me, and I try to keep it updated seasonally. The jewelry, especially, is handmade, and I put a lot of effort into creating new pieces to sell.
For fall, I've added two new accessory sets, though I hope to finish more throughout the week in time for Halloween. The first is based around a glow-in-the-dark bat charm, and the second (which goes up tonight) features an apple charm. Here's the description of the first:
You'll go batty for these glittering, glow-in-the-dark, bat-themed accessories! This Halloween-exclusive collection is the perfect gift for any trick-or-treaters you know (or even just your local glitter goth).
Included in this spooky selection are a necklace with a 24-inch stainless steel chain, a pair of fish hook earrings dangling from a stainless steel chain, post earrings with stainless steel findings and rubber backs, a handwoven stretchy tattoo choker, a hair barrette, and an inch-long pin.
I'm still finishing up the pieces and setting up a photoshoot for the apple set, but here's what I think the copy will be:
Fresh out the orchard, these juicy accessories will leave a sweet taste in your mouth! Take a bite of this crisp, fall-themed jewelry and start your season off right. How do you like them apples?
Included in this delicious collection are a necklace with a 24-inch stainless steel chain, a pair of fish hook earrings dangling from a stainless steel chain, post earrings with stainless steel findings and rubber backs, and an inch-long pin.
I started working on this set last night, and I shared some progress pics on my Instagram story, as well as updates on Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook. You should follow me and watch my process! I'd be delighted to share this with you, and I'd be even more delighted if you maybe took a look at my wares.
That's all I've got for you this week, friends. If you wanna chat, leave a comment below! Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!