Sunday Inspiration

(via Pinterest)

Vincent

In honor of tonight's showing of The House on Haunted Hill, here's one of my favorite shorts narrated by the delightful Vincent Price:

Halloween Happenings

Kiddies, what are you doing this weekend? As you can probably guess, the ladies of Kanibal Home are pretty into Halloween. Personally, I used to go all out and craft these fantastic getups but with the shop (blah, blah adult stuff) and all I can't devote as much time as I would like to primping and pampering for one goolish evening.

But that's why you have friends, right? I've already asked (*cough, cough* bribed with food + alcohol) Rachael to curl my hair and scheduled an appointment with the amazing Shana from MakeupbySha. It my take a small team of professionals, but I have faith that these ladies can get me in the Halloween spirit. Here's a peak at what I have planned:

(Image via Pinterest)

I know, not a HUGE stretch of the imagination if you know me at all. But make sure to say hi if you see me out and about on Saturday night. In other going out news, the Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cove Cemetery is putting on its Ghost of Uncle Joe's Halloween Benefit from 5:00 to 10:00pm this Saturday. And both the Lamp Post and Lucky 7 Tavern are having Halloween-themed events if you're doing the bar thing.

And, if you REALLY want to know what I'm doing after work this weekend (TMI alert), I'll be catching a show at the Landmark Loews Theater. Probably Friday (say, if you wanted to bring me out on a date).

And that's our Halloween roundup. There are ton of other activities going on around town, so if you find something noteworthy send over an email or leave a mention as a comment.

PS: We'll have Halloween candy at the shop all weekend for anyone dressed in a costume!

Essentials for Spooky Serving

Having a Halloween party? We've got your goodies whether you're being naughty or nice (wait, wrong holiday?).

We are in LOVE ....

(Thanks for modeling, Michelle! I think you might have another calling ...)

Seriously, how amazing is this coat?! We're in LOVE and if you are too, let us know --- it's selling fast!

Scarves: 101

One of autumn's most popular accessories is the scarf. Whether it's solid, patterned, adorned with beads or dip-dyed, these fashion staples keep you toasty while looking chic.

And now that the weather is getting cooler by the day one of the most frequent questions we get over here at Kanibal Home is: How do I wear a scarf? Whether it's bundled under a blazer or worn in lieu of a necklace, the following video does a great job of demonstrating the versatility of these swatches of fabric.

(A special thank you to our friends over at YAY! DIY for bringing it to my attention!)

Craft Class: Textile Stamping

Kanibal Home is thrilled to welcome back Jersey City artist Daniella Lekach -- she'll be teaching a class on textile stamping this upcoming Thursday (10/20) at 7:30pm.

With the holidays around the corner, Daniella will be demonstrating how to create custom stamps that can then be used to make a multitude of gifts, including Furoshiki gift wrap and one-of-a-kind handkerchiefs.

Cost is $25 cash and includes the lesson, all materials and refreshments. 100% of the price of the class goes to the local instructor.

Space is limited, so if you're interested in participating please RSVP to kristen (at) kanibalhome (dot) com.

New Items: Rubella Jewelry

The lovely ladies over at Rubella have dropped off another batch of necklaces. Ch-ch-check it out:

New Styles in the Shop

From clothing to bags, we're restocking the shop like crazy lately ...

Jersey City Pendant Necklaces

I've been working on some super fun local projects and one of them has arrived in the shop earlier than I thought. A collaboration between Kanibal Home and Schmutzerland, check out these snazzy Jersey City map necklaces the shop is now stocking:

For the Boys

Scantily-clad women never go out of style, so snatch up these pin-up cuff links for that special man/friend. These beauties are also available online at the Kanibal Home website.

Burn Baby Burn

Oh how I love the sweet fragrances of Fall. I mean, don't get me wrong, the sweetness of summer is nice too but there's something about crisp air that makes me want to light a candle and relax. Good thing I've been stocking up on all the autumn necessities. Check it out below (candles + over-sized matches + wine decanter):

(Soap + Paper Factory collaborated with Patch NYC to create this great, manly range of scented candles.)

(Yup, we have mustache matches.)

(Day of the Dead bottle openers)

(And a beautifully burning candle isn't proper without a nice glass of wine.)

New Items in the Shop

There's a new display table in the shop and it's stocked with fun home goods. I've also been putting out new clothing styles daily. Ch-ch-check it out:

(Nerd alert: I saw these in a magazine and copied the idea for the shop's window display. BAM! Crows on plates.)

(Cool weather dresses galore and a quick look at the new display table.)

(The rule is that if you buy one of these killer paper-mache skulls then you need to fill it with candy and invite me over for cocktails.)

(Life is good, enjoy the little things. Amen, little plate.)

(Beat SAD with a mug of happiness.)

(Hoot cutting boards, bedazzled salt + pepper shakers and some more skulls. Why not, right?)

(You can never have enough of these well-priced skull pillows designed by Jersey City's Ula Nice.)

WTF of the Week: Squirrel Attack

Obviously I think very highly of Kanibal Home. However, it seems Jersey City's woodland creatures do too.

A few days ago my friend and neighbor (cough, stalker) Beth popped by the shop to chat. I was showing her the new skull-themed book that came into the store when I caught her looking behind me, wide-eyed.

ME (oblivious): The book's awesome, right?!
*Silence and staring*
ME: Right?
BETH: Dude, there's a squirrel behind you.

And I couldn't even believe it, but there was a squirrel just chilling in the dressing room. Looking at us like it was thinking, Yea that book is pretty awesome.

Being the incredibly resourceful shop owner that I am, I immediately took action.

Which means I grabbed my camera and started laughing hysterically.

You can see the terror on Beth's face as she hides behind the table. And look at that little rascal perched on the mirror like he/she is reclining on a chaise lounge. Ridiculous. If Beth wasn't in the shop I would have been milling about behind the front desk and never would have seen this freeloader.

Here's another picture (I was laughing so hard I couldn't focus the camera):

Well that was fun for about five minutes. And then, as customers started shopping in the store, we realized the squirrel couldn't stay in the dressing room forever. Bummer.

ME: Beth, how are you going to get the squirrel out?
BETH: Oh hells no. I'm leaving.
ME: No you're not!

So a plan formed. It might not have been the best -- and we might have screamed at one point when the squirrel went all Girl Interrupted on us for a minute -- but eventually he/she politely exited the shop via this awesome barricade we shoddily constructed:

OK, so you may be thinking: Squirrels climb power lines. What makes you think it would follow a low-lying path made out of vintage trunks and wire baskets? Well the answer to that question is that we weren't thinking. After calling Animal Control for tips (they were closed) and asking the non-emergency Jersey City Police line for assistance (they laughed at us) we had to figure out how to get the party crasher out in the least stressful manner (Beth was freaking out). So armed with two brooms, we stood behind the "barricade" and ushered our furry friend out. Honestly, Beth did most of the work. I was still laughing. As I grabbed for my camera again she shouted, "This is NOT a time for blogging!" Fine, fine.

The squirrel ran out of the store, looked back once and then jetted across traffic on Montgomery Street. We both screamed in earnest this time. He/she made it across safely, though, and some guy smoking a cigarette across the street looked at us like we were lunatics as we jumped up and down in front of the shop, high-fiving with the brooms held high in the air.

I never said I didn't have fun at work.

Listen: Jealous Sound - Hope for Us

The change in seasons always makes me feel a bit nostalgic. It could also be that I was driving through a college campus this weekend, visiting my younger sister, but this weather makes me think of time spent in New Brunswick.  I loved and hated those mornings walking to class. It was still early enough that the streets were clear and quiet, except for the rustle of leaves, and the sky is lit but grey, like someone tossed a towel over the sun. It was cold enough that my hands never really got warm and I dreaded having to take them out of my pockets to scribble notes. So I usually didn't. Days were spent flitting between classes, evenings playing rugby (this is the worse weather for it too, when the ground just starts to freeze and soft bodies ricochet off grass like it's concrete) and nights in humid basements listening to bands and drinking bad beer.

And all that was reminisced about to segue into a Jealous Sound song. I almost posted Anxious Arms, but I think the below is more on point. Hopefully I get some work done today and don't get stuck rifling through old Head Automatica and Jealous Sound songs. Either way ... enjoy.