Dia De Los Muertos, The Skeleton Collection!

For those of you that don't know, I live in Las Vegas Nevada, and we have a thriving Mexican-American community here in town. As such this southwest town has the occasional Dia De Los Muertos celebration. There are a lot of Skeletons and Skulls featured during this Mexican holiday.

Thus a post on my Paper Skeletons.

First is my pride and joy of my Die-cut collection, the only real vintage Halloween decoration I have, and I received him as a hand-me-down from my grandmother. 

Image by Strublay

He is a Beistle die cut, one sided Paper Skeleton Halloween decoration.

Isn't it awesome? 

It was manufactured sometime in the 50's or 60's and it is from my Grandmothers collection, which means that the Skelly was used during the time that my mom was a kid. 

I LOVE my Vintage Skelly.

Image by Strublay

It's a bit beat up, but it is awesome, and it looks good on turquoise!

Image by Strublay

Here is my late 1980's early 1990s Skeleton Die-cut, I know less information about it, other than the fact that it is wearing a belt that says Dem Bones 1892 on it.

It's cool, one that my mom used to put up every year. The shirt my mom made for me the same year my mother and father discovered the combination of cheese cloth, starch, glow in the dark paint, and fishing line to create a ghost. EVERYTHING was glow in the dark that year. The year after I had grown out of the shirt and we put it on Dem Bones. 

Image by Strublay

This is an older Skeleton Die Cut, not old enough to not be printed on both sides, but it is made out of matte paper and is strictly black and white.

I think it is also a hand-me-down from my grandmothers collection.

Happy Dia De Los Muertos!

Memories of blacklight bulbs, bats, and poseable Skeletons made of paper.

Found on Flickr; Image by: Hey Paul

My Halloweens of memory, they consisted of white sheets over furniture, and bare black light bulbs, of carved pumpkins and paper decorations.

Found on Flickr; Image by: Whimsy Studios

Paper bats fluttered about the house, paper spiders crawled down the hall, there was a ghost made of starched cheese cloth, and a lilliputian grave yard, complete with tiny bats, small flying witch and a grim reaper lined the windows;

Found on Flicker; Image by: Riptheskull

 But the most vivid memory of all was the paper skeleton, an creation of western origin, with rotting skin falling off old bones. My mother put one of my Halloween shirts on him, to hide his gruesome insect infested torso.

The images forever defined my holiday.

I hate how its been commercialized. You cant buy memories as vivid as that.

Of spirits, brains, and the allure of green glass.

Found on Flickr; Image by nushuz

Spirits, no the liquid kind. a blood red drink an a skeleton hand glass. How appropriate.

Found on Flickr; Image by tangopango

The Brain Hemorrhage. Shot of choice for Zombies world wide.

Found on Flickr; Image by Macaw-frey

An inviting green bottle, or is it? Oh the allure of green glass.

Of rethinking static props and childhood memories

 

Found on Flickr; Photograph by Bart_

I love how these are playing the roles of static props, instead of the classic plastic skull sitting on the ground... very artistic

Found on Flickr; Photograph by Doris Pepsi

Beautiful bird, that reminded me of something: When I was a child living in our small apartment on Cheyenne, my mother always put black poster board cutouts of a graveyard scene and a witch over the moon in a small window in the Dining room that faced out to the trick or treaters. My mother cut them by hand and they still exist, as we get closer to the holiday, I'll most likely get a photograph and post it here.

  

Found on Flickr; Photograph by Toddrwaters133

Another photograph that sends me to my childhood memories: this record was played by my mother every year on Halloween, and many other days beside by me, since my mother kept it among her record collection all year long.

Of dogs and Día de los Muertos

 

Found On Flickr; Photography by Knee_Bone

Cute Little dog with a cute little costume... anyone that tiny needs a hoodie on Halloween!

Found on Flickr; Photography by Squeaky Rat.

I LOVE the paper mache skull and its hot pink and black paint job.

Found on Flickr; Photography by Chelsea Perkins.

Traditional Day of the Dead altar, complete with sugar skulls, carnations, food for the dead and photographs for the living.

Pumpkin Rot

A perennial favorite, I usually never go more than a week with out checking his blog. Go check it out at: http://www.pumpkinrot.com/ and Whats Brewing?

All of the pictures below are taken by Pumpkinrot, all found at Whats Brewing?