Renaissance Faires

That's my excuse this week, though I admit it's not a very good one. It's just a hectic time right now, and I apologize. But I have been practicing to fight in a local ren-faire.

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So, onto the related plug! However, I couldn't find anything particularly "renaissance-y" that caught my eye and was in my normal price caps. However, I had suddenly remembered and was telling a story on how I got to see the "Glory of Baroque Dresden" exhibit in Jackson, MS back in 2004, and saw some of the bizarre trophies of Castle Moritzburg. I liked how all the deer heads at the exhibit were carved out of wood, and the voice on the audio tour explained that some of the red deer antlers bizarre because of a belief that deer with weird or deformed antlers were somehow touched by God, and thus extra special hunting trophies. I've looked everywhere for photos, but can't find what I saw at the exhibit (not unusual. Those foreign exhibits back in Jackson frequently got items that wouldn't even be on the tours if you went to the original

foreign location and took a tour there.)

However, it kind of sparked off my interest in not-quite-right taxidermy. Either completely fake (like plush-idermy, or felt-idermy) or like gaffs (real critter pieces used to make impossible animals).

Tonight on etsy I found Misfit Menagerie, which definitely falls into the first category. I think the pictured Ram is my favorite. It's cute, and still yet just a little wrong, but in all the right ways. The print with the picture of the more realistic ram on the center of the forehead is a nice touch as well. She has other plushies, pillows and monsters, all with a very similar quirky feel that I find adorable. Definitely take the time to visit!