I don't know how to write this but I need to.
Mickey Alice Kwapis
by Mickey Alice Kwapis
2y ago
Over the weekend, I met with a client to make a sentimental locket while her husband and son browsed the store. She sat down at my workbench and first showed me a small bundle of hair tied with a red thread, then a small collection of sea glass and tiny fossils she had found at the lake. We joked a bit about the Great Lakes and how much we love finding glass even though it’s actually old garbage. Then she laid out the third item she brought, a tissue with a spot of deep red on it. Matter-of-factly she said, “And this is blood.” I’m open to most things when it comes to unconventional items bein ..read more
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My Holographic Studio
Mickey Alice Kwapis
by Mickey Alice Kwapis
2y ago
This spring, after more than five years living in my apartment, I decided that my studio needed a major overhaul to make it a more beautiful and comfortable space to work in. Here are all the changes I made! This post contains affiliate links. My studio is a small space attached to the back bedroom of my apartment. Previously used as motorcycle storage, it has linoleum over cement floors, stained ceiling tiles, dark and oily hollow paneling on the east wall, and when I moved in it had many layers of sloppy multicolored paint and really rickety wood windows. A while ago my landlord replaced th ..read more
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Insect & Invertebrate Specimen Repair Glue/Adhesive Comparison Guide
Mickey Alice Kwapis
by Mickey Alice Kwapis
2y ago
This is a comparison of all of the adhesives I keep in my studio for making repairs in my work. Entomology art is so fun to make, but insects (and other invertebrates) are fragile and sometimes accidents happen. Whether you received your specimen with a broken antennae right from your broker or you got really excited about a huge beetle and made your boyfriend take your picture holding it and you broke off two legs in the process (who, me?), you’re gonna need some glue. This post contains affiliate links. These are my five adhesives. I mixed the methyl cellulose in a pimento jar, and it lasts ..read more
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WET SPECIMENS: AN UPDATED POST (WITH A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON)
Mickey Alice Kwapis
by Mickey Alice Kwapis
2y ago
Way back in 2015, I wrote a general guide to creating wet specimens. After more than three years, and getting tons of questions, I have decided it is time for a sequel. I recommend reading through that post in addition to this one before you begin a wet specimen project. This will give you a good sense of the cost, risks, and realistic timelines for the process so you can decide if it’s something you would like to try. I offer many services, including making pet memorials or custom wet specimens, by request. Just shoot me a message! Veiled chameleon hatchling in vintage sanded glass specimen ..read more
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GETTING STARTED IN TAXIDERMY
Mickey Alice Kwapis
by Mickey Alice Kwapis
2y ago
If you're wondering how to get started in the taxidermy industry, you're in the right place. Having a career preserving animals can be fulfilling and profitable, but only if you approach it the right way. I started out way back in 2012, working my way through college with a friend who needed help on her mammalogy homework. One thing led to another and an opportunity to learn how to skin a dead squirrel has turned into a career which has allowed me to teach at an Ivy League university, participate (and win a ribbon!) in a national competition, and travel the world showing others the ropes ..read more
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MY FAVORITE FILM CAMERA
Mickey Alice Kwapis
by Mickey Alice Kwapis
2y ago
Since the first time I laid eyes on a Yashica T4, it became my favorite camera. Back in 2010 I was spending a lot of time at house and techno clubs in Detroit, and I was using a Walgreens loyalty point-and-shoot film camera to document everyone busting a move. This is where I get a little long-winded. Deal with it. The Walgreens camera was great. The camera itself was $20 and came pre-loaded with a roll of basic film. The deal was that you'd shoot your film, bring it back to Walgreens to be developed, and they'd load your camera back up with film - FOR LIFE. This was the era when one-hour phot ..read more
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TIPS FOR SUCCESS SELLING YOUR WORK AT HANDMADE MARKETS, CRAFT SHOWS, + OTHER EVENTS
Mickey Alice Kwapis
by Mickey Alice Kwapis
2y ago
As a maker and seller of handmade jewelry and taxidermy for the better part of the last decade, I'm finally on the good end of the learning curve when it comes to finding success selling my work at shows and events. In addition to planning my own trunk shows and handmade markets, I've also been a participant in a fair amount of events. I'm covering the following: How to find events to participate in What to bring to your events, indoors and out How to set up successfully How to make sales How to break down your setup How to translate visitors into customers Find An Event The firs ..read more
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MY FAVORITE TAXIDERMY SUPPLIES
Mickey Alice Kwapis
by Mickey Alice Kwapis
2y ago
This post contains AFFILIATE linkS. For info on affiliate links, read here. Here are some of my favorite supplies (and accompanying tips and tricks) to get really nice-looking specimens. They'll change the way your work turns out! Whether you're a beginner or a veteran taxidermist, give these a whirl. I think you'll be satisfied. Click on the photos to be taken to the products. 1. I think one of the most important supplies to have in your arsenal is borax. If you're doing a bird taxidermy mount it's a must, but I also use it for small mammal taxidermy as well. Lots of taxidermists swear by ta ..read more
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GUIDE TO ESTATE SALES — MASTER POST
Mickey Alice Kwapis
by Mickey Alice Kwapis
2y ago
A sign at Me & My Partner Antiques in Woodbine, Georgia. It's no secret that I love estate sales and have since I was a kid. If you loved thrift-shopping before Macklemore wrote a dumb song about it, have a collection of anything from baseball cards to glass mannequin heads (that's me!), or are just in need of a new set of dishes, estate sales are for you! Here is my guide to finding estate sales, getting first dibs at everything, and negotiating great deals. You never know what you're going to find, because every estate sale is different! This is how I get the most out of every weekend ..read more
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PREVENTION OF COMMODIFYING PROTECTED ANIMALS
Mickey Alice Kwapis
by Mickey Alice Kwapis
2y ago
When people meet me and find out what I do for a living, they very quickly try to find a relatable anecdote or tell me about their collections of taxidermy. I think that's how everyone is, but rather than connecting based on music or art or television, the easiest thing for new acquaintances to grasp onto is my taxidermy work and knowledge. Sometimes I hear about an uncle who hunts, or an interior designer looking for a European mount on velvet, but occasionally I hear about someone’s own taxidermy collection. Today in particular, I got to see photos of a man’s collection of owl, eagle, a ..read more
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