Creepy Lighthouse DIY

The weather was amazing at the beach last weekend - and end-of-the-season summery sun means walks on the beach! We wandered by the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, its light first lit in 1871.

The lighthouse was only used for three years - then, they built another taller lighthouse with a more powerful light at Yaquina Head. Both lighthouses have tons of ghost stories associated with them, but this delightfully creepy DIY project on display at Yaquina Bay is better than all of those stories put together:


In this frame is a cross, covered with delicately braided decorations . . .


Decorations made of human hair! And maybe even horse hair. It was popular during the Victorian era to make decorative keepsakes and even wearable mementos and jewelry from the hair of the dearly departed . . . as well as the alive and beloved. You can learn more about it here or here.

I also picked up this cool postcard, circa 1915, of early surfer girls (and guys)! Maybe their great-grandmothers made hair jewelry. And who knows, maybe one of their great-great-granddaughters will offer a class in it at the next Oregon Art & Soul art retreat!


I'll have more to share with you about this year's Art & Soul over the next few days . . . stay tuned!