WELCOME TO EVIL EYE CURIOSITIES: A NEW HOME FOR THE STRANGE & CURIOUS
Welcome to Evil Eye Curiosities.
If you’ve found your way here from Etsy, eBay, Instagram or somewhere else on the strange and winding paths of the internet, thank you for stopping by.
Evil Eye Curiosities began back in 2018, with a love of natural history and the wonderfully strange things that can be found in the natural world - I eventually discovered a love of entomology and that has become a huge focus of Evil Eye Curiosities.
What started on Etsy has gradually grown into something much bigger, and now Evil Eye Curiosities has it’s own little corner of the internet
From A Small Etsy Shop To A Cabinet of Curiosities
When I first started settling my work in 2018, I had no idea quite where the journey would lead.
Over the years the shop has changed and grown to include framed specimens, natural history displays, curiosities, vintage pieces, DIY kits, supplies and live insects.
I’ve also spent countless hours learning about different species, raising insects, creating artwork and experimenting with ways to present specimens in a variety of styles
The new website is the next step in that journey.
Rather than having everything scattered across different marketplaces, I wanted to create somewhere that could bring it all together. A place that feels less like a catalogue…
And more like a cabinet of curiosities that you can step inside.
A wardrobe of wonders perhaps…
What’s Inside The Cabinet?
There’s a little bit of everything here.
You’ll find framed butterflies, moths & insects, created for anyone who appreciates the intricate beauty of the natural world. You’ll also find curiosities & oddities including unusual natural history pieces and objects with their own stories to tell, and for those who want to get more hands- on there are DIY butterfly pinning kits & crafting supplies. And then there are the live insects - not always available, but raising insects has become a huge part of my own journey, and being able to share that experience with others is something I am particularly excited about, when I have surplus ova or larvae or something else I will offer them for sale here.
More Than Just A Shop
One of the biggest reasons for creating this website was to have somewhere to share the stories about the adventures we go on, or the stories behind the things I make. Because there always is a story.
Here you will find care guides, insect information, behind the scenes posts, raising diaries, natural history articles and stories from my own experiences.
Behind The Scenes.
Not everything that happens at Evil Eye Curiosities ends up in the shop.
Sometimes I’m raising a new species, sometimes I’m preparing specimens, sometimes I’m experimenting with a new piece of art work, sometimes I am out hiking collecting materials, sometimes something goes completely wrong and I have to work out what happened!
Those moments are part of the journey too.
The aim is to bring some of that behind the scenes process here, rather than only showing the finished result. I want you to see the messy, fascinating and occasionally chaotic side of working with insects & natural history.
A Love of The Unusual
I have always been drawn towards things that make you stop and look twice.
The strange. The beautiful. The unusual. The slightly macabre.
The things that really might otherwise we overlooked.
That’s really the heart of Evil Eye Curiosities.
Natural history doesn’t have to be sterile or hidden away behind museum glass.
It can be curios. It can be beautiful. It can be strange.
And sometimes it can be wonderfully gothic.
Sustainability & Respect For The Natural World
For me keeping and displaying natural history specimens also comes with a responsibility to think about where things come from and how they are used. I aim to take a sustainable approach to the pieces I create and source, while treating specimens and natural history materials with care.
Where possible I want the things that pass through Evil Eye Curiosities to be appreciated, rather than forgotten. A specimen can become artwork. A discarded or overlooked natural object can become something worth displaying. And something that might otherwise be unseen can become a reason for someone to learn more about the natural world.
What Comes Next?
The website will continue to grow. There will be new specimens. New art work. New curiosities. New insects to raise. New experiments. And hopefully, plenty of new and strange stories to tell along the way.
I am particularly excited about developing The Grimoire into a place where you can learn about the creatures and processes behind the art. If you’ve ever wondered how an insect is prepared for framing, what it’s like to raise Deaths Head Hawkmoths, why butterflies need nettles or how to care for a framed specimen, this is where you’ll find the andeers.
Welcome To The Cabinet
So, whether you’ve arrived looking for a particular butterfly, a strange curiosity, a moth to add to your collection, a pinning kit or simply something you’ve never seen before…
Welcome.
Take your time.
Look closely.
There are plenty of strange treasures waiting to be discovered.
And this is only the begining.
Welcome to Evil Eye Curiosities.
Step inside the cabinet.
——————————
Explore Evil Eye Curiosities
Browse the collections of framed butterflies, moths, insects, curiosities & oddities, butterfly pinning kits, crafting supplies, antiques & vintage and live insects or stay here a while and explore more stories from The Grimoire
