barelybonesboutique

[barelybonesboutique]

This raccoon was on the Shelton Beach Rd extension in Prichard, not far from where the red fox was laying. He had such a beautiful tail and coat, but nature had made its way to him before I could, so neither were salvageable. My numbers are high right now, and I’m working to get as much done before the weather starts cooling down and slowing the process. I currently have 11 animals in maceration, a method that works best with heat and moisture because it cultivates bacteria that breaks down the tissue. This rain hasn’t been the most permitting for work, but this weekend should give me a little time to play catch up. Until then, keep your eyes peeled for all of the new pieces I’ve been creating with what has finished processing recently.🖤 . . . #roadkill #boneprocessing #taxidermyart #taxidermy #vultureculture #alabama #mobileal #travelinbones #boneart #macabreart #skull #preservation #alabamaartist (at Prichard, Alabama) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4QvA4Xja6X/?igshid=1n3n0c1x8gy3y

[barelybonesboutique]

Benefits:

Bone processing tutorials for those interested in learning how to process bones on your own.

Keychains, postcards, jewelry.

Or just show your support for my work and I will love you forever!

[barelybonesboutique]

Update on this lil dude. He got a free ride to the @environmental_studies_center where he can be checked out and taken care of. Send all positive vibes his way. ❤️ If you’re ever in the area, be sure to stop by and show your support to the ESC. You can take a walk down the trails, visit the rescued animals, learn a lot, and just relax with nature. They’re out there doing a lot of good for wildlife, and have been a great resource for a lot of the injured or abandoned animals I come across in my time. . . . #animalrescue #mobilealabama #rescue #animalrights #animals #opossumrescue #opossum #environmental #wildliferescue (at Environmental Studies Ctr) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4K9p_iDW-h/?igshid=dklvq6quldbo

[barelybonesboutique]

My brother called me today and said this guy was wandering on the side of Industrial Parkway in Saraland and seemed ill. I went to go check it out, just to make sure he wasn’t in danger of getting hit. When I got there he was wobbling on the side of the road, and didn’t try to get away when I approached him. He has a bad eye, a patch on his side that looks like it has healed over after the fur has rubbed off, infection in his mouth, dehydrated, and is skin and bones. I’ll be calling the Environmental Studies Center in the morning to have him looked at because he is in such poor condition. Fingers crossed for this young dude.🖤 (at Saraland, Alabama) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4Iu2TnDH0F/?igshid=1m6k0pm4k0fl0

[barelybonesboutique]

Free up those calendars for Saturday night. I will be set up at the @alabama_music_box. They are hosting a benefit for my friend @s0ursunflower to support her family in their trying times. There will be music, art and raffles from a bunch of cool local artists. (Tap to see who’s tagged) This will be the first time I’ve set up with my jewelry in almost 6 months, so I will have a bunch of sweet new bone pieces, just in time for the spooky season. Doors open at 7, so stop in and let’s be a community that supports each other! . . . #bonejewelry #bolotie #bonebolo #skull #boneart #artwithbones #vultureculture #vulture #taxidermyart #bones #taxidermy #boneprocessing #jewelrymakers #communitydriven #localevents (at Alabama Music Box) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2XG-E6DkUO/?igshid=1szrbdekekhlv

[barelybonesboutique]

A fox squirrel that I picked up in Missouri today. It’s a mix up from our usual grey squirrels in Mobile, they grow pretty around here.🐾 . . . #roadkill #boneprocessing #taxidermyart #taxidermy #vultureculture #missouri #senathmo #travelinbones #boneart (at Sunshine Cafe) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2hr8UDjZa-/?igshid=1mmdvxwtj0pi8

[barelybonesboutique]

Saved the fur and the bones of this roadkill squirrel to take back home. Friday the 13th was my last day at NBC 15. I didn’t feel like it was a path that suited me, so I had to let it go. I noticed that anytime I told someone I was quitting, I got the same questions. “Do you have another job lined up?” or “What will you do now?” but the answer is I don’t have anything lined up or a plan to jump into anything any time soon. Nor did I feel like I needed one. I feel like coming out of a job, or a spot in life, that didn’t put you where you needed to be mentally, that warrants time to heal. ‘Healing’ doesn’t always have to come from something traumatic, it can be giving yourself time to get back to where you need to be. That has been my only plan. To create content and art that I’m proud to share, to feel good about what I’m putting into the world, and to allow myself to thrive on what fulfills me and lifts me up, instead of weighs me down. It’s been a while since I’ve dedicated myself to thinking wide open and creating without hesitation, but it’s just like riding a bike. As always, the best plan is no plan and I’m really enjoying the flow I’m going with. . . . #roadkill #boneprocessing #taxidermyart #taxidermy #vultureculture #missouri #senathmo #travelinbones #boneart #backonmyshit (at Kennett, Missouri) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2j-HRbjsen/?igshid=ttbxcy8xx412

[barelybonesboutique]

My trip last week was exactly the recharge I needed to get motivated. Ive got a ton of new bones to process and work with. These jars are filled with bits and pieces of bobcat, fox, raccoon, pheasant and a few other odds and ends that will be ready soon after they’ve finished whitening. 🐾 . . . #roadkill #boneprocessing #taxidermyart #taxidermy #vultureculture #missouri #senathmo #travelinbones #boneart #mobilealabama #alabama #mobileal (at Pit of Misery) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2zNAa6D6Gd/?igshid=14u3pniuy6gp2

[barelybonesboutique]

Operculum- the little flap or “trap door” on the bottom of snail shells. Not all snails have them, but apple snails do and i came across a few of them today. I kept passing them over, but the more I kept seeing them, the more inspiration grew. So I went back and collected what I could find. I look forward to working with their unique shapes and patterns. . . . #roadkill #boneprocessing #taxidermyart #taxidermy #vultureculture #missouri #senathmo #travelinbones #boneart #applesnails #invasivespecies #snails #science (at Japanese Gardens in Mobile Al) https://www.instagram.com/p/B27gwu2jRvH/?igshid=1vtcq51k1yszb

[barelybonesboutique]

This morning I picked up this beautiful roadkill bobcat from I-10, right before exit 50 on the way to Biloxi, after @whitsendz messaged me about him. Unfortunately his fur was already ‘slipping’ so I won’t be able to salvage it. Slippage happens when bacteria grows and causes the fur to separate from the skin. I haven’t found any technique to reverse it, so it usually just ends up being a loss. His bones will still be used after he is processed, giving him an long life ahead.🐾 . . . #roadkill #boneprocessing #taxidermyart #taxidermy #vultureculture #mobileal #alabama #travelinbones #boneart #bobcat (at Exit 50/Ocean Springs/E) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3AZZ9aj3NN/?igshid=1jt23n9t0fm81

[barelybonesboutique]

My brother, @sarrenlee called me up a few weeks ago about a pup that had been hit on Hwy 43 in Mt. Vernon. He thought it was a small coyote, but when I got to him, I felt it was in question. I asked a few second opinions because his ears were long, tail was bushy, and his stature was lanky. I kept getting similar responses in that he looked like a coydog, which is a coyote and domestic dog hybrid. Then @they_call_me_padre dropped a truth bomb on me about how these guys are breeding more and disrupting the genetic profile of native coyotes and hurting wild animal populations and pets by creating an apex predator with less fear of humans. So I started reading up on the matter. I had no clue that it was such a common thing and some people even keep them as pets. They claim that they can be loving and obedient just as much as they can be wild and unpredictable. It’s pretty wild! . This guy was pretty young. When I separated his bones I noticed that he still had his puppy teeth and his adult ones had just started growing in next to them.🐺 . . . #roadkill #boneprocessing #vultureculture #boneart #science #taxidermyart #coydog #coyote #taxidermy #bones #mobileal #alabama #southernartist (at Mount Vernon, Alabama) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3E9kLTj3Tu/?igshid=19ioun2lwfxwb

[barelybonesboutique]

TONIGHT: Come out to @alabamacontemporary at 6pm for the very first @smalltalksmobilebay. Hear me, @amandamyoungblood, and @km_gates speak on our crafts as a ‘Labor of Love’. I will be talking about my bones, jewelry, and what it all means to me, being the animal lover that I am. 🐾See you there? . . . #bones #boneart #localevents #smalltalksmobilebay #taxidermyart #vultureculture #boneprocessing #mobileal #contemporaryart #vultureculture #supportlocalart #alabama #alabamaartists (at Alabama Contemporary Art Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Kmx03Dujy/?igshid=123z9vwvl4jkn

[barelybonesboutique]

Last night was the very first @smalltalksmobilebay at @alabamacontemporary and if you didn’t stop by, you missed out. It was such a cozy event. It’s really fun to get together and talk about things. Literally anything! Last night’s theme was ‘Labor of Love’. @amandamyoungblood talked about her art journey from a student to a teacher, @km_gates walked us through the differences in model making and his personal work, and I got to talk about my bone jewelry and what it means to me, being the animal lover that I am. Sharing yourself is fun, and I encourage you to set aside the intimidating jitters of getting up in front of a crowd to talk, because it’s actually invigorating. Go to the @smalltalksmobilebay page, follow their link, and submit to talk about something you love. It could be anything, not exclusive to art! Talk about the stars, a poem you’re working on, or even your feelings. Nothing is off limits! I’m looking forward to these future events and what we can learn about the people in our community. 📷 Amazing photos by Mandy Sullivan. . . . #smalltalks #smalltalksmobilebay #mobileal #alabama #arttalk #laboroflove #boneartist #artists #boneprocessing #artteacher #model #modelbuilding #artistsofalabama (at Alabama Contemporary Art Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Nz4ZBDiEs/?igshid=106ebt778qyjc

[barelybonesboutique]

These honeycomb like shapes my heart happy. Can you guess what these bones are from? . . . #roadkill #boneprocessing #taxidermyart #taxidermy #vultureculture #alabama #mobileal #travelinbones #boneart #guessthatbone #honeycomb (at Chickasaw, Alabama) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3VXuPODO4a/?igshid=dyj00ojh8udv

[barelybonesboutique]

Today I got a message about a young deer on Celeste Road right past the grocery store in Saraland. This little spotted fawn lost its life early. I hate that animals die and I wish they could all live their lives happy and to the fullest, but that’s not reality. I’m really glad for the people who still continue to admire them after they’re dead. I love getting messages that say, in some form, “it was too beautiful not to tell you”. I’m glad that there are people who want to preserve the beauty. Just because these animals lose their lives, doesn’t mean they no longer have a story to tell.🐾 . . . #roadkill #boneprocessing #taxidermyart #taxidermy #vultureculture #alabama #mobileal #travelinbones #boneart #spottedfawn #fawn #preservation #alabamaartist (at Rouses Markets) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3YHNHJDair/?igshid=2mrw0d3da4jz

[barelybonesboutique]

Here we go again with my favorite game. Guess that animal! What do you think this little vertebrae piece came from? . . . #roadkill #boneprocessing #taxidermyart #taxidermy #vultureculture #alabama #mobileal #travelinbones #boneart #guessthatbone #vertebra #spine (at Chickasaw, Alabama) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3cznwBD-_0/?igshid=od1vvbpm1nrc

[barelybonesboutique]

@singingtomydogs and I found this guy at the base of a tree in Langan Park. It may have been dropped by a bird of prey or just decided to lay down for a nap and never woke up again.🐀 . . . #roadkill #boneprocessing #taxidermyart #taxidermy #vultureculture #alabama #mobileal #travelinbones #boneart #deadmouse #rat #preservation #alabamaartist (at Langan Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3kgNFvDiHp/?igshid=1nwsafm33y7zi