seriously y’all, how awesome are these zombie arms?!
and they are just as fantastic in person as they look in pictures.
not only are they super fun for the yard – but they are steel which is so durable!
they definitely add that fun creepy aspect to the yard (uh hello zombi apocalypse, i see you!)
i’ve already gotten a ton of compliments on them from friends.
this is truly one of my favorite new additions to my halloween decoration collection this year.
i don’t think i’ve had something so original, macabre, and fun grace my hard since the skeleton flamingos.
let me introduce you to taten from dark horse garage.
taten has been an absolute pleasure to get to know and i want you to know more about his passion too!
q || tell me a little bit about your shop and yourself.
I built my shop in 2008. I started out doing automotive repairs, upholstery and welding. I liked the work but it wasn’t what I truly wanted to do. Working with my hands and being creative is where my real talent lies. About three years ago I purchased new equipment and began to focus on making art and signs with wood and metal. It’s growing slowly and I hope to turn it into my primary occupation.
q || how did you get started with woodworking & metal?
My grandpa got me into woodworking. He was a carpenter in the navy during the Korean War. He had a small shop beside his house and anytime I got the chance I was in his shop trying to build whatever was on my mind that day. We put together several projects over the years, some of which we have in our home today. I still use his favorite hammer whenever I do anything dealing with wood.
I became involved in metalworking from growing up with a farmer for a father. Learning to cut and weld metal were essential skills used for repairing trailers and farm machinery as well as building useful tools for around the farm. I loved to dig through the scrap pile and find an interesting piece of metal to make something new with.
q || what do you love most about designing the pieces in your shop?
I love that my pieces are my ideas. I’m blessed to be able to turn the thoughts in my head into actual items. Every time I finish a new piece I start to brainstorm about what I could create next. What other thoughts could I turn into real things.
So, why zombie arms?
I’m a zombie fan. One of my favorite shows is The Walking Dead. When i began to watch the show I was inspired to make something zombie related. I originally planned to make a life-size zombie silhouette but I’ve always liked the scenes in movies when the zombies break through the ground. That’s where the inspiration came from.
q || tell me your favorite thing about halloween.
The decorations have to be my favorite part of Halloween. I get a kick out of all the creepy, spooky and weird items that people use to decorate with. Last year I made a pair of six foot tall werewolves to place in the field around our house. I think Halloween has its own vibe that you don’t feel with the other holidays. It allows you to express your own ideas of what the holiday should look and feel like.
q || what project are you most proud of ever making?
I built a mezzanine in the corner of my shop to use for storage. It stands seven feet above the ground and it is essentially a gigantic spider web. The main floor supports spread out from the corner of the shop and are tied together by curved metal braces. When you stand underneath and look up you see an 18 foot long steel spider web. I even made spider web railings for the outer edge. Its not something you can overlook when you step into my shop.
French Toast or Pancakes?
Pancakes. I love pancakes. They can be plain with butter and syrup or covered with fruit and whipped cream. I never pass up the chance to eat pancakes for breakfast.
q || are you planning on dressing up this year? what as?
I haven’t dressed up for Halloween in years. We just focus on our kids’ costumes. I do get to participate in my own way though. The zombie arms I make are silhouettes of my own arm. I held my arm in front of the computer screen and used my other hand to draw the outline. So whenever I put the arms out or ship a set I feel like I get to be a zombie all around the world.
q || what do you like to do for fun when you’re not making art?
For the last three years I’ve spent all my spare time working in my shop. I took on a second job to gain better insurance and allow my wife to fulfill her dream of staying home to raise our kids. So, any spare moments I have to myself in the evenings or weekends I spend filling orders and working on new projects. I enjoy my time in the shop but I have to remind myself that my family needs time with me as well. Sometimes the kids come out and we work on small projects together.
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and guess what?!
today you get to enter to win your own set of zombie arms!
GIVEAWAY ENDS: 10/22
GIVEAWAY ENDS: 10/22
p.s. make sure you go check and see who won the last giveaway!
p.p.s. taten sent me these zombie arms to review and to also giveaway a pair to a cool reader – all images and opinions are my own!
