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blakulla.bsky.social
Blåkulla
@blakulla.bsky.social
14 followers 73 following 30 posts
Folklore, archive-morsels, textiles and trinkets.

No-AI or computer-slop, please.

He/Him. Swede. '99.
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blakulla.bsky.social
needed to make 'em a proper grouch, inspired by the textile fragment from ca. 1420 (Upper Rhenish).
A fiendish humanoid inspired by the Upper rhenish textile fragment to the left. They have scaled legs and a fuzzy mane + tail. golden horns and claws with an over all green and ashen coloration.
February 8, 2026 at 4:22 PM
blakulla.bsky.social
Got this Dala inspired one done! chainstitch on head, tail and legs, regular satin stitch for the chest and throat.
A red green and blue Dala style inspired fantastical beast. Its got green legs, blue scaled rump, fuzzy red tail and upperbody. it is inspired by an Upper Rhenish textile fragment ca 1420. A hand embroidered work on cottonfabric. the background is white and mostly covered by the same coloured textiles.
February 7, 2026 at 9:52 AM
blakulla.bsky.social
Då det kommer ta lite tid att inhandla rött garn påbörjade jag denna djävul. - mycket kvar och mer efter det. Men jag har alltid varit så djupt fascinerad av kalkmålningar i kyrkor och kloster. De har alltid de bästa djävulsavbildningarna, i min mening.
February 2, 2026 at 9:55 AM
blakulla.bsky.social
På god väg till att bli klar, fick slut på rött garn så jag får avvakta lite - iallafall - här är en liten w.i.p!
an embroidery of a fantastical beast inspired by an old Rhenish tapestry and the Dalahorse. Its a draconic creature with a fuzzy tail and upperbody with a scaled rump. The upperbody and tail is red whilst the hind quarters are scaled in blue, white and greens. the lower legs and feet being only green. chain stitched mostly. the background is white aswell as the cotton fabric the needlework is resting on.
January 31, 2026 at 11:13 AM
blakulla.bsky.social
A stock-image of a barberer badly photoshopped into giving the koala a haircut.
January 28, 2026 at 7:57 PM
blakulla.bsky.social
At this point we all know about Leo the legend (the stuffed swedish lion) may i now introduce his Aussie cousin. ''Hon hade ju aldrig sett en koala i verkligheten och av allt att döma inte heller på fotografi.'' ''She had neither seen a koala in real life or in a photo.'' - Bohusläns museum.
A stuffed koala from bohusläns museums archives, it has an unique shape, since the taxidermist was unfamiliar with what it was and only had the skin to make sense of. Its standing on all fours on a wooden plank with a plaque, the background is grey. gifted to the museum in 1892, mounted shortly thereafter by Carolina Christiansson. A stuffed koala from bohusläns museums archives, it looks like an elderly man giving the - charlie from its always sunny in philadelphia dating profile smile - into the camera. the background is grey. gifted to the museum in 1892, mounted shortly thereafter by Carolina Christiansson.
January 28, 2026 at 7:17 PM
blakulla.bsky.social
A small figurine found at the bottom of a chimney in a soldiers cottage. Åttersta, Ovansjö socken, 1700-1750. Länsmuseet Gävleborg.
A small figurine found at the bottom of a chimney in a soldiers cottage. Åttersta, Ovansjö socken, 1700-1750. Länsmuseet Gävleborg. Its made from unfired clay, has a lovely little face with two eyes a nose and a mouth. Two arms made of clay and rowan sticks for legs. there is a white background with a note about it to the right. Its got an inventory tag on its right leg. the note reads ''MÄNNISKOFIGUR AV LERA OCH TRÄ, FUNNEN I BOTTEN PÅ EN MURSTOCK TILL ETT SOLDATTORP, ÅTTERSTA OVANSJÖ SN. 1700-TALET''
January 28, 2026 at 12:24 PM
blakulla.bsky.social
Lore accurate tomte behaviour.
A drawing of a tomte throwing a stick to the ground in a - had enough- fashion. these scandinavian house/farm spirits were known for their iron-fist rule. They filled the role of mythical land-lord, similar to logkatten (lodge-cat) but would deal with problems directly instead of sending trolls at you. standing at about 2ft they were said to posses the strenght of 12 men. He has got a long grey beard and a red cap, he is wearing grey and brown clothing.
January 28, 2026 at 10:48 AM
blakulla.bsky.social
Two wonderful examples of some swedish Spiritus. A Dragväsen, or luck bringing spirit. They appeared in the shapes of turtles, lizards, frogs or beetles; kept in small boxes they are said to bring money, treat disease and deter evil. One from Småland the other originating all the way from Japan.
Photo by Jonsson, Emelie. Nordiska Museet. A small wooden box containing a lizard-like creature, its got two white painted eyes and tiny scuttling legs. In the box theres pebbles or grain. This was a Luck-charm from Småland aquired in 1880. The lid of the box rests on its side, the background is plain and grey. An wooden box with a glass lid containing a small wooden turtle, its got moving legs, head and tail. This lovely peice of art originated in Japan, but was at some point taken to Sweden and re-purposed into a spiritus in about 1845. Länsmuseet Gävleborg archives.
January 27, 2026 at 11:51 AM
blakulla.bsky.social
Copy of The Rich Man Transported to Hell, from "The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus" After 1554, Heinrich Aldegrever. Object Number: 57.658.32 The MET archives.
The rich man carried by winged demons at upper left, above a landscape with a city in the background below. At right, three demons with shovels digging a hole. The demon at left gestures towards the group of flying figures. Plate 4 from a series of five prints with scenes from Luke 16:19–31.
January 25, 2026 at 10:06 AM
blakulla.bsky.social
The Noblewoman, from "The Dance of Death" by Hans Holbein the younger ca. 1526. Object Number: 19.57.34 The MET archives.
A woodcut print depicting a noble woman infront of a grieving man, his brow furrowed ever so softly. She appears to be letting go of his hand as they approach a skeleton banging a drum in a funeral march.
January 24, 2026 at 1:32 PM
blakulla.bsky.social
I was looking through Inaturalist for art references; Muppet stage birds never disapoint.
A young barn owl (Tyto Alba). Its got its juvenile coat of fuzz and the beginning of proper feathers on it heart-shaped head. Theres plenty of bark on the ground and some green foilage that its been hidden beneath. Photo was taken somewhere in France by Inaturalist user pauline361 in 2022.
January 24, 2026 at 11:24 AM
blakulla.bsky.social
Delightful murals from Dannemora church (1400), Uppland. The dangers of letting the devil aid you in churning butter. Also the great fight over the kettle - a very- last microwave at the black sabbath-sale feel to it.
A lime-wash painting in a church from sweden, there are many red stars making a background, a border of botanical prints surrounds the image of the devil aiding a woman in churning butter. photo by Hallgren Sören. A continuation of the lime-wash painting from the first image, the woman is being ridden like a horse by the devil who has a barbed whip, another demon is present in the background beating at her with a stick. The woman is holding churned butter as she crawls on all fours. Flowers adorn the background and a geometrical border surrounds the painting. photo by Hallgren Sören Another lime-wash scene of two women in a fight over a kettle, the left one is dressed in white the right one in black, the white clad woman is weilding a spoon as her weapon of choice, the black dressed woman has a stick. There are stars in the background ans a geometrical border to the left, florals on the right. Photo by Backlund Bengt.
January 23, 2026 at 7:26 PM
blakulla.bsky.social
A mezzanine railing (läktarbarriär) depicting one of the four evangelists (Luke - Lukas) Perhaps he is contemplating why he chose a cow as a writing desk? 1690 - 1750. Västergötlands museum.
An old painting on a wood surface depicting Luke, one of the four evangelists - he is holding a quill and writing in a book whilsts seated, there is a cow beside him but the flaky painting makes it appear as if he's chosen a writing desk of the bovine quality. The background is blue and he is dressed in a grey garb. Found in the Västergötlands museums archive.
January 23, 2026 at 7:01 PM
blakulla.bsky.social
little by little im getting the details down on this w.i.p owl.
a humanoid owl (owlin) wearing celestial garbs, in lush reds and deep indigo blue. They are inspired by a barn owl but with eyespots on their wings. this piece is unfinished and there are plenty of little details still to be done.
January 19, 2026 at 4:31 PM
blakulla.bsky.social
A w.i.p of Hoots
A work in progress of hoots an owlin, humanoid owl. They have got a hat and garments inspired by falcon gear. theres celestial motifs such as lunar cycles and stars amongst the geometric lines. It is unfinished and theres much left to do.
January 16, 2026 at 7:59 PM
blakulla.bsky.social
Liten w.i.p av broderi som börjar arta sig, Dalahäst-stil inspirerad av ett textilfragment från ca 1420.
A chain-stitch outline of a fantastical beast, there is a fuzzy red body and tail, its mouth is blue, the legs are green. There is white cloth on a white table in the background. Inspired by an Upper Rhenish textile fragment from around 1420. An embroidery in progress, mostly chain-stitched. The head is red and mouth is filled in blue. The blue matches the scales on the rump, and gives contrast to the fuzzy body and tail. There is white cloth on a white table in the background. Inspired both by Dala-horses and an Upper Rhenish textile fragment from about 1420. An embroidery in progress, mostly chain-stitched. The head, arm and tail are red and its mouth is filled in blue. The blue matches the scales on the rump, and gives contrast to the fuzzy body and tail. There is white cloth on a white table in the background. Inspired both by Dala-horses and an Upper Rhenish textile fragment from about 1420.
January 7, 2026 at 11:19 AM
blakulla.bsky.social
Dutch table carpet with unicorns ca. 1600, MET archives, Object Number: 1970.250 . I could spend hours admiring the little details.
The little unicorns in roundels in the border show that this was made to be placed on a table, with the border hanging down all around. Theres a rich variation of flowers and fruits surrounding roundels of unicorns, lush green, reds and blues of wool and silk. 14-16 warps per inch or 6cm ish.
December 27, 2025 at 2:37 PM
blakulla.bsky.social
Utterly in love with this Upper Rhenish textile fragment from ca. 1420–30. Found in The MET's archive, Object Number: 1990.211
Description taken from The MET: ''This tapestry fragment represents a fabulous lionlike beast with pointed teeth, clawed feet, and a scaly rump. Such beasts, derived from those illustrated in classical texts like the Physiologus and medieval bestiaries, represent vices. Here the figures posed with them seem to have tamed their libidinous cravings. Such tapestries were displayed in homes providing decoration as well as insulation. ''
December 23, 2025 at 5:59 PM