Many students take the class multiple times. They get significantly better each time. This homage to Bob Ross was hysterical and brilliant.

A mother and two of her kids were ecstatic for this event. When I pulled up to their Halloween decorated house, I could here the kids yell, “She’s here! She’s here!” They were so kind and I could have spent all weekend with them.

This woman has done it all and I was surprised that she had an afternoon free to enjoy herself. One of her businesses involves found bones, so this craft was high on her list to learn next.

Two longtime friends came up from Pueblo to spend the afternoon together. They were not only here for the experience, but they also wanted to check “taxidermy” off of their bucket list. I’m not at liberty to disclose the other bucket list items they’ve completed.

When you mix 5 women, a birthday, and drinks; you get a party. When you add in some rats and razor blades, you get a celebration of a lifetime. Plus, hosting the class at my house allowed for a tour of the dermestid beetle colony and a variety of works in progress.

A group of 5 derby girls came over to spend the day opening up rats. We were shocked when 7 babies were pulled out of one of the specimens.

Lupita and her daughter Salomé came over to create the amazing Priscialla. We had such a wonderful time creating, learning, and laughing.

When Becca found a fox, she was determined to give it a bird friend for eternity. We spent a few weekends together preserving the fox and then the bird that rested on his shoulder.

What do you do for a Labor Day party with friends? Taxidermy of course. Munchies, drinks, and a beautiful Colorado day gave way to holiday they will remember forever.

There is nothing like sitting around on a Saturday evening laughing and cutting open specimens. This group enjoyed the comforts of sitting in my kitchen while we did some taxidermy. My (live) cat enjoyed the company too, so she napped on the table.

Some students come from Denver to learn the process. On this particular day, a journalist showed up for info and pics. I talked her into joining us so she could truly understand the class.

A great way to bond is to do something new and exciting. This couple got to know each other even more by exploring the innards of small rodent.

Sometimes the classes at CoCo Crafted went on for hours after scheduled time due to the conversations and laughs. It was great to meet all of the students and hear how their minds morphed during class about the idea of cutting open dead animals.

Hands-on taxidermy classes were offered through CoCo Crafted in downtown Colorado Springs. The ages and levels of experience varied, but they all enjoyed the process in the end.

When you are in first grade, everything is interesting. So I took some live bugs and cleaned bones to a local school to entertain their growing minds. They didn’t like the smell, but loved the idea of bugs cleaning the dead.

Ranch Foods Direct offered a live slaughter demonstration at Venetucci Farms in Colorado Springs. The bull was shot with a gun in the back of a trailer, then hung up to have the head removed and blood drained. They finally loaded it up into the mobile slaughter trailer, removed the innards, and cut up for consumption.