The Wicked Faire at Sweet Salvage this month

The fall and Halloween decorations at Sweet Salvage's Wicked Faire were awesome.  I am sharing my favorites here with you today.

My BFF Gail and I had to take a few minutes to ham it up or glam it up for a picture in the fancy witch hats.

 

 Ran into my FB friend, Ken Oliver, there.  Always glad to meet FB friends in person!!  This has happened several times to me while at a Sweet Salvage event.

Really liked this display.  Love the way the pumpkin is decorated, love the black roses, and love the shabby candelabra with the black candles.

Pretty display of fall items.  Those trays would be useful in the upcoming holidays!  That copper pumpkin with the white polka dots is too cute!

Love the way this Halloween Queen pumpkin is decorated!  Looks regal!

I asked this lady to hold up her pumpkin so I could take a pic of it.  I love it!  She was in love with it too!

Another really nice display for fall.  Haven't seen those digger pine cones since we lived in California.  Love that white pumpkin, too.  Everything in this photo is really pretty!

Last is this box with all the little cubby holes in it.  Gail's favorite was the little bird, top row middle.  My favorites were the bird houses.  Just a cute idea!

More pictures of the Wicked Faire can be seen on my FB page, here.  Check them out!

We had a great time at the Wicked Faire!!  Looking forward to next month:  French Market!!!!  Oh, la, la!!!

Have lots of fun today!

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN!!

Sweet Salvage "Harvest Moon" event

Kim and her talented and creative helpers once again put on a fabulous Sweet Salvage event this month.  The theme was "Harvest Moon" and here are some pics from this wonderful monthly event!

I was very lucky to have been chosen to get in early!  I left a comment on the Sweet Salvage blog.  About 15 minutes before opening time, the door opened a bit and my name (plus two others) was called.  I had correctly identified stuff in the picture on the blog and left a comment.  My name and two others were called to be let in early -- to shop and to take pictures so that you can enjoy a trip through this Harvest Moon treat!  Where were the other two??  Don't know!  They weren't there.  Tsk!

OK!!  Let's go!!

A "bootiful" display of frames, masked and disguised ladies, pumpkins, and other eerie items!

Plenty of creative displays!  So wonderful to see and get ideas for your own displays at home or . . . your haunted house!

I loved this "Ladies Lounge" (see the sign on the mantel?) area!  Plenty of spooky items, purple and black and comfy chairs and a sofa, too (not in the picture).

Or perhaps you would like to outfit your own lab!  Perhaps Dr. Jekyll would join you for a bit of mixing of potions!  Just waiting for the secret ingredients -- spiders, eyeballs, snakes, you know, those special Halloween tidbits that are added to snacks and drinks on All Hallows Eve!

Plenty of wonderful storage for all those secret ingredients that are so important for brews, stews, potions and concoctions!!

Or perhaps you might enjoy something that isn't so scary or icky!!  Love the baskets, pumpkins and fall foliage!  Cute little wagon!

Well, look here!  Floral containers with lovely sunflowers and a bee skep all on this iron display piece!  I love the shade on that lamp in the upper right of the picture!  Big numbers!  Windows!  It was all there!

In all, it was a big success!  Thanks to Kim and her talented designers for putting on another wonderful event!  Can't wait for next month!  Theme:  "French Market"!!  See you then?  October 23!

Halloween is coming!

Are you ready?  If not, I will have plenty of little goodies around my booth for your Halloween delight!  But not until the end of this month.  Here is a peek:

Dug out bottles from the stash.  They have been in the garage for years!  Found a little Halloween song that was in an old music text book published in 1945.

Been making flash cards today as well.  But these are not for the kiddies!  They are for all you collectors, junkers, shoppers and flea market lovers.  These would look great on your fridge, your favorite shelf of stuff, whatever!!  Have fun and post your feelings out there!

I love my new blog background!  Karen Valentine did a fabulous job creating this for me and I am "over the moon" in love with this background!!  There is also a tag on the side bar for you to use to get in touch with her.

Somerset Studio Gallery Winter 2010

I just received the newest issue of Somerset Studio Gallery. I have two pieces that are published in this issue. The first one I knew about, the second one I didn't. Nice surprise!! The Haunted Neighborhood (p. 74) I knew was going to be published. I love this piece! I even taught it as a class at Mystic Paper over a year ago. It actually stands up and if you place the light just right, the round windows in the attics of the houses glow with the scary images in there! Several images are from the vast stores of my BFF Mike Putman of Jack and Cat Curio.

This next piece I didn't know was going to be published. I had submitted this over a year ago for the Black and White call that Somerset Studio had. Didn't make that issue but it made the Gallery.

I love this Hollywood Vamp (p. 139) is a favorite of mine. I love that woman. She is really a vamp! I got this image from Mike, too. Thanks, Mike!!

It was a dark and stormy night...

It really was!! Although the temperature was in the upper 60's, the sky was cloudy and it was sprinkling. But the intrepid trick-or-treater's were anxious to get started!

Here they are being very patient while their mom and I took pictures! Then we were all off to trick-or-treat! I had a ball!!! But I am glad to be back home!!

Did you miss me?

Didn't know I was gone?? I was! Went to Virginia to visit the grandkids and enjoy Halloween. Had a ball! But my bones are creaking and I am tired, but recovering!

Here is Kara on her pumpkin. They are about to clean them out and ready them for Dad to carve later that evening.

Little Ryan is anxious for things to begin.

Yeww! Icky!! Note that the one who is actually handling the "icky stuff" is Kara!

Here is Kara's carved pumpkin. She drew the face she wanted and Dad cut it out for her.

This is Ryan's special face that he designed. He refused to have his picture taken with his pumpkin. But Dad obliged!!

Wordless Wednesday

Halloween Fun

I have been working on a Halloween Fun package for my grandchildren. I saw this idea on Martha Stewart's website about a month ago. Her idea was to make these little books out of travel items collected on a vacation. I decided to do Halloween instead. Each little book is the size of an ATC. Inside I stapled two blank 3x5 cards, trimmed to fit. I have dropped a surprise in some of the books. The kids can glue pictures, put stickers, draw or paint in the little books. I am going to include a bunch of Halloween stickers and a Halloween story book. I think they will have a lot of fun with this!

The little books can then be stored in this plastic pocket sheet. Then you can look at the books or take one out to work on at any time and return it to its pocket when done. I did two of these -- one for Kara and one for Ryan.

AND, the great benefit is that I used up some of my stash of Halloween goodies!

I am back . . .

I had a great time with the grandbabies!! But it was very cold in Virginia! Only one day of nice weather, which was last Sunday. Otherwise it was cold, rainy and windy. The kids loved all the little things I brought for them. But the all time favorite was the skeleton Bendies. Too much fun!Family fun carving a jack-o-lantern! The big guy is my son!We went to a parents open house at Kara's preschool. This is her pumpkin that she painted all by herself. The class had just finished a large unit on pumpkins and we were able to see all their projects, stories, and art work. Fun!! I used to teach preschool and it was fun for me!Here is little Ryan in his "Bob the Builder" costume for Halloween fun. Isn't he cute!! Kara hadn't decided on a costume by the time I left Virginia.

I came home with a raging cold! My head is full! My nose is stuffed! And my chest hurts when I cough -- I try not to cough too much! But, I am better, somewhat, and will get back to blogging regularly soon!!

I will be gone for a week . . .

Time to visit the grandbabies!! Time for Halloween fun with them!! I have been picking up little goodies for two weeks now. Stuff that I can pack in my bag to take with me. Things that will make Halloween fun for Kara and Ryan.

I found necklaces to make, spiders to create, bendable skeletons to play with, glow in the dark spooky figures, spooky eye glasses that make your eyes look funny but you can see through them -- like sunglasses, tiny cameras with Halloween pictures in them to view and those great honeycomb pumpkins! I plan to bring one or two items a day from out of my bag for us to play with.

Next is my all-time favorite Halloween story book!"Old Black Witch" by Wende and Harry Devlin. It was first published in 1966. This copy is from my library of children's books. I used to read this every year (1968-1974) to my first and second graders -- just before Halloween! They loved it!!! I can make a great crackly voice that is perfect for the little witch in the story. Loads of fun and mischief by the little witch. I think Kara and Ryan will love it!

So, I will be absent for a while. But I will return late next week with stories and pictures. Stay tuned!!

Fall has arrived

This is my favorite picture of a country store at Halloween time. It was sent to me by a friend last year. Each year I use it as the wallpaper on my computer. I have no idea where this tiny country story is located.
I love all the carved and lit jack-o-lanterns grinning at you! Just fun! This is the time of year I wish I still lived back east -- but it is the only time of year I wish that!

Halloween postcards

These blank postcards were a find at a thrift store. Couldn't believe that it was nearly a whole pack of them and that the pack was only 69 cents! What a bargain!
I had fun decorating the front of the postcards. Kept it simple, but they look great, I think.I also decorated the message section on the back. I plan to send these to the grandkids. However, they will be put into a larger envelope so they don't get damaged in the mail. The little pumpkin on the bottom card above has the wiggle eyes glued on. I think they look great!

The weekend's projects

The Haunted Neighborhood
Wicked EyeglassesHalloween Book
Inside the book

Cool background technique

This weekend is the long Labor Day weekend. My plans were to finish several projects and see what else I could come up with. Here is what transpired yesterday.

I tried this technique out yesterday. It is one that is described in Bernie Berlin's book "Artist Trading Card Workshop". Great book for techniques! Mystic Paper has copies of this book in stock!

I followed the great directions and this is how it turned out! Actually, the picture doesn't do this justice. I used Lumiere metallic paints for parts of this and they are beautiful in person. Give it a rich color and texture. It started out as an accordian book for a Halloween project, but now I am not so sure that is what the final book will be. Will have to think about this and try out different things with it. However, I am going to do another accordian piece and make it more for Halloween (actually I wanted to put "more Halloweenie", but thought that was too silly!).

Special shout out to Chia! In her blog she has often shown us pictures of her ATC's using the techniques described in Bernie's book. Made me hunt my copy up and try out something new. Thanks, Chia!!

Somerset Studio Sep/Oct issue just arrived

Here is the latest issue of Somerset Studio. I blogged a couple of weeks ago that they had notified me that I was going to be published in this issue. I had submitted two Halloween pieces and both of them made the publication. My piece is at the lower right. I also taught this as a class last year. Some of you were in that class and have similar pieces! It is called "Awaiting Halloween."
The next piece is the one at the top. I called it the Paper Bag Costume. This was also on display at Mystic Paper last year, but I didn't teach a class. However, before submitting this piece I made the paper bag dress and attached the collage to it.
I loved the picture of the little girl in the paper bag dress. It was an ad I found in a magazine. I thought that it would make a great Halloween costume -- all I had to do was add a hat and shoes! The wording on the right side says "Her mother couldn't sew; but she was creative!"

Ah! Another goal met for the year!!