An inspiration....

While sitting in my big chair, daydreaming, I had a sudden inspiration. I have two topiaries for my mantle during the spring and summer seasons. The topiaries have been relocated to a corner during Halloween. I also have a toddler sized witch hat which my big bear has worn in past Halloween seasons (he is a Monarch butterfly this year). One thought lead to another and now my topiaries have hats and glasses or a mask which makes them very festive. I also turned miniature topiaries into witches with bat masks. There is always some small spot ready for transformation into Halloween!

Boooooooooo...!

I am exhausted but had to share a picture from the miniature show I am helping put on this weekend! Some friends made miniature glitter houses from using printables from this website-

http://www.littleglitterhouses.com/paul/howard_how_to.htm .

I used my Halloween pedestals to display some of them and added my Haunted Clock and a few other goodies to made a terrific display at the show! It was especially fun to turn off the lights to see the display in the dark-the glitter houses have flickering lights! Don't you love the new lamp?! Found it today! Love the colors.

Now off to bed to be ready for another fun filled but busy day!

Paper cuttings continued...

Had to include pictures of my mouse silhouettes as well as the cups I just bought (with an orange cup inside to show off the silhouettes). Also forgot to take a picture of a new paper cutting I bought in IL at an art fair. I watched a man doing paper cutting and had to purchase something from him-and this had mice!

Scherenschnitt....

The art of paper cutting has intrigued me for many years. I have two silhouettes of each of the boys, done a few years apart (the silhouette of the girl was a find at an antique shop). I found a terrific buy on an older Scherenshnitt at a shop which specialized in taking old furniture and turning it into something else. That shop on Diamond isn't there anymore but the thrill of finding the framed paper cutting has remained. The man who owned the building worked overseas in embassy work so he returned to Grand Rapids with many treasures (his children wanted nothing to do with his antiques!). He bought this while stationed in Germany. I added a new matt and frame and just love it (even though I can't read the German saying on it). The Scherenschnitt on the piano I found on Ebay last year. It still needs a new matt and frame but is wonderful with the old lantern lighter (who looks like a witch) and the black cat. I bought some new paper cuttings at The American Sampler on Thornapple River Drive near 28th Street in Grand Rapids. Love the Halloween Parade. The smaller pumpkin silhouettes were hard to resist. The artist is Pamela Dalton and I also have several of her Christmas paper cuttings. Another of my collections which I added to today with Halloween silhouette drinking cups and flocked silhouette votives-which even have a mouse (or is it a rat?)!
Did I mention the Martha Stewart mouse silhouettes which are scurrying around the house looking for a non-existent mouse hole?

Clutter...

I must admit that clutter has always been a bone of contention to me. I considered myself fortunate that we live in a rural area, away from others, so I don't have to worry about others thinking that I am a slob. It is a rare occasion that we have visitors. I sometimes work on my projects on the dining room table or at the kitchen counter and it usually looks like a cluttered mess. I cleared away everything when a friend came to stay last month. I forbade her to even look down the basement stairs...where my 'workshop' should be. But it is cold and dreary and dark down there and my things tend to appear upstairs, bit by bit, slowly creeping up to add to the clutter I have surrounding myself when I create. And who can deny that the view outside the dining room windows is wonderful! The basement is full of boxes and tubs and 'stuff' I have collected over the thirty(!) years we have lived here, just in case/maybe/someday...and looks a disaster. I am lucky that my husband tolerates my mess, as long as I clear a spot for him to eat. I guess after all these years, he knows me well enough not to agnonize over the mess I make since I am 'working'. Then I read this~ 'If the evidence of a life well-lived is in the clutter, I can learn to love it.' This rings so true to me. I plan to embrace my clutter and keep it somewhat organized...and keep on creating!

And I just realized that I have already writen on this topic...must be it really bothers me! Guilt~ at times it is my middle name....

Goodies from Ghoultide...

Everything was so wonderful at Ghoultide gathering that it was extremely hard to decide what to buy. Of course, the crowds around every artist's table kept me from getting too close to many things but friends from CA were there and helped me snag my 'Purrceptiby Happy Monkey Cat' (Purrcie for short) by Laurie Harden. I also found the owl ornament who may reside in my birdcage for the Halloween season. My sister, Lynne, surprised me with a hand painted box with a mouse(!) as an early Christmas gift from an artist who ate breakfast next to us that morning. I wish I could afford something from Scott Smith (Rucus Studio) but alas-so expensive! I did buy some postcards of his work. And I couldn't leave without buying some of the wonderful decorated sugar cookies. My sister snagged a few things which I will admit I lust after (but didn't get pictures of-yet!).
We plan to go again next year!

Ghoultide Gathering!!!!

Wowie...what a wonderful day. First, Ghoultide Gathering, then lunch with my sisters, then dinner with my college friend. Terrific day!

These are pictures from Ghoultide...couldn't take pictures inside but got some great ones outside. The rain dampened some spirits but not mine!

I think next year's event has to be on my calendar!

I will post more pictures tomorrow....