My *New* Witch Hat!

I finally acquired a "Witch" hat made from my friend Jackie!
I've been dreaming of them for a year now...
Here's the one she made for ME.

I wore it at Halloween and every witch I came across was green with envy.

Jackie has a shop on etsy where you can see all her Millinery delights!
Here are some more Witch hats.....a Vintage goodie....and this darling Faerie Crown!

A Practical Magic Blog Party

This movie is quite possibly one of my favorite movies because it reminds ME
that it is OK to embrace our "inner" witch!
I love it for setting, the house, the wonderful cast and the lovely spells and potions.
So I have put together a few fun things for you that remind me of this movie....

Witch Hat Cookies
you will need:
fudge striped keebler cookies
piped green icing
Hershey kisses (unwrapped)

1. place cookies - chocolate coated side -up
2. pipe a little icing in the center of each cookie
3. affix chocolate kiss
4. pipe icing around seam of kiss,then make the bow
5. devour

(free witch clip art for you)

(free candelabra clip art for you too!)

I think all witches are beautiful...don't you?

(free tea cup clip art for you)

Delightful Ghost Treats
(because all witches need a satisfying snack while working on spells!)
You will need:
fresh baked brownies
large marshmallows
can-o-white frosting
piped black icing

1. place your brownies on a wire cooling rack with something underneath to catch drips
2. dab a bit of the white icing in the center of each brownie
3. place one marshmallow on icing
4. with a spatula, transfer 1/2 of the can-o-white icing to a microwave safe measuring cup.
5. nuke icing at 10 second intervals, stirring each time till it is hot and liquidfied
6. gently and slowly drizzel icing over each marshmallow, starting at the top, drizzle in a circle so that the icing drizzles down, coating the sides and pools on the brownie.
7. use of remaining frosting
8. let cool completely
9. with black icing, pipe black eyes on each ghost
10. be a "nice" little witch and share with your friends... ;)

(free clip art for you)

Thank you for coming to my
Practical Magic Blog Party!
Please fly on over and see what all the other witches are brewing up!

Etsy Spotlight - If The Hat Fits byJackie!

Please welcome this months etsy seller- If the Hat Fits by Jackie!
( I met Jackie at a local craft fair a couple of years ago, falling in love with her beautiful personality and magical Witch Hats!
I strongly encouraged her to join up with etsy, and she joined Oct. 2008 .
Since then, Jackie has sold 187 hats and head decorations for all ages!
Please read her fun interview and visit her beautiful shop!)

I'm Jackie and I live in Laguna Hills California with the love of my life, John.

I should say 'lifetime' because it took just about that to find him! Or, did he find me?

No, we found each other through 2 best friends that put us together, 9 years ago this month!

Life is good and it was worth the wait, trial, and error to be where we are today!

I developed a passion for hats when I was 17 and worked in the millinery department at Bullocks.

In 1989, I had the pleasure of living in Cambridge England for a year, where my appreciation for

beautiful hats really grew! I’ve always enjoyed wearing them, collecting them and now, best of all

….creating them. I do not make the hat itself and am in awe of those incredibly talented and patient

people who do. Instead, I take a great hat and give it a beautiful personality!

My craft room is a magical space full of flowers, ribbons, fabric, sparkling this 'n that's,

oohs 'n awes and lot's of oh my's waiting to be spun into the perfect that's just what I needed.

I still sew on the machine my dad bought for me 44 years ago, phew!)

What are your hopes, dreams, where do you see yourself in the future?


Let's just say, I have been around the block a few times, but, I hope that I will continue to learn, and always be open to grow,change. My dreams are to continue to live a happy, healthy, creative, and very long life so I can enjoy my grand children and be a positive influence in their lives; one day, leaving nothing but pleasant memories -maybe an inspiration- behind!

What other things do you like to do?
I retired a few years ago, after 30 incredibly fun years as a manicurist/nail artist.
In addition to designing custom hats, I enjoy mosaic, faux painting, floral arranging, gardening, reading, cooking, refinishing furniture, and spoiling my lovely
Granddaughters!

By yourself…with your family?...

My life has always been a whirlwind of busy; even more so after retiring!
I relish any 'alone time' I can get, relaxing, shopping, taking a bubble bath,
creating or just cleaning out a drawer.
Reading a magazine from cover to cover is a treat!
The best time spent though, is with family and friends, but especially, with my son, daughter-n-law and grand daughters, living on the East Coast. My bags are always ready to fly!!
My grand daughter, Skylar, visits here in the summer and it is magical!
I become ageless, enjoying every roller coaster, wet zone, endangered species,
and arena of entertainment that California has to offer.
We have painted, plastered, planted, photographed, pedicured, and picked movies,
books, clothes and flowers too.
Swimming every day, frosting cupcakes, face painting, walks on the beach,
Dairy Queen, putting on the golf course and staying up late are simple delights.
I've been to a Jonas Brothers concert, with 10,000 screaming little girls
and thanks to the ear plugs I remembered to bring, can set back now
and listen to Rod Stewart croon the old standards as I enjoy the memories we have created!

How did you first “know” you were a artist?

Reaching into my splendorous box of 40 Crayola Crayons,
picking one of my favorite colors- Magenta, Carnation Pink or Turquoise Blue
- and coloring outside the lines for the rest of my life.
I didn't think life could be any better, then Crayola came out with a box of 64.
120 was beyond bliss.

Please tell us what inspires you to make something new.

Oh My! It could be anything. A color, a fabric, movies, a mood swing,
something that sparkles or the full moon.
I'll awake in the middle of the night and jot down an idea.
At the drop of a hat, I'm ready to start a new project!
If only there were more hours in the day!!

Please name your top 5 favorite blogs or web links you like to visit often
and why.

Not easy to narrow down!!

http://mollyc-lifewiththecampbells.blogspot.com/

Molly Cambell is a delight, I completely relate to her take on life. She is endearing, heartfelt and can also leave me laughing up a storm! She won 2nd place in the Erma Bombeck writing competition, held in Dayton Ohio-Erma's home town.

http://fridawer.blogspot.com
Valentina is a jewelery artist in Foggia, Italy. Her work is divine! I love fresh water pearls [they color outside the lines, don't they?!] and she creates unique designs with them. I have a beautiful collection of her pieces and not only do I enjoy the compliments they receive, it's always fun to say "It's from Italy!" Communicating with the help of Babel Fish or translate page is helpful and fun!

http://showandtellphotography.blogspot.com
Stacy is a fabulous, busy, working mom/ photographer in New York. Her baby girl, Vienna Lilly, is the PERFECT model, loves the camera and has made quite a few of my photo props look absolutely resplendent! If only they lived here in the O.C!!

Cute and Cool Blog Stuff by Itkupilli @ http://blo64rt.blogspot.com/
Fun, creative, edgy, informative and lots of free stuff to help me grow! Great step by step instruction for downloading graphics to your blog and using altered art.

Vanessa Valencia
SO much creativity and fun stuff going on here, always an inspiration!!


http://faeriedustdreams-michelle.blogspot.com/
This energetic, creative young woman never ceases to amaze me! She can accomplish so much and is truly an inspiration. Michelle is the reason I found my 'home' on ETSY in the first place and I am forever grateful!!

**********************************************************

Winner has been notified June 19, 2010.
If you or you know someone who would like to be featured here on my blog, please contact me...altered-art@hotmail.com

Thanks!

You are Invited to a Witches Cupboard Charm swap!

The years theme is "Witches Cupboard"

Think of something you might find in a witches cupboard!
Keep it spooky and wicked.
No cutesy, please.
The older looking...- the better!

Size: Charms should not exceed 1 ½" and must included a jump ring.
All charms should also include a  ATC.

ATC's are coordinating  art cards that measure 2 ½" x 3 ½".
One side is the artistic expression, while the other side provides the theme of the swap and the artists info.
Shop my ATC stamps here if you like!



You can get idea's from our past swaps of what materials can be used~ shrink plastic, wire, bottle caps, rusty things, glass, clay, recycled, felt,soldered, fabric, buttons, beads, findings...
The only requirement I have it to make something that you would like to receive and make sure it is durable!

~Idea's of what you can make...

• Tiny potion bottles
• Creatures of the night...
• Mini spell books
• Witches brew ingredients...dried bat wings, eye of newt, toe of frog, tongue of dog.... 
•  Voo-doo dolls
• Crows
• Black cats, Owls or Bats
• Poison apple
• Skulls
• Crystal balls
• Cauldron
• Witch hat
• Broom
• Bones
• Candles

 Current list with a few spots left....will it be you?

1.  Michelle Frae Cummings -Recieved 
2. Katleen Sites - Recieved 
3. Erin Reed 
4. Lyn Gil -Recieved 
5. Mary Ann Gross 
6. Susan Brown 
7. PJ Waldrop 
8. Carol Hoffmann
9. 9. Joanne Samuel

 Finished charms are due to me (in my hands) no later than September 30th.
It is very important to meet your deadline date. If for any reason you cannot meet this
date (illness and emergencies do happen), please let me know immediately.

Happy Creating!

Family Halloween Re-Cap

~Here are pic's from Thursday nights Pumpkin carving party and Halloween

.
~ I made little markers for all the food. We had Devil Dogs, Spider cupcakes, assorted spooky named appetizers,

peach flavored Jello- "Brain" and "Bloody" Joes

~ My friend Buffi gave me this FAB skull bracelet! The large glass beads glow in the center!

~ Here a tutu I made for my witch costume. I really liked how it came out with a hat that matched my leggings.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here's Brian with his Dad, Jim and the final outcome of my spider web trauma from a earlier post. The winds we had helped neutralize everything, so I'm pleased with the look!

At our pumpkin carving party, This is my really good friend Teresa carving away. ( she was amazed that there were "tools" to carve pumpkins as all he had to carve one at home was a kitchen knife!)

In the background you can see Bruce (Laura's Husband) carving away.

Teresa and Sydney, The spider pumpkin was carved by James, My Sister in Law Genny carved "Jack"

At the table is my Brother in law Vance with Genny and Corey.

This is Sydney with her own cute Jack 'O' Lantern grin!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Halloween

*

~ What's nice about living in a cul-de-sac is you have a safe place for your child to play and your neighbors know how to party on Halloween Night.

At the end, live some sisters who on every Halloween set up a wicked table of food, candy and lots and lots of wine! They love their wine. I had about 4 glasses! and good stuff too! They know their wine, which is good cause I don't. On my 4th glass, I brought my own from inside for a fill up so I relax on my couch for the night.

~

~ Dyllan (Jedi) and Grandpa Jim (Yoda)



~ dyllan trying on Grandpa's mask...

I finally got around to carving my pumpkin on Halloween day. I wanted it to look like the ones I see at Disneyland. I really like how it turned out!

Don't you?

Ghouls Ghost and Glamour Girls swap reveal!

 I recently participated in a Halloween swap called "Ghouls, Ghost and Glamour Girls"!
It was hosted by Jennifer Harris Hayslip and Jessi Nagy.

 The premise was to purchase or make sparkly glamorous jewelry or accessories for our swap partner.

 My swap partner was Marian Mclemore. We exchanged likes and dislikes by email and then set to making our pretties! These are what I sent Marian. She likes lace, glitter and vintage items.

 She also loved chunky bracelets and I love to make them!

 She expressed that she liked brass, owls, black, cream and purple.
This is one of my favorite creations so far. I really love the colors!

 Below is what she sent me!
It was a delight to open up those coffins...stuffed with amazing presents.
She knew I liked to craft, bake, and I loved Halloween!
She made me a spooky Halloween banner too!

 Of course we both love owls. :)

 This hair clip is so beautiful. I love how she added the bling in the center.
I plan to dress up as a witch this year but was worried my hat would get caught on spider webs and such....this clip will be just perfect. I can't wait!