Spring Charms and a NEW Halloween Charm Swap!

I'm happy to say I've hosted yet another successful and creative Charm Swap! Thanks to all who participated, so much amazing talent!

Anne Kenney
(congratulations on the birth of your new baby!)
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Sheri Leseberg
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Bianca Gaspard
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Valerie Myers
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Wendy Robrecht
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Ruth Aubertine
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Laura Bray
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Janet Snyder
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Veronica Noechel
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Wanda Clark
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Jessica Mount
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Holly Johnson
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Cher Hillman
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Mine!
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Tracy Webster
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Sue Kruse
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Sherry Edwards
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Pam Hoffman
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Michelle Salazar
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Mahala Elliot
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Lesa Livingston
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Melinda Nikkel
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Stacey Cakes
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I hope you have enjoyed the journey and will participate in this next swap!
Here are the details....
The 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: No bigger than 2" long, can be 2 dimensional and have things dangling.

You can get idea's from my 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.

Please take time with your charms, ensuring their quality & wearability.
Jump rings are not required...you may make your own ring, or even attach a lobster claw.
*(Be sure to include a tag or business card any containing contact info with each charm you make)*

~Idea's of what you can make....tiny potion bottles, ghosties, mini recipe books, dried bat wings and such, voo-doo dolls, little crows, things to stir with, bones, tiny bottles filled with..., crows, owls, eye of newt, black cats, brooms, wart cream...I'm sure you can "spook" up something!

To be included in this sought after swap, you must do the following:
e-mail me your name, & mailing address
Feel free to visit our past swaps here.
I will update this post with a list of participants as they sign up!
Please include $5 in cash, or stamps to cover shipping & handling.
I can bill international via paypal, if needed.
(Local's don't have to pay for shipping & handling)

Last day to sign up: August 31st
Or when we reach max amount of 31 participants.
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Charms must be in my hand by September 30th.
You can expect your charms by October 12th.


Hope you can join! And feel free to tell a friend!
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Witches Cupboard Charm Swap Participants list so far....

1. Michelle Cummings
2. Holly Johnson
3. Morgan Thien
4. Lisa Hessabi
5. Regina Lord
6. Mahala Elliot
7. Tracy McIlroy
8. Veronica Noechel
9. Charity Donaldson
10. Valerie Myers
11. Lori Halt / Brittany Oullette
12. Melinda Nikkel
13. Ashley Robinson
14. Ashani Samuel
15. Jessica Mount
16. Amanda Willey
17. Angela Hoffman
18. Brenda Bliss Delaney

Baby's breath

I did this piece eon's ago. On a recent trip to my Dad's I took a photo of it hanging on the wall of his study. It's a still life of bit of dried baby's breath in a blue glass bottle. Using Acrylics. I remember it was my first time using a fan brush.

Blogging for all the wrong reason

I just returned from seeing this movie with 2 close friends tonight.
The movie had me in stitches and now I cannot wait to read the book!
But the movie which mirrors the past life of Julia Child's becoming a chef to present day Julia Powell becoming a blog author through cooking has led me to believe that I've been blogging for all the wrong reasons.
Not that I regret my past post(s), it's just that my blog has no depth.
Yes, it's pretty, but it's also cluttered with bits of "Me" scattered here and there, and that is why I feel like sometimes no one is really listening. And at times, I'm not even listening.
So through the concept of what the Julia of today did with cooking, I shall do with my art and everything "creative" in between.
I cannot promise to post about it daily as life does intervene, but I shall be as regular as I can.
I will try to keep my family and social life to my other blog...The Art and Life by Michelle Cummings and keep my artistic adventures and mishaps in the makings here.
I want to be a teacher and student at the same time.
There are so many things I want to be when I grow up.
And I look forward to sharing my journey with you.
~Michelle

Dyllan's (month long) 5th Birthday Celebration!

In the middle of July, Brian, Dyllan and I went to my Dad's in Chula Vista, CA for a weekend of fun and a day at Lego Land.
After the day of fun, we swam in my Dad and Step Mom's pool and Dyllan helped me picked fresh tomatoes and and a huge zucchini!


You can see how over grown the tomato bush is! I had to reach waaaay in the back to get the 'good' ones! I felt like I was in a tomato jungle!

This is the one I took home. Do you like my size comparison? Just half of one of these guys made up 4 loafs of delish zucchini bread! (below)
Along the pool they also have banana trees. Here my Dad is holding a bunch to be put in the garage for further ripening.
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The last weekend of July, Dyllan and I came down for Comic Con. You can see that post here.

We came home with some bikes, that my folks did not need anymore. Now Brian can ride with Dyllan and I!
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On Dyllan's Birthday- July 30th, I took him to Disneyland. We did not stay the whole day as it got hot, crowded and all he could think about was spending a birthday gift card from Disneyland!
But we were "tickled" that we parked on level 5 and got a pic of Dyllan next to his favorite character; Donald Duck!

When Brian got home from work, we went to Dyllan's choice of birthday dinner- Denny's.
He got mac n' cheese and grapes. Even though the food was the same, the environment was special. Even better when the staff came out with a dish of ice cream and sang Happy Birthday!

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Dyllan's Birthday party was the following Saturday at a local park. We made it a Star Wars / Clone Wars themed party, and had the kids dress up. Prizes were in involved too!

Even Grandpa Jim got in the action and made a suprise appearence.
The cake....

I got this r2d2 vintage cake pan from a friend and also bought the Darth Vader one as well for another time. The baking part was a pain, and I ended up making it a 2 layer cake. The decoration part is also harder than it looks especially when you are doing it for the first time, like me. I disliked the 'outline ' part the most, as my hand kept cramping. But had a blast with the stars! I'm really excited as to how it came out and can't wait to make a Halloween inspired r2d2 next time!

My orginal plan was to make a Death Star pinata. I did make it, but it was just too cool to smash up. So I'm going to hang it from the ceiling in Dyllan's room instead. I'll be sure to post pics when I do!

So I brought out a parachute tent and we made it fun for the kids any ways. While they were underneath, I scattered the (pinata's) toys in the grass and the kids went wild stuffing their goodie bags!~ One more bite...

(special thanks to my husband Brian for some of the better photographs!)

Mokelumne Hill Northern California

~Mokelumne Hill