Happy Birthday Johanna!!!!!
Our Halloween Queen!!

xoxo

Happy Halloween everyone!

Visit my friend Sammie's (Sam I AM Creations) Blog for a chance to win some goodies!!

Shakin and a Rollin by the Bay!

Tonight we had a not so gentle reminder of the power of nature as we experienced a 5.6 earthquake. This was the largest since Loma Prieta, and the first our children have experienced. All is fine, I quickly grabbed 2 of my original pieces that I nearly have done for a collector.. then dove under my desk where my daughter was already huddled with her arms covering her head. I guess those earthquake drills at school really do work!

Here is a rather interesting link to the USGS which shows recent earthquake activity. You will see one large quake, and several after shocks.

I love California, but one can never be quite sure when the next earthquake will hit. I will be buying our earthquake preparedness kits tomorrow!!

God bless,

Kitty

Annual Pumpkin Party!

It's that time of year.. the pumpkins have turned a deep orange and some of the vines are beginning to wither.. It's the time of year when we open our home to all of the little witches and goblins from our children's classes. There were some wonderful costumes, and the children were enchanting.

I worked my fingers
to the bone!

(see my wonderful Johanna Parker originals behind me)?

I shamelessly showed off my good friend Johanna and her artist feature in Better Homes & Gardens' Tricks and Treats issue!

Booth Babes we have been called, hee hee..

I also showcased the two gorgeous Stampington covers adorned by another wonderful friend Colleen Moody. Aren't these girls amazing?


A display of my Fall originals in our front entryway
(yes, the cabinet is shipping to my collector, I got to keep it awhile longer
and my entry is so empty now)!

OOPS, the punch isn't made!

I made Martha's spicy chai punch and my kids made gooey eyeballs by inserting maraschino cherries into lychee nuts. The kids were grossed out, and one girl even screamed when an eyeball fell out of her cup and onto her lap!

My Headless guest!


The Mantle
I made the creepy crawly spiders, and chain with pipe cleaners. Also, my bloody candles were another Martha idea (Thank you Martha)!


Pin the tail on the cat!

The night before the party I was cutting out cat tails for my pin the tail on the cat game at midnight. This was a really fun project! I flattened out a large box and made a rectangle.. I then covered it on both sides with brown kraft paper. I hand drew the Halloween cat onto heavy illustration board, based on a cat I had previously designed. Drew the other various shapes, cut them out and then glued them on! I like the vintage look of the cut paper silhouettes.


Could she be any cuter?

This is one of my daughter's friends bobbing for apples. They bobbed for hours!! I had to produce stacks of towels, some kids were soaked from head to toe! Luckily for us, it was a hot sunny day.



Craft's Table

I purchased plain handle bags.. and a slew of fun things to adorn them. There were feathers, pipe cleaners, jiggly eyes, peel and stick leaves.. crayons, you name it! Each child made their own goody bag and as they left, I filled them with glow sticks, pumpkin bubbles, stickers and of course candy!

Also, each child got to pick out a pumpkin from our pumpkin patch and take it home, the smiles on their faces made everything so worthwhile!

My own little Cheetah Girl!

My brother is going to kill me for this!
(what are sisters for, hee hee)

The party is over.. all the little witches and goblins have taken their goody bags and pumpkins home. I saw the beautiful golden light on my kitchen display from the setting sun, and had to snap this pic.

I really can't believe that Halloween is not even here yet! I seem to have lived it over and over!
I love this time of year, and it will be gone all too soon!


I can't wait to creep out the trick or treaters with my spooky cheesecloth ghost!!
Hi eyes glow and twinkle... sooooooooooo eerie!

I think it's time that I run to the store and buy yet more candy!

A Cottage Boutique

A peek at my Halloween offerings.. and those of my talented friends!

Connie, I need a pic of you and your table!!

A few of my goodies

Halloween Serving Tray designed by me.. not from a stencil!
sealed with an indoor outdoor varnish ~ wonderful for your steaming cups of witches brew!
$89

Raven Display Cupboard
$245
Sold!

Vintage Style Papier Mache Jack 'o Lantern

The JOL was made using cotton fiber paper pulp
pressed into an antique ice cream mold.
The base and conical hat were designed and hand painted by me.
Ruffles are hand made using vintage crepe paper
and jol is trimmed with vintage millinerie flowers.
$125

My table at A Cottage Boutique