Garden Fairie finished

The Garden Fairie Doll finished.

She is now on her way to my friend Willow out in California.

The bottom picture is of the back side so you could see the hair.Her hair is very full and so I added a head band to hold it down a bit.Other wise she looked more like a troll,hahaha.She isn't the prettiest thing but she turned out how she turned out.I learned alot from making this doll and I really have to commend those of you who do make ( hand made ) dolls to sell.

Garden Fairy hair and wings

This is just another update on the doll I have been making.She is done now and I still have to get pictures of her finished.But I have been very busy.I made her hair out of a piece of cording that I bought in the fabric department.I had tryed several different ways to make her hair but I didn't like any of them.What I did was to put some tape arond the cord and then cut it in two inch lengths,leaving a little (1/4") next to the tape side.Then on that side I added E-6000 glue and let it dry.Then I removed the tape and unraveled the cording.Then I glued the hair on to the doll head with some more E-6000 till the head was completely covered.Now the wings were made of coarse from the coffee can foil.The pices I used to rub over were a pair of earrings I had found at Wall Mart.I taped them together and the layed the foil over them and rubbed till the patern showed up.Then I turned em over and befor I add the E-6000 glue to the back I colored the inside with the two markers,then filled with the glue to keep the shape and the color showed through.Then when the glue was dry I cut out the wing shape and colored the other side shown in the picture here.

Happy Thanksgiving !

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone~~~

Indian Maiden

 I've had this picture for along time.It is a lithograph of a indian maiden.She reminds me of my sister Colleen when she was younger.

Feel free to use the image as you would like.

Paper or Plastic?...Patterns that is,

I have been working on Willows doll,the garden faerie I promised her months ago.Her outfit is made out of fleece material.I had to make a pattern for her clothes so I thought I would share with you a tip.My sister in law "Rachael" years ago showed me that if you use a bag from the grocery store(the plastic kind).It is so much better because you can use it over and over because it won't tear like tissue paper.Plus you can pin it on to what you are working on and then remove it and cut out your material.The best part...NO COST and recycling!

Chunky ATC how to summon Fairies

The side with the Fairies on it,I started with the backround.I tore up a printed piece of paper andused a Martha Stewart black ink stamp around the edges.Then glued them back together and added a few stampoligy flower stamps.Then cut out the fairy image and set it on top using a thin spacer so it sticks out slightly and curled the wings a little.I painted the ferns on to both sides and added some lines of high light with a sharpie marker.Then I made the snal for on top out of sculp-epoxy,painted it.Then I added some little circle punch outs around the top.The back side I found a spell to summon fairies and made a page to print out with a font from my computer.Then I burnt the edges and curled em up to look like a old parchment scroll

Halloween Music

Here is some Halloween fun for you.They have a few thing to look at,and what I liked was the  music page.
                                   ~~~~Happy Halloween~~~~                         
                             http://www.allhallowseve.com/                             

Early American Carriages

These are some color prints I have and wanted to share with you.I thought they might be useful in some steam punk works of art.They are from 1952.Sorry about the backround being messed up in some but that is the condition I found them in.Fell free to down load and save to your computer ( click on the image then when it opens up in a new window,right click on it and then click save).

Halloween swaps recieved..

Here are the swaps I have recieved form my last swaps I have been in.I love then all  !!
The one on the left is from Maggie L.,the one in the middle is from Lori O.,the one on the right is fromCharlotte F. and the one in front is from Susan L. Thanks girls I love them!
Wonderful art work to treasure...

Golden Dragon ATC [Chunky]

Finally done!

I hope Debbie Warrick like this one.I'm not to sure Barb liked the first one I had made for her.It was the one with the angels but I don't think I decorated it enough.The dragon is painted with gold paint but it is a thin layer and doesn't show up very well in the photos.He is holding a gold metal bead in his front claw.I have two pictures here of the front because I just couldn't get a clear picture.

The start of my second chunky ATC

Hum Red again? Well I don't know what is happening to me but usually I don't pick red as my primary color.I don't wear red because it is soooo bright.But I do like the color as with all colors,what artist doesn't?But red fit the theme of this chunky ATC.I have started this second chunky at least four times.Each time I didn't like the end result.It just wasn't chunky enough.I guess the chunkys can be flat all around but from the ones I have seen,they have bulky stuff added to them.So I finally decided to make this Dragon and wraped him alll the way around the block of wood(2x4)The first picture is a start,I added a silver bead for his eye.Now I have to add the feet and some other final touches,paint ect...I hope I make the deadline of Nov.1st..
I use Sculp Epoxy,it is a two part resin.One is the resin and the other is the hardner.And beleave me it is VERY hard when it dries.You can sand it if need to but I usually smooth it out with water.This stuff is really sticky not like sculpy clay.And you don't have to bake it.It usually hardens in a few minutes of a few hours.So I try to mix up only what I can use,about the size of a bolder marble.You can only buy it from online and a pint cost $25.00 and you need two,one of each.But it lasts a long time.

Ho Bo pumpkin magnet

I made this little magnet to be in the Plaid challenge.You are suposed to make a pumpkin using their products.And it has to be three dimentional.I made him out of sculp-epoxy last night and let him harden.Then I painted him with Plaid folk art orange and yellow paint.The picture below is the pumpkin not painted

Chunky ATC

This is my first chunky ATC and I hope it qualifies.The sides aren't decorated much but I made the foil embellishments for them.I just never have gotten the jest of decorating in layers and overlaying like the chunky's are supposed to be.

Photo's

Here are two picture I took from around the area.The top shed picture is from up the road 3-2 miles.I liked it because of the old look it had.Then the other picture on the bottom is from just down the hill in the back woods behind my house.I found it while looking for morel mushrooms.I thought it looked like a indian that had sat down and just stayed right there forever.

Garden Fairy Doll update

A few months back I posted about this doll.At the time it was just a head made out of a jewelry gourd.But the body is made and so are the arms and hands (they are just not in the picture).The top photo is the one where the body is painted.

ATC purse template

I made this little template to share with you.

It is a purse made of paper,or you could make it out of material .

It will fit a few ATC's(It is just a little size larger).And it took only a few minutes to make.Just click on the template photo,then right click and save to your computer.Then print it out and cut.Then fold where the dotted lines are.I didn't add any embellishments or anything fancy.I just wanted to show you how it would look when it was finished.Great gift bag to fill up with Candy or any thing you might want.

Halloween Tags

I've still been playing with making tags.The skull tag is still the same one I showed a picture of a few days back.But I added the fiber yarn and removed the string.It looks a little better.The top tag with the cat woman is made on Vellum paper and the Halloween word on the side is embossed,so it is raised.

I have two winners here!

I counted up all the comments from the Parctical Magic party and then wrote the numbers on to torn up note book paper,then I put them into my gourd bowl and grabbed a number.Then I added more numbers for my followers,mixed em up amd grabbed out another number.

The two numbers I got were...#8 for the comments and #23 for the followers.Sorry the numbers didn't show on the Pictures I took so I just added the one picture.

Then I went to my dashboard and counted from the first comment to #8.

 And Faerie Sage Won! for the note book.

The I went to my followers and counted from the top down to #23.

 And Susan G. Won!For the book.

~Congradulations to both of you!~

Spooky monday

This is a ATC I made last year,I still have it.

I call it Dark moon.

This one has been traded,as you can see I called it Kiss the bride.

                                             This one has been traded,I called it old funny bones

Party still going on...

Just so you know...the party is still going on at many of the Practical magick blogs.
You can still enter my give away (scroll down to leave a comment)for "two" more days.
I might change that to a little longer because I know I have (not) myself gone to all the blogs.And it is hard for some to spend so much time on the computer.I am happy to meet so many new like minded bloggers.
Now on to tell you of the MANDRAKE:
First of all I want you to know it is ~(POISON)~
I have no idea as to where you can find the mandrake.And it has been said in folk lore that to dig it up ,you must not be able to hear it scream, or you would go insane.
There is a long list of uses for this plant,it's powers are for:Protection,fertility,money,love,health.It can be made into a poppet.Mandrake keeps demons away.
So instead of going on about the mandrake.I will tell you of another substitute you might want to use.It is the May Apple,and it is posion also.
Folk names:American Mandrake,Ducks foot,Hog Apple
Gender:Masculine,Planet: mercury,Elemnet:Fire,:powers: money
Generally used  to replace the mandrake,it's uses are identical but it is not related.

Rhubarb Tart (scotland)

Rhubarb is thought to insure fidelity in LOVE~~

Pastry crust for a 9" pie
2 lbs.rhubarb,sliced
3/4 cups of sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1-2 tablespoons of milk.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
Combine the rhubarb,ginger,and sugar.Spread in pastry lined 9" pie pan.Cover with top crust.Pinch the edges together to seal;make slits in the top crust.Brush with the milk.Bake for 8 minutes.Reduce heat to 375 degrees F;bake until juices bubble through the slits,20-25 minutes.Serve warm,covered with sweet cream or serve with ice cream.
Magical attributes:
Rhurbarb,ruled by Venus,is a excellent food for matters of love and beauty.
Celebrations: Spring and summer observances,love festivals.

Mint

Mint,garden mint;Gender:Masculine,planet:mercury,Element:Air,Powers: money,lust,healing,travel,protection.
I love the plant family of mints.There are so many kinds to enjoy.Mint can have the smell of pepermint or spearment.And also the aroma of others like chocolate,orange, and lemon for example.Great to use in salads or teas.

Mimosa

Mimosa:
Gender:Feminine,planet:Satern,Element:Water,Powers:Protection,Love,prophetic dreams,purification
Magical uses:
Mimosa isusedfor purification(scatter around the area),Love,healing and prophetic dreaming~~
place under your pillow and sleep on it.A bath of mimosa( or a infusion of the plant sponged onto the body)Destroyes hexes and curses,and guards against future problems.

Yarrow

Yarrow,
folk names..Arrow root,ladys mantle,wound wort
Gender: Feminine,planet:Venus,element: Water
Powers:Courage,Love,Psychic powers.Exorcism
Magical uses:
When worn,Yarrow protects the wearer,and when held in hand,it stops all fear and grants courage.
Abunch of dried yarrow used in wedding decorations ensures a love lasting at least seven years.Yarrow is used in love spells.Carring yarrow not only brings love but it also attracts friends and distant relations you wish to contact.It draws the attention of those you most want to see.
The flowers are made into a infusion and the resulting tea is drunk to improve psychic powers.

Practical Magic Blog Party...Today!

I've been waiting for this fun bog party to get started.As a matter a fact I really just couldn't wait,So I have been hopping around already looking at other blogs listed.And a while back I made this 6x6" note book to ~give away today~

About a week ago I grabbed the practical magic book from my library of magical cook books and healing herbs and read it again. I read it the hole book in one day...all 244 pages.Alice Hoffman's book is different than the movie.And if you haven't read it you might want to.

So I have decided to share mine.Yep this is a pass it forward.So two lucky winners will have a chance.

Any one who leaves a ~comment~ can have the chance to win the note book. 

&

Any one who is one of ~my followers~ will receive a chance to win the book.

Good luck to you and in the next post I will talk about the magical influence of herbs to help put a little LOVE in your life,the safe way.

If you want to blog hop to see all the other wonderful blogs participating click on the Practical Magic blog picture at the top right hand side of my blog and it will take you to the list of all the fun and enchantment.

This give away will end three magical days from here.

I will do my best to contact you or you can check back.

September Equinox tonight

Tonight is the September Equinox

This will happen at 3:09 Am

Garden Spider,spider mojo

This little  fellow was hanging out beside my door the other day.He is a little bigger than three inches,including his legs.He disappeared the next night.Maybe it was the tree frog that likes to hand on my window at night eating bugs that got him? Or maybe the small snake (I saw the sheded skin buy the chimney) got him?Well anywhere he went is fine with me as long as he didn't come into my house.The only good thing about a spider being in your house is that it is supposed to mean it will rain.
No I don't know everything,and so a dear friend of mine(Willow) sent me a e-mail to wake me up to what a spider can be.Wow I don't know how I will do it but I have been trying to allow spiders to have a place in my home.Naw I don't have hundreds...but a few have been miss treated once they come in.Like the brown recluse,or the black widow.Or any other BIG spider.I lived out in Jacumba California years ago.And met a old lady named Rose.Rose La More as a matter a fact.Who is she?She was the sister of Louie La More the famous writer of western books.Yep the very same one mentioned in the book Practical magic.Rose is the one who introduced me to the I-ching.A way of throwing three coins and reading a fortune.Rose had a small home.But it was run over with cats,she was a hoarder.She also let thousands of spiders..the long legged kind live in her home.I had mentioned to clean them out for her but she said no.They were special creatures to her,harm none she said.Now I know what she ment.If you would like to know more about the mojo of spiders click on the link in the title of this post.It is facinating to know..and they have tons more mojo information ,a long list of meanings.

Tags stained with Coffee

I Have been blog hopping from the Practical Magic list.This always fun for me seeing what everyone else is up to.I stopped in one blog and darn if I can't remember the name of it.But she was asking if any one knew a good way to make new tags look old and raggedy,because the tea staining she did didn't get them dark enough.One of the comments mentioned they had used instant coffee to stain em.Well I like tags so I thought well I'm not doing anything I will just mix up some of my old mans instant coffee and let some soak.Huh I must be impatient about some processes.but I could see right away that was a waist of time.So I dumped out the coffee and grabbed the tags that were now wet.Crumpled some to make a effect.Then I took a spoon of the instant coffee and a wet 1/2"paint brush.Painted it on and it worked much faster and if you let some of the coffee pieces just lay there they leave the spots like you see.I also burnt the edges of two of them,then did some stamping and added a little color.These weren't for a swap just an experiment.They DO smell like coffee,and I think I will spray them with clear gloss spray paint to keep them from running or smearing on to some thing they shouldn't.