Meowy and Bright

This is a post I have long been promising to not only my daughter...but a few artist friends, as well....So I'm pleased to finally be able to show you a small (albeit important :D) part of our house!

When we did our final walk thru last October before being able to call this house our own....the room that would be Maggie's looked like this...

Yes, it was blue...which just happens to be Maggie's favorite color...but with that long hallway and dark walls...it felt so cave-like.

The one window in the room was covered in blinds...which blocked light and her pretty view.  And I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I absolutely hate cleaning the dust that accumulates on those things!

So after some pondering on Maggie's part about what kind of room she wanted (it was either going to be an undersea/dolphin theme or cats)  she chose the latter...which also was her birthday theme this year....go figure :)

And the project began!

It all started, if you remember, with this fabric...

Maggie picked it out herself :)

We painted the walls a buttery yellow to match, took off the blinds and let some light in!

We used her Birthday sign on her door....and I painted a square of magnetic paint on her closet doors to provide a fun area to display her art and other treasures....

That cute kitty on the right is by a talented friend Shayla Fish.  She made it for Maggie specifically...so sweet!  It matches the room so perfectly, too :)

The area to the left now serves as a great art gallery wall. She has quite a collection of original art in this little room...

The white cat is "A Little Birdie Told Me" by a wonderful artist named Carole at Ladybug Art Studio.  She loves cats and nature and has just the right shop to find affordable originals. She's a really nice person, too....and agreed to trade this and another piece for some owl stuffies I made :)

The black framed art are some little watercolor and ink cats I painted long ago...

That painting of the 2 cats is a favorite of Maggie's.  It is a portrait of our own 2 feline girls done by the incredible Lauren of Fair Rosamund.  

Oh, and I LOVE these shelves from Ikea.  We got them on sale for $20 bucks a piece!

They hold her aquarium and various collections.  My friend, Marty, gifted us that sleeping kitty figurine she scored during one of her many flea market excursions :)

We got Maggie a new bed at Ikea while we were there, too....a full!  Definately larger than what I originally envisioned, but....when you find something at a great price (the frame was $49 dollars!) you gotta jump! Now there is room for everyone on the bed, me, Daddy and Mags...when we read at night :)

The rug is so fun, I couldn't pass it up....from Kohl's.

That banner is made from calendar pages that I got at the dollar store.....another leftover from her birthday party.  The tuxedo cat painting, "Waiting" is also by Carole.  I made the pillow to match the curtains....the felt cat was taken off the shirt I made for her birthday outfit...

I think I made them a bit too long....but I'm too lazy to take them off and start again. 

There are 2 more cat paintings on this wall...

I did these....definately not my usual style....but I was trying to match the colors of the room and fill up some space.  Maggie likes that one is looking up and one is looking down :)

Sugar...

...and Spice.

Beacause we know that is what all little girls are made of ;D

Now, on to the undersea/dolphin themed bathroom!

Thanks for taking this little tour with me....and a big hugs to all the artists who helped make my Pumpkin Noodle's room a happy place to be a kid!

All my best,

Cameron

Claythings

There's been a strange, new development in my studio lately....
I go to bed with a new Paperclay package set out for the next day...
and when I wake up......a figurine is standing on my desk next to an empty wrapper....
Those clay elves must be at it again!

Ahhhh, if only that were true! 
I bought a large amount of the stuff back in January and just now started to try my hand at it.

It's not easy......

But I quickly became addicted!
Now, in addition to the usual paint smears on my clothes and skin, you can now find clay bits under my nails and gesso in my hair :)

What do you think of this guy?

I call him Bug~a~Boo because of his buggy eyed expression....
He's actually a functioning box for.....wait for it....

......creepsakes...haha!

Move over Martha Boowart!
Here is the Hostess with the Grossest!
She comes with accessories like these Black Widow cookies....Devil's Food, of course!

All these fun, spooky things....

This grinning witch really turned into a labor of love....I kept adding more and more to her....I had to completely repaint her dress 3 times!

But I think she's frightfully delightful now!

She stands almost 10 inches (24 cm) high!

Did those cookies make you hungry?  I have just the thing for you!

Btw, do you like the neat filters I'm using on some of the photos? I got them here!

Creepy Crawly Confections, anyone?

Just something fun for staging a witchy tea party scene ;P

And then, there is Smudge...

With book in hand, he keeps secrets and sorts spells....a cute little Witch's Apprentice!

Have Magic, will travel ;P

I had to add the pumkin to make him balance....look at that tail...haha!

And, not to leave out my Christmas loving friends....

Jingles is my very first snowman...

I gave him actual twig arms...just like a real snowman!

All these creations are in my shop ready to find new homes :)

What will the clay elves make next?

Heeheehee!

Biggest hugs!

Cam

Friendship Lights the Way

A little witch emerged from the darkness, illuminated by her magic star, the full moon and the glow of friendship :)

I sat down to paint...to create something special for a Halloween loving friend....
...and little Lucia appeared.

Lucia means Light....

(click HERE to zoom in close)

Like the warmth of the hearth on a crisp Autumn night...

Like the candle that makes shadows dance happily on the wall....

Like the smile that brightens someone's day...

Her pumpkin crew a lovely reminder....

....of her special gift....

***I hope you like her, Marfi!***

Thank you all for continuing to brighten my days with your sweet words, My Friends!

I just love you guys :)

My very best witches,
Cam

Stocking the Pantry

Greetings, My Pretties!
There is a change in the air...a shift occuring...
The clouds above me...and the welcome crispness of the morning's first touch upon my skin, whisper a promise of rustling leaves, gatherings and nighttime haunts ahead...

To prepare, Lovelies, I am ensuring my cupboard is not bare.....brimming with jars of homemade goodies to keep my cauldron bubbling all season long....hee hee hee hee!  I am, afterall, at my most cunning this time of year *rubs palms together*  Heeheeheehee!

I do have some extremely rare specimens in my pantry this year....

One of my favorites is this sample of Werewolf Dander. *the sound of her babbling becomes fainter*

~~~Shhhh! It's really me, Cameron...just popping in to let you know that I'll put the 'human made ingredients' after these little squiggly marks so that your inner Witch can ramble on and on about her new pantry items, too ;P ~~~

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(It occurred to me while drafting this post that perhaps not everyone would find it as light-hearted and fun as I do.  Please know that I am in no way trying to mock or belittle anyone's beliefs or practices with this post. This little story is purely fictional and intended for entertainment only.  I am creating it in good humor and with a happy heart, excited for my most favorite Holiday of the Year :)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

*in a loud voice*

Ahem....have you been listening?

I just informed you that the dander is perfect for spells of transformation.  The bottle is, indeed, small...but, you must know how difficult it is to even collect that much!

~~quick cook oatmeal~~

One item I wish were more rare. But alas, is becoming more common, are the thieving fingers of those who desire to procure my wares without due payment. 

Should I start collecting deaf ears, too....hmmmmmm?

Anyhow, they soon get a quick economy lesson in supply and demand....

 I demand, they supply.  I collect handfuls of them every year...hee hee hee! 

Those I can't use, I toss into the compost heap of my local Cemetary.

They have the foulest, most prutrid Graveyard Dirt! A pinch is neccesary for a potent sleep potion... ~~potting soil & a storebought bone~~

I always try to combine my errands so I'm not needlessly flying from place to place!

The centipedes I find there, too, are the plumpest and juiciest around...

A wonderfully wicked excuse to brew a batch of Centipede Cider!

 ~~rubber centipedes in water in a colored wine bottle~~

The Deadly Nightshade grows wild there, as well....

Seasons the stew just right every time...heehee...

 ~~ominous looking silk leaves and berries~~

Oh...and my Dear Sister, Helga, surprised me with a jar of Moss and Fungi from the Enchanted Forest ! ~~dried moss, fake green moss balls from Dollar tree, twigs and a feather~~

She is so much more patient than I am....waiting until the moss is awash in moonlight before picking.

Mother always said "the Magic is in the details!"....

Or, maybe, it was "the dagger is in the entrails"?...

...oh, nevermind.....

Oh, my stripey socks, I almost forgot! Apparently a band of Trolls tried to stop Helga from crossing the bridge at the Old Elm...

Well, needless to say, I now have lovely souvenirs of their meeting...heeheehee!

~~slivered almonds~~

....And speaking of smelly, cantankerous sorts.....

I can't seem to eat just one!

~~jar of button mushrooms~~

I do tend to get sluggish if I ogre-indulge...hahaha!

Though, it's nothing a little Slug Slime can't remedy!

 ~~aloe vera gel with 2 drops of food coloring mixed in~~

Helps one stay focused, it does....as well as, lubricates the workings...heehee!

Do any of you take pride in growing your own food?

I've been so fortunate to have had excellent clutches of eggs this year...

~~small portion of store bought webbing, 1 plastic spider & kids nontoxic molding compound called Gazz It from Dollar Store~~

First from Charlotte.  Why yes, she is named after that character from the little farm book...where the coniving she-spider saves a pig from the Farmer's axe...

...only to wrap him up for herself and devour him slowly...feasting like a Queen...you remember?

Oh, so your version is a bit different, is it?  Pity.....

Where was I?  Why, eggs...yes, yes....of course....

These are a kick!  When dehydrated and shriveled, as such, they may be grated over any food to add fire and hotness....Oh, how I do love spicy cuisine!

++Side effects include heartburn, smoking from the ears, gastro-intestinal discomfort, bleeding from the mucus membranes and scaly skin....oh, well, you can read the fine print later....

~~seed pods from my Siberian Iris plant~~

I kept pestering the Bait and Cackle Shop around the corner about my order of Horesefly Maggots.  They finally arrived!

I like to jar these little fellows up as favors when I host Coven meetings....

~~store-bought stretchy maggots from Halloween store~~

No pantry is ever complete without Bat Wings!  They facilitate swift night flight....

~~wings cut off of rubber bats~~

My newest acquisition is a vintage potion from a Chantiquities Dealer!  It was hard to find, but good to the last drop...heehee!

Only for use in extreme cases, of course!  I'm not one to spread Plagues around all willy nilly......usually...heehee!

~~plastic rats with a small layer of water poured in then the rest topped with oil~~

Sometimes, when the moon is so bright, you can collect some of it by crystalizing its glowing reflection.  These particles are called Moon Dust. 

~~2 types of glitter put in a jar swabbed first w/ a tiny amount of alcohol~~

You can do it with stars, too...though it will take you longer and you won't get quite as much.

I have saved the worst for last to share with you....because these are truly wretched creatures....slippery and scaley....sneaky and elusive....

...And seeing as how I avoid being near water (for obvious reasons), this sample is all the more precious...just a tiny snippit of these golden tresses can unlock deep secrets that may have been kept from you. Follicus Sirensis can make one able to hold their breath for an unusual amount of time, as well!

....plus, it salts the brew nicely, too...heeheehee!

~~cutting of wig hair, plastic greenery, shells, sea glass, driftwood and/ or sand~~

Well, I do admit that I enjoyed your visit immensely!  

Though, I must insist we not make habit of it... Lest, I start collecting ears, afterall, as punishment for not listening...hahahahaha!  I'm jesting....mostly.

But I will leave you with this advice:

Keep your warty chins up.

Cackle loud and often.

 ....and always remember to see the cauldron as half-full.

Ta!

~~Thanks for peeking into my Witch's Kitchen!  I had such a blast making these jars, that I just couldn't stop myself from making lots...and lots....of labels!  I've put them in Ye Olde Shoppe, if this has inspired you to start a pantry of your own.  Maggie was so excited to help put these together!  I don't know if I mentioned already how much I love Halloween! ;P ~~

...and you, too!

XO,

Cam