Huzzah!

I promised you all some Renaissance Faire pictures a bit ago...I bet you thought I forgot...or, perhaps, were just hoping I did...haha!

Well, since the week is passing quickly yet again...and I have no new art to share...

You get to enjoy ( or be forced to gaze upon) some of the highlights of this year's Faire :)
I'll keep my descriptions brief!  Haha!

My Darling Maggie (right) and her Cousin both went as pirates.

Mags was Captain Snaggletooth you might just barely see that just-about-to fall-out tooth sticking out over her lip.

....in the stockade....though still undeterred from thinking about her next naughty deed :)

My Father Dad...

...he'll forgive her anything.

There were green dragons perched on shoulders....

...and fairies....which is new.  They walked around very slowly and interacted with the children.  The actors would pretend nothing was there and ask us what we were all staring or laughing at.

This Autumn Fairy seemed to be just as enamored with my nephew as he was of her.....

Maggie and me caught taking a cuddle break.

...And just for Joyce....a better pic of me...though not by much....haha!

Take heed....there are always Punks that show up to events like this...

Steampunks, that is!

It was a shame my Mom couldn't go this year.   She put together a great Steampunk costume this year, but hasn't gotten to wear it yet. 

 But fret not, I'll definately show you more pics next year! Lucky you....haha!!

Hugs,

Cameron

Nightmares Come True!

Halloween is around the corner, My Friends...
And this has been a big one for us!

Getting my daughter's costume together this year made me nostalgic and I started to remember fondly all the anticipation of the Big Night.  We'd wait for it to get dark enough, while my Mom would transform us all from ordinary...to otherworldly!
She would sit us down in the kitchen and make us into whatever we decided to be that year.  She wasn't a professional make-up artist or anything....but, in my mind, she was magical in her abilities....
She was up for trying anything....from Rockstars...

My Aunt Shana as a member of KISS

To Vampires....

My Uncle Corey circa 1981 or so

To Hobo Clowns....

 Yep, that's my Mom on the left...you can't see in this picture, but she stuffed her bra like Dolly Parton for this, her "Rhinestone Cowgirl" costume ;P

Me

A Bunch of Balloons.....

My Aunt Nan

...and Skeletons....

Aunt Shana again

...And Japanese Geisha Girls....

That's me :)

My parents made Halloween such a fun holiday...and still do!  They love to dress up, even now, and thrill the grandkids (and big kids, too) with their playfulness and willingness to join in the adventures! 

Dad 2009....

...and Maggie, Me and Mom same year

 Thanks Mom and Dad, I love you!

So, Maggie's previous year's costumes haven't been too demanding...

When your kids are very young, you get to pick their costumes....dressing them up to your whim...

Maybe using a hand-me-down costume or getting a cute idea from somewhere :)

For Maggie's first year Trick or Treating back in 2008 (she was 2 1/2) I found a little leopard costume at the local Thrift Store.  It was lightweight, one piece and had a tail attached.  All she needed was some ears and a bit of make-up...

 For 2009, you saw our matching Witch costumes above.  I found them at the same Thrift Store (it is closed now....and boy, I missed that place this year!) And I knew I might not get away with wearing matching costumes in the future...haha!

Last year she requested to be a puppy....

No other specifics...which made it nice.  I found a bunch of white clothes and painted spots all over them....pretty easy!

....and Daddy was the Dogcatcher...haha!

This year, though....

She wanted to be a specific character....

She asked to be made into Sally from the Nightmare Before Christmas...

I started with a black dress from, where else....a Thrift Store....and rummaged in my fabric stash til I found pieces that were close enough...

I dyed a shirt and a pair of tights blue, found stripey socks, put on some blue make-up, stitches and a wig....

Here's my little Sally :D

I had so much trouble finding a straight red wig...this was the best we could do....but she LOVED it!

I was so proud and happy with the way it turned out and how much she enjoyed being transformed!

We went to Disneyland and just had to get her picture in front of the Haunted Mansion, which is a Nightmare Before Christmas attraction this time of year!

It was perfect!

Now I know how my Mom must've felt all those years....

I made her Halloween dreams nightmares come true :D

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

AND NOW.....to announce the winner of my Halloween Party Treat!

All your names were written on slips of paper...

...and dropped in the pot....

They were stirred and mixed.....

...then a winner was picked...

...and this is who we got!

Congrats to

Little Miss Hungry!

A certain little crow will be flying to you soon!

Thank you all so much for walking with me down memory lane....and being one of the reasons this year's Halloween is so awesome!

Much love...and sweets to you and your families,

Cam

Flights of Fancy

Hello My Bloggy Dears!

I'm here today to show you a painting I did specifically to link up at Butterfly Effect 's weekly themed challenge....This week is Masks...

I decided to do a paint-over collage this time.  I selected an image from a magazine and adhered some paperback pages to the canvas.  I don't use this technique all the time, but I learned it from the wonderfully talented Tamara Laporte of Willowing...and it really is amazing how the underlying image completely transforms....

Sorry about the glare...I barely remembered to snap a pic for you.

Here's an in progress shot.

....I knew I wanted to make her wearing an owl mask....as you know, I'm sorta into them right now :)

I decided to make her feathers all snowy and ethereal.

"Dreaming of Feathers"

8 x 10 Mixed Media on canvas

With a crisp contrasting background and dreamy, party pastel colors....

With lots of irridescent shimmer!

...and as always, my favorite part, piercing eyes...

I purposely left her hair more undefined so as to keep the focus on the mask....

Hope you enjoyed her.

She is in my Shop if you find her dreamy, too....and I am still offering 20% off everything til the end of October!  The coupon code is THANKS2U.

I appreciate you visiting with me today...

I invite you to please stop in on Saturday for A Halloween Party Extravaganza....mwuhahahaha!!!



I am happily joining the festivities this year!  So please join me for some frights and delights...and a Giveaway, too...heehee!

Phew...I don't think I've used so many links before...haha!  I'll see you on Saturday!
Looking forward to it,
Cameron

A Day at the Fair - The Renaissance Faire, that is...

Gramercy for joining me here, Dear Maidens and Knights!

As quite a few of you already know, my family and I visit the Renaissance Faire every year.  We dress up and enjoy the sights and sounds of a time long past.  You can read last year's post here.

But this year was extra special because my daughter, Maggie, joined us for the first time!  I think I was way more excited than she....this meant I could dress BOTH of us...haha!  I just love to wear fun costumes :)

I gave her a couple options....peasant girl....pirate...gypsy.....and told her whatever she, chose I would be, too.

Here's my darling girl in her Gypsy Best!

I got the top and vest at the Thrift Store...the rest I put together with items from my Cosume Bins (yes, I have more than one...heehee)...and the feathered hairpiece I made the night before with silk flowers, feathers, a gold coin charm and hot glue.

My Mom and Dad were both searching for the perfect hats to compliment their garb this year.

This was a contender.

But this was the winner....

This is the hat my dad found.....his solemn face is supposed to be him "in character" :)

My Girl had a full day of adventures!  She rode a Flying Dragon......

She and our other kid companions saw Jack Sparrow (a good lookalike, anyways)....

She marveled at a huge puppet in one of the parades....

She procured a weapon and vanquished a giant :)

We had a wonderful time together!  So much so, she says she wants to go next year....

I can't wait to see what costume she chooses next time...heehee! 

I hope you all enjoyed time with your families this weekend, too!

All my best to you Lords and Ladies....

Cameron