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

Suffering from Unfinished Project Syndrome!

How does time go by so fast?
One minute, I'm having a wonderful Summer....reading an actual book (haven't had time for one of those in ages!) and sightseeing with my family....

The next, I'm ushering my child out the door, arms flailing out like a rubber octopus grabbing for keys, sunglasses, purse, lunch, backpack, sunscreen, that thing I needed to return at the store....etc!

I'm nagging my poor Husband to get up on the roof and wield a brush in one hand and paint can in the other while balancing on our sloped tiles (We got notice from our HOA before we left for vacation to repaint our shutters...and he won't let me do it).

I'm looking at a stack of fabric that no matter how much I wish, won't turn itself into a set of curtains and cute, little pillows...

I'm busy.....like...always doing something...busy....
But, nothing seems to be getting done.
I have grand plans to unveil dazzling  "after" photos of all our efforts around here.
Truly...

Like, our yard.

I've started planting some pots....but, I can't put them where I want them to go until we get the rest of the yard done (including grass....we got notice for that, too)....

That dirt under the pot is my lawn :)

Halloween is on it's way!  I got an early start this year.....

With this cute door hanger...

That needs to be sewn shut and have it's ribbon hanger added with ghost button accents.

....and I'm attempting a felt monster for the first time. 

Though, right now he has no arms, legs or filling....haha!

I have been spending my free time recently getting ready for my SIL's Baby Shower this weekend.

It is monkey themed...these are the prize bags.

I wanted each to be slightly different.  I did these all with just circle punches (and a hand drawn oval template). 

 I think they turned out nicely :)

I still consider this an unfinished project, though....lots of tags, favors, decorating and table signs still to make.....busy, busy!

There are more incomplete wonders here....many, many more.....but, if I keep dwelling on them, nothing will ever get done...haha!

What's been keeping you busy?

Until later, My Pretties...

Cameron

Random Bits

Hello my Dears!
Just a simple post filled with random goodness! 

We put a beautiful creation in our bouganvillea today.....you can't see it, but she decorated the inside for the birds to enjoy, too...
...and just in case they didn't know it was for them...she labeled it...haha!

We sat on the porch and admired the happy flowers....

I've decided a pot filled to the brim with pansies is going to always be a Spring tradition!

I love having them by the front door welcoming me home ;)

Those flowers smell so wonderful when you walk by them....

The roses are in full bloom now, too :)

Hope you've been enjoying random bits of pleasure, too!  You deserve it!!
Love ya' guys,
Cameron

Fitting Halloween in a Box

Or at least on one!...haha....

I told you more little painted boxes were in my future!

I think they're a really fun way to add a bit more Halloween Whimsy to my house without destroying my budget :-P

I've been wanting to experiment with crackle glaze for a while now....

So, I thought these would be a safe, small project to experiment on...

I like the added texture and "finished" appearance it gives!

I learned, though, the thicker you apply, the larger the cracks....next time I won't be so careful, and I'll really slather it on :)

This one I made for a "Nightmare" lovin Friend!

I wanted to paint Zero inside, but the sides of the box were a little too deep to have good control over the brush/pen....so, a Halloweeny wrapped gift seemed appropriate :)

I used some irridescent glitter over the ribbon inside, and Jack's bowtie outside...

I think you can just barely see some of the flecks in this picture :)

My only complaint with these boxes is sealing them.  Does anyone have a suggestion on what to put on them that doesn't make the lids stick?  I've tried the crackle glaze and Mod-Podge with both having that kinda tacky feel....I have to pry the lids off sometimes...and the paper tears a bit :(

It's cold and rainy here today...and I'm loving it!! Hope you are all having a wonderful day, too :)

Big Hugs,

Cameron