Black Stash

I have a extra bit of "Black" stash that I sent in for the swap and would like to share it with one of you. All I'm asking is for you to help me find fellow crafters.
Please "click" on the bird and crown ---------------------------------------------------->
feel free to send your friends the link to that post too!
Goodies from a recent swap where the theme was "black"


Congratulations to Lisa Simpson for winning the Family" book!


Thanks!

The Ties that Bind

My Uncle Bob died recently and I felt really bad I could not attend the funeral.
So when I learned I would be seeing my Aunt Marge (my Mom's Sister) at a Cousins Wedding, I wanted to show my support.
I used a Family lacing card kit (by Cosmo Cricket).
I distressed all the edges with sandpaper and attached the frames with foam tape leaving the top open so a photo could be added. The hardest part was the lacing, but it was worth it and I think it turned out great!
I have a extra kit to give away and if you'd like a chance to win, just post a comment here, (make sure you are reachable) and I'll pick a winner sometime Sunday.
Good Luck!

****(((WINNER UPDATE))))****
Congratulations to Lisa Simpson for winning the Family" book!

Feeling Good

Ok, not really.
Went in today thinking I was going to get the crown for a root canal I had 2 weeks ago.
But no...they wanted to put in a post which required more surgery.
I was not prepared for that bit and started tearing up when they were prepping all around me. Fine during surgery till towards the end when I realized they were stitching me up, not flossing me, cause I saw the NEEDLE and I almost "lost" it.
I canceled my plans for the weekend so I can "hole" my self up in my studio to organize and conjure up some new ideas.
The above is what makes me feeling good. It's from my Fiskateer Secret Sister! Her package brings a "Smile" to my face and a "skip" to my step every time I look at it!
It's all me. To the "T" !
This month is the big reveal and I can't wait to find out who she is!

My *New* Witch Hat!

I finally acquired a "Witch" hat made from my friend Jackie!
I've been dreaming of them for a year now...
Here's the one she made for ME.

I wore it at Halloween and every witch I came across was green with envy.

Jackie has a shop on etsy where you can see all her Millinery delights!
Here are some more Witch hats.....a Vintage goodie....and this darling Faerie Crown!

Halloween Miniature Art!

I recently participated in another ATC swap with my Fiskateer friends!
I consider every ATC a miniature work of art!



- mine is hard to see- it's the witch (above) holding the jack o lantern.



You can see my witch better here (below) - just click on the photo-
I hung them on a empty wall space like little banners!


Visit more ATC swaps here!
by the way...how do you like my blog's look for November?

Disney's Halloween Treat!

This last October 15, I took Dyllan to Mickeys Halloween Treat over at Disney California. We have been going every year since they started this fun event!
It was just the two of us and Dyllan is dressed up as "Captain Rex" from Clone Wars.

Love the outfits! Caramel Apple and Candy Corn...

Gum drop

Butterscotch

Peppermint

and a cupcake!

we found a cute little pooh,

Handy Mandy

Little Einsteins

always my favorite...the witches

Fro-zone

Mr. Incredible and the incredible baby





A pirate family and their lovely pink chicken? lol!

Dyllan learning from Mrs.Peppermint how to dance to Thriller!

check out those moves!

a talking scarecrow!

more fabulous witches!

Dyllan participating in the parade as he learns to dance to the Monster Mash!



just LOVE those outfits!

found some jedi's...

pirates wharf



Dyllan with Captain Fox!

We used our map to lead us to these various "candy" stations where they gave out the likes of assorted candy, Giradeli squares, apple slices, baby carrots, raisins, and crackers.

The Mad Hatter and his Queen...

another jedi

another Captain Rex?

Aha! Finally a Darth Vader!

The next morning.

After sorting out the Mommy approved candy, the rest filled up 1/2 of out candy bowl!

Hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween! Come back tomorrow for our Halloween feast!

October Happenings

First of all I wanted to congratulate Carrie for winning my Halloween Charm RAK from the post below! Be sure to stop by and see her creative blog!
Next...I'm sharing with you what I love about Halloween at Disneyland....

Carved and decorated pumpkins!





Dyllan and I were taking a break and coloring to our hearts content when who should join the fun?

"Woody!"

Here's Dyllan with Woody & Jessie!


The complete highlight of the day besides no waits for the good rides, was seeing none other than World Champion Magician, Johnny Ace Palmer!
He's appearing for a short time at D-land till early November. But we've seen him at the Magic Castle and at Brian's work Christmas parties. He's the BEST close up magician around and I was giddy with delight after he preformed a few tricks for us!



My Mom, was in last weekend and I made a really great meal. Homemade chicken soup, sauteed spinach, mashed potatoes, bread and pie. Yum!


So I give Dyllan a paper plate and tell him to make himself a mask. He prided himself that he "tricked" me in making a mask for his "puppy"!

Witches Cupboard Charm Swap * Revealed! *

~ First of all, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who participated in this charm swap!
You all did a Wicked good job! Thus making this my favorite Halloween themed one yet!

These are the cones I made for everyone with the treats you see below stuffed inside.

Now on to the charms....
The theme was "Witches Cupboard" or "Things you would find in a witches cupboard"
The rock below what crafted by Morgan Thien. It is a holey stone, reputed to bestow the gift of psychic sight upon looking through it's hole...

A potion book by Diana Pohl. She hand bound the leather cover and printed a recipe inside!

12 year old Brittany Oullette hand quilled this cute pumpkin.



Both this tine vial of Gillyweed and magical Unicorn tears were made by Brenda Bliss.

"Poison Apple" by Jessica Mount

Toad Roe~ by Charity Donaldson

A amazing mini deck of Tarot cards by Michelle Betaudier!

"Fly" by Carol Hoffmann

A Mini black cauldron by~Jodi Hall


Bottle of Spiders by~Lisa Hessabi

Fire burn (on one side) and cauldron bubble - Tami Roth


Curio bottle by Ashley Robinson
(she's hosting a Winter Charm swap on her blog!)

Evil Eye by Regina Lord

Aged Skull- Mahala Elliot


Little Broom by Angela Hoffman




Witch Services - Kathy McElroy

Skull Charm- Veronica Noechel

Spider by Ashani Samuel

Lizard tales in a teeny tiny bottle by Holly Johnson


Secret Book in clever box- Melinda Nikkel

Emma's potion Bottles by ~ Amanda Willey

Vintage Skeleton -Valerie Myers

Here I have them all displayed on my Halloween Tree mixed in with last years Halloween Charm swap which you can see here...

~ AND...as promised, I have one spider web pendant left to give away.
These are what I made for this swap.

All I ask is to do at least one of the following...
visit some of the links I provided for this swap and make some new blog buddies,
follow my blog or pass me on to a friend or two,
even be my friend on face book! (just type in my name, Michelle Cummings)
Then post back here...I'll pick a winner Sunday Oct.25th.

***Congratulations to Carrie for winning the Web!***

Spooky Apples

No....these are not mine...yet.
I had been thinking I wanted to make some yummy yet devilish treats for our Halloween party and was just about to browse the web in search for a simple DIY.
And then I saw these.
Just perfect.
I can't wait to conjure my own!
You can see more on mattbites.com

A Hauntingly Magical Celebration- *Winner*!

(update) 10/19/09
Congratulations to Sophia of Blue Chair Diary for winning the treat bag! Please e-mail me your mailing address asap! Thanks everyone for coming by!
***
***
***
It's Halloween!

It's Halloween!

*** Spooky Tags!***


*** Paris to the Moon, Costa Mesa CA***


*** Rogers Garden's***



The Moon is full and bright and we shall see what can't be seen on any other night.

Skeletons and ghost and ghouls

Grinning goblins fighting duels

Werewolves rising from their tombs



Witches on their magic brooms


In masks and gown we haunt the street
And knock on doors for trick or treat


***Treat filled Cone!***


***All Hollows Eve Nest***


***Spooky Scrap-box!***


Tonight we are the king and Queen,
For oh, tonight, it's Halloween!

~Jack Prelutsky

Thank you all for joining me in this Magical Celebration hosted by
the wonderful Vanessa Valencia!
I hope you will visit her blog and attend all the other wonderful parties!
***
As my thank you for coming by, I'm having a "Wicked" Giveaway!
Just leave a comment on this post, with your e-mail or link back to your blog, and I will draw one lucky 'Spook' on October 18th, at twilight to receive
this Snow White treat bag


filled to the brim with all sorts of tricks and treats from my studio!
It will also include a $10 gift card towards my shop!
***
Please be sure to come back to my blog
to see the results of my "Witches Cupboard" Charm swap
and have a chance to win one of these spider web charms!

BOO

~Here's a card I created for a card swap I recently hosted with my scrapbook group!
everyone created one card then made up 'kits' of the card for others to duplicate it.

Christmas Bird Giveaway!

You can win a beautiful glittered Christmas Bird!

Let us help promote your etsy or other online shop!
We need 20-25 promo items representing your shop with shop info included!

Your items will be put in a goody bag filled will other promo's and given to Boutique shoppers!

The Boutique is on December 12th
Hosted by the Goddesses of Craft,

For every 6 sellers that donate, I will add another Christmas Bird to the drawing! I'll start with Green, then Red, Silver and last Gold. All Birdies with be glittered, sitting in a glittered nest and wearing one of my hand crafted glittered crowns.

your promo items need to be in my hands by December 1st, 2009.

I will also promote your shop here on my blog for the whole month of December!

If interested, please e-mail me and I'll give some idea's on what you can donate plus my mailing address.

Thanks! and be sure to tell your friends!

~Michelle
altered-art@hotmail.com

Out for Blood...

I got this Venus Fly Trap plant a few months back in the garden section at Home Depot. I thought it might help with the few flies and gnats that escaped into the coolness of the house when temperatures soared out side. I completely forgot about the plant for a few days as I swatted flies and put them in the trash, until one night on the last fly, Brian suggested feeding it to the plant. SNAP! the plant closed quickly on the fly and being the last flying beast to be seen I was hooked and "out for blood" I started hunting for things to feed to the plants and never realized how fast daddy long legs can run until I tried to catch one with craft tweezers!
Exhausted in my effort to find fresh meat, I left the plant alone for a few days and discovered something (with out my help) met it's fate ...barely.


***********************************************
In the meantime, I've had this crazy and wonderful fascination with spider webs. Every day on the way to and from school, Dyllan and I spy for spiders and their webs. Often I take photo's as their intricate dedication and detail mesmerizes me sending me into a day dream as I go home to duplicate it with wire.


I love how imperfect they are.


A timeless beauty that never gets old

Celestial Goddess

Gearing for colder weather, darker nights and brighter stars!

YUM!!!!!

I was going to wait till October to post favorite Halloween tutorials from various blogs, but I could not resist when I saw this one on Jessica blog!
Please...head on over to Zakka Life for the details!
I'm serious...Go!
And have a good time!
She has plenty of idea's to get your creative juices flowing!