Happy Thanksgiving! Giveaway

Here is Grace Cathedral, another amazing church in San Francisco!


When you first enter you can't help but walk the labyrinth. So relaxing!

Then it's the amazing and vast arches. Overlaying each other, higher and higher!
I've decidedI want to do a weekend of visiting nothing but the great Cathedrals in San Francisco. Anyone up for a road trip?


My new favorite place is now Britex Fabrics.
4 stories of absolute sewing goodness.
I bought a few things to share and want to give someone what you see below plus some extra fantastic fabric remnants (not shown)


I will pick someone to win these goodies from this post this Sunday, so feel free to come back to leave more comments!

~ Happy Thanksgiving!

Having a WONDERFUL time!

So many things to see in San Francisco! Driving around there is always a feast for the eyes! We concluded our Sunday by looking for a playground for Dyllan to get his Ya Ya's out. Finding a playground was not so hard as finding a parking spot, but we got lucky and while Dyllan played, I went into St. Peters Cathedral.


(above photo by Brian J. Cummings)


This place was simply breathtaking and just so beautiful!

I could not stop looking UP! as the ceiling was as ornate as the the walls and floor!

Today we are going to Union Square for shopping, photo op's, China Town and riding on the Trolley. Did I say shopping? Yea!
Please check back here Tuesday for a chance to win some goodies from today's adventure!

Holiday Travel

We are on our way soon, to travel up to San Francisco for a few days, Eureka on one day and then to My Uncle Walters place for Thanksgiving! We visited up north in 2007 and you can re-visit that post here.
Do you like this brooch I made? I've been making oodles and oodles for the Holiday Boutique in December, plus so many new things, never before seen in my shop! I can't wait to show and tell!

I hope you all will have a wonderful Holiday! I'll look for some RAK worthy items while in S.F., might even post the giveaway here while I'm there!

Found these festive gems near our local post office. Would have been rude not to take a photo of their beauty don't you think?
See you soon!

You are invited to a Holiday Boutique!

The Goddesses of Craft are hosting a a Holiday Boutique on December 12th!
11:00am-2:00pm
If you live in Southern Ca, and would like to drop by to experience the *Magic*....
~ please contact me for further details!

~*

I will be selling:

Custom craft glitter,

Christmas Birds,

Birds Nest pendants,

Vintage inspired Christmas Trees,

Decorated gift tags,

Scrapboxes,

Glittery mobiles,

Crowns,

Tiara’s,

Faerie Houses and more!

~*

Something New

I recently received these as a gift from a friend and while I am utterly delighted to have them, I've never used this type before and was wondering if any one out there in "blog land" can offer me some tips?
They are applique templates designes by Donna Dewberry for Fiskars ~ to be used with fabric.
My main question is how to keep the fabric from slipping?
Thanks!

Orange-a-licious!

Just some Orange yummies I received from a recent Fiskateer swap!

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