Groovy Grave Halloweeny ATC's

I don't have anything new to show off today so I thought I'd do a little Halloweeny image giveaway instead.

You know the rules. Use as you like. Make loads of stuff and a big fat mess. Don't distribute these images, sell or give, alone or as a group. (You can share these BUT the bottom stuff must be kept intact and a link back is appreciated.) These are NOT for commercial use. They are for fabulous crafty folk to make lovely things with. Violators may notice strange burning sensations in terrible places. Believe me, it's better if you just play nice.

And, in case you missed it last time around, here's a page filled with spooky words typed up on my old Underwood.

Charming

Because I know you'll appreciate the sweetness and loveliness of this. I loves Shelly Duvall :)

Morphine and Progress

I haven't been feeling too awful but last night those damned stones reared their ugly heads and I gave in and took some morphine. My mum is terrified that I'll now become a prescription drug addict.

I've been continuing work on my wee house. The roof has been mossified and I spent today making little books.

I think the new place is going to be called The Story Tellers House. I can't wait to see where it takes me :)

Stones, Deals & Progress

Long story short, I woke the husband, packed the kid in the car and went to the ER at 1am last night. Apparently it wasn't some alien life form about to explode out my left side, it was kidney stones.

The doctor assured me I'd live since it didn't seem like I was in too much distress. He likened passing a stone to giving birth. I told him I'd given birth before and that's very nearly what I was feeling like 30 minutes prior.

Can I just say, I HATE it when men compare pain to childbirth. How the hell would they know? Buggers. And why to dr's assume you're fairly fine and dandy if you're not rolling around in agony? Some of us deal with pain differently.

Anywho, on to better things.

Yesterday we ran some errands and I crammed in some supply shopping. I managed a couple of pretty great finds...

The wooden spice rack in the back was $5.99 which is a bit more than I would normally pay (because I'm a cheap bastard) but it's just such a great size measuring 16" across closed and 32" open. And aren't those cut out bits fabulous? Sort of a Moroccan feel to them. I'm going to turn that baby into another shrine.

And what's that in front of the shrine? Paper cement for an absolute steal!

From the directions and description I'm assuming this is just rubber cement. I've been in dire need of the stuff for months but haven't seen it... or refused to pay $17.99 for it (cheap bastard, see above).

Lastly, I've been working hard on another little house. Here's the progress so far...

I think it'll be rather cute when it's finished but I must admit, the teeny weeny scale of this particular house isn't as enjoyable as the very first houses I worked on. While the tinier stuff may be more impressive visually, the larger, more spacious ones are so free and airy, and a joy to work on.

Off to continue work on the house and let those lovely little pain pills kick in.

Damned stones.

The Kindness of Strangers (or why older ladies are the bees knees)

We participated in an art show this weekend and I dragged along the Stargazers Cottage.

One of my very favourite things about this piece is that prompts people, especially ladies of a certain generation, to share childhood stories and memories. It's such a gift to hear these fabulous gals talk about craft and imaginative play.

One lady told me about how envious she was of her friend's doll house. She described the huge thing and said she remembered that it even had electricity. As a child she was quite certain that her friend must have been very, very wealthy to have such a grand dollhouse. Another dear sweet lady shared her memories of her mothers crafting, about the dollhouse and playthings she had as a girl, and about the arts taught in schools in Nazi Germany. Still another told me about her homemade doll house made out of two cigar boxes.

When I arrived on Sunday the last lady approached me with a plastic bag in hand. She had dug through her basement and found that cigar box house! It had obviously been well loved. The roof was missing, as were the doorknobs, but I ooh'ed and ahh'ed all over it. She told me it had been made in 1943 by her aunt. Many of the little bits of furniture had been lost over the years but there were still a few items inside. Couches and beds made from matchboxes and covered with little bits of fabric.

She mentioned that her children probably wouldn't be interested in the house and that it might very well end up in the bin. *gasps!*

Would you consider a trade for it?
A town in a tea cup perhaps?
Then again, anything at all!
Just please think about it.
Consider it.
If you can part with it, come back and you can pick something out!

She must have thought I was a little bit of a nut really.

Not five minutes later she was back and said I could have it. Have it! My mum was there and told her it was going to a very good home. I literally hugged the wee thing and vowed to love it forever and ever.

It was the absolute kindest gesture. I don't think that lady knows just how much I'll treasure that little place. It is one of my very most favourite things in the whole wide world right now :)

Airy Fairy Shadowboxes

Finished up some more work last night for this weekend's art show. I really wish the sun was shining today so that I could get some better photos. On the other hand, those shining rays just might distract me from the housework (that has already been neglected) in preparation for Mamma Knickertwist to arrive.

... One more thing, mandrake roots

One of the 'others' I put in the Potter package was a wee paperclay mandrake root.

Since this fellow I've made some more out of polyclay which are rather more grumpy, but lovely all the same :)

Some of these fellows are available in my etsy shop in the dolls and figures section