Friday, August 05, 2011

We're back!

Every year we grab the tent and camp at a different Ontario Provincial Park. This year we went to Bonnechere which sits on Round Lake, in the Ottawa valley, just a short trip from Algonquin park.

The beach was fab.


Our site was right on the Little Bonnechere river.


The weather was (mostly) great.


D especially loved just sitting at the waters edge and catching a few fish :)


I could have done without the two kids blowing whistles at 6 in the morning (parents! how can you not hear that?!?) but all in all it was a pretty darn great trip. Bonnechere definitely ranks as one of my favourite parks so far and I'd totally consider a return visit :)

We've camped at private grounds and they don't even come close to the Provincial Park experience. Most individual PP sites allow for quite a bit of privacy, unlike the fishbowl setup of many privately operated grounds. The Prov. Parks we've been to have had great daily kid programs, hiking trails, clean beaches, and reasonable rentals (ie $30 full day canoe rental incl. all needed life jackets). Bonnechere also offered free fishing rods, beach balls, and sporting equipment. They might not be as flashy as some private campgrounds, but the Provincial Parks we've visited have felt feel a whole lot safer, cleaner and are far quieter... apart from the whistling kids.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Medieval Witch Board & Shop Announcement

Another board?

I know, I know... but I'm on a roll. This one uses a 15th century woodcut image from an Italian book on witchcraft. She's up in the etsy shop here.



Speaking of shops... I've taken down all of the listing in my witchy shop. D has decided that he'd like to earn a few pennies so I'm lending him my shop for a while. My little photog has a pretty keen eye and is going to try his hand at selling his photos online. If it goes well we'll and he doesn't lose interest in 3 minutes we'll set up his own place. I've helped with photo editing but the photos are all his... check out his work!




You can the rest of his work here.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

What pirates do when bored at sea...


I imagine that during dull pirating times when there were no treasures to be buried or legs to be pegged that that a brave crew might just try to contact the spirit world. I'm sure that those more superstitious mateys would piddle themselves in fear that Davey Jones himself might be sending messages from the beyond.




Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Would this be considered adult content?

I was harvesting some glorious, scrummy veggies from our patch today and pulled this out of the ground.


There is no artistic, crafting or witchy merit to this post (I could get into the magical uses for such a root but I won't)... I'm sharing this solely because I have the sense of humour of a ten year old boy.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Skelly Spirit Board

Over the past few days we've been busy, busy 'processing' our meat chickens, making jam, hanging laundry, baking zucchini bread and all that good country life stuff. I've also had another visit with the dreaded dentist. Ug! While sitting in that blasted chair waiting for the sedation to take effect the dentist came in and said, "Your blood pressure is a little high. Are you nervous?" Call me crazy but if someone is so afraid you'll kill them with your toothy tinkering tools that they need to be sedated... yeah, they might be a tad nervous.

Anywho, here's my latest slightly spooky skelly spirit board now listed in my etsy shop.


Monday, July 18, 2011

The Wee Mystic's House

Woo hoo! I've spent HOURS finishing this baby up and here it is... the Wee Mystic's House


Over all it measures around 15.5" tall


There's creepy crawlies on the roof


Inside has just 4 rooms


The main room I've done as a sort of occultish shop. If you look carefully you can see a small homage to Marie Laveau :)


Scrolls, tiny bead bottles and the "Our Lady" shrine I made last week in the background.


A collection of sculls and magical powders. Each tiny vial has the actual contents labeled on the front.


The next room is the "Reading room" with a crystal ball, tarot cards and more...


... including a palmistry hand made from a dolls hand


In the front window there is the teeniest ouija board.


Upstairs is where the mystic does all of his private spell work. There's even a picture of super awesome witchy woman Doreen Valiente for inspiration.

Storage in the wee attic.

Phew!

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Our Lady Shrine

I'm working away on more things for the little Gothic house. Here's the latest...



The shiny thing behind Our Lady is the reflector off of a mini Christmas light. The funny yellow stuff at her feet are marigold/calendula petals. Those candles? Sewing thread dipped in beeswax!