Pumpkin pie...with a difference :D

A Blessed Samhain to you all :D

I love the colours of Autumn, and the magic in the air as the earth prepares for it's long winter rest. 

It has become the time when we think more openly about death, and what may or may not come after.

With this in mind, I spend today cooking treats...yes all day...so that any visitor may find something to their taste.

And of course Pumpkin pie.

I found this fabulous cake mould in a supermarket for £1.99!!

blind baked my pastry base....

then added a thin layer of raspberry curd,

before pouring in my pumpkin mix.

 When set, the pie tipped out easily(some areas were a little undercooked so I put it back in the oven to dry out)

 And I couldn't resist adding a little colour :D

 Quite a fun and fitting addition to the table don't you think?

Though Samhain is a time for deep though and contemplation, it is also a celebration, so don't forget to have fun :D

Blessed Be, and Enjoy :D XXX

I have been arting...honest!!!

Actually, I've been a tad obsessed with an image that formed in my head after reading another of Magaly's short stories about two sister's who got more than they bargained for after being rude and nasty to someone.

This is a pen and marker version I made...

but it lacked texture.

So I took a canvas, and used a drop sheet that I'd tested a couple of stencils on (perfect for the base layer lol)

and started growing my grumpy shrub.

For this I used tissue paper and matt medium.

Once dry I started adding paint in thin layers so as not to smother the texture.

*oooow...nummy texture*

To add the faces, I scanned my original drawings, and printed them onto tissue paper in the required size...

cut them out, and applied carefully with more matt medium. Using tissue paper for this means the image can be pushed back into the texture of the layers below.

I then added a bit of depth and detail with thin washes of acrylic and inktense pencils, as well as punching out and painting some small flowers....

before a final coat of gloss medium to bring out the colours and bind the layers.

This final image is scanned, and shows the true depth of colour used.

Well you didn't expect me to be working on anything cute this time of year did you...mwahahahahaha!

Enjoy :D XXX

I would like to enter this as my "Piece a Week", for "Paper Saturdays Challenge" and Country View Challenge "Something Spooky"

Just out of reach....

I have so missed blogging and sharing this last month...so on this day when we turn back the clocks(UK) and the nights grow even longer and darker heading into the Sabbat of Samhain, I feel the need to blog :D

Samhain aka Halloween is to me the closing up of the natural world for a well deserved rest. It is the end of the old year and beginning of the new. Every girl knows a New Year's eve party requires a special effort, so this year I made myself a tirara.....*every girl NEEDS a tirara*

And now, if your sitting comfortably, I would like  to share a spooky story....

As a firm believer in the paranormal/spiritual side of life I was thrilled when a friend contacted me to ask if I would be interested in joining her and a few others for a paranormal investigation. WOULD I?????

Bounced for weeks waiting for confirmation :D

On the night of the investigation we arrived at my friends workplace(an old site reused). She explained that it was her boss who had requested help, as one of his manager's had had a real scare and was struggling to do his job (big hairy metal worker types).

It was an awesome site, with large open warehouse spaces, machine shops and offices, but best of all....underground cellars...with stone walls and arched ceilings mwahahahahaha...:D

We were totally in our element . I paired up with my friend (she is the techy one) and I volunteered/begged to be allowed to go into the furthest recesses of the cellars.

It was beyond my expectations. We saw shadowy figures, listened to spirits whistle back at us, and got lots of "flashing light" responses to questions on our gadgets.

I know many people would respond with "it was just your imagination", that's ok I like my imagination, but it was my imagination that stopped me making the ultimate contact in the end.

You see, when I went to open a door into another room (which I remembered being there from before we went lights out) there was just enough light escaping from my friends night vision camera screen for me to see my hand. As I reached toward the handle, I saw my hand reflecting in the glass door panel and pulled up so as not to bang my nails against it (I hate that...it's like stubbing your toe). My friend turned on her torch so I could see the handle properly.....

I wouldn't have banged my fingers.....

the door was wide open....

As I described what I had seen I realised that "the hand" had been smaller than mine...and was the wrong way round. It should have been "thumb to thumb", a mirror image, but it wasn't.

So my "imaging" the door to be where it should ave been actually prevented me from holding hands with the spirit we had been talking too....

(simple line drawing by me)

So I would just like to close by reminding everyone, that if you are privileged enough to be offered the hand of friendship...don't let your imagination spoil the opportunity.

(And yes...it is a true story, that's why I haven't used any names)

Enjoy :D XXX

Dark Mangoes party giveaway

Today over at Pagan Culture's All Hallows Grimm post, Magaly is sharing several awesome giveaways...including this deeply textured canvas by yours truly called 

DARK MANGOES

It was a piece inspired by her stories of AlmaMia

It started with deep dark mud....

 and slimy dead things...

 It was difficult not to make icky splodgy stickiness...

But the layers just kept piling up

til a figure appeared, clutching something as it wandered through the trees.

Then the moonlight shone through, and I could see it was staggering, slipping in the mud...

 gathering the fallen ripe squishy mangoes.

It was difficult getting a clear photo as the painting has a powerful shine to it now, but the image above gives you a clue to the deep colours within.

I will post the piece (5 x 7) directly to the person Magaly selects.

Enjoy :D XXX

Second Party post ....Song of the Sea

After visiting many amazing blogs during Magaly's All Hallow's Grimm celebration, I felt inspired to write a poem and art it...

"Stranded" 8x10 board with layered tissue/acrylic paint and air dry clay figure(made with Sculpey mould)

SONG OF THE SEA

Beware the sweetly singing voice

That calls you from the deep.

Into your head, your heart, your soul

The poisoned words will creep.

They'll welcome you

And promise love,

To keep you safe from strife.

Yet their claws are sharper when rebuked

Than the gleaming Butcher's knife.

Beware the pretty lights that shine

Within their eyes so clear.

The pearly teeth that glisten bright

As they smile from ear to ear.

Please be careful when you walk

On warm sandy shores alone.

For the Siren's song, though sweetly sung,

Can cut you to the bone.

But I fear not the Siren's call

As the stormy waves crash by,

For when Nature takes my hand to guide,

I stand 'neath clearer sky.

My eyes are opened to the light

That shines from other hearts.

The Siren's spell is laid to waste

And darkness soon departs.

Grief I have missed the power of words, and the shimmery iridescence of the ocean. 

Enjoy :D XXX 

Just call me PIMPernel.....

I is "pimping" again!!!!

My friend Lynne of Craft Den Studio has organised a craft sale this Saturday to help raise funds for the Sheffield Children's Hospital

If you are near by it would be lovely to see you there. (Yes I am manning a stall with another Crafty friend)

(a few of the goodies I will be selling...fingers crossed)

Autumn Charity Craft Fair

St Polycarps Church Hall 

Wisewood Lane 

Sheffield

S6 4WA

Saturday 19th October 2013

10am - 3.30pm

 Lots of lovely hand made crafts by local crafts people. 

Stalls include: Patchwork fabric, hand made bags, Jams & Preserves, Wood Turning, Cards, Jewellery  Children's Hospital, Bluebell Wood, Raffle, Tombola, Refreshments. Free entrance, donations welcome  Proceeds Sheffield Children's Hospital

Enjoy :D XXX

Guess what......

It's that time of year again folks...

when I let my darkside have free reign...

summoned by the wickedest of my witchy friends

MAGALY GUERRERO

This year's theme is "So Good So Dark"

I usually end up making some kind of Skully or creepy doll, so here is a quick glimpse at my work in progress...(yes his eyes are flickering with inner demonic light) mwahahahahaha.....

Magaly's writing often inspires me to paint images on the darkside of emotions, and she has asked me if I would mind her using 2 pieces as Giveaways for her party this year.

The first is "Dark Mangoes", inspired by her AlmaMia stories

It is a small(5 x 7 inch) but lusciously textured stretch canvas, with deep/dark/brooding colours(much richer than seen here)

The second is a new piece(9 x 12 inch) inspired by her short story "Bloooming Howls"

"Her neighbours chainsaw roared. The bushes’ howls reached the witch’s ears."

(again the colours are much richer, but the light here has been terrible lately)

I'm not sure how or when Magaly will be adding them to her Party list, but when the  winners have been chosen I will post them direct.

I look forward to "entertaining" you further with my creepy creations through out the celebration.

Sleep well...mwahahahahaha.....:D

Pieces of Heart

I was in pieces trying to decide what to do with Darcy's FANTABULOUS new stamp designs I bought recently( Electrica  Darcy 01 from Paper Artsy).

I had started a different project, but got carried away with the yellow...it went BLAH!!!! so is now in rehab.

Then I spotted a pack of 2 blank jigsaw puzzles in a kiddy craft section of a large store and knew they would do nicely :D

 I started by building a base layer of colour using TH distress ink pads

 adding colours til satisfied...(no yellow)

 Next I simply stamped Darcy's images over the background using black Archival ink.

 Even on this irregular surface the images stamped amazingly crisply.

Then I added touches of deeper colours using promarkers (very carefully as I wasn't sure how the different layers of ink would react on the coated card surface)

 I used a gold metallic gel pen on the zippers. 

 I love the warm colours that formed, and hope Darcy likes how it turned out :D

This could be a great project for children during the wet days to come, using any stamps you have laying around lol.

I am entering this for Manon's Paper Saturdays challenge, and counting it as my Piece a Week

Enjoy :D XXX