Halloween Show

As I'm wishing all my Ehag friends well this weekend at the Ghoultide Gathering, I'm also happy to show a few pieces of my Halloween artwork in my town's gallery, State of the Art (so named, I imagine, because it's on State Street). The show wasn't entirely ready yet when I stopped in today but two of paintings were in the window and looking quite nice. I bought a cool tile skeleton from Maggie Mowery and already have him hanging in my kitchen. I really want one of those skull paintings! This gallery does a wonderful job of showing local artists and artisans.
I also really want that carved Easter Island Moai for my garden!





Saw this pretty rose on my way out to the car. I love how it looks next to the peeling paint.



I've also been dying to check out this little cemetery around the corner. Most of the graves were unreadable. The one I could read was from the early 1800's. We have a lot of these old forgotten cemeteries around here.



I like how the picket fence has made cross-like shadows on the tombstones.
Hauntingly beautiful.




One last thing... a little pumpkin painting on canvas.
Currently for sale on Ebay!

Pumpkin Farm

I recently discovered that an Amish farm about 3 miles down my road sells a wide variety of pumpkins in the fall. I knew this place selled dried gourds year round but I had no idea that they had so many for autumn decorating! Needless to say I was in pumpkin heaven (an the prices were great too). I love how they've set up their displays from the pumpkins in the barn windows to the big curly tree branch in on old milk can to the stack of crates with different varieties of gourds labeled for curious minds like me. So if you're in Lancaster County, check it out. It's on Landisville road between Landisville and East Petersburg, right around the corner from Roots Market.

Jumped the gun...

I wasn't supposed to decorate for Halloween until October 1st (so says husband).
Well, I jumped the gun today. I don't have as many decorations as I would like but it's a work in progress. I'm going to make a spooky tree this week by taking an old branch, spray painting it black, hanging ornaments off it and stick it in a cauldron.
Should be fun!
So here are a few of my decorations...


I collect these old paper cut outs. I just prop them up infront of my exsisting photos. Someday we're doing this whole wall in built in shelves, until now it's just a cheap dvd shelf.


I collect these guys too.


Black ivy garland with purple glitter looks great above the curtain. I've added 2 ravens and my favorite Jim Shore Headless Horseman.


The colors in this Klimt painting ("Goldfish") look great with Halloween decorations!


The center channel self above hubby's giant TV gets covered in spooky chachkis whether he likes it or not!


He's not a balck cat but his name is Pumpkin!

Gardening on the Cheap

As I sit here typing, it's cold and rainy outside, definitely feels like fall. But my flower garden is loving this weather and since our days together are numbered, I thought I would do a blog post about my garden.
So, the last flower garden I tilled and planted was definitely done on the cheap. One nursery was closing for the season and I got several flats of perennials and annuals and a butterfly bush for $20. The smaller back portion of the garden I planted mid July and consists of perennials I bought at a customer appreciation day at a nursery for $15 a flat (18 plants in a flat)! They were teeny tiny and have grown a lot since then. So $35 for all the plants in this garden really is cheap. Many of the flowers that are giving me great pleasure right now are ones I grew from seed just plunked right in the ground and tended by Mother Nature: zinnias, cosmos, morning glory and cleome (something ate my sunflowers).





The cheapest plants; one's that were there when you bought the house! I love this old yellow rose. It blooms twice a year and it one of the most fragrant varieties I've ever smelled.



Some frugal gardening pages on the web...
Hillybilly Housewife Garden Tips
Being Frugal
Frugal Living
Tips
About.com Gardening
The Frugal Gardener

Almost October

Yay, October is almost here! You can almost smell the candy corn in the air. Even the new kitten is getting in on the decorating fun! I've been thinking of changing his name to "Toots" because that little critter lays the world's stinkiest farts. Honestly, how can a 2 pound animal produce such a foul odor? It's beyond me!
I took a few quick photos this afternoon while I was yammering away on the phone.

This morning I completed the Salem Riding Club sign I spent all day yesterday working on. I thought I would put it up on my blog for sale for 2 days. If it's not purchased in 2 days, I'll put it on Ebay. It measures 11" x 14". Comes signed, varnished and ready to hang. My 3 year old is so in love with this piece since it shows a young witch riding a beautiful black horse. She told me this morning it is the prettiest thing I ever painted! I hope she lets me sell it:)
Price - $125.00 + shipping

SOLD!

And if your a big Sleepy Hollow fan like I am, please check out my current Ebay auctions. I have a handpainted box and an original painting of the Headless Horseman for sale.

Happy Autumn!

My favorite time of year!


There is a harmony
In autumn, and a lustre in its sky,
Which through the summer is not heard or seen,
As if it could not be, as if it had not been!
- Percy Bysshe Shelley


“Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.” Emily Bronte




The top of a Sleepy Hollow box I'm working on. Should have it on ebay in a day or so.

Find the Wandering Witch

Please stop by the EHAG blog for your chance to win one of several awesome goodies up for grabs!

Your goal: to find "The Wandering Witch"

Here's how you play along in the blog hunt/blog hop:

Blog hop your way around participating EHAG member blogs, (a list of artists names/links will be posted on the EHAG blog).

Find the banner which states:

"You have found The Wandering Witch" and post a comment below the banner along with your name.

If you are not a blogger: *Please be sure to leave your name and an active email address.*

Want to remain anonymous?: *If you would rather not leave your name and/or email address and would like to be entered into the drawing, just send us a note via this email address: ehaagartists@hotmail.com and we'll be happy to enter you!



The handpainted pendant hanging on the witch is my contribution to the EHAG giveaway. It is painted on a Tennessee Spinner gourd that I grew in my garden last year. As I write this, it is not on the EHAG blog but it should be up later tonight.

Carousel

We spent the day at Hershey Park thanks to some free tickets given to us by a friend (thank you Carol!). My favorite ride is the carousel: a magical mix of stunning artistry, childhood wonder and that cool feeling you get being near something that still functions as beautifully as it did nearly 100 years ago. They don't make 'em like they used to is a line that certainly applies to the carousel. It's one of those rides that seems like it should just be for children but everyone from 1 to 100 gleefully chooses and mounts their colorful steed. The one at Hershey was made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in the early 1900's and has called this park it's home since 1944. What more can I say, it is the most romantic ride there is!

Click on photos for a larger image.
Click HERE to learn the history of the carousel.