Franny the Snow Witch

Franny the Snow Witch came to life one day,
when some witches in the village went out for winter play.
Her body they made from snowballs, big and round.
For her nose they used a carrot they had found.
After placing the coal for her mouth and her eyes,
"Something is missing!", the oldest witch sighs.
Removing from her head a hat pointed and worn,
then placing it on Franny's and POOF, she was born!
Quickly they worked to build her familiar,
a cat named Snowball that looked quite peculiar.
Franny the snow witch came to life that day indeed,
to remind us of the magic of winter, the witches all agreed!



Franny is a friendly witch, she loves to sit and watch the birds all day long.

She measures 13" x 7" and both her and her kitty can be easily removed from their base.

You can't see it in the photos,
but she has touches of diamond dust glitter and mica flakes all around her.
She can come live with you for $99. She will travel for free if you live in the US
Please email me if you would like to give her a new home.
jmacneill@hotmail.com

I have a few other Halloween pieces for sale in my Etsy Shop including a wonderful folk art Sleepy Hollow painting that's one of my favorites!

I am working on a new Halloween sculpture this week, a large owl on a pumpkin!
Here's a work in progress photo...

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.

Wild Ride

Just finished this fun new Halloween tray with a witch out for a midnight ride. I was inspired by this little poem. The author is unknown so I'm thinking it was on an old postcard or something...

When witches go riding,

and black cats are seen,

the moon laughs and whispers,

‘tis near Halloween.



Also finished a new Gypsy Vanner welcome sign. I did the lettering in a Celtic font and added some wildflowers and butterflies. Both pieces are on Ebay!
Thanks for looking :)

Halloween Spirit

I suppose my three most recent Sleepy Hollow pieces have put me in the Halloween spirit! I just finished a very cool little mirror with a black cat and witch. Thought I would share - it's currently on Ebay for a 3 day auction.




I'm happy to report that my little wren has convinced (I hope, fingers crossed) his lady friend to nest in my white birdhouse. Here he is peeping out...



I'm also currently in love with all the gorgeous lilies blooming all around the yard! They seem to have come back bigger and better than last year.



And I've relocated one of the baby groundhogs. I hope she caught up with her mother in the park!
Until next time...

All kinds of new!

If you're looking for the One World - One Heart giveaway you'll have to scroll down a few posts!
Okay...

New work, new photos, new CAMERA! I went a little wild the other day and charged a new camera, you know, trying to do my part to stimulate the economy. I didn't really need a new camera but it was calling my name. It's a Canon Powershot G10. I did all sorts of research and it was very highly rated. A lot of pros were saying that they use this camera when they want to have fun and not lug around a bunch of expensive equipment. I have just touched the tip of the iceberg with this thing, it's really amazing. I went from 5 megapixels to 14.7. I said it, 5 to almost 15!

So here's an example, right out of the box, indoors, flash on.



Same photo now look at the close up, you can see the hairs on the cat's tongue and the salivia string! Cool, huh?



There are so many manual features on this camera, it's going to take me awhile to figure it all out. I took several years of photography in high school but it's hard to remember it all again.

So, I was busy yesterday painting and finishing up a few pieces that I started ages ago. My DH had the day off of school since it snowed.
So in honor of Valentine's Day I created a lovely pink painted pony called "Muzzle Nuzzle".



And I finished a wooden box for the EHAG winter challenge with a snow witch out for a chilly sleigh ride with her white cats and horse.
Here's a look at the top on the box...


Both pieces will be on Ebay sometime today. I have the kiddo all to myself this afternoon and she doesn't like me to work on the computer so I have to sneak it in (like right now, shhh!).

No Snow!

It was supposed to snow today. They were calling for 3-6 inches. I was all geared up to make something cool in the snow. I wanted to sculpt an Easter Island Moai. My daughter wanted me to make a snow witch. Well, maybe next time. Bummer!
So instead of making a real snow witch, I painted one. She's kinda ticked off at my weatherman. Can't you see the look of disappointment in her black coal eyes? Her snow cat's ticked off too.



Oh well, buck up little camper. Onto bigger and "funner" things tomorrow.
We're going to the PA Farm Show to check out the draft horse hitch competition. Can't wait! I like to mill around the parking lot when they're preparing the horses for the 6 horse hitch. Such awesome power and grace in those creatures. I'll try and take loads of pictures! Here's some from a 2 years ago...

Halloween 2008

Halloween is almost a memory and we had a wonderful day. Thought I would post a few photos. This was the first year my daughter really understood what was going on. We went over to my Father in Law's house for trick or treating since he goes all out on the yard decorations as you can see.

Finally able to paint something...

With the husband back at his teaching job it's been hard to get anything painted. I spent part of Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday getting a few things done for Ebay while he watched our daughter. I'm really happy with the way my witch sign turned out. I usually do the lettering at the top but the other day while I was trying to fall asleep, I had the idea to use the top of the sign for the moon and put the lettering on the bottom. I'm working on another piece like this one but with a raven in place of the witch. I think I will write something like "Raven's Caw Cafe" at the bottom. I also would like to work on some black cat pieces this week too and I have a few requests to get to as well. Not sure how much time I will get to paint during the week.
Okay, here are the new pieces, just added to Ebay. Three day auctions so act fast:)
Now off to make some yummy turkey chili for dinner!

Yard Sale Find

I bought this great Bethany Lowe Halloween witch at a yard sale this weekend. She was $15 but her box had an original price of $110! I'll call that quite a find. I've been searching the internet trying to find out more about her and haven't come up with a thing. If anyone knows about this witch could you please leave a comment?

Also have a pair of little black cat paintings on ebay right now. I don't think they photographed very well, they look much cuter in person.



Thanks for looking!
Jen

Salem Riding Club

Just added to ebay for a 5 day auction...

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Just added to our family, a 4 month old guinea pig...

You Tube EHAG Video

I made a video that showcases some of the work from my fellow EHAG members. Click HERE to view EHAG art on Ebay.
Check it out!

Mirabelle Ravensong

My newest witch painting is finished!
Meet Mirabelle Ravensong and her familiar, Adelmar.
Adelmar is an ancient Germanic name meaning "noble" and was given to Mirabelle on her 13th birthday. As their name suggests, the Ravensong family has always had ravens as familiars. They are excellent at communicating with all members of the corvid family and Mirabelle is no exception. Wherever Mirabelle goes, Adelmar is not far behind.
When Ravens are kept in captivity, they can live for many years. One such bird lived until the age of 80! They are also one of the smartest animals on the planet capable of learning solutions to complex problems they encounter.

Witchy Folk

I found a really nice book at a yard sale over the weekend on early American folk art and it has inspired my two most recent paintings. While I was flipping though the pages of said book, I thought that a lot of the women looked very witchy (especially the old ones - working on that). While I was creating these girls I was thinking about what lives they could have led and what their names would be. I added crackle finish so that the pieces would look old. I really don't paint many people so I was pretty nervous about how they would turn out but I kept telling myself, "It's folk art, it doesn't have to be perfect.". In the end I am very happy with them. Beatrix looks so nice sitting on my antique easel, I'm afraid it will be a little difficult parting with her!
Without further ado, meet my new friends...

Beatrix Nightshade

Bella Blackrose



I have a few more of these paintings in my brain so please check back in a few days!
~Jen


Ooo, ooo, ooo... I forgot to add that I just made a utube video of past and present Halloween artwork. Check it out:
Gypsy Mare Halloween Art

Black Cat Express

I have so much fun when I can combine my two loves, horses and cats, in a Halloween piece. This morning I finished a wooden platter with 2 cats riding the Black Cat Express. Off to find homes with loving witches on Halloween!
100% original & one of a kind. Please click here to view the auction.

Witchy

I was feeling a little witchy this week so I painted this cool, one of a kind, Halloween treat box. I think it would also make a nice catch-all by your front door. A great place to throw your keys, mail and odds & ends.

Auction Link

Two Cats & a Frog

I've been feeling a little catty lately and painted two feline themed signs:)
They are both on ebay as of tonight.

My Ebay Auctions
Thanks for looking!
Jen

Gypsy Witch

I was feeling a little Halloweeny this week so I thought I would paint a witch driving a Gypsy Vanner Horse. I love painting all the little details like the pumpkins on the cart, black cats (there are 3 in the painting) and houses on the hill with tiny people in the windows and ghosts coming out of the chimneys.

It will be on ebay later tonight and it's just a 3 day auction so please check it out!

I also wanted to let people know about a project I started with my Ebay horse art group. We are passing around a sketchbook to 14 members who will create on 5 pages each. After it is finished we will auction it off on ebay for a horse charity. So far we've had two Brit artists who've completed their sketches and one artist who's added a seperate watercolor painting that is just stunning. Please check it out. I have a blog going for the project to keep everyone posted.
Whoa Sketchbook Project