Back to the Land of the Living with New Artwork!!

Hi Everyone!

Well, it has been a while since I have been on my blog, so I thought I would step away from the worktable and update my blog on what has been happening.

Bet you thought I'd died at my worktable ... right?  Well, I can honestly tell you, I have most certainly fallen asleep a few times.  Ruined a few good brushes that way too.  Woke up to find my paintbrush stiff and crusty - lol!    My sweet doggie, Jake just looks at me like I'm a crazy, fool staying up all night into the day.  Preparing for two Halloween shows, while working a full time job is exhausting ... in a good way ... don't get me wrong.  I am "over the moon" thrilled to have been selected!!  It is such an honor!!  Who would have thought?  I just really want to make a good impression.   Time and sleep have not been on my side during the process.  However, I am happy to say that see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I just need to finish up a few more pieces today and then I am done!!  YAY!!

Wanted to share just a few pictures of what is headed to Hallowbaloo and Halloween and Vine this year.  For more information go to www.thehallowbaloo and www.halloweenandvine.com  --- two fantastic shows!!  If you can go, I would love to meet you!!

These are just a few pieces I have pictures of.  I have trunks, pumpkin witches, darling spiderbites with a new look, and some super, cute ornaments.  I will have to post more pictures soon.

Are you on facebook?  If you are ... look me up and like my page!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Charmed-Confections/383766415066590

Also, check out The Witches of Giggleswick's Facebook page.  Did you know, we have a wonderful group of artists there who sell their art!  If not, you really need to go.  Here is the link
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Witches-Of-Giggleswick/1438375269725632

Last year, The Witches of Giggleswick did their first Blog Hop.  It was a BIGGIE!!  We are doing that again!!  I will be posting about it very soon!  Please keep an eye out for that, as it will be bigger and better than last year .. and last year was crazy good!  So stay tuned!!

Well, I guess I need to get back to my worktable.  Need to finish up 5 more pieces before the show!  Good thing they are almost done.

Hope all is happy in your corner of the world!  XOXO

YAY!!! IT'S A GIVEAWAY!!

Our First Folk Art and Primitives (FAAP) Giveaway!!

To be entered to win my sweet Love Bite below, 
you must leave a comment and follow my blog.

To for a second change to win, go over to my Facebook page - 
(The link is below) and "LIKE" me.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Charmed-Confections/383766415066590

The Giveaway will run from August 1st - 31st.  There are 13 artists participating in this hop.  Remember you need to visit all 13 to be entered.  I am just one of them.  

Here's what you could possibly win!  Super cute, huh?  But you have to visit all 13 sites!!  Don't forget!!

Brenda Griffith of The Rusty Thimble is our wonderful leader 
and Blog Hop Host. 

 Should you get lost jumping from one blog to the next.  
Go to Brenda's blog post.  

Here is the link ... www.therustythimble.blogspot.com 
and you can see where you've been. 

Easy enough!

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!!

Sharing some good news and time for a little FUN - How about a giveaway?!!

Hi Everyone!

Once again it has been a while since I've blogged.  I've been so busy lately preparing for shows, I barely look up anymore. When I do, I need to catch up with everyone!  I hope all is happy and well in your corner of the world.  Halloween is fast approaching and my deadlines are creeping up on me.

I wanted to tell you that I will be posting about a GIVEAWAY tomorrow on this blog.  Brenda Griffith from The Rusty Thimble is our blog host!  Come back tomorrow and see all the wonderful giveaways my friends in the Folk Art and Primitives group (FAAP on Etsy and Facebook), will be giving away!!  The Blog Hop starts tomorrow!! You won't want to miss it, as there are some really cute handmade items up for grabs.

I will be giving away my sweet Love Bite in the picture below!

Well, I wanted to also share pictures of the August issue of Art Doll Quarterly!!  Isn't the witch doll on the cover beautiful!  Love her!!

I am so excited that my Charmed Confections are featured in this magazine.  It is such a dream come true.  My first article ever, and it appears on page 6!  This magazine is so special to me ... not just because I am in it (but that does help), but that I am in it with so many of my friends.  Carly Smith, Margo Noschese, Lisa Ammerman and Debb George.  We are all part of the Witches of Giggleswick.  I absolutely love these ladies!!  It is such an honor to be alongside them in this issue!!  If you jump on Facebook look up the Witches of Giggleswick page and see all our wonderful offerings there.  That is our selling page.  Here is the link!  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Witches-Of-Giggleswick/1438375269725632

The table on contents!!  

Here are the first two pages of my article!

Below is the ad for the upcoming Halloween and Vine show I will be participating in.  It is hosted in Petaluma, CA on September 27th.  I was thrilled to see my sweet, little ghost in the bottom left hand corner.
Here is the link for more information.   www.halloweenandvine.com   Come see me!

Here is the ad for Hallowbaloo.  This wonderful show will be hosted in Seattle, Washington on September 20th.  So excited to go here too!  Here is the link --- www.thehallowbaloo.com   If you are in the area stop by and say hello!

Here is a picture a of some cute ornament cupcakes I am bringing to the shows to hang on my Halloween ornament tree.  The sweet lollies will be accessories for my ghosties and ghouls.

Here is a work in progress photo of a ghost that I will be mounting on a spiderweb plaque.  His arms are not attached in this picture ... just propped up for you to get an idea.  I think this one is going to be pretty cool when I get it done.  It still needs to be sanded and painted.  The plaque needs to be cleaned up before the final paint.

Look at who's back in town!  Some of my scaredy boys are ready to go to the shows.  They are 17" tall, jointed and hold cute pumpkin pails.  Hope you like them.

Below is sweet picture of Jake.  He was staying up late with me one night - we were burning the midnight oil together.  He always watches over me.  I think he was telling me he is ready for bed.

Well, check back here tomorrow and sign up for the Folk Art and Primitives (FAAP) giveaway!!  I am sure you are going to love what is being offered.  You won't want to miss it!

See you tomorrow with a new post!  Until then ...

I'm still alive! How about you?

Hi Everyone!

Can you believe it?  I am back to my blog ... finally after a long month.  Well, I hope you are all happy in your corner of the world.  My life has been so busy.  A friend of mine asked me how things were going and all I could say was this year has been a sweet and sour kinda year.  The highs are really high and the lows are super low.  There is no middle ground.  For the past few months, I have felt somewhat like on a teeter totter, swinging from one extreme to the other.  I am a firm believer that God only gives you what you can handle, so I guess with him on my side, I can tackle pretty much anything anything.

The highs ... I finally feel that my art is somewhat taking off.  YAY!  I will be in two shows Hallobaloo in Seattle, WA on September 21st and Halloween and Vine in Petaluma, CA on September 27th.  Two fantastic Halloween shows with some amazing artists. Still hard for me to believe I will be showing my Charmed Confections with the likes of their talent.  In addition, I have an article coming up in the August issue of Art Doll Magazine.  I got a sneak peek of it ... I am on page 6!!  The first article in the book.  (Like I said, the highs are high ... and I couldn't be more thrilled.)  So, I have been sculpting, sculpting and sculpting more.  Some wonderful things are happening with my family too.  Those are the highs.

The lows ... don't want to go too much into them, but please pray for my extended family / relatives.  We could all use a little prayer about right now.  We are all going through some tough times.  Those are the lowest of lows.  Bittersweet and heartbreaking.  No need to say more.  My hubby, daughter and I are perfectly fine ... all is good on the home front.  This, I am very thankful for!

To change the subject, I thought that I would show you some of the things I have been working on.  This is such a small fraction of what is in my work room.  I am currently working on about 60 items at one time.  Kinda like an assembly line type thing going.  :)  Pray I get it all done.  Anyway, here are a couple of pictures.

My first pumpkin heads of the year!
These will be added to their bodies once I finish sculpting them.  

There is still much refining to do.
They have changed since this picture.

Lollipops!  What would a Charmed Confection be without a little sugar?  

To learn how to make these cute lollys - look at my tutorials on this blog.

I see faux Halloween cupcakes in the background.  

Making these into ornaments for your Halloween tree.  Sinfully delish!

Learned how to flock a few months ago.  Look at these cute top hats I made. 

I am going to put my new wicked kitties in them!  Can't wait!

Here are some cool eyeballs I made to make up my winged eyeball wands pictured below.  

The veins look so real.  It even creeps me out now and then!

Love how these wings turned out!  They are wire mesh!  Too cool, but you need to see them in person.  Pictures do not do them justice.

Here is a new witch sculpt.  She will be licking a lolly when I am done.  

I am pretty pleased with her look so far.

Well, that's all the pictures I have for now.  Ghosts, Cats, Cyclops, Witches, Skellies, Vamps and a mix of other Halloween ghoulies are popping up daily on my worktable.  So much to do and so many new characters to make and meet.  Like I said, praying I get it all done in time. 

Have a wonderful weekend!  Do something fun and treat yourself to something nice ... you deserve it!

Until then ...

Charmed Confections Update - Good News & New Art!

Hi Everyone!

Hopefully, you all didn't think I ran away for good.  Boy, time sure flies by quickly.  Sorry I have been neglecting my blog lately.  Good things have been happening and life has been so busy between my day job and my art job, that I am having a hard time keeping up with it all.

So, let's start with some good news!!  

I am happy to announce that Charmed Confections will have a feature article in the upcoming August issue of Art Doll Quarterly Magazine!  This is such a "pinch me" moment!  I have always dreamed of being in a national magazine and seeing my artwork on those glossy pages with a personal write up ... and now, I hope I just live long enough to see it come out.  Just goes to show you, be persistent in your art and it will pay off!  If I can do it ... you can ... do I sound like a commercial for weight loss here?  Hee! Hee!  Really, it's true!!

This is last year's cover!  

I had a few of my pieces in the Show and Tell section last August 2013!

Secondly ... I am "over the moon" happy to be selected as one of the artists at Halloween and Vine!  A national Halloween art show in Petaluma, CA on September 27th.  Go to www.halloweenandvine.com for more information.

It has been personal goal of mine to get in this show for some time now.  Some of the most talented Halloween artists are there and it is tough to get in as space is limited and it is juried. So happy to be picked this year.  I am both thrilled and scared to death ... in a good way.

What's up in the Charmed Shoppe? 

Pfatt Marketplace -- 
Now listed on Pfatt Marketplace is one of my sweet, faux Halloween cupcakes ... no you can't eat it.  It's fake, but looks so real!  It is up for grabs - look for Charmed Confections on the site!  Go to www.pfattmarketplace.com to see all the wonderful offerings all the artists have listed.  There are so many wonderful things listed.  Every 10th of the month the site is filled with new art!  Check it out!

SpookyTime Jingles --

Are you looking for a unique Halloween wand?  Here is my latest Winged Eyeball Wand available for sale on www.spookytimejingles.com  This is no small wand either.  It is 18" tall by 8" wide at the wings.  Super cute!  Go to Spookytime Jingles for more information on the description.  The top hat is hand flocked!  Something, I have been learning how to do this spring!  Fun!

 A close up picture of the eye. 

So real with veins and the glossy finish gives it a very reflective look.

On a personal note ... Some important things will be happening soon.  One - my beautiful daughter will be graduating from high school soon.  Where did the time go?  I remember her first day of kindergarten.  I was so nervous and tearful to leave her.  Now, she is will be off to college and I will be tearful again.  She has grown into such a wonderful person.  I couldn't be more proud of her and so happy to be her Mom!  She is definitely my Magnum Opus - my Great Work!  No matter what I create in this world, she will always be the BEST thing I will ever make ... with a little help from her dad and God!  

Secondly, thought you might like to see an updated picture of my little, man Jake! 

    

Jake will be turning 2 years old in a couple of months and he is definitely my little slice of heaven at my heels.  My protector, my calm, and my sweet puppy kisses, all rolled into one.  No one in my household is happier to see me when I get home, then sweet Jake.  He loves me completely - gives me no back talk - eats everything I give him :) with no complaints!  He is really the perfect man!  I hope you have someone in your life that gives you as much love as this little guy gives me.  He is the cherry on my cupcake and definitely fills my love cup!  (Ok ... my hubby does too - wink, wink)

Anyway, that's about it for now.  I will keep you posted on more things coming up.  Feel free to post a comment and share what's happening with you.  I would love to hear from you!

Until then ...

p.s. Don't forget to pop on over to the Creative Paperclay Blogsite to keep up with the Design Team.  My term on the Design Team is over, but the site is so wonderful teaching new tips and tutorials on paper clay -- I have to mention them!! The tutorials are free and it is a great resource to learn new things.  Go to www.creativepaperclay.blogspot.com

Have a wonderful weekend!