Halloween Week

Hello everyone,
 I first want to tell all my friends and fellow bloggers who live in the path of Hurricane Sandy that I'm praying for your safety. I hope and pray it's not as bad as predicted, but the pictures I'm seeing on television look very scary. Here in Ohio, we're already having very strong winds, although nothing like the east coast, of course. Stay safe and well, everyone.

On another note, it's Halloween week and I want to share these appropriately spooky images I found online. What are your plans? Do you celebrate Halloween, and if so, how?  I used to have a lot of fun when I worked outside my home...usually everyone in our office would dress up. One year I was a kitty cat (big surprise there, I know!) and another year I was a....lady of the night. :) Somewhere I have photos and I should dig them out and post for you to see! These days, I tend to decorate more for autumn than Halloween. That way, I can keep the decorations out until Thanksgiving. I live in a semi-rural area and never get trick-or-treaters at my door either. I sort of miss that - seeing all the children in their costumes. So, please share what you do for the holiday.

 

I love this fence!

 

Until next time,

Cindy

 

Linking to Seasonal Sundays on The Tablescaper. Click on the link to see an amazing display from the "Rise of the Jack O'Lanterns" at Westbury Gardens.  



A Visit to the Bluebell Woods

 

Hello everyone,

I want to introduce you to a special lady - Janice of the Bluebell Woods.  The pretty picture above is the banner from one of her blogs. Janice actually has 3 blogs, Bluebell Woods, English Spirit's Pretty Things and My Garden Journal. Janice lives in Michigan, but she's originally from England. On her blog profile, she says, "England will always be home to my heart, but I do love Michigan." I met her years ago on a now defunct social networking site for people over fifty called Eons. Janice was the manager of a group called "All Things British." Since I'm a confirmed Anglophile, I joined the group and she and I became online friends. Later, we also connected on facebook and through our blogs. I admire Janice very much. You see, a couple of years ago when her granddaughter was tragically killed in an automobile accident, Janice and her husband took in her young son to raise. At an age when most women are relaxing and settling into retirement,  Janice is dealing with potty training and preschool. So, she blogs about the joys and challenges of raising a toddler.  



 

This is Janice's adorable great-grandson, Tristen

 

 

She also blogs about nature and gardening...

 

 

...and her memories of growing up in England and all things British.

 

 

I would love it if you'd stop by Janice's blog and say hello, and she would greatly appreciate it, too! You can find it by clicking HERE or click on her bluebell woods banner above. I think you'll enjoy your visit! Thank you very much!

 

Until next time,

Cindy 

 

 All photos are from Janice's blog, Bluebell Woods

 

Janice is one example of a strong woman. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month and strong women everywhere, I'm linking this to Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Saturday on How Sweet the Sound.

 

 

 

 

 







The Crow and the Owl

Hello everyone,
I'm updating this post that I'd previously done, so that I can enter it in the Artist's Play Room at Just Add Water, Silly. This wonderful blog belongs to Jennifer Mcclean and I've just recently discovered it. I'm loving her weekly theme artist challenges! This week's theme is Thanksgiving. Neither of these paintings are really "Thanksgiving" themed...more so autumn. So, instead of a turkey - I have a crow and an owl!

 Most of my paintings have a nature/animals theme, and some are more whimsical than others. This first one is "Crow at Sunset" on an 8x10 canvas board using acrylics. Jennifer had a sunset theme a couple of weeks ago and this would have been perfect - however that was before I discovered her blog, so she kindly said I could add it to a current challenge to share with everyone.

 

...and this is "Baby Owl with Pumpkin," painted with acrylics on a 10x10 board. I'm having so much fun painting owls lately! This one just landed in a pumpkin patch. I hope he finds his way back home! :)  

 

 

 Next, I'll be painting a more appropriate "Thanksgiving" painting to add to the challenge. This keeps me on my toes and helps keep the creativity flowing.

 

So, until next time, everyone have a good Sunday!

Cindy

 

 

Linking to the following blog parties:

 

Artist's Play Room at Just Add Water, Silly

 

 

 

Paint Party Friday

 



Sweet October

"The sweet calm sunshine of October, now
Warms the low spot; upon its grassy mold
The purple oak-leaf falls; the birchen bough
drops its bright spoil like arrow-heads of gold."

- William Cullen Bryant

 

 

 

It seems like the fall colors this year are more vibrant than ever! Or, is it as my sister says - one just forgets how beautiful it is until it comes around again? These photos were taken on a walk at one of our local nature preserves earlier this week. Perfect weather...perfect day.

 

 

 

I've also been having fun with pumpkins this year and tried some things I saw on Pinterest.

 

 

The glitter pumpkin is easy peasy. Just spread Elmers glue or Pod Modge on the top portion of the pumpkin, then sprinkle on the glitter. I used copper-colored glitter because that's what I had on hand, but orange or black would look awesome, too! If it's a tiny pumpkin, you might want to glitter the whole thing. For the other one, I painted the entire pumpkin black with acrylic paint. Let dry...then scrape it off to make the stripes. This is a little bit more difficult than it sounds - only because it's time consuming to get the stripes straight! I really like the result, though.

 

 



 

But...this is my favorite! I painted the tree and crow on the white pumpkin, using black acrylic paint. Then, I collected branches from the yard for the pitcher. I love the overall look! It's simple and doesn't scream "Halloween" so I can leave it up until Thanksgiving.

 

 

Would you believe I've found all of these white pitchers over the past year at my local Goodwill? The best part - they were just one dollar each! I love them!

 

 

 

I hope you're having an enjoyable October so far, too!

 

Until next time,

Cindy

 

Linking to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

                           Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

               Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper

                              Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer