Happy Halloween

Okay....Ready, Set, GO! We are officially ready for Trick-or-Treaters.

The snow is almost melted, none of the electrical decorations shorted out (bonus!). The pumpkins are carved, the shepherd's hooks are out and the luminaries filled with candles.





The spiders have arrived, along with the skull and see the sign???? Consider yourself warned. Or is that BEWAREed????



The skeletons are hung and the cauldron is filled with candy.



My cocktail is poured and the Witch is in!



On that note, I bid you a safe and.....




For your reading enjoyment here is something fun that I found over at Candles & Wicks. It seemed fitting for the occasion!

The Three Witches

by William Shakespeare
[Act IV, Scene 1 from Macbeth (1606)]

Thrice, the brinded cat mewed.
Thrice, and once the hedge-pig whined.
Harpier cries ! 'Tis time!
Round about the cauldron go;
In the poisoned entrails throw:
Toad that under cold stone Days and nights has thirty-one. Sweltered venom, sleeping got,
Boil thou first i'the charmed pot.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Fillet of a fenny snake
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth, boil and bubble.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witch's mummy, maw and gulf
Of the ravined salt sea shark,
Root of hemlock digged i'the dark,
Liver of blaspheming jew,
Gall of goat, and slips of yew
Slivered in the moon's eclipse,
Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips,
Finger of birth-strangled babe,
Ditch-delivered by a drab,
Make the gruel thick and slab.
Add thereto a tiger's chaudron
For the ingredience of our cauldron.
Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Cool it with a baboon's blood;
Then the charm is firm and good....

Blessed Samhain )O(

Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!

Gerry

Update Post on a Snowy Day

I haven't posted the rest of my Halloween photos because I haven't gotten around to doing any more with the decorations. I plan to carve pumpkins tomorrow but I won't put out the skeletons, luminaries and lanterns until Saturday afternoon. And considering that we now have snow on the ground, there really isn't any big hurry!



(***EDITED TO NOTE THAT NOW WE HAVE 8" TO 10" OF SNOW!!!***)



(***EDITED TO NOTE THAT NOW WE FINALLY ENDED UP WITH CLOSE TO 13" OF SNOW!!!***) Isn't that just WILD?

Hopefully, the weather report is correct and the snow will melt off and temps will warm a little by Saturday. Otherwise we won't get tons of Trick-or-Treaters and I'm going to be stuck with about 12 bags of candy that might go to waste if I don't eat it. I would hate to think that I would be forced to do that. LOL.

Other than that....I have finished my Crazy Quilted Christmas Stocking (aka Victorian boot Christmas stocking and pulled together the squishies and hostess gift that I'll send out with it. (Note to self - finish Christmas ornaments and send with stocking.)



I've also finished working on Cathy's STS-Fall block. The first photo is her finished block. The other three show my work. As usual, (and it just worked out that way) I worked the left hand side of the block. I added the tree and owl charm, as well as the seam treatment to the right.



I also added the french knot flower buds and leaveas as well as the stitch combination and beads at the bottom. Finally, I added the spider to the lovely web that Cathy provided me with.



I spent most of Monday shopping for household items and project pieces, which resulted in finally being able to hang some art work up on the walls. DH and I have a thing for Ansel Adams and our collection has doubled since moving to Colorado. Anyway, I finally got the last of our prints cleaned up, reframed, and hung.

I've been looking for dinning and living room art work for over a year now. I kept telling DH that I would know what I wanted when I saw it. Well.....that day came on Monday when I was in Michael's (buying a ton of frames for the Ansel Adams).

We (mostly) have a black and white and/or sepia tone theme going on in these rooms (and halls and stairwells), with a mixture of mountains and streams, trees and meadows, and cottages. Which worked out very nicely with the mix of antique photos/art work that we put back up in the dining room.



It's so nice to have the bareness gone from the walls. What a difference it makes to finally have that 'homey' and finished feeling! I'm sure that some of you will notice that there still aren't any drapes yet. Well, I've been a little less than motivated about sewing them. I think it's because I don't want to cut into that bolt of dupioni silk. LOL. But I did promise DH that they would be up before Christmas, along with the sheers and that I would at least get the roller shades ordered. Fingers crossed!

I would like to take a moment to thank Diane for this lovely lace motif that she sent me as a thank you for a piece of this Asian boys fabric, that I sent to her, for a project she is planning.



And lastly, I send a big thank you out to everyone who remembered my birthday (a few days ago). I appreciate the well wishes, the cards, etc. It made it a little easier to face the realization that I am now in the LAST YEAR OF MY 40's. Such a very strange feeling. Not that I'm all that concerned with aging but I can't help but (to some degree) think about my own mortality. Looking back over the years, wondering how time passed so quickly, and wondering what the future holds. My greatest hope is that what lies ahead is as wonderful as what has been.

I know you're all just busting at the seams wondering what I got for my birthday, aren't you??? LOL. Well, I got a toaster oven, which I have been asking for for the longest time. Not only for the kitchen but for cooking clay. Also a 12" (and 10") sautee pan. DH dropped the other one and bent it up some time ago. I also got a bunch of books that I've had on my "Wishlist" at Amazon.com for a very long time, and some that I've purchased 2nd hand. Maybe it's not such a bad thing that the snow is still flying outside. It makes for the perfect day to sit down and go through them. I love books!!!!!!!!



Well, I guess that's it for now. I'm off to fix a cup of cocoa, take a nice, long, soak in the tub, and then fondle my books!


Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!


Gerry

Something Wicked

This Way Comes....

Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
Double, double toil and trouble
Something wicked this way comes
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of Bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
Double, double toil and trouble
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.
Something wicked this way comes!

Yep, with only 11 days left, there's no denying that Halloween is on its way! I've been busy sorting through my boxes of STUFF and have just about gotten it all put out. Here's a peek.

As you approach the house, Marcus the carcass is there to greet you.


As you pass by, don't forget to wave at the ghouls.


Up onto the steps, don't disturb the spiders.


Up onto the porch and our visitors are happy to greet you.


Pay your respects to the Crone and say, "hello" to the Maiden, and knock on the door......The Witch should be in!


So, where is she? Her friends are all gathered and ready to raise a toast.


Her altar is set and the dead put to rest.


Her broom's in the closet and her hat's on the ledge.


So, where is she???? You won't get a word out of Vlad but my guess is that she is out carving pumpkins and finishing up her preparations.


I guess you'll just have to stop back by later. But I will tell her that you flew by!

Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!


Gerry

Birthday #19

Today is my dear son, Mathew's 19th birthday. It's been nearly 2 years since we have seen him and well over a year since we have heard from him. That wouldn't be such a hard pill to swallow if I at least knew how he is doing. I have to hope in my heart that he is well and happy.


Here are some birthday photos taken over the years.


Birthday #12


Birthday #14


Birthday #15

And my goodness, how things change at birthday #16. LOL.




Mathew, if you happen to see this WE LOVE AND MISS YOU VERY MUCH! Have a wonderful day.


Until Next time...Happy Needling!!!


Gerry