Halloween Farmers Frightening Shoes!

Good Day Everybody!!
Hope you've been productive and happy since last we spoke!
It's been a busy time, but really great.

Where to start, where to start......
Baby, of course. :)
I can't believe that Kennedy is a month old already. That went by way too fast! She's doing well, getting big. She's a good egg! Quiet, content and curious. She's always looking around at everything. Her Momma is doing great too.

She has the darkest eyes

Shaylor and Kennedy.

i can only guess at the trouble these

two are going to get into

my son, Ryan, aggravating his niece  :)

We made a trip to the Atlanta Farmers Market recently - pumpkin hunting of course. They had everything from little, tiny pumpkins to huge monsters that would require 10 people to move. Some really big white pumpkins this year too. Jenifer picked out a few small ones - she didn't want anything big since they are in an apartment. I picked out one. But it was for Ichabod (more on that later). After we got done with the pumpkins, we looked at the plants and flowers that they had. It was Jenifer's first time at the market, so we walked around. Found some really cool things that I would love to have for the yard. We found a wind chime that I would really like to have but it was $295. It had to be around seven feet long...made the most relaxing chimes you've ever heard.

strikin' a pose on the big pumpkins

there were even bigger ones than this

love this bird house!

it's about six feet tall

and $125 - maybe someday

one of the plants that i really liked

love the colors in this

plant these all around the bird house :)

Last time I showed you the label for my Gypsy Mead. Well, it is now bottled and waiting for consumption. It will be ready to drink in July....2014. The Loki Mead that I bottled earlier will be ready at the end of December. At the rate the clock has been ticking it will be here before I know it. Is it just me or does this year seem to have quickly vanished? 

Gypsy Mead

i got 'frosted' bottles this time around

(the one on the right is a clear bottle)

I've been getting ready for Halloween for months now and believe it or not.....I was LATE putting up my decorations. The first was in the middle of the week, then it rained and I was sick. I just, yesterday, got my decorations out. I waited for this weekend so the grand kids could help....I am using that word loosely. Lawton and Shaylor gave me a hand with decorating this year. I didn't put up everything this year. I only used about a third of what I have. I think I will have to start doing a 'plan' for next year since I have so much. I will have to layout everything some time around July next year. I think I confused my neighbors as well - not putting up my stuff on the first of the month. I really haven't seen a lot of decorations or lights this year. Kind of disappointing. Maybe they are all waiting for the final week? 

the new wreath all lit up

coffin and tombstones

the whole group

not including the table set up - that will be 

Halloween Day

new lights from the inside

they are so bright

Got to spend time with Jenifer at Six Flags. Jenifer and Amanda went, but unfortunately Amanda got sick and was unable to stay. So I met Jenifer and spent half a day with her at the amusement park. They are doing 'Fright Fest' now. Never been and wanted to go and see it. I never knew that Fright Fest was only a couple of hours - from 9-11 pm. We rode a few rides and went through the haunted houses. It was really amusing...they scared the crap out of the people in front of us and behind us but it was like they were scared to "boo" me. You could see the look on their faces, not sure whether to try or not. Jenifer and I both laughed about it afterwards. The characters had some of the kids (teenagers) running around and screaming, which was really funny. I had a good time and am glad I got to go. It will be a long time before I go again though. I think their pricing is outrageous but it was worth it in the end being able to spend some time with my daughter. There is a new haunted house in Atlantic Station, called Containment, which is just down the street from my daughter. I would love to go but I'm not sure about timing (and $$). I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed and see what happens.  :)

Jenifer with the organist

there is a fountain (to the right) that is pumping 

blood through the water

by the time we took this photo, it was almost clear again

one of the characters and Jenifer in her

batgirl cape

Me, Jenifer and the ghoulies

She didn't know that the one on the left

side had snuck up behind her for the photo

Jenifer's last ride of the night -

not on your life!!

Since Jenifer really likes 'Nightmare before Christmas' Perry got her a black tree that is decorated for Halloween and then will be decorated for Christmas. It's a cute idea and Jenifer really likes it. 

Halloween tree - all decked out

close up of some of the lights

Jenifer's pumpkins from the farmers market

they fit perfectly on the stairway ledge

I've been working on a new project which is now clear that it will not be finished in time for this Halloween :( 

His name is Ichabod. I am creating a character based on ball joint dolls. So he will be totally articulated. He will be about three feet in height by the time I am done. I had not intended for him to be quite that big but he seems to be dictating his size. He'll be thin with long limbs and a large head (pumpkin of course).

The pumpkin that I mentioned earlier is for this purpose. I am molding the pumpkin, then I will pour it, carve and tweak it, then create a new mold to use for Ichabod. I am planning on doing the entire figure with fiberglass. That way he will be able to be outside and withstand the elements for many years to come. I may even make some available, if everything works like I want it to. So far, so good. He's just taking his time about being created. Here are a few progress photos...

basic layout

body frame together and bent into shape

ball sections added and taped

paper added to bulk up figure and taped

the two sections you see are arms

the ones in the back are one section of the legs

so you can see, he's not going to be tiny

the body section is approximately 14 1/2 inches

i added a couple layers of paper mache

to strengthen the form before i begin

adding the details in clay

the front half of the pumpkin mold

the mess that is my dinning room table

my wife is already giving my grief about this  :)

I have also made a couple of sales so far this year! YAY!!! I sold the Halloween table runner - all the way to California. And the Antiqued Mask has been sold as well. I'm really excited about this. See my ETSY store (upper right hand corner).

I've been making some quilted Halloween ball decorations as well. Jenifer has two of them on her tree. They've turned out really well and I will be making more. Probably will be doing some for Christmas as well. I think I will use a heavier fabric for the Christmas ones. Maybe a velvet or something along those lines. I don't have photos of the Halloween balls just yet but I will put them up as soon as I can.

In the last post I showed you a pair of Halloween tennis shoes. Well, I made my own! They look nothing like the ones I posted about but I do like the way they turned out. I was running out of time, so I used my Halloween stamps with acrylic paint to create them. 

Halloweenie low top tennis shoes

complete with skeletons, mummies, witches and vampires.

and some glitter of course, for that extra bang  :)

Well Folks, I think that will do it for this post.

Have a great week -

Be Good, Be Safe, Be Happy!!

TTFN

Only Eighteen Days Left!

p.s. the witch drawing in the background of my blog is from Dave Lowe. He does some really amazing work. You can check out more of his stuff here.