Futures Projects

This little gem showed up in someone's mail today. I really like the piece, except it is only 8 inches tall and $30 plus shipping and handling. It does beg to be a future project though. I could see taking say, an old floor lamp, create a dragon wrapping around pole, the large crystal at the top with a place for the candle/flickering bulb might be tricky, but it could be done with maybe a ring of crystals maybe? The flyer is getting tucked into the haunt book and I'll have to see what I can come up with. I can't put this on the list for this year, unless I can figure out how to pull it off with only a day or two of work, and minimal cost.

In other works, I finished the Weyward sisters' painting. Although I'd originally planned to make it an oil painting, it didn't happen that way. I'd had the sketch on the canvas for several months and I decided I was procrastinating on the painting because I'm not super comfortable with the oils yet. I switched to acrylics and it came together in a couple of evenings. I'm quite pleased with it. It also encouraged me to look at the paints and toss out a number that were no longer viable, for one reason or another. That box is now half empty. I might look over the box and see if there are any basics I don't have, but i think I have the primaries so I'm covered. I do want to make more of my paintings with mixing my own colors, whether oil, acrylic or gouache.

I has a great time at the thrift store today, purchasing bottles of various sizes for potions, witches ingredients, and other strange specimens. Also as I went by the curtains and such section, it occurred to me that some of the old lace style curtains would work just fine for a ghost or two, and a panel that is 60" wide and 84" long, that's 2 and a thirds yard for 1.99, is a much better deal that most sources for cheese (or mummy) cloth. I also found some inexpensive, thin white cloth, about 8 yards for 6-7 dollars. that will also work for ghosts.
Let's see, what else have I been doing... last week was bunches of snakes and other other creatures for the specimens last week. A couple of inexpensive divination cards, so there's no worry if someone decides to keep a souvenir. I also have the materials to do the mosaic on the bookshelf, which is sitting in the hall waiting to be pulled out of the box and put together. I really need some time away from other things (like work and SCA) to work some projects. Muffie is still in the kitchen in pieces. I need to do another layer or two of papier mache on her feet and arms, maybe her head too, before I assemble her body. I have a wig and her dress on hand, so those things are ready to go together.

So, that's where I've been lately, thinking I need to pick up a large tub for fabric storage for the Haunt. I have at least two or three pieces for it already.

OH YEAH, I did have a major windfall last week regarding the Haunt. I'd asked a gardening friend if she could collect some plant materials for me, to hang as herbs. I told her it didn't matter if they were actual herbs, just something with character that I can label and hang. I also suggested any cool roots or branches that would make wands would be welcomed. I got a couple of things, one was a large trash bag full of black plastic tablecloths. Another was a bag of felt scraps, black, red and maybe some other colors. and there was a number of glass domes which will be great for specimens. But the best part of it all was a paperbox lid full of premade wands, complete with tags. there were a couple of bunches of wands, with tags of the wood used and others without. All of those were prepped for wand making. That means that I can mark wands off my list. I certainly don't need to make more!! Thanks Debora and Lizz for the gift.