Paranormal Haven Halloween Party

I can't believe that it's almost October already, my decorations are starting to come out, my crafts are winding down and the weather is getting me into my winter hobby, curling up by the fire with a good book or five. So I found out there on the inter-webs something so exciting, so unbelievably fabulous - It is so fabulous because it combines two of my favorite loves - Books and Halloween!

Starting October 1st and running through until Halloween this wonderful blog, (Paranormal Haven) which is about everything in the book world featuring the paranormal, will be holding a month long Halloween party. This sounds great, it will give me reviews and insights on authors I haven't read yet, plus giveaways throughout the month.



So come on ghouls and ghosties - it's almost the witching hour, only 6 days until the fun starts! Thanks for listening!

~bleumoon

Updates on my Halloween Creations

I know I am so behind on my posts! I have been working on my tombstones, finalizing the painting, so not quite ready to post, but here are a few teaser pictures of things I have been working on to hold you over. I will explain more about the tombstones in a post dedicated to my tombstone process.

I am continuing on my paper mache cauldron, the cardboard base structure turned out better than I thought - no teaser photos yet, I want to keep the suspension up -

Finalized most of my fencing, I have to do some additional painting and then figure out how to set it up in the yard so it doesn't fall over. Our damn windy neighborhood poses a lot of problems sometimes.

I really didn't leave you faithful readers, I have been crafting and creating in my lab these last few weeks!

Happy Haunting - and have a blessed Mabon!

~ Bleumoon

Bittersweet Days

Oh my baby is growing up - she just got on the bus for her first day of Kindergarten. I am crying sporadically today, which is funny because she has been in daycare for three years so I send my baby off everyday.

But now it is Kindergarten, the gateway school to not being my baby anymore.

It is funny how some days she tells me that she doesn't want anymore birthdays because she wants to always be my baby. Then other days, she has already planned the next three years of birthday party's.

She was so excited for school this morning, that she was ready to go out the door 20 minutes before the bus would even show up. Try talking an excited 5 year-old into waiting inside. Didn't happen, so we were at the bus stop 20 minutes early in 25 mile per hour wind gusts.

Yet through it all she is so happy - bittersweet for me - My only daughter going to school - I would love to keep her a baby for ever. When the bus finally pulled up - such excitement! I had to beg for a hug and a kiss - she just wanted to go to big girl school.

So I am sappy today and crying at work - I am a complete mess and I should just go home. Do you think they will let me?

blessings
~Bleumoon

Making my decorative Broom/Besom

Well I decided to try my hand at making a not quite fully traditional besom, but at least one I have made - I have done the research, and this website seems to be the easiest to understand. However - I am not able to be that traditional (official ash stick and birch branches etc) without drawing myself out of the closet with my husband more than I want too - he is fine with little things, and won't question too much - so I keep it low key with what I do. So in the spirit of that, I compromise, and have fun, without ordering special supplies, or driving to far away places to find exactly what I need. I am making it more for me and for decoration purposes than it being a functional besom.

So I have been hiking and walking and looking and stalking for interesting
things on my solitary adventures

and adventures with my lovely little daughter

I only want to find what is laying on the ground, not something I cut down. I always say thank you and leave little offerings, I am a fan of having water with me on my walks and tend to just use that, because I know it will not hurt the earth, and so many things can use water. I also tend to have crackers and granola bars with me as well. Another simple way to give a blessing to the earth.

Anyway - back to my besom/ or broom - since it isn't for practice, I may just refer to it as a broom. I like brooms around, and you can always take a cheesy store bought one from Halloween and just jazz it up, which is easy to do at this time of the year. Michael's already has them for sale and I have already been unable to restrain myself there. . .

So with your store bought broom - a simple way to make it more yours is to decorate with ribbons and charms.

I am so in love with little keys right now

I know they don't open anything, but I always feel that they can unlock so many things in your mind - opening up your creative juices. For me they are my symbol to unlock my creative process. I have added them to my favorite talisman necklaces that I wear too - to remind me to keep my creative mind open and unlocked - how was that for a thought tangent. (by the way I usually tangent when I talk and I like to tangent when I write too)

But back to making one from what you find outdoors - or in my case some of what I found inside too
- Here is the fun lumpy bumpy stick I finally decided was broom worthy -

I then sanded off all the bark and trimmed off some the branch knots to smooth it out, and I began the fun process of adding the decorative grass from one of my decorations I currently have. My cats and daughter are constantly pulling this vase apart, and playing with the grasses, that I am redo-ing what will be displayed, so I decided to recycle the grass into this project.

Begin by tying small sections of the grass together with twine, and then tie the sections around the stick forgot to take some photos of the step by step process - I used a little hot glue (my best friend) just to make it stay together a little better. Viola!

Again embellish with charms and ribbons if you would like. I haven't embellished yet, but I may decorate it up a bit soon.

Enjoy!

Now that I am winding down with my outdoor activities, I can get caught up on all I have been collecting and saving to create with - I love to use recycled goodies in my creations - I think the next few posts will be about my Halloween decorations I am creating this year - I am trying - I use the word trying very loosely - to make a cauldron with paper mache, because I don't like what I find in the stores, and I don't have the money to buy a nice one - we will see how it turns out - whether it does or doesn't I may just post the results regardless - until next time!

Blessings -

~bleumoon