HALLOWEEN TRICKSTERS ARE GONE SO NOW.....

Don't know how it was in your neighborhood, but here in the SW desert the temps were in the 60's and no breeze so the front door stayed open the whole evening! We probably had no more than 50 munchkins come in costumes of all types. The babies and new little toddlers are ALWAYS the sweetest. My favorite was a little guy dressed as a MONKEY with a sewn banana on his head...adorable..I shudda taken a photo...hindsight!
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So now onto tomorrow...BIG DAY ON ARTFIRE!! If you are a seller on there, be sure to join in....

^^^^^IT IS THE FIRST TRADE N STAY EVENT ON THE SITE^^^^^

The TRADING POST Guild is putting it on. It starts Nov First and lasts an ENTIRE WEEK!! I am soooo Jazzed about this. I have participated in the Etsy events so I know what a MANIC FUN FEST it can be!! I am so glad to see Artfire promoting this same type of event.

The announcement of the first 12 studios will be in the Chatterbox Forums under CONTESTS...be sure to check it out!!

HAPPY {SAMHAIN} HALLOWEEN!!

So the Great Day of Trick or Treating is FINALLY HERE! WHOA, for an old fuddy duddy like me, it seems like this year has just flown by...but my grandkids remind me how sloooooow the days go when you are a child.

HERE'S MY TREAT FOR YA'LL TODAY!!
Our Crazy Train Rider today just happens to be Char Myers from the Pacific Northwest and the link to her Artfire Shop is:

http://CharSpirit.artfire.com
This shop is special to me as I personally KNOW how great it is! I bought items from her already and look forward to the possibility of more items coming my way (maybe by trade....hope hope).

The first product, above is a notebook or catalog cover that she designed and it fits in perfect for Halloween..or my grandchildren's choice with pink ribboned skulls.

This second, is just an adorable hand puppet that "loves" his owner so sweetly...my grandkids would love this one too.

I got one of these as a "gift" with my purchase...and was that A TREAT!! It truly is sleep inducer...been nothing but GOOD SLEEP since I tucked it into my pillow.

by the way, I do not use sewing machines but my mother did and I know a good seamstress when I see her work. Char is just super!

I purchased one of these and got TWO different style felt magnets...again superbly made and just so "LOVE"ly to give as stocking stuffers!

NOW we come to my passionate recommendation that everyone get these neck cozies! They are worn around the neck after soaking in water to keep us COOL in the summer! They work FABULOUSLY well here in the HOT HOT Southwestern DESERT!

I purchased FOUR of these and want more to give as gifts!! They are so perfectly made and the fabric designs are so unique.

I give CharSpirit my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION so please check her out.

AMAZING Handmade Artisan Cards on ARTFIRE

The ARTFIRE Crazy Train had another SUPER RIDER on October 26-27
AS USUAL..I missed the dates due to extenuating circumstances in my own messed up life, but I bet she can used some publicity TODAY....Her studio is:

http://Butterfly-Crafts.Artfire.com

The first thing that attracted me to her work was her cards created with CROSS STITCH handwork in them For years, right before I got into beadwork, I was an avid cross-stitcher. I KNOW the intensity of the work involved in creating these masterpieces in stitchery. I think her work in that regard is superb!
Then I observed her creativity in other aspects of her card making. Her three dimensional use of paper-craft and the uniqueness of designs are truly "note" worthy....

Just look at the different use of paper "fanning" in the above example of work. For a wonderful ORIGINAL piece of "art" to send for any occasion, you should go to this studio and see ALL her offerings!!

A LITTLE BIT OF PRETTY...GIVEAWAY

One of my fellow Travellers on Handmade Highway is having a GIVEAWAY and it is Fabulous!!

Look at some of the wonderful items you COULD win...(above)

Her name is Kim and she lives in Saskatoon SK, Canada.Here is where you go to enter this contest:

http://littlebitofpretty.blogspot.com

Her jewelry is simply gorgeous and she is very generous with her choice of giveaway items so be sure to visit her blog ASAP..

THE CONTEST ENDS NOV 1ST

Phoenix Rising Glass Art put me in her BLOG

Jann Alexander-McCullough wrote about me and my artistic endeavors in her blog on October 19, 2009. How very sweet of her as she only knows me from my Artfire Studio and us both being members of Indie Public. Her blogspot is here:

http://jannadusblog.blogspot.com/

Please check it out...she has some neat info on there about alot of artisans.

What you see pictured here are some of her many eclectic talents.




These can be seen at her Artfire Studio:

http://jannadu.artfire.com







She does so many more artistic venues than I do. She wire-wraps, felts angora sweaters that are upcycled, creates enameled pendants and MOST especially...she does pencil drawings like the puppy below...she is AMAZING!

I highly suggest you visit her studio at Artfire and do some serious shopping from this talented lady.

She lives in Glendale, Arizona
so we share the Arizona Artisan
connection as well.

Her Boston Terrier is truly and amazing work of art!

Artfire Crazy Train Rider for Oct 6 - 7, 2009

Today I am spotlighting one of my favorite sellers on ARTFIRE

CAT IN A LIFE
catinalife.artfire.com

Her work is eclectic and stunning.

The first piece is a copper wire wrapped necklace with brilliant faceted glass beads worked in such an original design on the pendant. I know I MUST have her pendants soon as I can just visualize them blending perfectly with my seed beads on a rope chain suspending them.

This next piece is done in intricate chain, wire and Czech glass beads in the most splendid color green.

It is a bracelet with lots of life and sparkle!


I chose another copper wire wrapped pendant this time using faceted cat's eye fiber optic beads. The combination of turquoise and copper is always so elegant, but especially in this particular piece.



You must check out her studio. Her prices are amazingly affordable for the quality and breathtaking beauty of her designs.




I am finishing with this egyptian collar all of coiled wire in an exquisite color combination once again.

This lady is truly an ARTIST

http://catinalife.artfire.com

DEATH OF A DINOSAUR

I have been away from here for way too long but there's been a death in the family...when one owns a car for over 30 years a certain amount of mourning and mayhem ensues...thus the case with the 1979 LINCOLN
My Dad purchased this car in 1979 and it was his "BABY" that he treated like solid gold..he paid $5000 for it back then, and that was GOLD IN THEM THAR DAZE.
My poor father passed on in November 1988 only getting to enjoy his luxury vehicle for nine short years....then Mom inherited it.

My little 5foot 2inch mother propped up pillows so she could see over the steering wheel and plodded along on her vast travels to the corner grocery and back (racking up tremendous mileage of 140 miles a YEAR) until 2001 when the osteoporosis crippled her over so badly she could no longer SEE over the steering wheel with any amount of pillows so she put the "boat" in dry dock and it sat. I entered the scene July 1, 2002...

Mom signed the title over to me and the behemoth became mine while I have been here caring for Mom...the old boat took some mechanical work to bring out of dry dock (the garage) but it got driven far more than ever before. Why I bet I put a whole 140 miles a WEEK on her! And we even got her a personal mechanic who made house calls and repaired her right inside our own garage...and he visited very often the last couple years.

Then on Tuesday, September 14, 2009 when I backed her out to go get a prescription she started making this horrible noise...well, the rest is history...terminal condition in the differential and it would cost $$$$

sooooo...after thirty years of faithful service and not even 86,000 original miles, the old girl had to be put out to pasture and a newer, younger replacement found.

We will miss the Mark V Cartier Edition from Ford Motor Company but we sure won't miss the gasoline bills or the nasty stares from tree huggers whenever we drove by. <<>>

RIP