How to be a Witch for Halloween

Happy Halloween! Amazing, isn’t it? How quickly October flew by… This month saw cold, windy days and hot, dry days and even a little bit of rainy, cold, foggy days! (It’s rare to have a cold October in this part of California- normally it’s blisteringly hot and dry and extremely incendiary this time of year around here…)

How to be a Witch for Halloween- hmmm. I’ve dressed up for Halloween as either a Black Witch, a Black Pirate, or a Black Vampire for many, many years, so this year I wanted something a little more…lighthearted:

I like it so much, I may just wear this outfit around for the rest of the year! Mustard tights from Target, Black old-timey heels and burgundy sweater from Khol’s, green long sleeve perfect tee and stripey skirt from Old Navy. The Tree Skirt is my own creation from years back (which I love and wear several times a week this time of year!)

Here’s Tasha’s costume:

She’s going as “a kitty napping in the sunlight”. Which is what she dresses up as every year, but hey- it works, so why change it momma?

Now, I don’t want to freak anyone out- but there has been an actual Faerie sighting recently…

Want to see? I think I captured her on film:

She has just flown in for the Yule season (which, I’m told, is twice as long in Faerie-Land as it is here in the mundane world. Hmm…) and is expecting her luggage any day now.

Luggage?!

And here I thought that creepy feeling on the back of my neck was from watching too much Ghost Hunters…I’ve got a bad feeling about this! Just how much Luggage can one Faerie have?

Fall works in progress…

I made a lot of things last month, partly to keep busy, but mostly to challenge myself and see what I can really do when I set my mind to it- kind of a dry run for a work week. It was fun, very satisfying, but really hard, too, and just like when I used to have a job outside my home, I got sick. Sigh- some things never change, do they? While I spend this week taking it easy (ha! there’s still a house to run- the dinner doesn’t make itself people! Hmm…wonder what those Faeries are up to…) here’s a peek at what I’ve been up to:

This photo actually shows three current projects, with another three symbolized, if not actually shown. I made that white skirt up from some lovely medium-weight linen I had gotten for a bag idea, but I like it as a skirt better. So much so that I’m making another two in the other pieces of linen I got for two other bag ideas I had…hmm, I sense a trend in this train of thought…

The quilt block is my new Alchemy project which I started in May. I got sidetracked this summer, so it’s sat patiently in the project shelf, inspiring me every time I look at it. My first Log Cabin, it’s all Pinks, Browns, Lavenders and Greens. Very yummy. Still some math to do before I decide how to “set” it, but the blocks themselves are coming along nicely. It was meant to be a Fall quilt so I’ve got my fingers crossed it’ll get finished in time for the really cold weather that is surely still to come…sometime.

There is a new “hipster” bag in the works up there in the photo also, a new “Minnie-the-Mouse” style for our newly annual trip to Disneyland next month. The first one went together in record time, but the second draft stalled out when I got to the flap stage, so it’s on the drafting table again for a pattern redo.

That huge basket of yarn is getting sorted regularly as I try to find the courage to start my first “real” knitting project. We’ll have to see how that goes, I keep finding other things to knit first before I start. ahem.

And interestingly enough, I am starting to begin poking at the Pixie Workshop- some ideas are sprouting already, which is just as well as I think I’m going to have to ship some things to far-away this time around. There’s an image I want to mess around with for holiday cards, too, so we’ll see how that goes as well… Unless those Faeries use up all my drawing paper making paper airplanes!!! Get outta that drawer you guys!

Tasha’s Adventures in sewing…

September was an exciting month, wasn’t it? Full of back-to-school, Hobbit Day, the Autumnal Equinox, Mabon Feasts, the yearly Fall closet cleaning (ahem), and oh! so much more! But the most interesting thing that happened was all the sewing Tasha got done:

These new grocery bags are the perfect size for me momma!

 

I want one of these pretty skirts for me, momma…

I’m going back to work with daddy- he needs my help there, too!

It was a busy month indeed- and October is looking to be just as busy as well! Back soon with and update on all that has found it’s way across my sewing table- hey, you Faeries get outta that scissors drawer!

Summer turned out to be far more involved this year, I do apologize for being away for so long. There has been lots of crafting, though. Some sewing of curtains, plenty of dinner parties, a tea party, and a few more bits accomplished on the Fairies house. (much annoyed mutterings there, I can tell you. They are much displeased with the contractor at this point.) Two skirts made- and a few being planned as we speak:

Green seems so cool and light right about now. I like floaty, elastic waisted A-line skirts for hot summers, but the green and blue paisley might look better as a fitted pencil,. We will have to see how many I get done before school starts.The summer was mild all through July, but August is proving to be difficult to handle. Hot, muggy, dry, long- it's all there. I can see the Autumn leaves starting to turn though, and the morning light is beginning to turn that golden, brassy light colour that heralds the coming of pumpkin weather... Fall is coming. Hopefully bringing some cooler weather in her bags. And so, I must turn my attention back to house buidling, for the fairies need somewhere warm to sleep, and mantles to hang their stockings for Santa to find. I just know they are up to trouble. Two just went by, heads bent together deep in discussion. Something about "eight tiny reindeer...ya think they are small enough to fit in the stable?"

!!!