a haunting halloween party

Oh if only October could last all year long! Twelve months of cunchy crispy Autumn air. Endless piles of toffee and scarlet colored leaves. Jack-o-lanterns aglow on spooky porches every night. And pointy black hats perched on every head from January to December.

In my wildest and silliest cinnamon sprinkled dreams this is surely true!

The Mistress Vanessa of A Fanciful Twist sent an invitation of the most bewitching kind throughout the merry land of Blog. "Come to my Halloween Party" said she. How could I refuse? Dearest Edgar himself flew over with the prized invite. This has been quite a busy month for him as you may know! Shall we start with a visit to my favorite shop? I'm low on a few of my supplies.

Here in the old west where I live there are places where spirits still walk the cobblestone streets. The railroad started here. Built by the old train barons during the great Gold Rush. The cost was high and many lives were lost. A river winds along the oldest parts of our city and the tales that spill over the river banks would chill your soul.

Sometimes if you listen at night the eerie sound of a lone steam engine echoes in the distance. Strange as the mighty railroad stopped working long ago...

Tucked away behind this once grand railroad station is a curious little shop. Only a few of us know of it's existence....and even fewer are invited in. It's just past this archway through the back alley door....

If we're lucky it might still be open for a few minutes more.

Open to the trade only....lucky I remembered to renew my SCW

(Society of Crafty Witches) membership!

They make the best witchy brooms here and I suppose I don't really need another one.

But then a witch can never have too many broomsticks! I quite fancy that heather one on the left.

A new shipment of spells and potions just arrived today. I'll definitely take the witches crystal ball and maybe have a look at that curious green bottle...

This could be very handy. Some of my spells have a tendency to go wacky now and then. Like the time I tried to magic myself a brand new three legged cauldron and all my pots and pans sprouted legs instead. It took me 6 hours to catch all of them after I had to lock them up in the bathroom until the spell wore off.

The guardian of the gate keeps a watchful eye on things. Tortured souls are known to visit here this time of year. You know about the old stories don't you?

They say Marguerite, a gypsy witch use to own this shop. Her mother Lucretia Fontaine was a voodoo queen from New Orleans. Marguerite and her sister Sabine escaped to this river city along with their mother after Lucretia was accused of cursing a Spanish general from the Vieux Carre. They fled from New Orleans under cover of darkness on one of the last remaining stagecoaches leaving for California.

Marguerite inherited her mother's gift. Soon even the proper ladies of the old west would seek her out. Especially when their husbands were rumoured to be keeping a mistress or two. She opened this shop on her twenty-second birthday and lived to the ripe old age of 102.

Sabine fell hopelessly in love with the son of a prominent train baron. It was an unrequited love and when the young man recklessly scoffed at her tender heart she threw herself onto the path of a roaring steam engine one early morning before All Hallows Eve. Many have sworn to have heard a bone chilling scream under the lamp post where the train tracks once stood.

Now the shadows are gathering. Shall we collect our goodies and return to the cottage? Hurry before the lights go out. We don't want to anger any restless spirits.

Adieu fair Lucretia, dear Marguerite and sweet Sabine...

Welcome to my witchy cottage. I'd love to have a minute to sit down and pour you a cup of my favorite Elderberry and Plum Sugar Tea but I really must get ready for the Halloween party!

I'll need to gather a few ingredients first. I have some things stored in my old apothecary jars that might interest you. Would you like to see?

A bit of Arsenic and Hemlock.

For those pesky err...bugs in the garden {he-he-he}.

And a jar of Blackest Henbane. Just a pinch would do nicely. Don't you agree? Perhaps I can interest you in my latest read while you wait.

It's a curios old book that just showed up on my table one day. But then curious things have a habit of finding me anyway....and I quite like it that way.

I'll need to bring a cauldron too. In case our hostess needs a hand with a special party brew. Oh I hope there's hot apple cider and pumpkin pie. Her pies are legendary as you may have heard. And all  her wondrous pumpkins grow like magic (I believe they really do).

This hand was a gift from a woman I had never met before. She came to me one day as I was leaving an antique store. "This belongs to you" she told me. I said I never made a purchase. "This belongs to you" she said again. "It's a gift". You ask if I posses powers of divination? Won't you have a seat and allow me to tell your fortune?

The witches crystal shows me a night illuminated by gypsy firelight. There are witches gathering and waiting under the stars. The Halloween Party is about to begin. I'll grab my carpet bag if you carry the large cauldron. You'll join me won't you? Splendid! And now off to the party we go...

Thank you for coming along on my shopping trip and for visiting my witchy cottage. Luna and I enjoyed your company. Please help yourself to a little spooky treat I created just for you. These witchy labels are for your own wicked apothecary bottles. Each label is high resolution (300dpi) 4x3 inches. They are ready to print or you can re-size them and add your own poison as you like. Please only use these for personal (non-commercial) purposes. Just save the images to your own computer and enjoy!

Click on each set for a larger version.

Now let's go and visit the other witches at A Fanciful Twist for a spellbinding Halloween party! It should be quite a gathering I know.

And I hope you'll come back again next week for my Tea Party Under A Halloween Moon! There's still time to join in the fun.

Oh October is going by much too fast! The pumpkins are fading almost as we speak. But today is a day for fun and magic. Hold on to your pointy hats......

Thank you to the always enchanting Vanessa for hosting this wonderful event and to my dear friend Marfi who made the beautiful witchy artwork just for me.

Graphics, photos and stories were created by me. Similarities to persons undead or nonliving is purely coincidental. Vintage photo source unknown. Mask created by my awesomely talented son.

More about my apothecary jars here.