boo!

HALLOWEEN

Tonight is the night

When dead leaves fly

Like witches on switches

Across the sky,

When elf and sprite

Flit through the night

On a moony sheen.

Tonight is the night

When leaves make a sound

Like a gnome in his home

Under the ground,

When spooks and trolls

Creep out of holes

Mossy and green.

Tonight is the night

When pumpkins stare

Through sheaves and leaves

Everywhere,

When ghouls and ghost

And goblin host

Dance round their queen.

It's Halloween.

by Harry Behn

swapping witches and haunted houses

This month I participated in The Great ATC Witch Swap at Little Messy Miss. I recieved the cards from my swap partners and then I recieved a third one too! I'm not sure if maybe I got the pairings mixed up but I ended up with 3 lovely and unique cards and I'm happy to share them here with you.

From Sharon

From Michelle and Ashley

And a surprise one from Carmen.

The back of Carmen's card.

Thank you ladies for a fun Halloween swap! I love all of your witches.

These are the ones I sent out.

I hope everyone is enjoying these last few days before All Hallows Eve. Some of you are probably getting ready for big parties this weekend or maybe preparing for magickal gatherings at home. My son has been waiting all year long to try out a fog machine he created to scare the trick-or-treaters. And tonight we're hoping to go to a haunted house. Not the mega gorey ones that pop up everywhere (I just don't have the stomach for those) but a real historic Victorian that's turned into a haunted mansion every year by a theatre group. Then they put on a play that moves throughout the house and it's eerie and spooky and the best part is it's all for a charity benefitting a local childrens shelter. I wanted to share pics from last year but they're trapped in a storage device and I can't seem to remember how to open it! I guess I'll have to wait until my son gets home from school to free them lol.

In the mean time here are a few other real haunted mansions from my hometown.

The Leland Stanford Mansion

Photo credit HauntedHouses.com

The Governors Mansion

Photo credit The Sacramento Bee

Evangeline's Costume Mansion

Although not really considered a haunted mansion Evangeline's is a local landmark in Old Town Sacramento. It is two historic mansions put together and it houses several floors of every costume, novelty and joke item imaginable. It's a famous tourist attraction and every now and then a celebrity like Steven Tyler from Aerosmith will show up. I wonder what he bought? The car parked in front is the store's official car. It's a vintage hearse!

Have a beautiful spooky day!

one last spooky monday

I can't believe this is already the last Spooky Monday! I can remember when Wendy  first told me about it and how excited we both were. As always I'm just a wee bit late...

In case you might not have noticed I am a chronic nightowl along with one other owl out there who shall remain nameless {giggle}. So here are some spooky shots of last night's excursion into the kitchen to forage for my nightly bowl of cereal.

I caught this ghostie trying to beat me to the cupboard!

And a witch getting ready for a moonlight ride.

Here's a quick late night project. I made this card to send to a friend who has no idea that I even make little paper dresses and own a blog. She's the one who sent me the fun cackling witchy card.

I would also like to say THANK YOU to all the kind and lovely people who have given me an award for my bloggy this week. I truly appreciate all of them.

♥ ♥ ♥

Finally you have to go and visit these 2 places for more delicious Halloween treats.

First go over to Linda at Moments In An Eye and see her post about a house she saw that's all decorated for Halloween. It's amazing!

Then go and see Jacqueline at Purple Chocolate Home. She just dropped by my tea party and left an invite to visit her Witches in the Woods. You'll love it!

Thank you Wendy for a month (and more) of Spooky Mondays. I loved doing all of them. They made my Halloween even more magical. I will miss them {sob}.

♥ ♥ ♥

Happy Spooky Monday Tuesday

I haven't added my gratitude postscripts in a while so here is one for today.

Today I'm grateful for hot chocolate and moonlit skies.

They go together so well!

a perfectly lovely tea party

I did it! I just finished visiting everyone. Everyone that posted a comment with a tea party link and everyone on the sidebar list that had a party.  All of you are just amazing!!! I can't tell you how happy and touched I am by all the work you put into creating all of your beautiful tea parties. I enjoyed every single one of them and I thank all of you for stopping by to visit mine.

I've edited the guest list so there's a tea party link for all the names listed. I'll leave the list up until Halloween since lots of you are still making your rounds.

I know some of you created your post but didn't leave a comment on my party post. You can still leave your link in a comment on my tea party post so other partiers can find your party after I take the guest list down.  It will be a great way for next year's partiers to see what we did for our very first Tea Party Under A  Halloween Moon! Thank you so much again.

I'll be back in a bit with a Spooky Monday post and other things to share but for now here's a cute little video of one of my favorite Halloween cards. A friend sent it to me a few years ago. It's one of those sound cards and I just love it. I think it's exactly how I feel right now!

a tea party under a halloween moon

Hello and welcome my pretties! I'm so glad you received my invitation. I see you followed Edgar through the Dark Woods and found the moonlit path. Oh that Edgar is such a helpful dear. I don't know how I would have made it through October without him!

Come this way. I see the moon just starting to rise above the treetops. I've been waiting for you and I'm so excited to have you over. I'm getting tingles all the way down to my witchy toes!

That's such a lovely broom you flew in on....I love the sparkles on the bristles! You can park it over here by this tree stump if you like.

Would you like to keep your cloak on? There's a delicious chill in the air this evening.

Welcome to my Autumn tea party! I worked on this brew all week long. It's an old recipe handed down to me by my great great great Aunt Imogen. Her woodland tea parties were legendary.

Go ahead. Grab a tea cup and I'll pour.

I love the smell of Autumn tea. Cinnamon, apple, caramel and spice...and just a hint of candy corn.

I got up before dawn this morning. I've been waiting all year for it and I knew with tonight's full moon I would find it. It's hidden deep in the woods. In the very darkest part so you have to summon up all your courage to get there. I did with Luna by my side and there it was, just beyond the goblins pumpkin patch....wondrous Fairy Lights! The faeries must have had their party last night and if you're a lucky witch they might leave one of their lanterns for you to find!

But alas the lovely light will only last through this night's full moon. Then just like the enchanted month of October it will be gone all too soon...

Oh but let's not think about such dreadful things. Our party is in full swing and there are sweets and treats waiting for you on my witchy table.

Did you fly by the moon on your way over here? Flying always gets my sweet tooth going. It must be the crispy Autumn air...I think it smells like baking apples and crunchy leaves!

It wouldn't be a tea party without chocolate frosted cupcakes...

....and buttery sugar cookies with pumpkin sprinkles.

These are my Charmed Tea Spoons. I found them at The Magic Broom Closet on my way to the Halloween party last week. They add just the right amount of sweetness to your tea and you never have to stir! What will those crafty witches think of next?

Goodness...I've forgotten my manners! Some of you might have already met my Lucinda. She never misses a tea party when she isn't busy keeping me inspired in my little work studio.

And Oliver came with his newest friend Blossom. She has a fascinating tale to tell...

Blossom was once part of a traveling circus. A band of woodland thieves that traveled from grove to grove putting on a rag tag show. Blossom was part of the trapeze act but she hated that life and longed to be free. She wanted to live somewhere where she could inspire others with her beauty.

 One day a most magical fairy came to see the show. She was wearing a glorious cloak covered with flowers and butterflies. When the fairy wandered around the grounds exploring the caravans Blossom jumped into her pocket and went home with her. You can imagine the fairy's surprise when she reached into her pocket for a lemon gumdrop.

Blossom lived with the magical fairy for a time. Inspiring her to create such wondrous art. One day the fairy said "Blossom you have inspired me everyday and now it's time for you inspire others. You shall go to live with a whimsical witch who will treasure you and shower you with sparkles and spells."

Blossom agreed. That fairy happened to be a dear friend of mine. And that's how Blossom came to live with me.

Oh I think more guests have arrived! Welcome, welcome!

There's lots more tea and sweets left for everyone.

I just brewed another pot.

Fresh candy corn. Grab a handful before they're all gone! Does anyone really know where candy corn comes from?

How about a licorice wand? I ordered these from Honeydukes just for our party.

Don't forget to cast your spells on this most magical night. I have a few planned for later once Luna returns from her moonlight wandering.

I felt a stronger chill in that last breeze. It made my wind chimes play a festive goblin tune. I love the sound these enchanted spoons and forks make. They make me think of a gypsy wagon rolling through the woods, overfilled with baubles and wares. I was gifted this magical object by still another lovely fairy friend!

We are being watched I believe. By a silent guest with a message that the time is near for our revelry to come to an end.

The moon is higher now and the sky grows darker still. It's time for you to make your way back through the Dark Woods and on to visit all the other amazing tea parties.

I thank you for playing with me here in the autumn woods and for joining me for my first Tea Party Under a Halloween Moon. I truly had a magical time. There's still a whole week left of enchanted October and of course the BIG day we've all been waiting for is still to come.

And now I shall have one last bite of frosting and a final sip of tea before I dust off my broom and fly away to visit you! Please make sure to leave a comment with the link to your party post. That way everyone can visit you anytime even after I have taken the guest list down.

I have a little treat to giveaway if you leave a comment and I will draw a winner on Halloween night. Along with a bag of Autumn treats the winner will also receive their choice of the latest issue of one of these Stampington magazines. They're all so inspiring I would have a hard time choosing one too!

Finally I leave you with one last poem about my very favorite month...

October's Party

October gave a party

The leaves by hundreds came

The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,

And leaves of every name.

The Sunshine spread a carpet,

And everything was grand,

Miss Weather led the dancing,

Professor Wind the band.

~George Cooper

 

I'd also like to say thank you to two lovely faerie friends. Marfi who made Blossom, the adorable flower baby. And Theresa who gave me the beautiful wind chimes (handmade by her talented husband) which I won from her Practical Magic party giveaway. Thank you both. You are truly magical!