I'm Late, I'm Late....

...But with all kinds of tales to tell....so I hope you'll forgive me for the belated May Day and Beltane wishes! Did you have a wonderful day? Was it filled with *magic* and wonder? Did you dance around the Maypole, or weave wildflowers into a garland for your hair?

I didn't either. But I DID have an amazing day - an amazing weekend in fact. Which I'm sure I'll pay for very soon when many looming deadlnes all hit at once....But every once in a while, we all need a break, don't you think?

May Day found me making the approximate 1 hour trek to the Valley Forge Convention Center (with my good friend Jen riding shotgun in the Beetle) to see the National Halloween and Haunters Convention. As some of you may know, I was a little conflicted about going, not being into the horror side of Halloween...And while there was plenty of that, I was glad I braved it to see the art and the costumes. Several EHAG friends exhibit their work on the Spookytime Jingles website (an online marketplace for Halloween and Christmas art) so I was anxious to see all the goodies at the STJ booth, and boy, were there plenty of them!! Check out this display...


I looked and looked, and oohed and ahhed, and looked again, and I think I STILL probably missed about half of it, lol...Quite the display! I also scored a couple of pieces, shown here; a beeswax collage by Iva Wilcox, and a little bowling pin gal by Jen McGlon of Noodle and Lou. There were sooooo many other pieces I'd have loved to buy, but there's that pesky groceries thing this week, *sigh*...

We also met the Philadelphia Ghostbusters, which was kind of a kick, and I marveled at Jen trading lines from the movie with them, teehee...


Who you gonna call?

After a good look around the convention, where we'd also met up with Halloween collector and amazing artist Hugh Luck, we all ran over to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. Sooooooo yummy (and I was good and didn't order cheesecake, either). :)

Altogether a wonderful day!

Sunday found me joining Jen and her family at Shupps Grove in Adamstown for a ramble around FLEA MARKET HEAVEN. Seriously, if you live anywhere close, you must see this place. It's set in a grove of shady trees...


With a little babbling brook...


And in addition to all the tables and tents, this adorable little building chock full of garden goodies...


Inside, upstairs, at the tippety top of an old cabinet, I found this treasure - an old copper tea kettle, which I hope with Jen's help to turn into a birdhouse for the backyard. :)


How cute will that be?

There were many other treasures as well, all calling my name (darn those groceries, anyway!)...A bucket full of old rolling pins...


A teddy made from a threadbare antique quilt...


Totes made from old embroidered linens...


And an old croquet set!


Our yard isn't large enough for croquet, but I covet it all the same. ;)

Maybe I'll go back next week, hehe...

In the meantime, there's painting to be done. Lots and lots of it. A witchy piece on a solid cherry wood panel. Commissions galore. The oracle deck I've been telling you about. Oh - and a scratchboard of Edgar Allen Poe for the EHAG Black and White Fright challenge. Have you ever seen a scratchboard? They're quite extraordinary, and painstakingly detailed. The drawing is actually etched with a fine blade into a black background. Thousands upon thousands of tiny cuts later, you have a drawing. I hope to show photos in progress, so stay tuned. :)

That's about it for now, and I'm sure you're relieved, haha - this DID get rather long, didn't it?

I'm off now to help John with a little cookout (waaaaay to hot to turn the oven on today, so we're grilling)...Wishing you a happy and *creative* week ahead!

♥ Carolee