Spring Fever!

Maybe it's the unseasonable warm weather we're having this winter, but spring fever is working it's magic in the studio, inspiring a new Easter/Ostara piece...

This one listed on Etsy last night, and sold just minutes later, but look for another whimsical spring piece (possibly a bowl) coming soon. :)

Until next time,
♥ Carolee

Many, Many Things...

Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed, but in a good way? Like there are so many projects, so many people, so many groups and guilds and shows, so many friends, so much beauty, and so many ideas percolating that you just might burst with the excitement of it all?

I don't mean to minimize life's challenges here (and believe me, we've had more than a few), but the older I get, the more I believe that happiness lies in our focus. I can look at another heart procedure for John as "Oh no! Hasn't he been through enough!?", or I can see the miraculous technology and skill which allow his doctors to fix something that fifty years ago would have been completely unfixable. I mean, that's HUGE, right?

So yes, things are looking pretty amazing on the home front, I thank everyone for the prayers and positive energy once again - it means more than you know.

On the art front, things are pretty amazing too. First, there's work to be done for the sixth annual Ghoultide Gathering...

The show has a new home this year, with all the artists under one roof! The energy is going to be absolutely electric, and it will be so much easier for collectors too. If you've been, you know what a magical time it is, and if you haven't, please consider making 2012 your Ghoultide Year!

I'm so excited, there are a few pieces already in the works, hehe. ;)

There's also tomorrow's PFATT Marketplace, where this dapper fellow will make his debut...


He's rather large (18" tall), but I think he would look fabulous sitting on a dining table or mantle. This is just one side though - check the Marketplace tomorrow at 10AM Pacific/1PM eastern to see the other side. I know, I'm a tease.

In case you're not familiar, the PFATT ladies ("Primitive Folk Art Talk and Tea", pronounced with a silent P, hehe) are a wonderfully supportive art group - a sort of sisterhood of folk artists - and I'd be remiss if I didn't share the blog giveaway the group has going now...
Click here to be transported to the PFATT blog, where you can enter to win one of the many original giveaway items. I have a little mouse print in the mix. :)

I also have the privilege of belonging to the Eclectic Halloween Artists Guild - or EHAG, as it's better known - a juried group of some of the world's finest Halloween artists. Our monthly EHAG Emporium goes live on the last day of each month, at 9PM eastern. So there's a wicked cool Emporium piece in works too. More on this later.

Oh, and just by way of useless but amusing info, some of the EHAG artists (such as myself) are also PFATT members. We call ourselves the pfatt hags, teehee.

Commissions are in the works as well, both new and old, and I can't tell you how incredible it feels to know I have commissions scheduled for most of the year already! Like Sally Field at the Oscars: "You like me!! You really LIKE me!"

Ideas for new work are swirling around in my brain the February full snow moon has passed, but the Snow Moon Goddess piece is yet to be completed. There's also a Practical Magic footstool waiting patiently in line. And a St. Gertrude piece as well - the patron saint of gardeners and cats, whose feast day is March 17th.

Meanwhile, there's housework and cooking to be done, knitting and stitching, and I'm trying to squeeze in some reading time. I'll tell you, I do not understand how anyone could ever say they're bored! Sooooooo much to see, to do and to accomplish. A hundred lifetimes would not be enough.

That's about it for today. There are two Aussies here, nudging my left elbow as I type, wanting very much to go for a walk. I think they want to play in the snow before it disappears. ;)

I'll leave you with this beautiful, wintry song. I've been listening to the Wailin' Jenny's in the studio quite a bit lately. Such lovely harmonies....



Until next time,
♥ Carolee

Cute as a Button, Part Two. ♥

I'm having such fun with these button paintings! Here are two I finished today, which will be up for grabs tomorrow in the Etsy shop, unless they're snapped up first (larger than the previous ones, at 8" x 8", and $75 + $10 shipping)

You can't really see it in the pics, but there's a white rick-rack hanger at the top. Sooooo cute.

UPDATE - Both now sold. :)

I'll be working madly on commissions and a piece for the PFATT Marketplace this week, as well as catching up on a few things around the house, and applying for a new passport. Hard to believe the big road trip is just about 3 months away now!

Must run now, but I'll be back very soon...

♥ Carolee
PS - if you'd like one of the button paintings, just shoot me an email at carolee@kingofmice.com

Taking a Chance - The First eBay Auction in *AGES*!

As you may have noticed, it's been MONTHS since I've had anything listed on eBay...

Their new, higher fee structure, and policies favoring large electronic distributors over small artists left me feeling very frustrated - and I must admit I DO love Etsy...

But every once in a while there's a piece where pricing is unsure, and I'm willing to let the market decide.

Such is Baba Yaga, the old witch from Russian folklore. You can read about here here. She's quite a character with her chicken legged house, her cat and dog, and her fence of skulls! A wonderful folk tale though, one of kindness rewarded.

She was originally priced at $195, and I'm opening the bidding here at just $45 (eek!)...I was actually tempted to keep her, but sell her I must, so I'm holding my breath and taking a chance someone else will love her too. She's listed now, and the auction will run through Sunday evening. ♥

I must also add a BIG thank you to Lori Davis, leader of the Pfabulous Pfatt group, for making my auction look so good! (I'm completely clueless about graphics and html). :)

I'll be back very soon with four new chunky 5" x 5" canvases with button adornments. In the meantime, thanks for taking a peek!!

♥ Carolee

Sneaky-Peeky

Just popping in with a peek at two sweet little treat boxes up for grabs on a first-come basis, on tomorrow's PFATT Marketplace...

As always, the update happens on the tenth of the month, at 10AM pacific - so 1PM eastern, and the pieces will go to the first email or emails I receive. (Regretfully, the Hershey's kisses are not included, their days - nay hours - being numbered, hehe). :)

I had so much fun with these two. There' something about the pink and red and white combination that just makes me smile. :) UPDATE - Both pieces have now sold.

That's it for tonight. But I'll be back very soon with something *WiTcHy*....
~ Carolee

Baba Yaga and Other Witchy Work to Come...

The fascination with folklore continued last week, as I painted one of my favorite characters, the old witch, Baba Yaga, from Russian folk tales. (You can click here to read more about her, or google her and read one the many versions of the story.)

She took quite a while to paint, but I'm so pleased with the finished piece - one of those I wish I could keep for myself, hehe.....But sell her I must, so she's up for grabs in the Etsy store now. ;)

There's more witchy work to follow, as I begin stocking up for the 2012 Ghoultide Gathering! Since I'll be on an extended vacation for a couple of months this year, starting early is a must!

And in the meantime (I'm sending you all over the place, hehe), there's the PFATT Markeplace tomorrow at 10AM pacific (1PM eastern) - where I'll be offering a couple of Valentine's Day treasure boxes.

Off to work I go, but not before brewing a pot of tea, and putting some music on. Oh - almost forgot - I just updated the playlist (on the right sidebar) with some inspiring January painting music. Do give it a listen and tell me what you think!

Until next time,
♥ Carolee
PS - another giveaway coming soon...

Harvest Santa

Every once in a while, an event comes along so strange and magical, it just cries out to be commemorated in some way...

Such was the pre-Halloween snowfall of 2011. An accumulation of four inches left us here on the east coast wondering was this Halloween or Christmas?

Like Santa here, I suppose it was a little of both...

As always, he's an original, one of a kind piece, handpainted in acrylics with a clear acrylic varnish. I had such fun painting all the little details; his rabbit and mouse friends, the garland of acorns around the base, the crow on the back...

He'll be up for grabs on the PFATT Marketplace in just a few hours (Nov 11th, 10AM Pacific or 1PM eastern) and as always, will go to the first person to email after the update.

I'm hoping to have more Santas to follow (different themes) so if you're a fan of the Jolly Old Elf, stay tuned...

Back very soon!
♥ Carolee

A New Practical Magic Piece and a Crafty Return

This is the time of year when inspiration comes at such a fast and furious pace, it's difficult to keep up with it all! Ideas are spinning and swirling around in my brain like a holiday cyclone, and I'm trying to capture as many of them as possible.

Before we get into upcoming holiday goodies, here's a peek at a very special project which has occupied much of my time lately. A wonderful, long time collector commissioned this child's chair, with a Practical Magic theme...


As is often the case with commissions, it took longer than anticipated, but I'm really happy with the result; the roses and toads on the base, the magickal accoutrements on the seat, and the witches jumping off the of that gorgeous clifftop house above. Here's a little detail...


On the back of the chair, it says "There's a little witch in every woman."

Fun, yes?! I swear, I have the best *job* in the world. ♥

With this one winging its way to the west coast this week, the focus shifts to holiday work - specifically a Harvest Santa, which I hope to offer on a first-come basis on this month's PFATT Marketplace (we'll see if I can get it finished under the wire!)...And of course, the Harvest Santa made me think of a Vineyard Santa too, so that may be coming soon as well...and a seaside Santa, and a...and a...

See what I mean? A cyclone, I tell you. ;)

And in the midst of all this creativity, I'm very briefly back to painting a few (ahem) crafty welcome signs. It's been years since I've painted these in quantity, and I much prefer to work on one piece at a time. But in this economy we do what we must, so John and I will be bringing about 150 of these (varying designs) to the annual Holiday Craft Show at the Fairfax High School, in Fairfax, Virginia on the weekend of November 19th and 20th. I'll be there all day, personalizing signs as people shop. So if you're in the area, do drop by and say hello!

Until then, our little house looks a bit like Santa's workshoop, hehe...


First snowmen, then mailbox/chickadee signs completed, so now it's onto Santa in the Moon...

There's also much to be done on the home front, including Thanksgiving shopping, and getting the house decorated for the holidays. Fortunately, the china cabinet is already decorated. Yep, I'm a little embarrassed to say all the Christmas teapots, plates, books and greenery have been sitting there since last Christmas. Oh well - at least the tree hasn't been up this whole time, hehe.

So stay tuned for lots of goodies coming up, and in the meantime, let's all remember to take the occasional breath to savor the season; a good winter read and cup of tea, snuggling on the sofa to watch an old holiday movie, Yuletide gatherings with friends and family, listening to beautiful music, and shopping locally, and handmade.

Until next time, wishing you all the blessings and *magic* of the upcoming season,

¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`• ~ Carolee

Embracing Autumn ♥

There are so many things I love about the upcoming autumn season I hardly know where to begin...

♥ Big bulky sweaters, comfy jeans and Timberland boots.

♥ The scent of woodsmoke in the air.

♥ Pumpkins, mums and hay bales on front porches.

♥ Homemade applesauce

♥ A kettle of soup simmering on the stovetop.

♥ The crunch of leaves underfoot.

♥ Kids at school bus stops.

♥ Day trips to the mountains

♥ Cozy comforters

♥ Meeting new and old friends at the Ghoultide Gathering

♥ Halloween!

I could go on and on...

It's been autumn in the studio for a while now, as spicy, scented candles burn and musical selections lean toward the old and haunting. One of my favorite things about being a Halloween artist is immersion in this *magical* season all year long.

Last night we had the first acorn squash of the season (oven baked - I'm not a microwave kind o' gal) and Saturday we'll visit local farms stands for more - and probably pick up some of those pumpkins and mums as well. Today's projects (aside from painting like the wind for the upcoming Ghoultide Gathering!) include changing the garden flag out in front of the house from summer to autumn, and filling the antique watering can with autumn branches (high quality faux until the real thing is available)...

Most of the painting these days is show preparation, but I'm also trying to work in a few pieces for those who can't make it...

I usually paint these pumpkin welcome signs on a dark green background, but wanted to try black, and must say I really like it. It makes a nice contrast to the golden orange. Just two of these available, and they're listed on Etsy now. ♥

I must get back to work now (There's a Gypsy Fortune Telling sign calling my name), but not before thanking all of you who've left such thoughtful comments here on the blog, and on the facebook page, and all of you who've emailed with such kind words about my work. The absolute, hands-down, best part of this *job* (feels funny even calling it that!) is knowing what I do brings a smile, or brightens someone's day. :)

Much Love and Autumn Blessings...
♥ Carolee

"Spellcasting" on PFATT Marketplace

OK, first, TWO blog posts in one day?!? Hehe...

Sorry, but I just have to share this little homage to one of my all time favorite books and movies, "Practical Magic". I'm offering this piece on tomorrow's PFATT Marketplace (update at 10AM pacific time)...

The edges are adorned with rosebuds and vines, so there's no need for a frame (additional photo on tomorrow's listing)...

Back very soon with new work, and further ramblings...

♥ Carolee

Of Summer Bliss and Sew Many Blessings

Has it really been over a week since I've popped my head in here?? I'll blame a crazy-busy schedule, some long overdue commissions, and a very warm summer - which has been beckoning me to spend a bit of time in the kitchen, finding new and creative meals which do NOT involve heating up the oven. ;)

I know many of you are in the same boat, especially in this latest heat wave, so if you have any nutritious and cool summer recipes to share, please do! My entire culinary repertoire of late has been smoothies and salads, hehe. More on that in a minute.

First, I want to share the latest commissions - the first a large sewing chest similar to an angel chest painted this past winter. This one is mice in shades of blue...

I had almost as much fun choosing the embellishments for the top as I did with the painting.

Another one of these sewing mice chests is in progress too (in a different palette) and will be up for grabs on Etsy very soon - hopefully along with a few prints, which are expected to arrive any day now!

Here's a sample of a limited edition print which will be available soon in an 8" x 10"...

I may need to keep one of these for myself. ;)

Then there's this teapot - sooooooo much fun! If you're wondering about the "Zzzzzz", it's because this piece is being sent to another artist, who will add a sleeping dormouse soft sculpture. How adorable is that?!

Work is also in progress for the upcoming Ghoultide Gathering, and excitement is building! I'll be posing more about this fabulous event very soon!

Finally, I have to share that a collector is offering a couple of pieces of my early work on eBay with a very low opening bid. These are tea trays painted around 2005, and you can find them by clicking here.

Now, back to *summer*! Lots of sunlight in the studio, and plenty of cookouts and casual get-togethers with friends; good company, good food, good wine, good music (well, OK, cheapish wine, but still not bad, hehe). Bliss. :)

Now about those recipe ideas. Please do share, and I'll share one with you too. This smoothie recipe has become a bit of a morning ritual for me, and is soooooo healthy (yes, I've turned over a new leaf - no more cakes and cookies from breakfast, hehe)...If you try it, do let me know what you think. The recipe is kind of vague, because I never measure...

Summer Smoothie

A cup or so of frozen fruit (tropical blend, mixed berries, etc)

A couple of good spoonfuls organic, lowfat or fat free vanilla yogurt (I use Stoneyfield Farms)

A combination almond, soy or 2% milk (I use vanilla almond milk) and fruit juice (cranberry, a tropical blend, etc) - enough to barely cover the fruit and yogurt in the blender

A few shakes of cinnamon

A tiny drizzle of vanilla extract

A tablespoon of honey

Blend until smooth, and enjoy!


That's about it for now. I'll be back very soon with that new sewing chest and details about the prints.

Until then, have a happy and *creative* week!

♥ Carolee

A New Path....

Have you ever felt like the universe is just pushing you to make a change, to move in a new direction? As though no matter how hard you try to hold on to the familiar, to that comfort zone, life has other plans?

Such is the current state of affairs with eBay. Like many longtime sellers there, I'm disappointed in the level of control, the ever increasing cost, and the distinct feeling as though I'm completely taken for granted...Basically, if eBay were a boyfriend, we'd have broken up a long time ago. ;)

Oh, I'll still maintain a presence there, and still list from time to time just to keep a foot in the water, and offer an option to those who prefer auction style listings. But the plan is to begin migrating the bulk of my work over to Etsy, where it will be offered for direct sale, on a first come basis. The Etsy site is wonderful, the fees are considerably lower (which means savings of as much as 10% passed on to collectors) and the checkout and communication process is quick and easy. What's not to love? ♥

But that's not all (drumroll, please)....

I'll also be offering my first prints there very soon! I'm so excited, and I hope this makes at least some of my work more accessible.

The first few will be listed just as soon as I receive them (hopefully in the next week) and I'm thinking they will probably be signed and numbered limited editions.

There's also a very special, and very elaborate sewing/craft chest in progress, which I hope to have in the Etsy shop soon, and possibly a clock.

As always, I'll give the heads up here on the blog and on facebook as to the approximate time new work will be listed, so please do check in. :)

Finally, a big thank you, and much love too all my amazing collectors. You've followed my work from eBay to Etsy, from blog sales and online marketplaces to shows...Without your support and encouragement, I would never be able to live this dream of being a full time artist. So I send you all much love, and many smiles. ♥

That's about it for now. I'll be back with details about those new prints, and in the meantime, I wish all those who celebrate it a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend!

I'll leave you with one of the images which will be offered as a print. ♥


♥´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ ♥ Carolee
PS - don't forget there's a giveaway in the previous post! I'll draw a name this Saturday. :)

♥ A Trio of Teacup Mice ♥

Just popping in to share the latest Halloween paintings. Three witchy little Halloween mice...

Each is painted on 5" chunky gallery canvas, so there's no need for a frame.

I just listed the first two on Etsy, and the third....

Will list on eBay at 9PM Thursday. :)

In the meantime, the Mad Tea Party tray is still up for grabs...

I'll be back very soon with super exciting news!!

♥´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ ♥ Carolee

A Little Halloween Nostlagia and the Semi-Annual Rant ;)

Remember childhood Halloweens? Back in the days when it was safe to roam the streets, and before cities and townships changed the date of holidays for convenience sake? We'd come home from school (or outside play if it was the weekend) in the late afternoon, and begin preparing our costumes...

Small children often wore those dime store costumes (sweaty Mickey Mouse masks with elastic string stapled in just the wrong place over the ears)...But once we hit about 7 or 8 we'd make our costumes; ghosts from old white sheets, spacemen from painted cardboard boxes and kitchen gadgets, gypsies and princesses adorned with Mother's scarves and jewelry...

We'd dress just so. And we'd sit. And wait. Because we weren't allowed out until it was at least Twilight. I remember the wait seeming like an eternity.

Finally, darkness would descend, and we'd set out with treat buckets or pillowcases in hand, and begin knocking on doors, yelling "trick or treat!", dreading the grown ups who would ask us to do a trick, and always saying "thank you" as we left with our loot (which in those days was often the big candy bars - that's how old I am, hehe).

When we returned home, pilowcases would be emptied into individual piles on the floor and the trading - and subsequent gobbling - would begin.

Such good times, and such fond memories. I'm going to stop here (before moving on to promised rant, lol) to show you a piece I completed yesterday, inspired by these childhood Halloweens...


It's listed on eBay now, where you'll find more pics. :)

Where was I? Oh, yes. The rant...

When did the childhood fun, the "Boo!", "Scared you!" sort of Halloweens become eclipsed by Horror movies, gruesome animatronics, and trick or treating at the mall? I soooooo love the magic and whimsy of Halloween, the childlike excitement, the fanstasy aspect of the whole thing, and it truly saddens me to see it co-opted by violence and gore - and to see parents taking their kids to the mall because it's "safer"(which I know is a whole other debate, and may even be true to varying degrees depending on the neighborhood, but I find it sad nonetheless).

I've seen the trend in Halloween art too, mostly on eBay - the scary-fun giving way to the sick and gruesome. The baby doll heads made into corpses...soooooo sad.

But there are still plenty of us hanging on fiercely to the magic and wonder of childhood Halloweens, trying our best to keep that anticipation and excitement alive...If you have a few minutes, check out the right hand sidebar of my blog, and visit sites like Allen Cunningham, Johanna Parker Design, Laurie Hardin, Rucus Studio, Retro Rudolphs, Soft in the Head, and of course all the Ghoultide Gathering artists.

This is what Halloween at it's best, what Halloween should be.

Do you have a favorite childhood memory or costume? A favorite candy maybe? Do jump in and share a comment - it helps keep the magic alive. ;)

Until next time,

♥´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ ♥ Carolee

"Wicked Good Brew"

Flying in to share the latest Halloween piece, a large plate/platter I just finished this afternoon...

Sooooo much fun (and hard to believe the Halloween countdown has already begun!) It's up for grabs on eBay now.

Lots of new pieces in the works as well - for eBay, for Etsy, for the EHAG Emporium, for the PFATT Marketplace, and for the Ghoultide Gathering. And of course playing catch-up on commissions. ;)

That's about it for now, but I'll be back soon with another update. In the meantime, have a *magical* and creative rest of the week. :)

♥ Carolee
PS - if you click on the link for the EHAG Emporium (above) you'll find a fabulous giveaway to enter!

"The Walrus and the Carpenter"

Just popping in to share the latest Alice piece, inspired of course, by the poem of the same name from "Through the Looking Glass"...

Poor little oysters...although they're doomed, they do look rather whimsical in their red Keds, don't they?

The original is already claimed, but I do hope to offer prints soon, so stay tuned. :)

In the meantime, look for a new Halloween piece on eBay very soon!

♥´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ ♥ Carolee

Tumbling Back Down the Rabbit Hole

Are you tiring of all the Wonderland posts yet?

I can't help it. It's such a magical place, and the childhood memories it invokes so fond (curling up on a rainy Saturday with fantastical tales) that falling down the creative rabbit hole has become rather a habit, hehe...

Here's the latest piece, "The Lobster Quadrille", acrylic on gallery canvas...

It was inspired of course, by the chapter in "Alice in Wonderland" where the Mock Turtle shows Alice and the Gryphon how to do the lobster quadrille ("change lobsters again!", teehee). SUCH fun to paint, and already spoken for. But while the original is sold, the good news is there are soon to be prints!

And prints of the next Alice painting as well ("The Walrus and the Carpenter" from "Through the Looking Glass"). Stay tuned for an update on this one, and possibly in-progress pics on facebook.

While Alice is an almost never-ending well of inspiration, there's also Middle Earth, into which I plan to delve very soon; The Shire, Rivendell, Lothlorien, Fangorn Forest - another entire realm of inspiration. I only hope I can do it justice. It's a little scary given that far more accomplished artists than myself have worked absolute magic with the subject...Wish me luck. :)

That's about it for now. I'll be back very soon with another update...Thanks as always for peeking in, and for your comments. I truly look forward to them! ♥

♥´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ ♥ Carolee

Good News and Inspiration Overload

I'll begin with the good news. Yesterday (yep, Friday the 13th) was John's last day of radiation treatment at Temple University Hospital!

It's been a very long 11 weeks, with more than a few bumps along the way, but he came through it, and the doctors are optimistic. He's still home for another week, resting and getting his strength back before returning to work. And we won't know for another six weeks if he's in remission. But we feel like we're on the downside of the mountain at this point, coasting instead of climbing, at least for another few weeks.

Sooooooo, a HUGE thank you for the prayers, positive energy and healing vibes, and for all the encouraging comments here, and on facebook. I can't begin tell you how much they've meant. Whatever the outcome, we feel truly blessed. ♥

Studio news this week takes the form of a creative explosion of sorts, hehe...

It began with a rather stressed out dream, wherein I was painting the White Rabbit on a clock - with the White Rabbit himself serving as a model - and a highly annoyed model at that. Seems I wasn't painting fast enough. (Yeah, I know - no trouble interpreting that one, right?!) ;) At any rate, I always listen to creative dreams, so I wrote it all down and set to work the next morning while it was fresh in my mind. Here's the result, which is on it's way to live with a wonderful collector and dear friend...

Wonderland is still calling though, and very soon I hope to share a pair of canvas paintings; The Mock Turtle and Gryphon, and the Walrus and the Carpenter (remember them?!) I can't wait to get started, and although already spoken for, I hope to offer prints, and will share pics as soon as they're finished.

Further inspiration came in the form of an artistic challenge in the EHAG Art group - our latest creative springboard, titled "Familiar Friends", was suggested by the very talented Sweet B. Soooooo many possibilities there, but in the end I decided to paint a mystical cat, using my friend Lunaea's gorgeous boy Morpheus as a model. Here's the result...

Click here to visit the auction.

Of course, in the midst of all this, Halloween is still VERY much on the brain, as work begins for the fifth annual Ghoultide Gathering. At the risk of sounding like broken record, if you're within striking or traveling distance, and you love Halloween (the mystical, magical, "boo!" Halloween we remember from childhood!) this show is a must see. I guarantee you'll walk around absolutely drop-jawed. This is my fifth year exhibiting, and walking the show before opening, I still feel as though I were transported to some magical Halloween realm. Oh, and this year, it's a TWO day event!

It's also a super reasonable getaway, with discounted rooms for attendees at the Hampton Inn, which sort of becomes *Halloween Central* for a couple of days, and where you're likely to meet up with other collectors, some of the artists, etc...

I'll post more details soon, but if you think you can make it, book early - "Ghoulies" as my friend Joycee likes to call us, pretty much filled the hotel last year, hehe!

That's about it for now, except to add that a few Middle Earth pieces are also on the not too distant horizon; the Shire, Lothlorien and Rivendell providing most of the inspiration.

Until next time, thanks for visiting, thanks for your comments, and do check back soon (a giveaway is in the works!)

♥´¨)
¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ ♥ Carolee

A Giveaway!!

In a perfect world (one with no commitments or deadlines) I would send a gift to every single friend and collector. ♥

As it is, the best I can do is offer a little something via the occasional blog giveaway. And it's been awhile, so here we go. This one is a small pinkeep...

"Sew Magic".

If you'd like to throw your name in the hat, just leave a comment here. Oh, and I'll enter your name twice for tweeting or re-posting. I'll draw a name next Wednesday evening, May 4th. :)

Thanks for playing, and good luck!

♥ Carolee
PS - I almost forgot! There's a similar pinkeep (but larger) listed on eBay too! :)

So Much to Share...

This is going to be one of those posts which is all over the place, I'm afraid - much to tell, and most of it unrelated - so if I sound unfocused, I'm trusting you'll forgive me, hehe...

Easter was lovely, if quiet, and I took the first day off in many months! Such fun to enjoy brunch out with John (no cooking - yay!) and a quiet drive through the country on the way home. The predicted rain never appeared. On the contrary, we had bright sunshine as we took in some of the most beautiful scenery in Chester and Lancaster counties; centuries old stone farmhouses, fields of "shippies" (Amish-speak for "sheep") and newborn lambs...dogwoods, cherry trees and flowering crabapples in bloom...just gorgeous, and a welcome break! Unfortunately, I left the camera at home, so no photos of the drive.

But I will share a pic of our very own flowering crabapple, at the edge of the little backyard koi pond. This is the view from my worktable, and if you look closely, you'll see one of the koi. I seriously must have the best job in the world - a commute down one flight of stairs, and this outside my window!

The blooms are sooooo beautiful, aren't they?


Daffodils are up too - one of my favorite flowers!


OK, enough of the garden, hehe...On to new work!

I've been having great fun lately playing with sculptural accents (see previous post for the first piece). Here's a second - just plain FUN, yes?

It's listed on eBay now. A couple of people on facebook have told me it reminds them of Beetlejuice - the black and white stripes, maybe? Haven't seen it since it first came out, but now I'm anxious to put it in the netflix queue and see what the similarity is, hehe. :)

I'm still working on mending boxes and pinkeeps, so stay tuned, and I also hope to have something to offer for the April 30th EHAG Emporium update. (What was I THINKING taking a day off?!?)

Moving on to an update on John, I'm happy to report he's doing well with the second round of radiation. He's still experiencing some burns, but so far not as bad as the first round, and we're hoping this improvement continues. The doctor tells us it will be at least a couple of weeks after treatment stops before they can determine if remission has been achieved. So please keep those prayers and positive thoughts coming!

That's about it for now, except to thank all of you who've been so supportive of my work! We absolutely could not get through these challenges without you, and feel incredibly blessed that I'm able to keep this "job" going as John forges ahead with treatment. I'm looking forward to the day when we'll look back at this time wondering how we did it - and always realizing that it wasn't alone. ♥

That's about it for now. I'm off to catch a few hours sleep, assuming I can find a place on the bed (last I checked, there was one human, two dogs and three cats crashed out there, hehe)....

Back very soon with a sneak peek at the Emporium piece, and more rambling...

Until then,
♥ Carolee