"Wise" details and rumors of a Haunted Halloween

A little traveling back in my Archives of Scraps of Darkness for this "Wise" kitty. A bit of paper from Victoriana, a smidge of Needful Things, a lovely Dusty Attic Raven from the SOD store and lots of lovely misting inspired by Finnabair adds to my little collection of Dark Art.  I am hearing the tap tap tap of my favorite time of year, enchanting Halloween.  I have begun the preparations for the Cemetery, the Witches apothecary is nearly complete and will be ready for the little spooks (and big ones too).  We may have a bit of a spider problem this year with the fresh graves in the yard.  Who knows what else the creatures will come up with this year.  I have heard rumors of a foggy night, strange glowing eyes peering through the windows and skeletons trying to escape.  Hmmm, whatever shall we do?

update on Caden

We are finally there, Mr. Caden Thomas is getting ready to start kindergarten in less than 2 weeks!  We are so happy that he has made it through such trying times and we are so grateful to all of you for the prayers, love and support on this difficult journey.

We are scheduled to meet with his future teachers and caregivers at school before classes begin to discuss his needs and make a plan to enable him to receive the best education and care possible.  Jerry and I are so excited for him on this new journey and are anxious to see him learn and grow, hopefully with some new friends and a positive experience.

We are, of course, worried that some children may try to pick on him since he is different than others, but the plan is to educate the families in his class about his condition and help them to understand what a brave and amazing boy he is and has so much to offer to this world.

Wishing everyone a magical weekend,
Hugs, Jenny

August Round Robin at Scraps Of Darkness

"Maichiru" is a term used by the Japanese people to describe the cherry blossoms as they fall. The term simply means "dancing blossom"  I have used the "True Romance" kit from Scraps of Darkness here with some dusty attic chippies from the kit and the SOD store.  The Japanese religion "Shinto" says that all features of the natural world acquire their own innate God or spirit and that once a tree has it's own God dwelling within it can house the spirits of the dead inside.  They are such a spiritual people and so resilient, I just found this belief so beautiful!

Here I have layered some Webster's Pages bling with an MS punch and topped it off with a few Prima flowers from the kit.

Dusty Attic Corner Flourish #3 from the Main kit here.  I first used some Black Soot ink then embossed with Lindy's Ruby Midnight Obsidion Embossing Powder.  The color in person is stunning with the pinks and blacks in the LO, but so hard to photograph!

I first inked the DA cherry blossom with white acrylic from tim Holtz, then brushed on some Shimmerz hottie pink, dotted the centers with some black soot acrylic and topped off with Sparklicious and hit it with the heat tool.  The emerging blooms are bark are simple ink colors from my colorbox pallet.

 A LO of Anna and Grandma from the "True Romance" kit from
Scraps of Darkness.  Lovely Carta Bella Papers, Kaisercraft
"Tea at Elsie's" rub-ons and loads of Prima flowers among many
other treasures are part of this months drool worthy kit.  I layered
a bit of toile, stamping, microbeads, Lindy's mists and
some distressing with Barn Door ink.

"Don't Forget Your Nunu."  This is inspired by Mandy
AKA Crafty Sprinkles and Her LO "Life Is Good Today"
This is my Anna and Nunu.  Some of my last bits of my
Summer Breeze "browns" went into this from Scraps Of Darkness.
I created this to frame for Annabelle in hopes that she will
never forget the amazing woman Nunu was and how much she
adored each and every person in her life.  We miss her everyday!

I have been moody lately and this came from that dark place
we all have sometimes.  I am fascinated with this picture, the sadness,
the darkness, the color, it's just fabulous.  Scraps Of Darkness
"White Rabbit" kit here with some gesso/stenciling/inking/dripping fun!

Once Upon a Time Layout

A close up of the chippie I used from by fabscraps from
the SOD store.  I used some blue zing embossing powder,
white ink, rudolphs nose red lindy's, and topped it off with
utee for some shine.

"Once Upon A Time" from the White Rabbit kit at Scraps of
Darkness for June.  The papers from 7dots by Finnabair are
my fave so far of anything I have worked with.  I added a queen's
crown for the evil queen, wretched naughty girl, I love her!  The second
pic of her I altered in elements with a filter and the flowers are petaloo.

Another close up, this time of Mandy's handmade pin and a couple
of fabscraps playing cards that I inked white for the base then
embossed with a brown ranger powder and blue zing.  I then finished
them off with a clear rock candy coating.

Lindy's Flat Fabio, my new wish list addition!

So, this is a new Lindy's coming August 15th.  I'm
so anxious for this one, the colors are awesome.
Not sure how I feel about no shimmer, but
definitely worth a try!  Of course, the title
"Wizard Of Oz" makes it even more irresistible!

This is my biological father with my biological grandfather
just before he went to Vietnam.  This is my interpretation
of Charlotte's (aka Suepup) sketch for the White Rabbit
kit from Scraps of Darkness.  I used a clock stencil with some
puffy paint on two of the clock faces and the third is black soot
from Tim Holtz.  The Dusty Attic chippies and also inked
with black soot ink.  I have titled this "Lost" because although
George came back from the war physically, he did not
return mentally.  He was heart broken, worn, torn, and
forever tormented until his last breath and for that I feel such
grief and sorrow for him.  God has a plan for everyone, but I
am still waiting to understand the plan for George and what
it was supposed to do for those of us who also loved and lost
where he was concerned.  I am so grateful everyday for
the man who became dad to me, so thankful to my mother
for giving me the gift of family in the form of an adoptive
dad who also came with grandparents I adored, and the
addition of a brother and sister whom I can't imagine life
without.  I feel honored to have so many that love me and
try everyday to not take advantage of the moments I am
given with each and every one of them.

More from Scraps of Darkness and the White Rabbit kit.
This is my DSD and my son Samuel, gettin his Jim Carrey
geek on, see the crossed eyes and hair, HAH!

My DSD Tera On her high school graduation day last year.
I used my Summer Breeze Kit from Scraps of Darkness.
Love the versatility of this kit, light and bright colors
and deep rich colors all within the same kit.

My 3 DSD's.  Love those smiles!  Summer Breeze Kit,
Scraps of Darkness, see the versatility?  WOW.  I used a
few butterfly beauties from Renea and added some flourishes
from Cheery Lynn and a sunflower from my stash.  TFL!

Jerry and I on our wedding day, 10-20-10.
This comes from this months Scraps of Darkness Kit,
White Rabbit.  The papers here are by Finnabair at 7 dots studio
entitled "Wonderland".  They are the most amazing papers
I have seen, the colors are intense and the texture is delicious.

The mini bottle in this is filled with fragments of a piece
of "gneiss" I brought home from the rock.

Becca and Caden for Prom 2012.  Caden dressed up for the
photo op, dapper lil dude huh?  I used more White Rabbit from
Scraps of Darkness.  These papers are from the gorgeous
Bo Bunny Weekend Market collection.  They are deep,
rich and so fun to create with.  TFL and have a magical
week and rest of the weekend.  Sob, back to work!

I found my first fairy ring last week.  Funny thing, Jerry and
I are driving and see a man on the side of the road taking pics
and then I realize what he shooting.  I whipped the car
around and pulled in, dh thought I was crazy.  Had to
share the legend of the fairy ring as I remember it with him
so he would not think I had lost it.  Of course, there is scientific
reasons behind the rings, but that's no fun.  I prefer the thought
of fairies dancing and sitting upon the mushrooms, and the
fact that you NEVER set foot into one as it is told in Ireland that
you will be transported to an alternate time and perhaps never return.
Fun to imagine something so magical huh?

The Orange Gatherers Detail in Frame

Waterhouse's "The Orange Gatherers"
I used the Summer Breeze Kit from Scraps Of Darkness
with Simple Stories Papers, Prima Mask from set 8, Prima
Mountain Valley Sunflowers, a Dusty Attic Cherry Blossom
Chippie which I inked and used a bit of Perfect Pearls in
Perfect Bronze.  The wood is from Kaisercraft, I touched a bit
of orange marmalade distress ink to edges but other that I just
left them stay natural.  Distressed the main paper, cut a
shape for the center from my cricut elegant edges cart and there it is!
Have a magical weekend and week and thanks for looking!

Doisneau's Ballerina. Such a beauty she is.  I found my
lighter side in this Summer Breeze kit from Scraps
of Darkness.  Don't blink or you'll miss it!
The doilies are actually, don't laugh, from our fave Mexican
restaurant, Jerry likes their shrimp cocktail and it comes in this
huge glass sitting on a plate with a doily under it, and I
always snag them for my art projects.  This LO is
based on Suepups sketch for the month, I embossed
the tags, punched the edges, die cut some flowers from Cheery Lynn
designs and found a couple of butterfly beauties in my stash.

The Crystal Ball

"The Crystal Ball" By John William Waterhouse.
My inspiration for this layout came from Mandy
AKA "Crafty Sprinkles" over at Scraps Of Darkness.
Her LO titled "Little Red" was so liftable I
couldn't help myself.  Her layering, colors, and textures
were exactly what this favorite Waterhouse piece of mine
was needing.  I used my Sakurabana kit from SOD,
a wonderful Dusty Attic chippie with some Lindy's
 embossing powder after inking the piece with
Black Soot from Tim Holtz.

Caden during his hospital stay in Denver 2011.  Created
With The Sakurabana Scraps of Darkness Kit.  So brave
this little guy is, we are so proud of him!

My Annabelle in a self portrait, and she smiles!
Created With the Needful Things Kit from Scraps
Of Darkness.  I was inspired by Karen AKA Lost Coast
Scrapper for this design, Thanks a million Karen, you Rock!

Caden's nurse practioner, Amanda, called today to ask if she could use him as a case study.  We are so delighted that Amanda has chosen Caden and hope that the journey he has been on will eventually help others who suffer.  We are also so proud of Norman Pediatrics for sticking with us, crying with us and finally seeing our little guy begin to heal.  We couldn't have done this without them, nor would we have found National Jewish in Denver without their help along the way.

We truly hope that all of those who are resistant to the "soak and seal" and "no layering" procedures we have been taught will at the very least, give it a try.  We went into therapy with Caden hesitant, cautiously optimistic (and pessimistic), scared, and at the end our ropes.  Jerry and I, along with our friends and family, watched Caden suffer everyday of his life and were so frustrated and broken hearted at every "miracle" treatment someone suggested that didn't work.  Who would have ever thought that plain water, no antihistamines, no layering and a diet change was all it would take?

Would you believe I shared Caden's story with a nurse practioner just last week and he is still in doubt that what we have learned actually works?  Does anyone out there know how maddening that is to me that I have witnessed such incredible strides with my child and some medical professionals actually have the gall to question it just because they are so programmed that they can't see past their own outdated mindset?

All in all, I am elated that Caden's story will be shared.  I am overjoyed that maybe, just maybe, we can break through these old barriers, teach those that want to learn, help those who suffer, and stay strong for those who need help the most....Like our precious son did.

This is my lovely stepdaughter Becca getting ready to leave
for Prom last week.  We decided to dress up Caden for
the photo.  They were just stunning and had so much fun together!

Another LO created from March's "Needful Things"
Kit from Scraps of Darkness.  The graphic 45 papers
are just amazing to say the least.  The main pic is a headstone
I wandered upon in a cemetery in Asheville, NC while
honeymooning.  To the right in the chippie strip I have
placed pictures of additional monuments I found.  The top two
are located at the Biltmore House and the bottom two are from
the same cemetery as the headless monument.  A little light distressing,
inking, foam to raise some of the embellies, and fussy cut butterflies
finish off this piece.  For the chippie I applied gesso first, then
some embossing powder.  I then hit it with the heat tool
and then spritzed some cranberry and oregano Timmy alcohol inks.
Have a magical rest of the week and TFL!

My Wish: Gothic Bed

I found this image and fell in love!!  Someday Perhaps?