Actually, I DO feel tardy. It’s been ages since I’ve posted. I do apologize. But you know, they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. In that case, you should be proposing any day now. LOL

I really don’t know what happened to me. It’s like I woke up one day in a slump, and haven’t been able to pull myself out of it. I’ve actually started medication for depression, but I’m not really seeing any improvement. Prayers about the situation would be greatly appreciated!

I am going to try to get some claying done. I want to make some more morels. I really love the way the others turned out. This time, I am going to make some that would be suitable for terrariums.

There are also some sewing projects swimming through my head. I’m going to recycle some clothes into different and new clothing for me and Sammy. I’ll try to get her involved in it, because I think she’ll be more likely to wear something she designed herself.

I will try to be around more often, but I’m not making any promises. Any de-slumping ideas would be wonderful. LOL See you again soon, I hope!

This post is part of a MckLinky Blog Hop.  Each week the theme is different.  This weeks theme is Fantabulous Foto Free For All!  So, without further adieu, here are my photos!

I have a friend on Facebook that was talking about ladybugs, and it made me think of this.  Ok, I know these aren’t ladybugs, but they’re sorta like bugs.  Ok, I KNOW they don’t even have legs, but they DO have the ick! factor.  Ok??  LOL

This is my youngest when she was little.  Brenda, she was starting to get over the ladybug incident.  LOL  But it shows how little it takes to have some fun!  And what’s more fun than snail races?? 

Today is the second installment of my new meme, Fairly Frightening Friday!  As you may have noticed, it doesn’t REALLY have to be frightening, just something that is sort of Halloween themed!

This cutie cat is by David Everett at Chickenlips.biz.  I love his creations, and I bet you will, too!

Now it’s your turn to make a post, then come back here and add your link to my MckLinky!

The Rules:
1. Post a photo of something you find frightening, spooky, creepy, or anything related to Halloween!
2. Keep it Family Friendly please!!
3. Then post your link to our Mcklinky of the week!

This will be a year round meme, so be sure to come back every week!  And, don’t forget to visit other visitor’s sites!

I’ve always thought memes and blog carnivals were fun, but I don’t always run across a lot that I want to participate in.  So, while looking over a list of some memes, I came up with an idea for a new one!  But, sticking with my Halloween theme, this one is going to be a little different.

This meme is for anyone who enjoys Halloween all year round!  Anyone who adores the creepy, ghoulish, and macabre!  And, luckily, the rules will be fairly simple!

So, here we go!  The very first post of FAIRLY FRIGHTENING FRIDAY!!!!  *insert spooking music here*

Here is my first Fairly Frightening Friday photo!

This is a photo of a little Halloween figure by holiday artist, Laurie Hardin!  Laurie makes the most amazing figures!  They are silly and fun, and have wonderful personality!

Augustus Lumina is available for sale.  Please go check out Laurie’s blog at http://lauriehardinsaccents.blogspot.com/!!!

The rules:

1. Post a photo of something you find frightening, spooky, creepy, or anything related to Halloween on your own site or blog!
2. Keep it Family Friendly please!!
3. Then post your link to our Mcklinky of the week!

This will be a year round meme, so be sure to come back every week!  And, don’t forget to visit other visitor’s sites!

If you’re like me, you love Halloween!  Hey now, don’t get your panties in a bunch… if you don’t love Halloween, we can still be friends!  LOL  Anyhoo, I love just about anything to do with Halloween, and some things that don’t.    I love the costumes, I love the decorations, I love scoring candy from my kids!

But one of my absolute favorite things about Halloween is the music related to it.  I listen to it all through the year!  It’s ok to listen to it online, but a lot of the time, they don’t play the kind of stuff I like.  I have rather eclectic tastes, you see.  LOL  So, I really like having my own collection of Halloween music at home.  The ones listed below are some of my favorites, and I thought you might like them, too!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Halloween Hits

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas

The Haunted Mansion: Haunted Hits

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I have been working all day on some Halloween items, and have had to stop several times to condition clay. I don’t know if it’s the white Premo, or if this block is old, but it is sooo hard. Even after I’ve worked it for quite a long time, it still seems to be somewhat brittle. So, I’m trying adding some Sculpey to it, because it’s much softer. It does seem to be helping. I don’t usually use Sculpey, because it’s too soft to hold the detail that I usually work in. A touch, though, in this really stiff clay, makes it just soft enough that it’s not cracking easily.

I’ve been getting in the “holiday spirit”, so to speak, by listening to Halloween radio (http://www.neverendingwonder.com/halloween.htm), while I work on some ghoulish ornaments for Halloween Trees, or just hanging around anywhere! I plan on painting them, so I’m just working with white clay. I’ll try to get some pictures of them posted soon! And when they’re done, I’ll post them on my Artfire shop! The link is to the right, but I’ll include it in the post when they’re ready.

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Silly me, forgot to post about my finished morel mushrooms.  LOL  Ah well, that’s par for the course for me.  I’d forget my head, if it weren’t attached.

So, yeah, I got them finished!!!  And, I even got them made into jewelry, can you believe it?  I posted them on my Artfire page, but I’ll show you the pics here, too!  Here is my Artfire link.

I have been gardening for years, but this is the first year I’ve done Square Foot Gardening and composting.  My compost pile is way out at the back of my yard, and gets stirred from time to time.  It can be a little hard for me to take care of, what with my back problems, so doing it on a smaller scale, especially for kitchen scraps, would be great!

That’s why, when I came across this post, I just had to share it with you!  It’s all about doing composting with worms, or vermicomposting, in a small plastic bin.  Composting with Worms (http://www.keeperofthehome.org/2009/08/composting-with-worms.html), sorry about this link, my browser is acting up, will be really helpful to you, if you were thinking of starting a small bin for your fruit and vegetable scraps!

I also wanted to tell you about a site I discovered tonight.  It is a really great recipe site/blog called Tammy’s Recipes.  http://www.tammysrecipes.com  I found it while looking up menu planning info, and I stuck around for the really simple, healthy recipes she has!  If you’re into that sort of thing, I think you will really like it!  One bonus, which I’ve never seen on a blog before, is the ability to create a user profile, and save recipes to your Recipe Box!  Plus, she has some fun memes going on certain days of the week.  Honestly, just go check her out!

Hi!  Thanks for stopping in today!

My last post showed how I tried to use rock salt to add texture to my morels.  That experiment failed.  The salt just didn’t make the right shapes.  I know, I’m too particular.  LOL

I thought and thought, and couldn’t come up with any other solution other than just (very carefully) sculpting the holes one by one.  Let me tell you, it got a little bit tedious.  But, I think they turned out pretty good!

In case you don’t know what a morel mushroom looks like, here is an example.

Those dark areas are holes and crevices.  I was trying to create a fairly realistic representation.  Below are the pictures of the the two pendant sized, and two earring set sized sculpts.  I’m curious to know what you think.  I haven’t added the matte varnish yet.  Creative criticism is welcome!  Do I need to keep working?  Do they need a tweak?  Or, are they ready for prime time?

This is what they looked like before I baked them.

This is Set 1 after they’ve been baked and stained.

This is Set 2 after they’ve been baked and stained.

They look huge in these pictures, but they are about 1 inch for the small ones, and 2 inches for the big ones.

So, tell me what you think! Are they ready to make into jewelry (after varnishing)?