Halloween Is Here

October really sneaked up on me this year. Every year I have great plans to get so much stuff done in time for Halloween and somehow I never get all of it done. But at least, I already have ideas for next year. But of course, Halloween always begins on the last Saturday in September for me. That is the day of the glorious Halloween art show known as Halloween and Vine.

I am just now beginning to recover. This year, Halloween and Vine was fabulous. We had some artists who have been coming for years and some new artists and all brought new and exciting things to show. I will be putting a few things up on my Etsy shop very soon. And this witch is a little preview.

Happy Haunting to All.

Halloween and Vine Sept. 28, 2013

I am so excited about the rapidly approaching date for Halloween and Vine. Of course, I don't have nearly enough things finished yet. But the weather is great and I am working like a demented beaver.

I am really excited about one of my new Cronie Characters. She is larger than the original ones and quite the show off. May I introduce to you my Grande Dame. She is 13" tall with another 7" of hair and hat. I will be sad to part with her. She makes me laugh and that is what it is all about.

Halloween Is Upon Us

A lot of us  know that Halloween officially begins on Sept. 28, 2013 at Halloween and Vine in Petaluma, CA. I am working frantically to get a lot of new stuff made for the show. Unfortunately for you guys, several pieces were just sold, so that means I have to make lots more.

This gal is a preview of the new Cronies. Sorry, but she is one of the ones that sold. However, she will have some new friends. As soon as I can get them finished and photographed.

I will also be showing lots of the new ornaments. I am really excited about these. And some of them have already sold. But here is a look at one that sold, so that you can get an idea of what the others might look like. I promise to have more photos very soon and photos of pieces that are available for purchase. You can order things directly from me if you won't be able to attend Halloween and Vine.

Halloween On My Mind

I am still here and working on new things for the year. The winter months are always slow for me due to health issues, but Spring is on the way. I just know it. I can feel it. I decided to try my hand at some ornaments this year. I only have photos of one, but a second is finished and I will post photos soon.

Every year I try to make one "showpiece" figure. Usually, I start it after I have completed a number of figures, but this year I got an idea and just went for it. She is a large Cronie style witch. She is very theatrical and way over the top. She is nearing completion as well as a few of the usual size Cronies. I promise to post photos as soon as I can. Wish me luck.

It is that Jolly Old Time again

Hi everyone. Buddy and I want to wish each of you a very special Holiday Season and we wish you Health, Wealth, and Happiness in the New Year.

Happy Holidays!

Ms. Santa is here...

Yes, at last, Santa has a companion for those long days between one Christmas and the next. I have just posted her on ETSY, so click on the link in the right hand column to see her in all of her glory.

I really had fun with Santa and she was even more fun. I apologize for getting her on the internet so late, but I have been battling some health issues. All is well for now. I will take break, but I will have new figures before too long. I hope these two figures bring a bit of sunshine and joy into your Holidays.

Santa is coming to town...

I am not sure how Thanksgiving came and went so fast, but it did. So now, we are into Christmas. This guy is my very first Santa. I am always so caught up in Halloween that I never seem to have time to make any Christmas goodies. This year, however, I got it into my head to make a Santa. I have so many fabulous fabrics and trims that don't get used in my Halloween projects, but are perfect for Santas.I got very excited about him while I was working on him and he puts a big smile on my face. I hope that he brings some Christmas cheer into your life as well. He is now up on ETSY for your shopping pleasure. Just click on my ETSY link on the right hand side of the page. Happy Holidays to everyone.

PS A Mrs. Santa will follow very soon.

The Big Day

Here it is at last...the big day that so many of us eagerly await each year...HALLOWEEN. Yeah! It is very wet and foggy in the Bay Area today, but that will make even spookier tonight. So, everyone, have a fabulous evening. And only 364 more days to go before we can Trick or Treat again.

More Cronies

I have posted more Cronies on ETSY. As you can see here, I have just been having a devil of a good time.  Please take a peek and see what I have been up to this Halloween season. Thanks, Chas

Only 28 Days to Go

This is the time of year when the days really fly by for me. Halloween is coming. Halloween is coming. Yeah! I am putting new figures on ETSY daily. If you would like a good giggle, check them out, just click on the link to the right. Enjoy.

This is Wilma and she will be up on ETSY later today.

Happy Halloween

The Halloween holidays are officially here, as far as I am concerned. Last Saturday was the start of the season with  the fabulous Halloween and Vine show. What a show this year! I can't tell you how great the show was...we had about 750 through the doors and everyone was buying and having a wonderfully fun time doing it. We had a new group putting on the show this year and they did a fantastic job. Congratulations on a job very well done to Lesley Papola, Stephanie Sherratt, and Dennis Haynes. Everything went so smoothly. I couldn't believe this was their first time producing this show. And all of the artists sold really well, which made all of us very happy. I can't wait until next year.

However, things started off with such a bang Saturday morning, before show time, that I only had a chance to grab a few not very good photos of my own table. All of the artists had very high quality and highly imaginative art works this year and I would love to have shared it with you, but time got away from me really quickly. So here are a few photos of my table...what appears to be a strange shade of blue velvet is actually a very pretty purple. My camera got the best of me on that.

You will notice that I showed all three of my styles of work:  the traditional "doll" figure, the very stylized figure, and the new Cronie style witches.

Some of the new Cronies will be going up on my ETSY shop very soon. One is available now, with others to follow in the next day or so.

So Happy Halloween Everybody.

Halloween Is Upon Us

I had a great surprise today. My friend Amy at Crafting By Candlelight posted a wonderful photo of my new Cronie, Winnie, and a link to my blog. Thanks Amy. I am looking forward to seeing you Sat. She has a great blog that you should check out. Just click on the link at the name above.

Here are some more of these girls for a sneak peek. I hope these photos whet your appetite for more. If so, I really  hope to see you on Sat. I really love putting faces to emails and blogs. This is such a fun show. Not to be missed.

Halloween Girls

It is getting sooooooooo close to the Halloween and Vine show, which promises to be very exciting this year. Mark Sept. 29 on your calendar and head over to Petaluma, CA.

I am frantic putting all of the finishing touches on everything for my display. I am still making more of the Cronie witches. I just can't help myself. So enjoy a preview of a few more. These gals range in the 9" height from floor to top of head, but then add the height of the hat and they measure about 15" or so. Some are just slightly taller than others.

This is a complete view of Winnie. Her head shot was in my last posting.

Here is Willa. I fear that she has been reading too many fashion magazines. (A little secret about her, is that she is named after a well known Broadway costume designer.)

And here we have Willie Mae and Willie Rae. Did your mother ever dress the two of you alike? My mother would dress herself, my dad, and myself  in coordinating outfits. My dad and I would have shirts made out of the same fabric as her dress. As you can see I had a very troubled childhood.

Stay tuned for more photos of more Cronies coming to a computer screen near you very soon. 

More New Witches

Halloween is getting soooooooo close. Halloween for me is really Sept. 29 for the fabulous Halloween and Vine show in Petaluma. But here is a preview of one of the new Cronies. I will have more photos of more witches this week. Enjoy.

New Girls In Town

This is Wilma. She is the second of this new group of witches. I am busy creating a whole bunch of these girls. I have to start now in order to get ready for the fabulous Halloween and Vine show in September. 

Stay tuned for more girls.

Halloween Time

I know that Halloween may seem a long way off for some of you, but not me. I work all year long on creating fun characters for the fabulous Halloween and Vine Show at the end of September. But for those of you who just like Halloween stuff any day, I post some new things here and show them in my Etsy Store.

This is Winnifred. She is something of a Fashionista in her world of witches. This is her latest addition to her wardrobe:  a stunning cape decorated with designs of shoes and hats. What could be more wonderful. Winnie is 9" tall from the floor to the top of her head and 15" tall from the floor to the tip of her hat.  She is made from polymer clay, wood, papier mache, and wire. She is painted with acrylic paint. And she does indeed stand on her own. If you might be interested in having her come to your home, she sells for $175 plus SH.

This little gal is one of the new series of witches that I am making for this year. There is a preview of one of her sisters in a previous post and photos of more will be added soon. I hope you enjoy having a gander at this old gal. 

Wow, I don't post very often do I? Oh, well, LIFE has a way of taking over sometimes and you just gotta go with the flow.

Happy Holidays

Snowflake Ballerina

Wishing everyone a very Happy Holidays and the best of all possible New Years. I got so excited about Christmas this year that I have started making a St. Nicholas, which I have never done before. Of course, he won't debut until Christmas next year, but I think he will be fun. I rarely do Christmas figures, but I am planning on having several in my Etsy store next year. Needless to say, I have got witches lining up on my work table already. I can never start too early getting ready for Halloween and Vine in September. And aren't you lucky, because I can give you a preview of one of those gals.

Happy Holidays from Charles and Buddy.

PS Yes the look of my blogsite has changed and not because I desired it to change. I have an ancient computer that will not support the new templates or even my old one. One of my New Year's resolutions is to get this sorted out and back to what I hope will be a better looking blog.

Happy Halloween

These two fabulous pumpkins were created by a neighbor.  (I am on break for a bit.)

Halloween in Petaluma

WOW! What an incredible show this year at Halloween and Vine. All of the artists really outdid themselves with wonderful new stuff. We arrived on Saturday morning to find about 100 people in line waiting for the doors to open and we had steady crowds until closing time. People were really snatching up things. No matter what the economy, you just can't keep those Halloween collectors from buying. Ginny and Christie and their staff did an incredible job this year of organizing, caring for the artists, decorating, etc. My witches hat is off to them. Hurray!

We had a great time visiting with all of the artists and catching up on goings on since we met last year. I was delighted to meet people in person that I know from the internet and to really get to know some of the folks that have been following my activities.

My friend Frank took some great photos of the event. So if you have never been to Halloween and Vine (shame on you), you can get a feel of the show and see some of the artists and their work. Check out his album at http://gallery.me.com/frnkmor#100113

The bright orange witch above is Maisie Malevento (her last name translates from the Italian to "bad wind"). She seemed to grab a lot of attention in all of her bright silliness. She sold right quick. I think I will be leaning more toward her style of figure this year. She was so much fun to make.

I promise more fun things soon here on the blog, but be sure and check out my ETSY store for lots of goodies. (It may take me a couple of days to get everything up, but I promise...soon.)

Halloween and Vine

Five days until the Big Day in Petaluma. Mark your calendars. This is going to be the best Halloween and Vine show yet. I have had the privilege of showing at this prestigious event for several years...this is number five for me. They just keep getting better.  I am so excited and I hope you are too.

I promise some new photos really soon. Be sure and check out all of the other wonderful artists at the website link on the right.