With August more than halfway behind me, and September looming, I have been spending long hours in the workshop preparing my collection of Halloween originals for this fall. I have one batch of characters almost complete, but many pieces still yearn for a set of wire arms, wings and the like along with a trim or two to be finished and ready for adoption. It's certainly a process that tends to take me longer with each year ~ I know, it should be the other way around!... So, I have another batch underway, and I spent most of my day sculpting candy containers and other characters that came to mind. As 9pm rolled in, I decided to scrape the crusty papier mache flakes off of my fingers and snap a few teaser images of what I have in store.... Many of these guys are still works in progress, so use your imagination :)
Enjoy!

(PS ~ just peeked at my post again, and ALL these pictures look like they are on fire! Hot orange saturation galore :) That's what I get for taking my shots at night and working on the graphics with tired eyes....)

* A black & white owl sports my new illustrated hat and awaits a vintage bow tie, perhaps....

* Peek-a-boo!... says the egg cup character peering through a pair of black cats...

* A funky cocoa powder tin holds a series of paintbrushes ready for action...

* Eek! Cover your eyes ~ these guys are still in the nude.....

* A surprised jack-o'-lantern lets out a little shriek! Perhaps she's a wee bit scared of the mouse sneaking up behind her....

*Another jack-o'-lantern is topped by a wee little bat, awaiting a set of whimsy wings... That's a whole process in itself ~ cutting the wire, forming, shaping & curling the tiny wings, a little glue here and a little glue there, drilling some holes more glue, and voila!....
It all takes patience, and I'm honestly not a very patient person!!

* A little box of handmade collars made from vintage crepe papers offers me options when the time comes to dress each character. The papier mache cup is decorated in handpainted autumn leaves and will serve as the base for another JOL character....

* In the works is this owl, obviously in need of eyes and more finishing touches... He sits atop a recycled container that once housed some yum yum yum gelato.... I feel a chocolate craving coming on!....

* Black kitties in the foreground look to be howling at the ghost figures in the back...

* Another peek at some of the Halloween characters that have been watching me work!

Did I get you in the mood for Halloween? Are you intrigued, and would you like to see more? Well, I will be revealing all of these fun characters at my 2 Halloween Events this year, and of course you will have the opportunity to adopt one or a few for yourself!

So, please MARK YOUR CALENDARS for:

The 5th Annual Ghoultide Gathering

and

The 6th Annual Halloween Trunk Show

And if you are unable to attend, I do hope to host a Web Sale in October if all goes as planned. So, Join My Mailing List for all the details....

Happy Haunting,
~ Johanna

Thanks to all who saved the date and came out to join us at Denver's 5th Annual Halloween Trunk Show! We were blessed with a beautiful day and many smiling Halloween fans. This year we had a handful of collectors fly in from out of state to adopt my one of a kind creations, so that was a treat to connect in person at the show! And of course, it was a pleasure to see so many of my local collectors who have been so very supportive of me over the years. :) For those unable to attend, here is a peek at this fun event, and I welcome you to join us next year! It took me extra long it seemed to set up my booth with all the new products I had this year. So, I only had a few minutes to spare right before the doors opened to snap a few pictures. And, I just realized that I never went out front to snap a shot of our garden vendor, and I wish I had! Obviously, I was a bit frazzled ~ typical!! Nevertheless, enjoy the images I was able to capture. And a big thank you to Leo of Leo's Automotive for offering his squeaky clean garage to us!

~ Johanna

* A peek at my front table with Halloween candy jars, party hats, candy bowls and festive plates...

* There's me looking a bit tired after all the set-up!

* An overall shot of my Halloween display...

* An owl bucket, candy corn ornaments and Shreik the Cat pose for a picture...

* My "charming" 2-sided necklaces hang from the wire frame of an old 60's lamp shade. These were a big hit!

* The before picture of my corner cupboard filled with my Halloween originals.
(only a trio left at the end of the day, so I better get BUSY for Ghoultide!)

* More of my Halloween reproductions on display including decorate wall plates, candy pails and candle box lights...

* There's JP waiting to help our first customers of the day....

* My owl candy bowl offered by Bethany Lowe Designs is one of my favorite reproductions!...

* There's Sam Robinson, event coordinator extraordinaire, along with her eye-candy Halloween goods....

* Sam's jams and a fun mix of vintage finds and handmade treasures...

* More Halloween novelties entice shoppers in Sam's booth...

* The girls from Pome in Denver, always looking festive for the season...

* All sorts of treats draw you in to Pome's display...

* Loving these vintage style Halloween masks from Pome...

* Some cozy, wearable goods from the creative and clever Kirsten Coplans of Pearl Clothing...

* Collectible papier mache delights, handmade by the talented Cindy Haberman...

* A collage of Halloween goodies greets customers at Jeanne Mistek's table of crafty delights...

* And as dessert is always saved as the best for last, Erica McNeish, our culinary queen, never disappoints! Check out all of her delectable yummies....

* Adorable mini cupcakes by Erica - yummmmmm....

* Individually wrapped iced cookies and yummy pumpkin cream cakes were hard to resist.... She always adds an extra sweetness to our holiday events!

I hope you enjoyed the photos! Again, many thanks to ALL that came out, and I invite you and yours to join us next year ~ it will be here before you know it!!!