I think it's a perfect time to get our potions and spells in corder (labels in my shop), of the imaginary variety of course. I have been up to all sorts of my own onjuring...
A witch's job can be so complex, if I do say so myself ;)
Testing endless sticker/label papers, designing labels, getting everything just right. After lots of purchasing and trying out, I found a label paper this summer that is a bit thicker and richer. Yumm.
So now, it's magic time!
These are the current addition to the apothecary + potion label love in my shop...
You can see a fun tutorial I shared for spell labels and potion jars right here, which can be applied to these labels as well. Here is a photo of the labels used in that post (available in my shop also)...
I followed the same steps in decorating and filling the jars below, but added a twist. I'll give you some tips....
These labels are a bit larger, so you can use even bigger apothecary jars, or household jars, decked out for your very own imaginary shop.
I decided to try some additional decorating techniques using the labels. Below I took a glass box, and filled it with some of my smaller old bottles, dried flowers, beads and sparkles. I put in a few fun treats too such as, faux poisonous agaricus mushrooms, and then placed the label on the glass box.
I really love this. It is super fun to think that, all the contents of the box might be poison ;)
Every spring/summer I save as many flowers as I can, and I dry them. This large container below houses the sweetest smelling roses, which I actually saved last year. I used the tutorial for the lid I shared here, and then sprinkled some magenta glitter into the jar for effect. I hung an antique necklace around the jar, and voila Gypsy Magic.
I thought goblin's hair would be a wonderful addition to the mix. My granny would tell me witch's fairytales as a child, and there was always some form of hair used for spells. So, goblin's hair had to join in.
I used straw rope fibers and orange/pink/green furry yarn. I sprinkled in some glitter, but it looks more like goblin dandrfuff, eeee, awesome! Haha.
The sky is the limit on this one. Inventing your contents is more than half of the fun. Scrounging around outside for all sorts of goodies to fill your jars with is something that could entertain me all day...
The Star Dust label (below) us one of my super faves. I used this bottle for the star dust label, and washed the inside with a little soap and water. Then, I put it upside down to drip dry for a few minutes. While the jar was still damp inside, I stuffed in some batting/pillow stuffing fibers that I tore apart to create a cloud effect.
After the jar was stuffed with the white fiber, I funneled in a bunch of glitter, both larger gold glitter and iridescent fairy dust powder. Then I shook and shook the bottle. The fact that the bottle was a bit damp inside caused the glitter to adhere itself to the glass, which is super lovely, don't you think?
I then made a few stars and tied one around the bottle top, and hot glued another to the side of the jar. I had a huge cork top, and used that as a stopper.
Mermaid Song was my next label choice. I thought it would be a perfect jar to fill with any sea findings you might have. I mixed some dried flowers in with shells and starfish and beach glass. You could also pop in some pieces of sheet music for effect, and a little sand...
The "Fairy Tears" jar on the far left (below) is just a regular old jar. I used the coffee filter trick for the lid, and adorned it with dried flowers and a butterfly.
Then I filled the jar with water, and a half a drop of red food coloring which created the most perfect neon pink tint. I then sprinkled in some iridescent fairy dust powder, and some bright pink larger glitter. When you shake it, the glitters spin around, and really do look like fairy tears, sniffle :)
Now, the exciting part was combining my new label jars with the labels I already carry..
It really created a shelf filled with an enchanting and authentic feeling...
I am crazy about this shelf. I think that the new labels are a great addition to the existing labels. One never knows how the end result will turn out, so I am happy.
The labels are now in my shop, and I can't wait to see if you pick some up, and what you do with yours. I am tempted to create a second shelf of jars, and incorporate more old pictures, amulets, pumpkins, oh, all sorts of goodies.
The complete shelf, using both sets of labels...
I am sooo inspired! I want to go outside hunting for more seed pods and curious treats to add to my jars, although, you can find lots of things in your pantry or trinket drawer I am sure. A fun indoor project to do anytime, but especially when it is hot or raining, with autumn inspiration beckoning.
So, that's a little bit of what I have been up to.
As for the winner of the magicbox..........
The name pulled out of the hat is, Celia!! Hoooray! She happens to be having a Gypsy Party you can learn about on her bloglette, right here. Congrats! E-mail me your addy Miss Celia ;)
So, there you have it, spells and potions and lots more fun to come. I am so glad you liked the magic box sooo much! I am inspired to make more treats to gift.
I must be off for now!
Love, V
ps: Photos by popular demand. My kids.
1) Matisse ~ aka, Matty Cakes. Lover on his own terms (will hug only me on command), hates everyone (scary barker) but mom, dad, brother, and maybe granny and gramps, depending on how he feels that day. Runs so fast it is scary. Looooooves burgers, jumps in car and waits if door is open, in hopes of burgers. Attacks Mom (me) with love. I feel so special ;)
His main joy in life, protecting his home, and making sure he chases all living beings and cars away.
His cake self = cinnamon, spice, brown sugar and molasses. Meow!
2) Miles ~ aka Mimer Cakey Cakey (my-mer)
Lover of all and more. Loves you, and you and you and you, around the earth and back, and then all over again. Lives to snore, howls like a banshee, oh and most importantly, looooves to eat eat eat. Oh yaaa!
Loves hugs, kisses and massive wrestling with Matty. Loyal to the core, and kookie as a boar. Growl Growl. (are boars kookie?)
His cake self = buttermilk, sugar, hot butter, powdered sugar, licorice eyes and nose ;)
Buttermilk Biscuit love!
Nothing like rolling in the mud after a bath, brush, dry, and tired mammiecakes.
He thinks it's funny ;) I'm sure.
Vanessa...
I adore your labels! I was just at Michael's with my daughter and she wanted to buy some of their spooky Halloween labels and I told her to wait and get them from your shop. Your labels are so much nicer and yours are made with love. So...as soon as I get a few extra galleons and knuts in my paypal, I will grab a few labels for my daughter from your shop!!
Ohhhh...and look at those fur babies. They are spectacular and beautiful. I miss my Homerella so much. She's been gone since April. Her fur was just the same color as Miles'.
xoxo
Kim
Gerushia's New World
Posted by: Kim | August 31, 2011 at 12:35 PM
I am so inspired!!! My 5 year old will absolutely love doing this with me- this is right up her ally! (She's going to ask Santa this year to use his magic to turn her into a fairy! What am I gonna do?) thanks again! Love the fur babies!
Posted by: Chelsy | August 31, 2011 at 12:43 PM
Oh Miss Vanessa, Your labels are wondrus. I love them all. Halloween is my favorite. I have a Halloween daughter.
Matty Cakes and Miles are certinaly lucly to have you, Miss Vanessa and Mr. Lovee for parents...
Thank you for sharing your labels.
Posted by: Miss Linda | August 31, 2011 at 12:48 PM
Hi Miss Valencia!! Good day! :) The labels you created are so beautiful and creative. How lovely the contents. I can't choose my favorite one, because they are all so wonderful! How magical!! Matty and Miles are so adorable, I could tickle their little bellies all day! And Miles has such a sweet nose! I adore them!
Posted by: Kim | August 31, 2011 at 12:56 PM
Oh my goodness....oh my goodness....oh my halloween goodness....that display of jars...Your spirit just comes alive in everything you touch....I am spellbound....
Posted by: Leslie | August 31, 2011 at 01:27 PM
Your labels are so cool! Like you, I LOOOOVE witchy stuff all year-round (and apothecary jars and very curious ingredients and magic and fur babies!). I'm so glad I'm can come to your site and get my "fix" every few days. :)
Posted by: Laurie Griffin | August 31, 2011 at 02:32 PM
Oh my Beloved Muse, I sure could use your magic right about now. I think that I shall promise myself right this very minute that I will have coffee with you every morning, first thing, like the old days, when you breathed new life into me. The baby is wonderful, the soldier is good, but the hubby... I'll have to catch you up in an e-mail. I have not abandoned you nor have I gotten over you! Me thinks you are exactly what I need. **blows kisses** Deb
Posted by: Deborah Bauernfeind | August 31, 2011 at 03:02 PM
Wow!!! I was reading your post...and saw the labels and when I read Gypsy Magic....I was sold and was going to go straight over to your shop to buy a set....and then I kept reading and saw MY name as the winner of your giveaway!!! I couldn't believe it! I squealed! I'm SO excited!! Thanks Vanessa!!
Posted by: Celia | August 31, 2011 at 05:24 PM
Oh! I am so happy Celia won the magical box!
I love the theme of her blog. It was funny, cuz I was just visiting her blog yesterday!
There is just something so special about giveaways...I must think of more goodies for giveaways myself for my own blog. Everybody loves a giveaway!
Your new labels are spectaculus!
And it is nice to see your furry boys doing well.
hugs, and fairy dust, and butterfly kisses
Miss Teresa
Posted by: Teresa in California | August 31, 2011 at 07:50 PM
Love your labels and jars...will be placing an order soon. Thanks so much for the beautiful pics and inspiration! xo
Posted by: Kim | September 01, 2011 at 05:32 AM
Vanessa, I love all your magical creations! Your babies are so fun. Thanks for sharing them with us. Enjoy your day! Twyla
Posted by: Two Crazy Crafters | September 01, 2011 at 05:39 AM
Oooh, that gorgeous antique necklace around your gypsy magic jar! What a lovely display of jarred and bottled goodies you have here! I am thrilled beyond thrilled that it is now September because fall is my favorite season. I would say that I feel it in the air, but with temps here in N. Texas still boiling over the 100 degree mark, well, I mostly just feel September in my head. Hopefully, I will feel it in the outside air one of these days! Congrats to Celia for winning that box!
Posted by: Linda P. | September 01, 2011 at 06:03 AM
Wow! You're new labels are fabulous! You have given me some great ideas and inspired me to create my own witch's apothecary! I will have to look into getting some of those labels at your shop...
Ta ta for now!
Hugs and hexes, (Why am I getting into the Halloween spirit in September? Perhaps becasue my mom granted me permission to host my own Halloween Party? Nevertheless, lately I have been full on Halloween mode.)
Jessica
A Woodland Fantasy
P.S. Love your little fluffy babies! Awwwww they are so cute!
Posted by: Jessica | September 01, 2011 at 06:40 AM
Squee!!! I lovelovelove your new labels! I'll have to get myself some & make myself a set of magic filled jars... =D
Love & snuggles to your puppies of uber fuzzyness! ^-^
XOXO
Posted by: Annalee | September 01, 2011 at 10:00 AM
Love your labels and whole apothecary. Did you like the Harry Potter movies? I enjoyed the first one the most as it gave us such a wonderful glimpse of Diagon Alley - I'd love to stroll down that alley and look in all the shops. The Ollivander shop packed with dusty boxes of wands really thrilled me. (So much I bought a wand through a catalog because it came with such a cool box just like the movie - I'm such a dork!) I so wish they had shown the potions store!! Imagine how wonderful that would have been!! (And I apologize for the long rambling comment I just left on one of your garden posts just now. The picture of your figs made my mouth water and lose my mind. LOL)
Posted by: Nicki | September 01, 2011 at 12:20 PM
There is magic and visions of loveliness abound at Miss Vanessa’s! So glad cuz there has been nothing but mayhem abound my way. Ugh! Just want to reach out and hug Matty and Miles. I fancy your potions display so mystical and such eye candy galore!
Posted by: Kelly | September 01, 2011 at 08:14 PM
Your boys are so handsome! Their cakey selves are utterly delicious, too ;P
I've always wanted to add apothecary jars to my arsenal of Halloween decor....This year, I actually started saving jars and bottles early...
I'm feeling the twitch now! Thanks so much for further inspiration!!
Posted by: Cameron | September 01, 2011 at 11:15 PM
After gathering bottles and jars I'm finding our bottles are quite small and our space is quite limited. If you ever make small/tiny labels please let me know! I adore these, thank you!
Posted by: Chelsy | September 02, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Happy birthday scritches to you, Mister Matty. I love these jars, V. I've been saving tiny jars for YEARS now. I have a whole collection I'm going to label for the Halloween room. I collect all sorts of weirdness and gross stuff for my jars. Yours are beautiful and playfully scary, while mine are all-out grody, with dead stuff. Mine would STINK if you opened them. Yours would smell like roses. Heck---you could probably make tea out of them.
Posted by: Laura Irrgang | September 02, 2011 at 11:44 AM
The labels and what you've done to them are just marvelous Ms. Vanessa! And those pups of yours, oh my...I just want to squeeze 'em (well maybe just Miles, since Mattey might eat me, tee hee ;)
Jamie :)
Posted by: A Forest Frolic | September 02, 2011 at 11:59 AM
Oh, Vanessa!!!! I just LOVE your new labels!!!! I shall have to invest in them to add to my previous collection. There is also a Goodwill shop nearby which often has THE best apothecary bottles at wonderful prices!!! :) Magic is in the air, is it not? :)
I adore the portraits of your two boys. They truly are beautiful...what a proud furry baby mama you must be! xoxo
Posted by: Theresa | September 02, 2011 at 06:44 PM
I have never read such a wonderful article and I am coming back tomorrow to continue reading.
Posted by: Canada Goose Outlet | September 13, 2011 at 05:37 PM