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And don't forget, in my right-hand sidebar under "printable treats and ideas," you can always access the link with all of my tutorials and free printables I have shared with you throughout the years.
Dear Friends, I know Halloween has come and gone, and there were no posts here.
My blog service has been down for a week, which has been very stressful.
I am not able to upload photos as I normally do, so I am having to upload these giant versions in a round about way, until they iron out that glitch.
I figure, that is better than nothing.
I had so much fun and magic planned for you this season, I know Halloween is one of the most beloved posts at A Fanciful Twist.
And so, I have decided to go forward and post everything I had planned for you, even if it is a week late.
I know social media moved on to Christmas at the stroke of midnight on Halloween, but I also know some of you are true Halloween lovers, so these next posts are for you.
And now we have...
Golden insects treasures!
I'll show you my idea for these curious pumpkins and then the next post will be our 2022 Halloween post.
One day I was sitting on the sofa looking at my white pumpkins, thinking that they would look amazing covered in golden bugs.
I remembered I had a bag of plastic fake bugs, and of course, I always have gold paint on hand...
And so, I spray painted a bunch of bugs, bats, tiny mice and lizards in gold, and then I sprinkled iridescent glitter on them.
This really is the easiest craft ever, with the most fancifully magical outcome.
After I spray painted and glittered the bugs, I thought for a second about how I would attach them.
I almost instantly knew the answer, pearl head pins!
I just pushed the head pin through the top of the softer bugs, and anchored the pins around the bugs that were too hard to push through,.
I had soooo much fun with this craft, and the result was pretty magnificent.
At least, I thought so.
They almost look like valuable brooches.
In fact, you could glue a brooch back onto the bugs and cover a dress or jacket in them as well.
The uses for these bugs are really endless.
I loved the tiny golden mice so much, I saved a few to tuck in here and there.
This pumpkin fit in just perfectly with my daily decor.
I almost wish it could stay here forever, it's so wonderful.
I will keep it out until the pumpkin decides to perish...
The real bonus is that I can pull out the bugs, leave the pins in, and store them in a little box.
Then I can use them again next year.
I hope you try this yourself, it really is a satisfying craft.
Amazing what a little gold spray paint can do to almost anything.
Next, I will be on my way to see if I can upload our Halloween post as well.
I'm hoping I am able to publish this for you now.
It has been such a harrowing time dealing with the Typepad crash of 2022.
It turned quite chilly here yesterday, and the pecan trees have turned a rusty golden color.
Autumn has arrived in my neck of the woods for certain.
I hope you are well dear friends, and that you had a really lovely October.
I am writing to you from my country house studio today.
I have had such a busy few days, that I decided I needed to escape to the country.
Spend time listening to music and flinging some paint around.
Can you believe it is mid-September?
All the striped winged lovelies showed up like clock work, 7 days before Autumn.
I am painting pumpkins for the country house mantel, and just enjoying some time here.
Working on my pretend witch's spell book.
With old pages and dried bits and bobs.
I just take an old book, in this case an old atlas, and I glue pages on top of pages.
Old pictures, tea stained old letters, etc.
Things are definitely taking on a Halloween vibe, the season comes and goes in such a flash, doesn't it?
I ordered this Trick or Treat sign (below) online, and I had no idea there were witch hands holding it up.
I thought I should use some paint and glitter to give it a little more life and bring out the details.
I especially had fun with the boots.
I made a video of the project, which I posted in my Instagram reels.
I'll try to post it to YouTube so I can bring the video to my blog.
Here is the after...
I had so much fun adding some pizazz to this piece.
It's super sparkly in person now.
I just noticed that my walls look blue because it was raining when I took these.
Rainy days turn white paint into the softest blue tone.
I've been doing a ton of garden pruning, which led me into a couple days of a terrible allergy attack.
That is why I did not come here sooner.
You never know when one of those might hit.
Luckily I only get them once every couple of years.
I suppose it's an extra special thing that your system does not like, getting too far in.
I had allergy shots my entire childhood, which I am sure have made a huge difference in my life.
Here are a couple of photos of Teddy, happy in his garden.
He loves when I prune because he takes off with my branches and such.
He's grown so fast, I can't even keep up with it.
He went from baby to polar bear overnight.
I have never had a puppy that grew this fast (in size).
He actually just turned 10 months old.
He is a joy, a love, a very good cuddler and very rambunctious.
Matty went to the vet yesterday.
He needed updated vaccines, and an eye check because he will not go up stairs anymore.
He is in fact, having all the old man things in his 13th year.
Degenerative eye-sight that is inoperable, and things like that.
But, not to worry because I took him out for cheeseburgers after and he was delighted.
He gobbled them right up, and had treats in the evening after running all around the garden.
So, he's fine for now, dogs are so adaptable.
He came to me in October all those years ago, and will forever be my autumn love.
Time is the most curious thing, isn't it?
Speaking of time, it's time for me to go walk my boys.
The country house garden paths await us.
Then I shall get cozy in the loft of my tiny house cottage, and read books.
I am soooo looking forward to that.
I am making this post from my phone, tucked in my cozy nook below, so I hope it all looks okay.
Golden hour magic & autumn on the breeze♡
I could squeal with delight, and I just might.
I will be back very soon.
Lots of love from the fanciful countryside,
Vanessa
ps: I just realized that when I respond to the notifications of your comments in my email, they no longer get directly posted to my blog comment section, oh no! All my responses from my last few posts are lost in limbo somewhere.
I am tempted to simply sit down one afternoon and go back and respond again in the actual comments section.
I have loved your comments, thoughts and ideas.
I value all your words and tales, my kindred friends!
<3 <3 <3
pps:
Some beautiful music I was listening to whilst typing...
Hello, my name is Vanessa Valencia and I am an artist living in a lovely part of Arizona. I make all kinds of art, from painting to clay sculpting. I love tending my gardens and cuddling my dogs. This blog is about art, lifestyle, gardening, cooking, crafting & every single little magical thing in between ♥
