Swinging on a Star Creations by Shari Valicenti: Halloween

Significance of the Name

My Blog’s name is a tribute to my Dad & my Husband. My Dad because he used to sing the song to me, "How 'd You Like to Swing on a Star?" It's about reaching for your dreams, you can stay where you are & be safe OR YOU CAN SWING ON STAR. Stars also refer to a difficult night just after my husband died. I was talking to him (I often do.) & said how I missed his "I Love You's". That night he gave me a dream... a gorgeous, bright blue night sky filled with thousands of stars, in the middle the stars formed an "I LOVE YOU"....such a gift on so many levels.

So "follow your own path, & don't worry about the darkness, for that is when the stars shine brightest”

Thursday, September 29, 2011

A Flea Market Vintage Photo Inspires Halloween Collage Painting

Witches are so much a part of Halloween and I think they are so fun. I found this "styl'n" lady at a flea market a few years ago. When I saw her I knew immediately what I was going to do with her and her daring feathery hat.......

make her into a witch with a feathered hat.

Whoever she was, I hope she or none of her relatives ever recognize this photo...wouldn't want to hurt her feelings. I'm sure she was a very nice lady!

I painted a background, adapted her hat and cape and then glued to an 8"x10" canvas.

I did some of the pumpkins on separate paper and collaged them on so the witch was "popping" out the patch and added more pumpkins and vine to the canvas. Of course I had a glitter attack and added it to the hat brine, pin and star.

I continued the painting onto the canvas's side and rimmed it with a ribbon

so no frame is needed.

I finally added a vintage piece of jewelry to her hat.

There she is on my mantle, she will also be on for sale on my Etsy site.

This is definitely NOT a scary witch, but definitely magical. You know how I love magical things. I don't know about you, but I prefer to distance myself from entertainment that is really scary...too many scary things out there these days.

Sometimes a little playful magic is a better approach.

Please Enjoy These Links:

Itsy BItsy Paper Blog

Thrifty Decor Chick

The Shabby Creek Cottage

Friday, September 23, 2011

Be Magical......

I Love all things Magical and Make Believe...Halloween is the Perfect Opportunity for us All to be Creative and Magical.

Last week it became cool enough to wear long sleeves after such a hot summer!
Then I knew...fall was on the way!

I love Spring sooo much because it is a time of renewal. Even though it also brings the anniversary of losing my husband, I can take heart in all the green coming back to us.
Then I love the summer with long summer nights on the deck and cook-outs with friends, but then the coolness returns to the air again and I long for hearty meals, fires in the fireplace and crispy leaves. (OK raking is NOT fun, but you can't have EVERYTHING, right?).

I thought I'd share the witches hat I made a couple years ago.
I was invited to a really fun Halloween party....all women and our costume was to merely to wear a witches hat. What fun!
What a great platform for creativity and embellishment and oh yes BEING MAGICAL!!!!
Found the hat at a Halloween store, black flowers and crow at Michaels, black netting at JoAnns and I was off.

Okay I'll admit, I have an embellishment flaw....I love glitter. I try hard to keep it in hand, but sometimes it just rears it's head..... I glittered all the flowers and leaves!

Turns out I think it looks fun.

I remembered I had the butterfly from another trip to Michaels and

since I wanted a Earthy Witch approach I added it. Butterflies have a special significance to my daughter Dani and I.

Ok as we get to know each other I will reveal things about myself..... one is I love old 1940's movies. As a result I love those hats especially with veils, love them! So mysterious and sexy! Sooo I added a veil, but to the back and although I prefer the front it worked better this way. I used netting and glued black leaves to it and oh yeah I glittered those too!