Graphics Fairy

I know you have probably already made yourself acquainted with the fabulous and generous Graphics Fairy but I just wanted to post her link here just in case there might be those out there who don't know Karen.

She has the most wonderful FREE, yep that's what I said, FREE as in you can use them for whatever your little heart desires, except of course to sell the graphic. But I know none of you would do that. This ballerina is the latest in a huge line of quality graphics offered on her blog. She also has backgrounds and a shop and I encourage you to take some time, because you will enjoy every moment, and just start searching to your hearts content.

Enjoy: The Graphics Fairy

A new post from Donna

Use this link to get some more visuals of Donna's creations.

More about Donna of So Dark So Cute

Everytime Donna posts about a new creation of hers I am struck with the thought that she is self taught. So many artists throw around their "credentials" and that is wonderful for them. Education is a fabulous thing. But I truly have my hats off to the self taught, nose to the grindstone, keep doing it til I get it right artist. The ones that create from their souls. I believe Donna is just such an artist.

Here are some additional photos of her talented work.

Please visit Donna on etsy in her shop So Dark So Cuties   sodarksocuties.etsy.com

November Artist of the Month

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Donna of SoDarkSoCute. Donna works in clay and cloth. Her inspiration comes from the Victorian Era, a Gothic Lolita vibe, along with Darth Gothic influences. Vampires and a sense of silence and loneliness also pop into some of her creations.

The phenomenal thing is.........while Donna had drawn and painted previously, she had not sculpted. She picked up some clay in February 2009 and has been making her own style of art dolls ever since. She says that she wanted to be creative in a new way and asked the powers that be to guide her. I'd say she listened to the answer to her plea. I think her work is amazing.

Donna is from The Netherlands (froggyland as she calls it). She is a kind, sensitive, loving and has a huge heart......all of this shows in her creations.

I hope you will go to SoDarkSoCute and check out her latest art dolls and tell her what you think.

Maggie has listed on Ebay

Ms. Maggie of Off My Rocker and the featured artist of October here at Practically Magickal has listed some of her beautiful art pieces on Ebay. Don't wait too long to go and see as the auctions ending soon.

Great opportunity to own some of Maggie's wonderful pieces.

Guess who is in the Nov. 1 edition of Art Doll magazine????

Of course you guessed......its' the featured October Artist, Ms. Maggie of Off My Rocker. Thought I'd let you know so you could congratulate her on her achievement. Whoo hoot Maggie. Congrats.

October Artist new project...........

Maggie from Off My Rocker my featured Artist of October has done it again. She has created a wonderful sewing pattern and will offer them for sale on her blog....I can hardly wait. So go see what she has posted today about her latest super idea.

And the winners of the giveaway for Practical Magic are:

The winner of the Midnight Margarita glasses is Lynda B of The Auld Grey Mare.

One box of chocolate frogs to go Judy of Judy's Photos.

And the other box of frogs to Illustrated Ink (Leila) of Tatoo Tales.

I will send each of you a notification and if you will send me your physical address, well then I'll have your items to you asap.

Thanks to all of you who entered the giveaway, who came and left such nice comments and to those that have become followers. I am going to be listing an artist of the month each month and hope you will check out the artistry of the folks I feature.

Have a super 1st weekend of October. Linda

Maggie of Off My Rocker

October's Artist of the Month.

I would like to introduce you to Maggie. I met Maggie online because of her two sisters Maddyrose of Santa and the Mrs. and Marlene of Marlene's Musings. All three of these woman are so talented in so many different disciplines. For Ms. Maggie sewing, drawing, painting and sculpting are just a few.

Maggie has started a 13 witch collection, the first is Hester and the Second is Edna with Belladonna yet to make her appearance. I thought it would be perfect to show you, not only her first witches but also the other fantastic holiday and fantasy art dolls and sculptures that she has created.

I do hope you will go to her blog, Off My Rocker and check out all of her fabulous art. I know you will love what she does. I am in awe of her talent.

Welcome to Practical Magic a blog party

Of all the movies about witches and living life as one, I am, as are so many of us, just taken away when I watch Practical Magic. Not that it holds more truth or more feeling or more witchiness but there is a quality to the movie, that mesmerizes me.

The movie is so different from the book and the screenplay. And I must say this is the exception to the rule, I do like the movie much more. Frannie, Jet, Sally and Gilly are woman to be reckoned with, a force of nature. The Aunts are who I aspire to be like.

I could go on and on about my love of the movie as a whole but I will instead, call to your attention my favorite portions of the movie.

The first is Sally's "unlove" spell, Amas Veritas. The scene as Sally picks the white rose petals, paperwhites and sets the spell in motion while Stevie Nick's Crystal plays in the background. The music and the mood are haunting and you just know it is prophetic and wonderful as the magic spreads across the vast expanse to the boy who will fulfill her life and complete her spell.

Amas Veritas

He will hear my call a mile away.

He will whistle my favorite song.

He can ride a pony backwards.

He can flip pancakes in the air.

His favorite shape will be a star.

And he'll have one green eye and one blue. 

The second is the "toady infestation" from where the zombie Jimmy will come out of the ground to inhabit Gilly and take her back to be his own. Quite an icky mess of ugliness and yet......kinda funny. Bags of toads being dumped out from under poor Gilly/Jimmy.

Third has to be the Midnight Margarita scene with the accompanying "Lime in the Coconut" song. This is where the foursome carry on a most interesting conversation about each other while under the influence of Diablo Tequila as provided by someone at the door. My favorite quote from that scene is: "since when has being a slut been a crime in this family?"

Midnight Margaritas Incantation
Filet of fenny snake in cauldron, boil and bake.

Eye of newt, toe of frog, wing of bat, tongue of dog.
Adder’s fork and blind worm’s sting…
Barbados lime is just the thing.
Cragged salt, like a sailors stubble…
Flip the switch, and let the cauldron bubble.

And lastly the closing of the movie when Sally gives this thought as the family of witches jumps off of the roof on Halloween night while holding their umbrellas.

Can love really travel back in time and heal a broken heart?

Was it our joined hands that finally lifted Maria's curse?

I'd like to think so.

But there are some things I know for certain:

Always throw spilt salt over your left shoulder,

keep rosemary by your garden gate,

plant lavender for luck,

and fall in love whenever you can.



Thank you so much for dropping by to visit and read my post for Practical Magic at Practically Magickal. I do so appreciate it.

For Giveaway gifts I have chocolate toads (2 boxes of 4) and a set of two cactus margarita glasses to offer as pressies for this blog party. All you need to do to win one of the three gifts is become a follower of this blog and leave a comment. I will draw the winners names on October 1.

Thank you to our host Anne of Frosted Petunias for her efforts in making this party happen for the second year. Thanks, we appreciate you very much.

Self promotion.........

I realize this is self promotion at it's worst/best but I love this mask and hope that someone I know will purchase it from my Etsy shop OmaLinda's Boondoggle Emporium.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/80010799/dia-de-los-muertos-paper-mache-vintage

This Dia de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead mask is amazing. The articulation makes it something quite unique and is a true work of Mexican craftmanship.

I've been waiting for this, since last year's event.....

Dear bloggy buddies....this is the event I have been waiting for so that I can play and pretend that I too am one of the Owens sister and offer all of you a midnight margarita and dance to "Put a lime in the coconut".

If you love, love, love the movie Practical Magic and would love to play.....on September 24, join Frosted Petunias Blog Party and make some MAGIC.

My new Etsy shop opens tomorrow.....August 1

I am so excited to announce my second Etsy shop. OmaLinda's Boondoggle Emporium. OmaLindasBoondoggleE.etsy.com/  This shop will be for destash, vintage, stuff & junque and props.

OmaLinda's Practically Magickal will be for my art and for jewelry. Omalinda.etsy.com

Both shops will have 20% off every purchase the entire month of August. So check the header on each shop for the coupon code to be entered at checkout.

This is the last week of July............

And just look at what our featured artist Ms. Maddy of Santa and the Mrs. has created.

I think she has been influenced by a certain witch of sprinkly fame and also Mother Goose. You just must see her new Magickal offerings.

Ms. Maddyrose has a new groove..............

The wonderful Maddy of Santa and the Mrs who happens to be the featured artist of July has left Winter Wonderland momentarily and is doing some really cool Magickal entities.

You need to see what this crone and the wizard she has created look like. Just drop in on her blog and there ya go.

I have a special friend........she is the artist of July

How about some Christmas in July????????????? Since I just love Santa Claus in all his incarnations this seems to be the perfect fit.

Maddyrose is the Mrs. in the Santa and the Mrs. She and her sisters live in the Pacific NW. Maddy is in fact sister to Maggie and Marlene. All three of these ladies have a strong connection to each other and to Christmas. Maddyrose and Maggie make incredible Santas and Winter Wonderland paper mache sculptures and Marlene at Marlene's Musings and Maggie at Off My Rocker both live on a Christmas tree farm. All three are artist and a very talented group of sisters, with direct connection to Christmas, I'd say.

I would like to feature Maddyrose during July as my artist of July . You must see her work to know just how talented she is. It just so happens that she is having a giveaway at her blog now so I would urge you to take some time to visit her and see her art. Paper Mache just seems to do her bidding, yes?

These pictures show her skill, talent and artistry with all things Santa and Winter Wonderland. When you go to visit Santa and the Mrs. click on her shop, North Pole Gift Shop you will see what I mean.

Besides being a talented artist she is a kind, wonderful and very funny person....just my kinda gal and I know you are going to love her too.

I got a special posting just for you..............

Follow this link....here..... for information on my giveaway. I hope you will be glad you did.

Rhonda's Originals is giving us a special discount...............

Hey everybody. I got this convo from May's featured artist. I am passing this along to all of you because so many of you showed interest in her work. This is so generous of Rhonda and I for one have a couple of items of hers that I am dying to have. So check out the sale and save some mullah.

Hi Linda,

I am offering an exclusive 20% OFF sale to your bloggers on all of your blogs. If they go to www.rhondasoriginals.etsy.com and use the coupon code LINDASFRIENDS20 when they order, they will get 20% off their order!

Sale ends June 1st.

The only items not included in the sale are those already on sale...for example, the already existing 25% off package deals on the various paper doll parades and the troll doll, which is already on sale, etc.

Hope everyone enjoys the sale !

Rhonda

Here's my Featured Artist for May... Rhonda of Rhonda's Originals

I know that you are going to love her work, her aesthetic and you will love working with her because she is a very lovely, generous lady of flair.

I found Ms. Rhonda in my quest for all things Halloweenish. She has the most phenomenal Halloween Parade Paper dolls ever, as well as Marie Antoinette, Christmas and other holiday and fantasy paper dolls.


This is her process. She was nice enough to share with me the befores and afters of her wonderful Halloween Spider Lady composition.

This is what Rhonda begins with and then puts her special magickal touch to these pieces and they become.....

Voila, isn she gorgeous???????

There is a great deal of time and energy put into the finished product which I can hardly wait to experience for myself. The downloads are wonderful, complete and the instructions are very well written.

Rhonda's etsy shop: http://www.rhondasoriginals.biz/
Rhonda's Blog: http://www.rhondasoriginals.blogspot.com/
Rhonda's Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/rhondasoriginals

The grands and I took the money I made recently on Etsy and invested it into the Halloween Parade parts 1 and 2. We have begun to get ready for my fav holiday ever and I'll share my completed goodies soon.

So now my lovelies, off you go....and visit a talented graphic artist with a flair for the whimsical and grasp of what detailed work should look like.....

Thanks Rhonda for being the May Featured Artist on Practically Magickal.

April's featured Artist

As you may or may not know, I am a Halloweenaholic. I have long had a relationship and love of the olde Halloween symbols, celebrations and decorations.

This month's featured artist must share my love of all things Halloweenish because she has fabulous digital art to offer for sale at her Etsy Shop. http://www.etsy.com/people/AlteredArtifacts?ref=ls_profile.

This is how I met and fell in love with all things Altered Artifacts and the very lovely and talented Inka Heaton.

The attention to detail, the care that she applies to all of her digital sheets is amazing. I would like to introduce you to a new favorite artist Ms. Inka Heaton. Hope you'll go visit her on Etsy at Altered Artifacts.

I'd like to introduce you to another artist....

Nydia Macedo is a talented Brazilian artist, lovely lady, fantastic human being and a really awesome Mother to her darling son Lucas. He shows all the concern and caring his Mom shows him in his own love of photography, drawing and his concern for design.

Nydia's Gods and Goddesses are so beautiful and each one holds her magickal touch. She knows more about the pantheon of Gods and Goddesses than I ever will. The pains she goes through to make sure that the effiges acurately show the talents, and atributes of each of the Gods and Goddess is to be admired.

Take a look at her shop on Etsy: The Carioca Witch.

I feel like Sally Fields........they like me, they really like me...........

I've had the most amazing month. I have made more sales in my Etsy store in the last 30 days than I did in the previous 11 months. I had 3 commission pieces, 6 items reserved and only have 6 of the "not quite right" hearts left in the shop. Wow. Just hot damn Wow.

I really feel it is because of the new circles and better communication facilitated on Etsy and because some of you cutie patooties were kind enough to spread the word on Facebook about me and my Oma Linda's Practically Magickal............and I thank you.

I, in turn, will weekly on this site, introduce more folks I find and let you know about them and their work.

I believe what comes around goes around in a positive way as well....pay it forward.....return a favor with a favor.......being NICE Matters. I just needed to say THANK YOU UNIVERSE for letting me know it is positive out there.

Danni Suplicki of The Whimsical Cottage is perhaps one of the kindness, most dedicated artist I know. She is contantly redefining what she does. Painting, sculpting and all this while maintaining strong connections with the blogging and facebooking community. She is a good friend as well. In the midst of GK's fear, she took time to send this wonderful friend dragon to keep GK's spirits up.

The dragon's name is in Finnish and is a secret or I would share it with you. It has not left GK's side since she came to be her protector friend.

Please, if you have not already visited Danni's Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/thewhimsicalcottage do so, you won't be sorry you did.

Not Quite Right............hearts that is

Here are the latest additions (with subtractions already having happened, yay!) for sale in my Etsy shop.

I haven't been able to hold a needle for awhile now and when I found I could again.....well I wanted to bring my "childhood" love for handmade Valentoonies to life again. I love sewing on paper, whether by hand or on the machine. It's how I taught myself to sew, embroider, cross stitch etc. I was sitting one night sewing the edging on the hearts and remarking how I love the sound of the string being drawn through the paper....my husband said that didn't sound "quite right". tee hee. So thus the name. I've been accused of not being quite right many times.....it's a compliment. And so was born and launched the "not quite right" heart collection.

I hope you will enjoy them.

Celebrate OZ.....

I have shared this info on my other two blogs and will share it on Facebook this weekend.

I am excited to be hosting my first blog party. It will be about the subject of a story, book, play that holds my interest like no other. The Wizard of OZ. I will grant you that when I was a youngster the movie scared the bejezuz out of me. But after having read the Baum books, watching the play, reading the Maguire books about Elphaba, reading up on the history of the miriade of screenplays and collecting memoriabilia and collectables of the characters, particularly the witches, I am obsessed.

So, after our little 3 part story at Halloween this last year, http://lindaomasoldebaggsnstuftshirts.blogspot.com/2010/10/part-one-sorceress-of-spiders.html/ I thought I would see if there were other obsessed fans of OZ that might like to Celebrate what Mr. Baum started all those years ago.

Celebrate OZ will be on March 19, 2011. The link to the info is cleverly disguised as the darling baby Glinda.

I am writing my own story of the beginnings of OZ as my contribution and will illustrate it with photos of some of my favorite participants in the original version.

Even if you aren't interested in investing any time or energy, if you would post about the event, I would so appreciate it. As a matter of fact, I am expecting a national chain to gift me with a giveaway that is certainly worth everyone's while. Check back to see what they gift me to gift anyone who blogs about the event. Just let me know you have put it on your blog and your name, whether you participate or not, will be entered in the giveaway.

Click your heels together and close your eyes and..................Celebrate OZ