Rudolph the Red Nosed Chili Pepper

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Chili Pepper is back! He’s red, hot and festive. I used to make these many, many years ago for craft fairs using plastic chili pepper. I’m going green this year (well, really red) and using real dried chili peppers. Each one is a little different depending on the character of the chili pepper.  Click on Rudolph’s nose to go to my Etsy store and take a look!

As they are real chili peppers, they do need to be handled a little gently (i.e., they will crush if you squeeze them) so put them high on the tree where kids and pets won’t be tempted to take a bite.  Treat them like a glass ornament and they will last indefinitely.

Okay I’m posting…

‘Cause I said I would post every day this month.  I’m taking a break from putting antlers on chili peppers – yes, you read that right, antlers on chili peppers.  I’m not sure its going to work.  If the glue holds on the eyes, I’ll post a picture tomorrow.  If not, I am going to be one disappointed puppy – particularly since I just rubbed my eye and its hurting and I’m not sure if its a result of chili pepper residue on my fingers or the beading glue that I’ve been using.  Alright, off to wash my hands (and eye) and break some crayons to mold into skulls.  And then perhaps I’ll make a couple more bars of soap before I go nonnies…. g’night.

An early peak…

A preview of Deathly Hallows culled from the Half Blood Prince DVD has appeared in a number of locations on the net from the Leaky Cauldron to Snitchsneeker and beyond.  Unfortunately it hasn’t made it to YouTube yet, at least I can’t find it there.  I can only embed YouTube videos so if you’d like to have a look at the Deathly Hallow Trailer (an official one even) click on the link below:

Deathly Hallows Preview

or here: The Rememberall (they have screen caps of the whole thing as well).  Alas, no Snape.  Watching the trailer, it seems I don’t remember a heck of a lot from Book 7 so must put re-reading on the list of things to do before November 2010

And here’s a little something from my etsy store you might enjoy as well – The Boy Wizard Soap (click on the photo to go get it).  Would make a lovely little stocking stuffer to go along with the Half Blood Prince DVD … just saying…. go take a look:

Heat

I have heat!  I have a huge repair bill but I have heat in the house!  Now I’m worried about paying the gas bill when it comes so I’m using the heater sparingly.  The only reason I consented to the repairs was that the air conditioning wouldn’t work either without replacing the board and transformer.  (Yes, I thought about Optimus Prime too when he told me that – I’ve been hanging around little kids too much).

Speaking of bills to pay, Capt’n … buy a flow’r off a poor girl? No?  How about a flower fairy crayon instead then, eh?  Click on the link to go to the Etsy shop and purchase at will.  They make lovely little stocking stuffers ..

I created the mold from a fairy image I purchased long ago, so I think I can be pretty safe in saying they are one of a kind.  I melt the crayons (100% Crayola so I know they’re safe for kids) in the molds (also non-toxic silicone molds that I made so I know they’re kid friendly) and package them up just for you.  I have the crayons available in other colors – just drop me a note.  So go, go to the store before I throw your slippers at you.  Sorry – I’m in a My Fair Lady frame of mind tonight….

How to catch a vampire…

 

Tired of sitting by the window with your neck exposed waiting for that special glistening one? Well wait no more! Hang these beautiful beads from a curtain rod, window, door frame and let the glittery blood red crystals work their magic and lure the vampire to you.* Even if they don’t work their magic, the beads are beautiful to watch sparkle in the twilight as you drift off to sleep.   These are available at my Etsy shop – please click on the image to go get them!

 

 

*Note: Use with caution. Not all vampires are young, cute and friendly like Edward! I refer you to an image of Nosferatu.

 

The Vampire Catcher  is approximately 19 inches long, looped on top and made with cloisonne red heart beads, quartz, tumbled garnet, glass beads and crystal beads and comes with a little card explaining their use. click on the image! They make a nice stocking stuffer for that vampire chasers on your list from tweens to those who remember Lugosi.

Dixie Cup Bats

My six year old nephew dawdles.  He has his own sense of time and of what’s important.  While I’m rushing him in the morning to get dressed, eat breakfast, brush his teeth, etc., he has his own agenda.  He handed me this the other morning in the midst of my hurrying him along….

I had to stop and marvel at it.  Its a bat made from a dixie cup.  He made it on the spur of the moment.  Opened the cup up, got a marker, drew and created a little vampire bat. 

Pretty cool.  He took a look at on object, saw its potential and created something completely different than the original out of it – wow.  I still marvel at the simplicity of it.

Skull Crayons!

How do I make these you ask? I take nasty bits of broken black and grey crayons and force them into molds with the severed pieces of brighter and once happier crayons. I then climb to the tower  ….. why, yes I do have a tower on my lovely home… how silly of you to ask….  Where was I, oh yes…. I climb to the top of my tower, on a dark and stormy night and wait for a bolt of lightning to strike and fuse them  …. into …. into  (cue the organ music)…. Skull Crayons!!!! bwahahahahaha …. (…altho’ they do look a little zombiesh to me).

These are perfect for Halloween treats especially if you don’t want kids wired on sugar.   This is a set of 8 crayon skulls made from only 100% Crayola crayons (so I know they’re safe for kids to use). They are all different and the colors within the black and grey will vary. The size of each skull is approximately 1.25 inches by 1 inch by about 3/8 of inch deep.  I can package them as one unit or individually clearly marked as crayons  so no one is tempted to pop it in their mouths – altho’ they are non-toxic, nasty tasting, but non-toxic – don’t ask how I know they’re nasty-tasting…. just take my word for it.

Click here or on the skulls to go buy some!

Fall beckons….

Yes its still 103 degrees outside and everything is parched and blanched, but inside I’ve decided its autumn.  Smell that?  The ever so slight scents of cinnamon and dried eucalyptus wafting by on the early morning breeze – craft season is afoot!!  In my head its October.  Its time to get creative and start making things.  This year I’ve decided to work on fairy items so I spent the weekend making a big old batch of fairy and wizard soaps and  fairy crayons….

I made my own mold using Amazing Mold Putty and have been experimenting with different ways of melting the crayons.  It is really a labor intensive process.  It takes at least 3 full crayons per one fairy crayon.  Peeling the paper is the first step.  Not as easy as it sounds.  I have found slitting the paper with a knife or razor blade speeds up the peeling process tremendously.  I also am using only Crayola, made in the USA crayons.  My first attempt at melting crayons I used some generic crayons, made in Thailand.  I found after taking the paper off of 60 some crayons that my fingertips were tingly.  After that, just to be on the safe side, I went with Crayola and my fingertips aren’t tingly anymore.

I tried various ways of melting the crayons but finally settled on a double boiler method with a Wilton bottle made for melting candy to be used in molding and a pair of tongs. The microwave is faster but a little dicey.  I was able to create five molds from two packets of the Mold Putty.  This stuff is a bit expensive and there were a few not so good molds that got tossed. The volume of crayons produced at any one time is very small.  Each fairy crayon ends up looking slightly different due to colors used, drying times and pouring.  Click on the picture to go to my Etsy shop.  I’m not sure how many of these I will make for the lure of faux-fall and other projects beckons*…..

*And to show you how easily I get distracted – did you know that origin of the word “beckon” —  ORIGIN Old English bīecnan, bēcnan; related to beacon …. makes me think of a far off point of light in the hills at night, calling you to come see…. kind of like fairies luring you in…..

Vampire Baseball

Let me preface this by saying I have never read Twilight, have no intention of reading Twilight and have not seen the movie.  The subject matter just holds no appeal for me.  The only reason I might be convinced to read the book is because of this wonderful hand-painted t-shirt from the shop of SugarandSpiceTees over at Etsy.   Just click on the images to be transported over there to have a look see.

Its such a great image.  She has it available in t-shirt and tank top style – both in medium for kids (but I’m sure she’d make you one in your size if you ask).  I’m waiting for the ACEO of the image (clears throat – did you hear that Sugarandspicetees? I’m waiting…..)

And if you are very much into the whole Twilight thing – here are some gorgeous looking book beads inspired by Twilight over at Boofolobeads.

Some more shameless self promotion…

From my Etsy shop, back by popular demand – its the Potions Master’s  Pouch.  Click on the pictures to go to the shop.  I’ve sold a couple of these before – but this one is a bit different.  Its not a drawstring bag.  The tie is attached on the outside and can be wrapped and tied as you like.  I think it allows for greater flexibility in storing your secrets away.  

 

On the outside, the Potions Master’s pouch is deep black with buttons on one side and a black ribbon to tie up all his secrets nice and tight. Inside, the lining is made of a sheer, shimmering green that peeks through the closure to remind him of his beloved’s eyes.
   

 

Measuring 8 inches by 7.5 inches, this is a lovely little bag to hide your potions, your secrets . . . and perhaps even can be used as a gift bag for that Snape lover’s birthday.  

And its only $8.50!  What to put inside you ask?  Well, how about some Slytherin book beads from Boofolobeads Etsy shop.

Boof also has a whole Harry Potter inspired section at her store – check it out:  Click here.  (and the book beads are only $5.00!)

How about a Snapey card from my shop to go along with all the gifts.  

Actually, forget giving these as gifts – keep them for yourself.  

Alright – shameless self-promotion is over .. now run over to the Etsy shop and see what else we have…