Full Moon Magic

In case you didn't notice, the moon was amazingly full and glowing the last few days. Since we have several 100-year-old oak trees on our property, I wanted to share the view from our front porch. I'm still getting used to a new camera and am not sure how to adjust the aperture and shutter speed manually. So the clouds are a bit blurry, because they were moving while the camera's slow shutter speed was capturing the moon in all it's glory at night.

And here is a picture from across the street looking at our front porch that night. It's the old southern style wrap around porch on a craftsman style home. And the oaks are full of Spanish moss that hangs and arches over the walk toward our front door. The possibilities for Halloween decorating are endless!!

I hope you were able to glimpse the moon's magic and bask in all it's mystery!

How I've Missed You During Our Move to Haunted St. Augustine

My word it's been several months since I was last here!! So sorry! You see, we've packed up and sold many of our belongings and moved across the country from sunny northern California to sunny northern Florida! So as you can imagine, there was lots of "stuff" to shed, boxes to pack and a few holidays in between to celebrate with family and friends before the big move.

But now we are here and have almost unpacked all the boxes. I've refurbished a thrift store find into my new art work table and have a beautiful studio loft above our detached garage. And I am itching to get back to my paint brushes and paper mache creations.

We are now in St. Augustine, which is the oldest continuously occupied city in the nation. It was first settled by the Spanish in 1513, and then other European countries tried to establish a stronghold on this beautiful piece of Florida coastline. The city's history is full of battles and bledshed, which makes the area ripe for ghosts. Tales abound of the haunted fort, cemeteries, drug store (picture above) and jail/general store (pictured below). I can't wait to incorporate these, along with the areas large oaks dripping with spanish moss into some of my watercolors!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and have started the new year on a bright, but spooky note! I want to share one more photo with you. This one was taken on our move/ road-trip across the country. It's a huge mansion that will make its way into one of my future paintings, which will commence soon! Happy Hauntings!

Bring in the Veggie Heads!

"Celebrate Halloween"

Strike up the band, it's Halloween!!

Now available for $145, plus $8 shipping.

DESCRIPTION

I've created two vintage-style veggie heads, complete with tambourine and cello. The two pumpkin characters have hand-scultped heads and painted cotton batting bodies. Vintage crepe paper adorns their collar and they wear a tiny gold dresden buckle. They are celebrating October 31 in the cemetary, among the pumpkins, fallen leaves, tall grass and a smiling crescent moon. "Spanish moss" drips from the curly willow branch behind them. The tombstones are made from sculpey and the pumpkins are paper mache. A tiny red lantern sits on the wood base to the right of the piece. Measures 13" wide, 7" deep and 7" tall. 

Best of all it lights up!!

Tiny white lights give it an eerie glow after dark. Simply plug them in, no batteries required. If you have any questions, please email me: Iva@IvasCreations.com.

Happy Halloween!!

Celebrate Halloween!

Time to celebrate Halloween!!

A sneak peek at my offering to be unveiled on the EHAG Emporium, October 31, 9 pm eastern. So when you're done ghosting and ghouling, grab a cup of brew and sit a spell as you see the online show! 

Happy Halloween all!!

Celebrate 365: My Kind of Magazine!

I am so pleased to be in the Fall 2011 double issue of Celebrate 365 magazine. It's a wonderful publication coming out four times a year, and it offers collectors a bevy of holiday art created by talented artisans. To order the magazine or subscribe, click here. My work appears on three pages:

My curious eye ornament was featured. I've had so many fans say that these ornaments are delectably creepy, because the eye follows you around the room. It's perfect for your Halloween tree and I have one left in my etsy shop here.  

In addition, one of my Halloween recycled collages made the pages of the magazine. "The Witching Hour" is made from recycled construction lumber and a page from an old National Geographic - yes, the page makes up the background. The wood makes the perfect substrate for these two gothic looking witchlings and adds weight to the piece. The witches collage has sold, but I do have one similar for all you Edgar Allen Poe fans! It too is in my etsy shop here. 

The third page of my art appears in the Late Summer portion of the double issue. Turn the magazine over and you'll find summer art, including a captain's shell box I created. You can read more about that on my mixed media blog: My Birdsong.

I hope your days leading up to a favored holiday are pleasant and colorful. Only a couple more weeks until Halloween!

Iva's Creations


PS - Head on over to my Facebook Page and hit "Like." I post works in progress, events and more there. Thank you for supporting independent artists!

Wicked Witch Greetings

The month of Halloween is almost here and I've created a doosie of a paper mache witch to greet all your Halloween trick or treaters, family and friends! The whimsical witch Pannah the Deplorable is a little more than three feet tall and holds a leaf-strewn banner with the letters, "Halloween" hung from it. You can replace the banner with one of your own, for her fingers are shaped to hold something. She's currently on eBay, so take a peek. If you live locally near Danville, CA, I'd be glad to waive the shipping fee and you can pick her up!

I've listed several of my latest Halloween prints on eBay, and they include some mysterious black cats and a jack-o-lantern or two. Later this week, I'll be listing several new Christmas pieces in my etsy shop. It's been a busy past two weeks with two wonderful shows I participated in.

The Fourth Annual Tinsel and Treasures Art Show on Sept. 10 was again a fantastic event with so many wonderful artists and collectors coming out to shop! A big thanks to everyone who made the annual art event a great success! This includes my mother who helped me greatly! Of course, I couldn't organize the event without my  talented friend and doll artist Colleen Moody, who hosted a sumptuous dinner for all the artists the night before the show. Head to her blog for great photos of some of the items that were snapped up that day by eager collectors. Thank you both Mom and Colleen!

Then two weeks later, I was off to Halloween and Vine, a spectacular all Halloween art show held in the bucolic town of Petaluma, CA each year. So many gifted artists celebrating October 31! It was great visiting with many artist friends and meeting so many fans! I have a few Halloween pieces left, like these  whimsical black cat shakers. They will be listed on Etsy too.

October will be here this weekend! Yay...Halloween is almost here!

Come See Me at Halloween and Vine this Weekend!

This Saturday will be filled with spooky tricks and treats as I participate in the art show Halloween and Vine in Petaluma, CA. I'm so excited to be a part of this show that only features art celebrating October 31! I've been working on new paper mache witches and black cats, in addition to watercolors and mixed media works. Come by and say hello, and then enjoy the celebration of Halloween!