Sabrina....the year 1692

It was a cold snowy day in January, the year 1692. Several good friends had gathered to show off their new hats. They loved spending time together and they all loved making their hats. Some visits were spent sharing whatever new hat had been made but some were spent out in the forest gathering herbs and plants. On these gatherings you could hear them singing and dancing, enjoying their time together as a group.They were a very talented group that had learned to treat Mother Earth with respect and in return she had given them the gift of using her herbs and plants to heal and restore others. Village folks from miles around knew of the ladies and would come bringing them gifts if they would in return help them with whatever ailment they were experiencing at the time. The ladies gladly helped....they were pure at heart and extremely giving.

One of them suggested at the next weekly meeting that they should have a name for their group...something that reflected one of their loves. Hence....The Black Hat Sisterhood became into existence. Established in 1692 this sisterhood stood strong and is still in existence to this day. Just look around you....you might just know one of us them.

Little did these loving, caring women know that in the next month that terrible trials would begin. The famous Salem Witch hunts. How dare anyone think that things they did not understand make another a witch. If being able to do what they did for others and they were witches then so be it. They would continue to practice and help in whatever way they could but they knew from this day forward that it would have to be done quietly. Due to the witch hunts taking so many innocent lives as well as true witches, the ones that were able to go undetected were blessed with stronger powers. One of the original witches, Sabrina, of the sisterhood was blessed with time travel. And time travel she does!!

Sabrina is finally complete. If you have been following along then you see that something is missing. Yes, her goggles. I decided since she had the unique monocle that she would be quiet happy with that. I plan on doing several in this series, as the original was a group of ladies and will use the goggles with one of them. Have you been following along with the WIP post on Sabrina? If not then here are some past post to see just what went into designing and making her. Click here....here.....here.....here and here Enjoy!!

Welcome back from visiting those past post...hehe!! As you can see from reading that ideas can change on a whim. A muse's whim that is. Bahahahaha!! I start out with ideas and as I'm working on the design of the piece it will change. Most of the time, it's to improve it and some of the time I think it's just to irritate me. ^_^

Sabrina, as you know has a strong wire armature and recycled round light bulb as her base. Those were covered in clay and then her face, neck and shoulders were hand sculpted. Her face and eyes were painted using acrylic paints. Notice the clock pieces and numerals on Sabrina's face? That marks her as one of the time travelers. Her eyes and lips sealed with varnish. Her hair is wool dyed yarn....love the dreadlock look this yarn gives. Ya man...luv the dreads!! Her jewelry (necklace, earrings and monocle) are all some of my own designs. Steampunk is so much fun to do. Her hat was handmade and attached is a moon charm with watch pieces as well as a tiny glass potion bottle filled with.......magic!! (sand peoples sand) She sits on a pine wood base block that I washed in orange and black acrylic paints and then wood burned the letters into. This piece sits right at 11 inches from base bottom to the top of her black hat. I signed and dated the bottom.

Please keep in mind that these are collector items and not toys. They will keep for many many years if handled properly. My pieces are unique and truly one of a kind. I may do a series of some but never will two pieces be the same.

Until next time...............Hugs,
Regi

A beautiful Fall Sunday morning!!

It is indeed a beautiful Fall feeling Sunday morning. What I want to know is......WHO moved me during the night to a different location? Bahahahaha!! Not complaining and I have the windows open so I can enjoy the crisp, coolness for however long it's last. That should be until around 11ish and then......Welcome back to the South!!

I'm feeling a tad bit better today so I'm hoping that I'm FINALLY on my way to recovery. Thank goodness!! I do believe I look much better than yesterday. What do YOU think? Be honest now...hehe

I love the AMC Walking Dead Dead yourself app...bet ya hadn't figured that out yet....had ya?  Here's the link if anyone else would like to play with it. Click Here!! Ohhh, go ahead...ya know ya want to and no one will know...unless you share yourself. Don't go yet though, ppplease, wait until you have finished visiting. YOU know I love your visits!!

I was able to work on Sabrina some yesterday and early this morning. She has her beautiful dreadlocks (really they are pretty wool yarn) and is attached to the wooden block. She has her earrings on and all she is lacking is her unique witches hat. I mean she can't be a part of "The Black Hat Sisterhood" without her black hat now can she?

Such a pretty little witch, ri iight?  If ya don't agree then remember the saying "If ya don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all". I mean I can take the criticism but not so sure Sabrina could and she is a witch. Bahahaha

I told ya'll yesterday that I was redoing the goggles and not going to be doing the spyglass but replacing it with a monocle. Well......I have the monocle completed and I really like how it turned out. See.....when some of our projects don't turn out the way we thought the new ones can turn out to be even better.

 Steampunk spy spider

Love...love....LOVE steampunk!! There is an actual piece of clear plastic in the center of the monocle. The focal point is the spy steampunk spider. I will go more in detail about it with Sabrina's story so make sure you come back to visit. (yeah yeah.....I'm tempting you so that you will come back. I'm badddd!!!) I'm going to attach this to the chain that is already attached to the moon on her hat. Ohhhh, wait......I haven't shown you that yet. Guess you will just have to come back to see THAT too...hehe!!

Today, I'm hoping to work on the goggles. I have my pattern (as I showed in yesterday's post) done and just need to cut the pieces of the leather out and start assembling it. Fingers crossed these goggles turn out steampunkish!! I'm hoping that the pattern works out with this one too because I already have that other Sister ooaks bouncing around in my head and she is going to be wearing goggles too. It's the steampunk witch coven....bahahaha!!

Until next time............Hugs,
Regi

Happy Oct 18th!!!!

WOW....I can't believe that I let a whole week go by without coming to sit under the old Southern ooak tree. I must confess that I'm dealing with a few tiny, minor health issues BUT I'm strong and will be fine...eventually!! I think perhaps I might even venture out a bit today. Do you think anyone will notice I'm a tad bit under the weather? Bahahahaha!!! Not to bad for a woman that turns 156 today, yes?

I have been attempting to work on the Black Hat Sisterhood piece and must tell ya that the clay spyglass and goggles did NOT work out the way I planned. That's alright though because my overactive imagination muse has plenty of other ideas.

I'm still going to use the clay lens as I think they will look good once painted and the lens attached. The pieces that fit around the lens is going to be made with cardstock and that pretty piece of leather. The nose piece (fingers crossed) will be made from watch parts. Instead of the spyglass, I'm going to be making a monocle instead and of course it will be steampunked too. ^_^

Now....since it's my birthday today (but shhhhh, it's one I want to pass on by cause I'm getting OLD peoples) I thought I would share one of the Chazman's favorite treats we make this time of year. Okay, okay....we start making this time of year all the way through Valentine's. They are called "The Forgotten" cookies and you will soon learn just why they're called that. Bahahahaha

Ingredients you will need:

2 large egg whites, room temp

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

2/3 cup fine sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Non humid day (yes, ya read that right. These will not make if rainy or extremely humid)

Yield: 4 dozen (if ya make them as recipe calls. You can make them larger)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside for now.

In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites til foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until fluffy. (DO NOT overbeat peoples)  Add sugar slowly, about 3 tablespoons at a time. After at least half of sugar has been added, add the vanilla extract. Continue adding remaining sugar. Meringue should be shiny and tight. If you want....at this point you could add any one of the following:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 cup crushed peppermint

3-4 drops of food coloring

If you do want to add any of the extra ingredients gently fold them in at this time. 

One teaspoon at a time, push one teaspoon of meringue from tip of teaspoon and with the back of another teaspoon place onto baking sheet. Leave 1-inch space between cookies. (They will NOT spread out but stay in the original shape) You use the two spoons so you do not touch cookies. Owww, what a gooey mess you'd be. So follow directions!!! ^_^

Place sheet in oven and turn oven off. YES....you read right......turn oven OFF. Leave the cookies (undisturbed...that means NO PEEKING peoples) in the oven for at least 3 hours or overnight. 

(yeah riiight, like that's gonna happen....hehe) Cookies will be crisp, dry and ohhhhh so yummy!!

Now you know why they are called The Forgotten cookies, eh? The Chazman has names for them at different holidays....BAHAHAHA!!! Halloween they are called "ghost poop" cookies (adding the chocolate pieces makes them even more poopy...hehe) Christmas time they are called "Angel cookies" (without any added ingredients) Valentine's they are called "Cupid's cookies" (add the crushed peppermint) Mardi Gras time they are called "Jester cookies" (separate meringue into three bowls gently and add purple to one, green to one and yellow to one) I'm sure that you can come up with even more add ins. All I know is that I have to keep a close watch over them when they are in the oven because apparently I haven't taught the Chazman just what undisturbed means. ^_^

Have a wonderful Saturday and until next time............Hugs,

Regi