Witches Hollow

Hello friends,

Halloween is tomorrow, and Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here soon. 

 It's a wonderful time of year!

 

Come enjoy our witches hollow,

 

Jackie, Brenda, Natalie, and Joanne

 

Let's Create. . .a Bee Skep and a Banner

Hello my friends,

last week, before the craziness happened, I spent a fun day with my craft group, the "Crafty Bees".

 

 

Treasure and Trinkets Tuesday. . .Patriotic Ice Cream Cartons

Hello my friends,

with the arrival of Memorial Day for many of us the patriotic season has arrived.

 

I started pulling out my red, white, and blue décor last weekend.

 

I was anxious to play with it after creating a patriotic craft at our last craft group.

 

 

Treasures and Trinkets Tuesday-Birds of a Feather

Hello my friends,

Every now and then I love to share a few of my

 treasures and trinkets.

 

 

Today a few of my friends and I put some of our trinkets together to create some treasures.

 

So this is a little different treasures and trinkets Tuesday.

 

 

Diorama Easter Eggs. . .

 

 

Hello my friends,

Last Tuesday our craft group got together and created the sweetest diorama Easter eggs.

 

A SPOOKtacular Evening. . .

Hello my friends,

A few weeks ago one of my craft groups, (aka, the over achievers)

held their last outdoor hurrah.

 

It was a SPOOKtacular evening and it's hard to tell from this spread that the hostess doesn't even like Halloween.

 

 

 

Nope, Joanne doesn't care for Halloween, but the rest of us love it; so she aimed to please.

 

and boy did she ever!!

 

When we arrived the table was filled with velvet pumpkins, whimsical clocks and gorgeous candles that helped give this spooktacular table a hauntingly beautiful feel.

 

 

 

 

 

Each place setting was topped with the cute pumpkins from Target's dollar spot.  Whimsical critters from Wal-mart and a eyeball were placed at the top.

 

 

 

 

She also made us these cute cats on a pick that were tucked into our napkins.  I added mine to my

Treasures and Trinkets Halloween Wreath

 

 

We all brought a food item.  Everything was so delicious and I was so busy eating that I didn't get pictures of anything but this fabulous peach dessert made by Jackie from

Purple Chocolat Home

 

This drink was super yummy as well.  Both it and the dessert had sweetened condensed milk in them.  Now wonder they were so delish!  :)

 

 

 

This is our hostess, Joanne.  We keep thinking we'll get her to come around to loving Halloween.  Hasn't happened yet.  Believe me, we are not giving up!   (wink)

 

I love how the candles had melted by the end of the evening.

 

 

Joanne has this wonderful pergola with a gorgeous galvanized table that is huge!

 

 

A couple of witch mannequins that she dressed joined the party.

(tee-hee)

 

 

Last year in craft group we made Halloween houses.  Yes, she made one, (reluctantly)  lol!

 

 

The year before we made the pumpkin in the urn.  Hmmmm, I'm beginning to think that maybe she doesn't hate Halloween as much as she pretends to.

 

 

I had to laugh at one of our cute members, Karen.  She looked at the crow and commented how cute it was.  Joanne laughed and said, "you gave it to me for my birthday last year".  Sounds like something I would do.

 

It really was a fabulous night and I have to say thanks to our hostess, even if she does hate Halloween.

 

Well, hates a very strong word.  Maybe I should say dislikes. 

 

 

 

She sent us each home with one of the velvet pumpkins and the darling Lollies (fans) hanging from the roof of the pergola.

 

For someone who dislikes Halloween, she really went all out, wouldn't you agree?

 

Happy Haunting,

Jann

 

Summer Solstice Celebration

Hello my friends,

We have had a very hot summer this year, but my friends and I still managed to celebrate our summer solstice. 
 Although to beat the heat we started the party at 8 instead of the original planned time of 6.

 

The official date of the summer solstice was June 21st, so we were almost a month late, but that didn't put a damper on our fun!

 

It was an absolutely magical event!

 

 

I have been the member of this craft group for a couple years now.  Each month we have a delicious dinner and create a craft.  For our summer solstice we decided that we would forgo the craft and just have a relaxing evening.

 

(Amy, Jackie, Karen, me, Laura, Brenda, and Joanne)

 

 

Joanne hosted it in her back yard and used her amazing talent to make it magical!

 

Here she is lighting the candles.

 

The table was set with gorgeous dishes, Spode Wickerdale which once belonged to her great grandmother. The goblets were her grandmothers.  I love all of the family connections!  She gifted each of us with a darling garden tea light holder.





 

 

The beautiful silverware was her mothers.

 

 

We all contributed a food item.  Laura made the fabulous salad and Jackie created this delicious cold citrus soup.

 

Brenda brought chicken salad and I furnished a fruit salad, but I missed getting a photo.

 

The draped netting and coffee filter flowers really made you feel like you had stepped right into the pages of a popular magazine! 

 I have always loved her door dividers.  Last year she added wallpaper to some of the doors and it's so cute!!

I loved the shrub showing through the glass panes of this door!



 

No surface goes untouched.  Not the chandelier or the back of the bench and chairs!  Her special touches are everywhere!

 

 

 



The hammock draped at one end was a big hit.

 

We all took our turn trying it out.  I'm certainly no pin up girl, but nobody can look too bad on this beautiful hammock!

 

 

Sweet Karen created the head garlands for each of us.  She also made a beautiful Maypole that we wound at the end of the evening.

 



 

 

I love this photo of friends conversing!!

 

 

Amy is a baker and her cookies and cakes are to die for!  Not only are they almost too pretty to eat, but they are delicious as well!

 

 

This is what they call a naked cake.  I'm sure many of you are familiar with the term.  If not, it refers to a cake with very little frosting so that the cake shows through.  It's placed on a beautiful cake stand and elevated with two amazing mirrored pedestals that belong to Joanne's mother.

 

Both the cookies and cake were almond flavored.  I was so full that I only ate a sliver and I am dying for a slice right now!  :)

 

Oh what a night!  One never to be forgotten!!

 

I hope you had a happy summer solstice.

hugs,

Jann