Your Wonderful Comments...

I would like to thank each and every one of you, who stopped by and left so many comments on my Practial Magic post. Each of you left so many wonderful words of kindness. I smiled while reading them all. I went down the list of bloggers and made comments on your posts too, at least the ones I could get to. All of your parties were wonderful and showed me how very talented you are.

I hope that you will return to my blog soon and see the different things I've done.

Practical Magic 2011

They feared her beacuse she had a gift, a power that has been passed on to you children.

She had the gift of MAGIC. And it was this very gift that saved her life.

"For two sisters from a family of WITCHES, falling in LOVE is the TRICKIEST spell of all."

"Well, that's what love is like. It makes your heart race. It turns the world upside down. But if you're not careful, if you don't keep your eyes on something still, you can loose your balance."

"She heard the beetle ticking for her husband's death all day long."







"In this house we have chocolate for breakfast, and never bother with silly little things like bedtimes or brushing teeth."

"I dream of a love that even time will lie down and be still for."

"I think if you lifted my heart to your ear, you could probably hear the ocean."

"Magic isn't just spell and potions."

"Jewelry in the ashes of the structure provided positive identification."
-Gary Hallet Special Investigator

"Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up..."

"My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue."

"The moon tonight, there's a circle around it. Sign

"You get right over here and grab that spoon and dig right in."

"You know that stuff everyone whispers about me... the hexes, the spells?"

"Here is the thing. I'M A WITCH!"

"Can love 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. There's some things I know for sure..."

A thank you to Anna at Frosted Petunias for hosting Practical Magic 2011.

It is one of my favorite movies and capturing for this second year was enchanting.

Traverse City State Hospital

Built in 1885 and closed in 1989. The Traverse City State Hospital was an asylum for the insane. Also known as the Northern Michigan Asylum it is the last Kirkbride Building of Michigan's original four left in the state.

The asylum is made up of many buildings named by numbers. Building 50, the main building, was once a quarter of a mile long and the asylum in its hayday cared for approximately 6,000 patients at one time.

Under the care of James Decker Munson, the first superintendent from 1885 to 1924 the patients were treated through kindness, comfort, pleasure, and beautiful surroundings. Restraints such as straightjackets, were forbidden. Also, as part of the "work is therapy" philosophy, the asylum provided work opportunities for the patients to give them a sense of purpose. The asylum was self sustaining providing its own electricity and heat.

Starting in 2000, The Minervini Group began negotiating with the Grand Traverse Commons Redevelopment Corp. and agreed to renovate the historic building. Now known as The Commons the former building 50 is used for residential and commercial use.

Front of Building 50

(only partial still stands, most of the building was torn down due to fire hazards)

Like any old asylum from days past the reputation of being "haunted" proceeded quickly after the buildings had been abandoned for a number of years since through one of windows ofered a view of peeling mint green lead paint, rusty fixtures and and eerie look into the what was.

You can feel the energy just by walking ground and almost see the residents. It's like taking a trip back as if you were one of the patients.

While looking through these windows it seemed dark within the rooms and stairwells, but after looking at the photos the rooms seemed to be illuminated that didn't appear when I first looked in.

Building 28

(men's cottage)

Morbid wandering of a distorted mind.

If you are ever in the Traverse City area, it is worth a visit to this historical site.

Summer Fun 2011

A spur of the moment trip to Traverse City, Mi. Four days of sun and fun.

Oh, how relaxing it was.

We took a day trip to Macinaw City to shop, see the Mackinaw bridge and the lighthouse.

If you didn't know, the Macinaw bridge is five miles long. It was built in 1960. The only other way across to the upper paninsula or the island was ferry service.

Lew and Sylvia getting ready to go kayaking.

Good-by Traverse City, until a summer not to far away.

A Special Package

I was ever so excited yesterday when the mail came.

I had won a giveaway from Miss Vanessa at afancifultwist.

She ever so kindly sent me a very spooky book, two of her fun jar labels, a book mark, a card, two of her Halloween greeting cards and a very special key. I will have to wait and see what my magic key opens.


Please visit Miss Vanessa's blog and find out what amazing things she is up to.
She is a very talented artist and so inspiring. She brings out the artist in all of us.

Where The Wild Things Are...

What a surprise my daughter Sylvia found in the yard!

Two baby squirrels!

The first thing that she did was find out if they were alright. They were breathing, however thier eye were closed and ears still tucked in. They moved around slightly and made very tiny noises but seemed to be in shock, maybe from falling out of the tree.

The mother did not appear to be in sight. So she decided to take them in. She put them in a box with some bedding left over from ginuea pigs she used to have. After doing some quick research online about caring for them she proceeded.

There was one boy and one girl.

After reading she went to the local pet store and bought kitten milk and tried to feed them with a seringe. This was just until we could find the proper people to help care for them.

They seemed to take to the milk just fine. Suckling on the tip of the seringe.

Calling around she was able to track down someone locally who is certified in animal rehabilitation.

It is good to know that there are still kind hearted people in the world that love animals as well as nature to keep the cycle going.

September Artful Bag Challenge

I used two types of paper for this bag, I used shinny poster board for the trim. I wanted to make it look like shinny metal, and I also used scrapbook paper for a textured look.

I used a pearl button for an embellishment and tiny pearls for fun.

I found a textured ribbon, and used it for the handle.

And here is what you get, a small elegant bag for an evening out on the town.



Please check out Anna at Frostedpetunias for more wonderful bags. She is doing a wonderful job with this challenge.

I hope you are enjoying yourself.