Monday, September 27, 2010

Spooky Monday #5


Hello Lovelies !

So, I thought about taking the day off , and not doing a Spooky Monday post, and then I thought about it , and I just figured it wouldn't be Monday without one....

I have just been so exhausted , the Practical Magic Post really took so much energy out of me , not to mention all of the music biz stuff going on lately... But I really love coming on here and reading all of the awesome comments, and meeting new people, so I really hate letting my readers down...

SO, I am going to do a Spooky Monday post for today , it will just be short and sweet.. because I want to focus on getting around to visiting each and every single blog signed up for mine and Anna's PM party !! I was able to get almost up to the end of the A's! Still so many to go! Please bare with me, I am slowly but surely making my rounds :-)


But anyways, here is what I had in mind for my Spooky Monday Post#5...

About 3 years ago, I had started up a web-zine for all of the arts! It was a lot of fun to create and piece together, but with the amount of work that goes into each issue, and doing it all by myself... it was very short lived, unfortunately! I did manage to squeeze out a Halloween issue, so I wanted to share with you a few pages from the issue...

If you would like to download the WHOLE ISSUE , please click HERE




Up until my teenage years, my mom usually made my costumes from scratch... My favorites were Pippi Longstockings (top right) , and Sally the Ragdoll (bottom right).

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Here is a little bit about what Halloween means to me, with my letter from the editor


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Here is My Aunt Fi Fi's little tin witch creation, along with the patterns, so you can try to make her yourself !

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Also HERE is my Aunt's Blog, she doesn't update much though... I am trying to scold her and get her to add more of her lovely creations, because she is so talented ! Please Follow her as well!



Here are some hilarious Halloween Tips, I found in The Onion , which is a humorous NYC based Newspaper.... they are from 2001....


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And here is the last page of my Halloween Web-zine! I love making up funny captions to old fashioned pictures... won't you play along? What do you think they're saying? Please comment , and share your "Caption-it" with me !!

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I hope you enjoyed some of these pages from my 2007 Halloween Zine!! Please DL the whole issue if you would like !!





Now here is a cute little Halloween Clip from one of my favorite flash animators, creator of Children R Skary , Katy Towell, whom I featured in my zine as well....




I hope you enjoyed this week's Spooky Monday Post !

Tricks and Treats !

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Monday, September 20, 2010

|> WELCOME TO MISS JUSTINA'S OFFICIAL PRACTICAL MAGIC BLOG PARTY POST 2010!! <|

Hey Lovelies ,

Welcome to my Practical Magic Blog Party Post !!

First and Foremost I want to give Anna over at Frosted Petunias, a HUGE thanks, because this party would not have been possible without her help and creativity! She created our lovely page layout and managed our sidebar :-D She is so talented, and if you haven't visited her blog yet, please do! She also has some wonderful giveaways planned for you all!

Practical Magic Blog Party

and without further adieu, I bring you my PM POST !!

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I found an ad in the newspaper today for this beautiful house. As soon as I saw it, I was overtaken by a strong sense of deja vu. I knew right away that I had to go see it, maybe not to buy it , but just to see if anything about it could jolt my memory...

I used the email address in the ad, to contact Miss Jenney. When she responded, she wasn't very welcoming, or descriptive in her email, but very shortly supplied me with the address. I decided to take the drive, since it was surprisingly not too far from where I lived.


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When I pulled up to the house, I immediately thought It was the most beautiful house I had ever seen!



As soon as I walked in the door, I could feel something special. I stood in the Parlor and felt some kind of force pushing me into the kitchen and towards the attic stairs



It lured me up to the attic!


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I followed a winding staircase to the very top and saw a bright light coming from under the entrance door. Upon entering, the light grew stronger....


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I peeked around the corner and what I found was an old brown trunk. There seemed to be this bright magical light emerging from it !


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I walked closer, and I proceeded to lift the lid with caution. I barely touched it, when it just flew open by itself !


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What I found inside was breathtaking!!


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I reached in, and pulled out an old spell book!! On the cover it said "La Boheme Magique's Book of Shadows" I wonder where this came from, and who's this was.



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On the inside cover it said property of Jet and Frances Owens, but that was crossed out. Underneath that, it said Property of Sally and Gillian Owens. That was crossed out as well! Underneath that, it said property of Antonia and Kylie Owens... It looks like it has been passed down from generation to generation... I wondered who would get it next...


I opened it up to center, and inside I found a magical spell...


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The left page appeared to be some sort of Bird Love Spell, where you are supposed to stick a bird with a pin needle to attract the one you love...


On the right side page was a spell titled "Spiritus". The recipe called for

4 oz of Braided Wheat Straw Bundles

2 oz of Blue Sage

2 oz of Mandragora

1 Tbl of Henbane Pulp


and then there was a disclaimer which read: Henbane is poisonous!


This spell is said to revive the dead, but precaution must be taken, because it is said that they will come back as something dark and unnatural!!


I figured I was not at liberty to try either of these spells, but I might need the book for something else, so I took it with me. In the trunk, under the book, was some old gypsyesque clothing, and I couldn't help but play dressup! I took out a beautiful lavender purple lace dress with silk lining.


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I finagled my way into the antique couture, when all of the sudden I felt a really cold draft as if somebody had ran past me!


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Just then, the old phonograph went on by itself, and it started playing Elvis Presley's "You Are Always on My Mind" !! It made me jump out of my skin!!


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I got that chill again, like someone had rushed past me, so I decided to go back downstairs!


As I was walking back down the winding staircase from the attic, this magical smell started to overtake me!!!


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It lured me through the magickal kitchen, and out into the garden. It was then, I realized what this smell was!!!! When I arrived in the garden, I saw a table seated for one, with the most amazing treat one could ever wish for!!


Brownies for Breakfast!!


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The table was also adorned with an old photo of a dark haired woman. Her face looked very familiar. Next to her was a green vase that looked like it was from a botanical shop, and a watch inscribed with the words Sally Owens. On top of the plate, was a note... I wondered if I was supposed to read it. I didn't want to impose, being that I was only here for an open house!


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I could not contain my curiosity any longer ! I carefully pulled the pink and white silk ribbon , and opened the parchment...


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It wasn't addressed to anyone specific, but for some reason I felt like I was supposed to be the one reading this...


It read:


Our Dearest Inheritor,

You are sent here today not by choice , but by the magickal plan we have set for you! We knew you would be here one day! And it is only you , who will carry on the true gifts of The Owens Family! Please take a bite of one of our magickal breakfast brownies, a recipe which has been passed down through generations, and in turn you will inherit all that is planned for you!!

Your Beloved Aunts,

Kylie and Antonia Owens


I looked around carefully to see if anyone was around. I skimmed through the letter again briefly. I kept telling myself that this was meant to be. I hopefully shrugged my shoulders,


and took a bite.


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I sat there for about a minute afterward waiting to shrink, or grow like Alice, but it didn't happen. All of the sudden these wild roses started blooming out of nowhere! The vines started growing and thickening around the white lattice on the harbor leading out into the front yard overlooking the bay. I thought I should follow the path. This whole thing has felt like one sign after another.


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As I was approaching the harbor, I felt a cold breeze like someone had run past me again! There was a toad resting along the pathway as if to say that I was going the right way...


I arrived on the front porch, and I noticed a little table set up as if it were going to tell my fortune! On the table, was a crystal ball, and a tarot deck set out on purple silk! I had felt a cold chill run through my whole body. I felt like someone had run past me a few times again. Was there some kind of phenomenon going on here, or was I just going crazy ?


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I sat down and gazed into the crystal ball and what I saw took me by surprise!


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First I saw two little girls sending off rose petals into the moonlight. Next I saw a few women dancing around the same magickal kitchen I had walked through just moments prior. I then saw two lovers embracing. The last thing I saw in the crystal was this very house on Hallow's Eve, white and statuesque against the midnight sky. There was a crowd below as if they were watching a show! Then, I noticed the black silouhettes, standing on top of the roof with umbrellas as if they were going to jump!


And jump they did!!






Who's life was this I was seeing, and what did it have to do with me ??



It was starting to get dark out now, so I decided to call it a night. I would sleep on my thoughts about the house, and email Lucinda in the morning with all of these questions...


Just then, I saw a woman standing by the harbor. She had long strawberry blondish red hair, and she was holding a black cat. I felt like I had seen her before.



I had asked her if she was here to see the house as well, and if she had been able to get in touch with Lucinda Jenney, the realtor. She had told me that Lucinda Jenney was the late daughter of the late late Sarah Jenney.


She had explained, " Sarah and Sally had been in a feud for years growing up, but that all changed when Sarah had helped Sally and The Aunts save my life. From that moment on, Sarah had promised to help protect and guide the Owens family for years to come. Sarah had a daughter Lucinda, who had grown close with Sallys' daughters Kylie and Antonia."



I had about a million questions running through my head. I looked down at the letter one more time, for only a few seconds. When I had lifted my head again to ask the woman all the questions I needed answered, she was nowhere to be found...


I decided to just go home and sleep, it had been a long day.


That night in my dreams, I had dreamt of people I had never thought of before. In my dream, my great grandmother was Sally Owens.



Witchcraft had brought my Great Grandma Sally and officer Gary Hallet together. Sally already had two children, Kylie and Antonia in a prior marriage with Michael, who was killed by Maria's Curse. When Sally married Gary, she had a third child, Audrina Owens Hallett. Kyle, Antonia, and Audrina had grown up together . Audrina had run away when she was 18, and had given birth to my mother. Audrina had raised my mother by herself, and never spoke about her family. She had never heard Audrina speak of the Owen's name, since she had the option to use her father's last name. So Audrina is my grandmother and that makes Kylie and Antonia my Great Aunts! Time went on, and most of the Owen's Family had either passed on , or lost touch. When I awoke, I had realized what everything meant. Lucinda is keeping her mother's word, helping my great Aunts salvage whatever is left of the Owen's Family history ever since that night they saved Gillian.

Then it hit me! The woman I spoke to lastnight who disappeared was the ghost of Gillian Owens! All day, when I had felt like someone had ran past me, was the presence of the spirits of my ancestors, letting me know that I was in the right place!



I then wondered if the prophetic dream was the result of that brownie bite I had taken, or pure coincidence!


Just then, the cleaning broom in the corner of my room had fallen!


Is Company Coming?




Well, what do you think?!?




So now that you've read my post, what did you find interesting? Did you notice anything odd in any of the pictures? Maybe some silly little visitors? Everytime I say "I feel that chill..." , take a closer look ! And you will find the hidden surprise... some are more prominent than others, but it is a fun treat to find none the less!


I am so sorry I don't have my giveaways up... I literally prepared this post down to the wire! Check back in a day or so, and I will have up a few items !!

Thank you so much for reading and being a part of my very first Blog Party! Who knows, maybe we will have another next year !

Thank you again for being a part of this amazing event ! Who knew Practical Magic had such a following !!!


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Spooky Monday #4

Hello Lovelies!
Here I am with Spooky Post #4 !! This past week was a great one! I did a lot of Halloween hunting, and made a few stops at A.C. Moore, and Target! Halloween season is in full swing! I LOVE walking down the aisle's hearing those ghost machines "WHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" It is so hard to resist dishing out some major bucks on all the cute spooky gear! I did make a few splurges this week... Here are some of them...


A cute vintage-esque Halloween Duo, purchased from A.C. Moore.




Here is a little pumpkin guy , he reminded me of those pumpkins on the stakes in the beginning of NMBC ( they're in the next picture on the tv screen) , so I scooped him up from A.C. Moore as well!




I started decorating my living room as well, while watching NMBC!
I put some fake fall leaves and orange lights across the wall unit.
Below is a faux fireplace adorned with some candles, and a Skull I also bought from A.C. Moore!


Here is a closer look at the Pumpkins on the Mantel....


And a closer look at the little crow on top of the pumpkin ...


Here is a little indulgence, I also picked up from A.C. Moore!




Who knew, Lindt makes Halloween Jack-o-Lantern Chocolates! A nice spooky treat for anyone who craves something sweet!



So, this year I am really itching to try this recipe!!

I saw it a few years ago, on the Food Network , on Michael Chiarello's show Easy Entertaining With Michael Chiarello . The episode is called Pumpkin Picking Party.... He lives on a vineyard in the Nappa Valley in California.

I absolutely LOVED this episode, because it embodied everything I love about the Fall!! He did a lot of recipes using pumpkins, and squash, all which he picked on his land! So then he made this Acini Pepe dish using a pumpkin and squash, and Acini Pepe is one of my favorite pastas, so I was itching to try this for a long time now! Maybe this year I will finally get to !

For anyone else, who shares the same love for Acini Pepe and Pumpkin as I do , here is the recipe below! Let me know how it turns out for you!!

  1. 1 large pumpkin, about 6 pounds
  2. Extra-virgin olive oil, for oiling pumpkin, plus 2 tablespoons

  3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
  4. About 4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
  5. 1 cup finely chopped onion

  6. 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

  7. 1 1/2 pounds dried pastina or other small pasta, such as riso
  8. 2 cups roasted butternut squash (see recipe below)
  9. 1/2 turkey breast, pre-cooked, chopped small
  10. 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus a small piece for garnishing
  11. Balsamic vinegar dressing, optional
  12. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the lid off the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Scrape away some of the flesh, especially around the top, to form a large, smooth inner cavity. Make sure to leave the shell at least 1-inch thick all around. Oil the pumpkin inside and out and season inside with salt and pepper. Replace the lid. Place on a baking sheet and bake until about 2/3 cooked but still firm enough to stand and act as the soup container, about 40 minutes. Do not over-bake. If a good deal of liquid gathers in the bottom, spoon out and discard. Set aside; it will stay warm on its own for a good while.

Bring the stock to a low simmer in a saucepan. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion and cook until soft but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the thyme, stir, and add the pastina. Stir and add 2 cups of heated stock. Bring the mixture up to a simmer.

Simmer, adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time as the previous addition is absorbed and stirring occasionally to prevent the pastina from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the pasta is al dente, about 15 minutes. Add the roasted squash and turkey to reheat. Stir well. The consistency should be quite loose, like a thick soup. Add more stock, if necessary. Add the 1/2 cup cheese and let melt for a moment before stirring in. Taste for seasoning. Fill the reserved pumpkin shell with the pastina. Grate Parmesan on top and replace the lid and take to the table immediately.

You could also serve this in individual tureens using smaller pumpkins or acorn squash.

Now for this week's Halloween Clip!!!

This cartoon is from 1942, and I remember my mom taping this for me on an old VHS back when I was probably like 5 years old. Here is a review I found on IMDB.com which is pretty spot on!

Jasper and the Haunted House is another George Pal Puppetoon about a black boy and his troubles. This time, the scarecrow switches a sign that leads Jasper to a haunted house instead of a deacon's place where he brings a pie. There's an entertaining swing number with the house's piano, and books on a shelf moving to the music. Perhaps because it involves a black boy being scared of a haunted house, this short is considered racist but, really, it's just a boy who happens to be African-American who is simply frightened of something unusual happening. Seek this out if you're a fan of all puppet animation but if what I've just described is politically incorrect, just avoid.

Well that is all I have for you today my dears! This past week I have received this year's Autumn issue of Better Homes and Gardens, so I will definitely be doing a piece on that for next Spooky Monday! Now for my next trick, THE PRACITCAL MAGIC BLOG PARTY! ONE WEEK LEFT LADIES! LET'S CLEAN HOUSE !

Tricks and Treats,

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