The initial challenge for this lottery was to make 31 Twinchies (either digital or handmade) and mount them on a backing board. On Halloween, one name from all those who sign up and play will be drawn. They will be declared the winner of all 31 Twinchies! Imagine what a cool collage could be made with that many twinchies!
The enthusiasm for this challenge was contagious. Artists started loading up their "twinchies" to the designated photo album before the day was out! Some couldn't stop at just one or two and loaded four, five and even more! They caught the Twinchie bug and now have "Twinchie-itis". Literally overnight, 31 twinchies were uploaded to our group photo album by these Twinchie-ites! LOL More artists wanted to play so it has been decided that now we will go for 62 twinchies and draw two names ... one for each lot of 31 twinchies!
I am absolutely blown away by the fun and creativity they are displaying with this challenge! Never in my wildest dreams had I anticipated such an outpouring of art in such a short period of time. And the art being uploaded... well it is something else indeed! You have to see it to believe it... it is absolutely fantastic. And that's when the idea of writing a short story that tells a small Halloween tale through their art popped into my head in the wee small hours of the morning...
An Artsy Fartsy Hallowe'en Tale
Art by Marilyn Goodman
They lived in an old, eerie mansion called Immortality
with resident ghosts from Hallowe'en Past and spider
webs draped decoratively about in every room
Art by Cindy Powell
The mansion is situated on
in a small town
Now some people say
Art by Linda Gibbons
to spook all the misbehaving children and grownups in town.
Anybody of any importance knows that the sisters Grim have
Art by Peggy Gato
in the basement with the pickles and hiding
behind the secret trap doors in all the closets.
Now, if you should accidently walk by the mansion on dark, rainy October nights, you can hear them rattling their chains when the ghosts come out to wander about the dusty, spider webbed rooms and haunt the dark, foreboding stairwells of the mansion. You will know you have discovered this secret hideaway place because the hair on your neck will stand straight right up and your body will shiver with goosebumps!
Art by Cindy Powell
Listen carefully as you are out for your evening stroll.
Owls hoot eerie warnings should a stranger get
too close to secret hideaways.
Art by Cynthia (Cyn) Stenquist
Everyone knows that those same owls hoot the daily news, events
and happenings to those creatures of the night responsible for planning
frightful acts of wickedness towards those humans who lie, cheat or steal.
Art by Linda Gibbons
Sometimes walking down a dark alley in town,
a ghost will jump out into your path and yell
Art by Gale Heritage
It's just their way of having fun when they
are bored. In September and October they are
probably getting some practice in for Hallowe-en night.
But I can tell you for certain...
many a matrons hair in town has turned
white overnight from the ghastly fright.
This year, the sisters Grim noticed that the Witch industry was having a difficult time hiring properly trained witches with the right witchy credentials. Well, they certainly could not have THAT. It would ruin all witches reputations. They decided this was the perfect time to recruit some new witch trainees and teach them how to be proper witches. To attract new customers, they put this ad in their local paper.
Art by Sharon House
The ad was very successful. Applications poured in by the droves for Witchcraft 101. The sisters Grim picked 10 lucky applicants, who each received a magic flying broom, personalized with their witchy name, on their first day of classes.
Flight training began in earnest a few weeks ago. Each night since, the sisters Grim have a cackle session in their living room. They close all the curtains, light a candle and sitting in a shadowy room, laugh until they piddle in their witchy britches about the hilarious take off and landing attempts of the new trainees in flight training! The sisters Grim have had to make extra batches of "Airhead" salve for the trainees to put on their bruises and scrapes.
Making magical brews, cures and potions and instructions on how to properly stir the cauldron while reciting secret spells began this week. The course, Magic 101, will begin next week. Lessons in brewing poisons to administer to nasty folks who cross their path will begin the week after next. How to boil and season bad little children and misbehaving adults will be covered as well before the annual bewitching day arrives! The Grim sisters are determined that these new witches will be well prepared to deal with anything that crosses their path.
Art by Lynn Stevens
Art by Bevlea Ross
At the end of their training, just in time for Halloween this year,
each witch will receive this special appointment diploma and
be invited to join "The United Witches Union"
Art by Lynn Stevens
So this October 31
Art by Carolyn Summer
Give generously of candy to all those who come to your doorway on Halloween night. Be kind, generous and giving to all those you meet this month. If you don't, you'll be sorry. The witches, goblins, ghosts, hissing cats, hooting owls, et cetera will be out in force to GET YOU.
Trick or Treat?
Art by Linda Gibbons
You decide.
THE END
Thanks to all the member artists in The Latest Trends in Mixed Media Art group who are participating in this fun lottery. They graciously gave me permission to showcase their "twinchie" art as part of this Halloween story!
Hope you have enjoyed this small sampling of "tasty" Halloween Twinchie Art. Drop by the Latest Trends to see more and/or participate in the lottery by joining the group.
If you are looking for an information rich art group to join, I can highly recommend the Latest Trends. I've been a member since 2007 when it first began and have watched it grow to over 900 members in just two years. And here's why... members enjoy all the free workshops, swaps, monthly art techniques and more offered in a warm, supportive, encouraging and friendly atmosphere. Cindy Powell, our group "mom", author, designer and "artist extraordinaire" does a fantastic job of entertaining us each month with a myriad of wonderful *FREE* workshops and projects (many of which are hosted by our generous fellow members) to strengthen our creative muscles and help us improve our art.
Have a great weekend everyone and thanks for stopping by.
Sharon
P.S. Story lovers, I am a bit behind in getting this months' story recorded but a Victorian Ghost story, in keeping with the "season", should be up by the weekend.