Sugar

 

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I'm in a huge Disney kick lately but I'm still trying to keep up with my Halloween posts... So, here are my sugar skull Disney princesses. I feel like you either love these princesses--their optimism, sweet nature, and kindness--or you hate them and see them as weak, pathetic, and a product of the time they were created. They are just dumb chicks with pretty faces... I wanted to take those pretty face and paint them even more.

 

I love the classic princesses. Of course, they are not the typical strong heroine that we are so used to in our stories today but there is more to be admired in someone than just their strength--kindness goes a long way and in the end people will remember how you treat them, not how impressive you think you are.

 

Only one more day until Halloween!!!!!!

 

a.r.w.

Hiding

 

There is a cat hiding out on the moon, I know. I've seen him smiling down on me.

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Now this picture did not come out as nice as I wanted it to be... but I still love my black cat hiding out on the moon.

 

My whole life whenever I see a crescent moon, I always point and say, "The Cheshire Cat smile!" Crescent moons are my absolute favorite because of that very reason.

 

In my mind I have a story of how a witch was flying by the moon on her broomstick when her pet cat fell off and landed safely on the moon. At first he was annoyed by the inconvenience but lately, he smiles. Up on the moon there is no sadness, no worries, no one to think that you're bad luck, and no pesky dogs always barking at you.

 

Only 3 more days until Halloween!!

 

a.r.w.

The Gift

When stars are born

 

They possess a gift or two…

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There is an old Serbian proverb that says, Be humble for you are made of earth. Be noble for you are made of stars. We are the very best of both worlds. Star dust makes up our very beings--star dust from millions and billions of years ago, connecting us to the very universe that surrounds. If that is not a magnificent thought, then I don't know what is.

 

Today's doodle was created from inspiration by a great number of different things throughout the day.

 

The first was listening to the music from the Disney firework show "Wishes" which starts with the very famous and oh so beloved saying, "When stars are born, they possess a gift or two... One of them is this: They have the power to make a wish come true." Immediately I thought to the precious brother I BEGGED my parents for. I wanted nothing more than to be a big sister... and my wish was granted with Jed. He has given me the greatest relationship I have ever seen between a brother and a sister, a lifetime of memories, years of laughter, and an incredible friend. I miss my brother--my star--every single day (today is one of those rough days if you can't tell...) but I am so grateful for him for making my wish come true and making my life so much brighter.

 

Another inspiration from today was a post I saw online that was between two stars talking to one another saying, "Being a human was the hardest thing I ever had to do." "Same here." My breath was taken away by that thought.  This is the hard part of life--the tears, the pain, the sickness--but that will make the joyful reunion and happy eternity over There all the sweeter. Jed has become that shining star once more, illuminating my world that has turned a bit too dark for my liking lately.

 

I think back to that beautiful quote from Star Wars: Luminous beings are we... not this crude matter. It seems to be a similar idea--across cultures--that once we make it through this part of life and travel from Here to There, life gets brighter... as do we...

 

From stars we came from and to stars we will return.

 

a.r.w.

Apple Pie

Dorothy cursed as the knife sliced through her finger, crimson red blood dripping down onto the perfectly flattened dough she was about to drape over the cinnamon and chopped apples.

"Apple pie," she hissed between clenched teeth, pushing the brown ringlet from her face, leaving a smear of white flour and red blood along her forehead.

It was her daughter, Bianca's, favorite--stepdaughter, her furious thoughts reminded her--as she tossed the finished pie, complete with her own blood, sweat, and tears, into the oven.

It would be hours until her new husband came home and only minutes until Bianca arrived... she was running out of time.

The house was spotless as always and Dorothy primped her hair, washed the blood from her face, fluffed her tulle petticoat, and straightened the pearls around her neck as she stood before the mirror--the only thing in that damned house to ever give her any attention.

She had married into this family--Richard had worked on the Manhattan Project nearly ten years ago and that had brought him both money and a fine paying job at the local university where he spent all of his time... the remaining time he spent at home with Bianca... Never Dorothy.

The jealousy and rage boiled up inside the housewife as she let out a scream and slammed her fist against the mirror, her twisted face even more distorted in the shards at her feet.

"Dorothy? I'm home!" the twelve year-old's voice called out through the house, making the woman ignore the blood dripping from her knuckles and bottle up her emotions once more--her rage hidden by a sweet smile.

"I'm in the kitchen!" she called out, her voice high pitched.

"Something smells delicious." The beautiful child--the object of Richard's love and affection with her pale white skin, jet black hair, and bright green eyes--entered the kitchen with a smile on her innocent face.

"Your favorite," Dorothy continued as she wiped the blood on a towel, knowing the girl was far too stupid to notice the broken mirror or the blood. With a smile she opened the oven. "Apple pie."

"With cinnamon?"

She kept smiling. "Of course."

Without another word, the girl sat down and began to devour the large slice of pie her stepmother placed on the plate before her.

"Enjoy," Dorothy whispered as she patted her stepdaughter on her head, her fingers tangling in the girl's silky smooth hair.

A moment passed--almost too long for Dorothy's liking--before Bianca hesitated and began to cough.

"Are you alright, dear?"

The fit of coughs continued as Bianca slammed her hand on the table and began gasping for air.

"Bianca?"

The girl tried to stand--to reach out to her stepmother for help--but stumbled as her legs gave out from under her, her body beginning to twitch and shake.

The woman in her pristine and perfect dress, knelt down beside the girl who began to foam at the mouth, her eyes bugging out of her head. "I thought you liked my apple pie," she said, sounding almost heartbroken. "It has cinnamon... just how you like." She paused for a moment, taking the girl's head and placing it into her lap. Stroking her hair, she added with a wicked grin, "Oh! And arsenic."

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Today's writing prompt was "apple pie" and I immediately thought of Snow White and her poisoned apple. I decided to give it a 50s twist but still dark and spooky because--hey!--it's almost Halloween!

 

I think the 50s were an interesting time in American history. It was after a world war and it was seen on the outside as a epitome of utopian, ideal Americana. White picket fences, suburbia, and the perfect families where dad goes off to work, the kids go to school, and the mom stays at home keeping herself and the house perfect.

 

But in reality, how ideal, happy, and peaceful was that? I could see people growing tired of perfection and the monotony of every day. And I could see the perfect housewives scheme in their boredom.

 

So here is a twisted take on Snow White and the Evil Queen and the poisoned apple. A 1950s housewife, jealous of her stepdaughter, snaps and gives the girl a poisoned apple pie... only this time, there's no true love to come, kiss her, and wake her up. No happy ending.

 

I think the scariest thing in this world is what a human being is capable of. It's not Freddy or Jason or Michael Myers (though they are terrifyingly awesome). It's not vampires or werewolves or aliens. It's a human being who wears the mask of normalcy but deep down inside they are a monster... A demon hidden behind a perfectly painted face.

 

Only 19 days until Halloween!!

 

a.r.w.

Hitchhike

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Ah! There you are! And just in time... There's a little matter I forgot to mention: Beware of hitchhiking ghosts!

 

These are the three ghosts from my favorite ride at Disney World--the Haunted Mansion. I've recently fallen even more in love with this trio after discovering that there is a pin set that features them (yes, I am one of those poor unfortunate souls [see what I did there?] that is absolutely obsessed with Disney pin trading). I managed to find two out of the three during my honeymoon in August but I am still missing the short hairy guy! So if you find yourself at Disney any time soon and happen upon him, remember me?

 

 

These three ghosts appear at the end of the ride and their names are Phineas (the traveler), Ezra (the skeleton), and Gus (the prisoner)... Phineas is my favorite. They're scary and spooky but at the same time so gosh darn lovable!

 

I decided to take my love of Disney and my love for Halloween and create a Haunted Mansion doodle today. I hope it gets you in the Halloween spirit, makes your spine tingle and skin crawl, and makes you think back to the first time you rode through the Haunted Mansion, terrified only to have it become your absolute favorite.

 

Only 20 days until Halloween!

 

a.r.w.

 

PS: Now a ghost will follow you home... Hahahahahahahahahah!!!!!!!!!!!



Grow

i will not grow up

without dreams or adventure…

i will simply grow.

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My grandfather used to have this saying: I will never grow up... I will simply grow.

 

I loved that saying. As I child, I was obsessed (and in love) with Peter Pan and the idea of staying a carefree child forever. I cried the eve of my 13th birthday and even more the day before I turned 18. I was terrified with the idea of growing up and getting old; no longer being the person I knew I was... always changing, with forced responsibilities, and clipped wings.

 

In the early years of my adulthood (which I know many of you will still say I'm in. For the sake of my post, let's say 19-22), I found myself trapped in the contemporary idea of what it means to be an adult. I had a job, responsibilities, I had to go to the doctor by myself, and I was becoming more and more cynical. It was after I worked at Disney World, that I realized that (as Walt says), imagination has no age and my imagination is one of the biggest and strongest parts of me. So I decided to embrace that and run with it!

 

If I want to wear my hair in pigtails, I do. Wear crazy colored tights? I'm on it. Doodle in my notebook? Yup. Watch a Disney movie? You bet! I still try to go through life believing in magic and the best in people...

 

Life is far to short to fit into the cookie cutter mold of what the world expects of you. It's exhausting and later in life you realize it was a waste of time! I'm glad I realized I can be me and still have people enjoy me as I am without matching up to what others want... I will never grow up! I will simply grow!

 

a.r.w.

Norman

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This is Norman the not so distant cousin of Charlie (my someday but probably never tattoo of a whale that will go on my arm/guns... but, again, I'll probably only ever talk about him).

 

I'm still playing with my watercolors and doodling with minimalist pictures and I've found that A). whales are super easy and B). I absolutely adore drawing them. This will probably end up being a series of little colorful whales.

 

I might have drawn this because I have had the song "Whale of a Tale" from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea stuck in my head.... What a beautiful problem to have...

 

I know since it's October 1st (Huzzah!!), I should have drawn something spooky and scary but LOOK AT THIS FAC?!?! How could I say no to him?

 

a.r.w.