Voodoo dolls – Dear Liza

Making a Party

Dear Liza,

When we lived in Salinas, we had parties a lot. Every holiday we made treats, decorated, cleaned like mad, and had a dozen folks over to have fun.

It was so much fun!

Me as Sybil Trelawny and our cookies, eyeballs, and ‘finger’ sandwiches

And this past weekend, we had a party at our new place. I didn’t take pictures of our guests, because I didn’t want to put anyone on the spot.

So we baked, decorated, and cleaned like mad, and then the neighbors came. Stacy and John and Bella, and Jonathon from next door. Four humans not related to us, here in our house.

Wise Owl Auntie Bridgett and Grandpa ”Charlie Brown”

We even played Halloween trivia (Stacy and Bella won) and gave homemade voodoo dolls for presents.

We talked about food, history, books, and cats. Bella and Stacy gave Mouse lots of love and scritches, because they are good cat people.

After plenty of food and wine and conversation, the guests headed off and we tidied up, happy to have had our first, but not our last, party here in Portland.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Playing with (Voodoo) Dolls

Dear Liza,

I think I am really just a big kid. When things get ugly or stressful, I need to laugh. I need to play.

Years ago, Auntie Bridgett and I made little voodoo dolls to send home with guests at a Halloween party. The leftovers became part of our regular decorations. This year, one got a change in hairstyle and a long red tie to become ….. well…. The Buffoon.

I posted his photo on Facebook and some folks complained that the pins weren’t working! So I am giving The Buffoon some ‘adventures’. Basically, I am playing with my doll….. making things as uncomfortable as possible for him.

Like I did when I was a kid, I looked around the house to see what I could play with. I realized that Halloween images are mostly things that can kill you, so there were lots of options!

Halloween decorations are good, of course. But we also have fearsome yard gnomes.

The Buffoon ( and friend) meet murderous garden gnomes

I am not done yet! I am feeling very crafty, and will tell you more about The Buffoon’s adventures as we approach that special day in early November.

Meanwhile, play, laugh, and vote, vote, vote! We will all get through this.

Love,

Grandma Judy

Spooking the Place Up….

Dear Liza,

I know it’s not even October yet, but… we’re decorating! Halloween is such a fun time, we just got out the boxes of pumpkins and skeletons and jumped in.

I love our decorations. Bridgett made many of them over the years, in ceramic painting classes or out of crafty supplies. That talent runs in the family, because her Momma Donna painted this witch forty three years ago! It lights up and gives a great happy, spooky feeling.

Between sewing, painting, and salvaging, we have quite a collection. Wine bottles become cute with some spray paint…

Painted bottles and stuffed pumpkin out of scraps

This skull is all that remains of a plastic skeleton my teaching partner Laurel and I were gifted by Hartnell College, many years ago. The rest of him fell apart toe by toe, but I just had to keep the skull.

And here is our latest creation, a voodoo doll. Any resemblance to current governmental official is absolutely intentional.

Love,
Grandma Judy