Shoebox: Halloween Witches, Gourd Chickens

There were some good laughs in the Shoebox today, starting with a photograph from Becky Sprowl of Calhoun, Ky. Becky sent in a picture of what apparently is the last sighting of the wicked witch of the west wearing the famous red shoes. Becky cut two lengths of PVC pipe and made them striped by wrapping them with black tape every few inches. She then stuck them into a pair or boots that she had painted and glittered red and placed them up next to the house, so it looks as though the witch was smashed by the house and only her stockings and red shoes show. It was a very funny photo and I’m sure the real thing had many passersby stopping to stare.

Betsy Weaver of Gnadenhutten, Ohio, wrote to tell of a crafting adventure that she and her longtime friend Deb Joyner of Westerville, Ohio, had some time ago. Deb was visiting Betsy for a few days and they happened to be watching the show the day I made a witch from a lampshade, plastic foam ball, and a few other craft items. They thought it looked like a fun thing to do, so they went to the craft store to gather up the supplies. $98.46 later (!) they checked out and went home to craft. They started at 3 p.m. ... and taking time out only to fix dinner for Betsy’s husband, they finished around midnight. Even though Betsy said her witch looked a bit lopsided and the head and the hat on Deb’s kept falling off, they had a great time and, obviously, lots of laughs. Crafting with a friend is obviously not just about crafting.

Lea Graves of Rescue, Calif., also gave us some laughs with the chicken gourds that she sent photos of. One of the gourds Lea bought and one she grew, but both posed for their picture to be taken after Lea had given each gourd a pair of dowel legs and polymer clay feet, crown, waddle, beak and eyes. Very simple. Very funny. Very cute.