Halloween Witches

Ever grow up wondering about witches?  Did the Salem Witch Hunt make you scratch your head, or did it give you the shivers? 

How about what Hansel and Gretel went through . . . OOOOhhhh there is so much about witches, as they have been around for a long time . . . But do they really cast spells?  Are they fantasy or are they real?

Welcome to the Witches Den, where you'll find Halloween Witches and a whole lot more.  Although Halloween is known for being the "Season Of The Witch," where I come from the season of the witch is 24/7.

Christine's Halloween Tid Bits . . .

Halloween is thought to have originated more than 2,000 years ago among the ancient Celts, who lived in the British Isles and France.

The Celts believed that on that day, the lord of the dead called forth evil spirits. They held a festival, called Samhain, in which they lit bonfires to frighten off these spirits.

When the Romans conquered Britain, they incorporated many Samhain customs into their harvest festival, held on November 1. Sometime later, to put a stop to Samhain, Christians began celebrating All Saints' Day on November 1.

The evening before All Saints' Day was called "Hallow" or "Holy Evening." Over the years, it became "Hallows Evening" and eventually "Halloween."

Here's one version on how it started: Centuries ago, in Ireland, lanterns were created from large turnips by hallowing them out and carving faces in them. To ward off evil spirits, candles were then placed inside to make terrifying faces.

The Irish subsequently brought this tradition to the United States. However, instead of turnips, they used pumpkins, which were plentiful in America and ripened shortly before Halloween.

A Simple Lesson In Pumpkin Carving

(1) *Draw a face with markers BEFORE you start carving to avoid mistakes. You can draw it on a large piece of paper like a pattern, and tape it to the pumpkin, or if you prefer, you can draw a face directly on the pumpkin.

(2) *Always cut the top of the pumpkin at an angle. If you carve it straight, the top will probably slip off within a few days.

(3) *Carve several pumpkins. A group of pumpkins is more striking than one.

(4) *When you're done carving, set a candle inside. (A small battery operated light will also work.)

(5) *The thinner you carve the shell, the brighter the candlelight will appear.

Many people enjoy the costume holiday, and dress their pet for the festivities. I have a golden retriever that has the coat of a lion, and Amazon has a Lion's Mane that suits him perfectly.

*HALLOWEEN WITCH DRAWING HA31 ~ b.l.ink

The illustrations you see were done by one of my fellow eBay ACEO forum members. His art is done on a 3.5" x 2.5" bristol board with marker and ink. The ACEO ATC (Art Card Edition/Original Artist Trading Card) is the size of a playing card. True art on a small scale. His Gothic style is all its own, and the work you see is all original . . .

Which movie has the best witch? Do you have a favorite? You are welcome to share your favorite here, and I would love to hear from you.