HAPPY HALLOWE'EN!

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN

TO ALL MY VIEWERS!!

MAGGIE MOON

Website Id:  (Dioramas) Wales - 0028



Above is a picture of my Hallowe'en witch, which I made in 1998.  She lives in her roombox which I called "The Witches Brew".  Maggie is busy making her spells, carefully watched by her black cat. 

Black cats were originally believed to protect witches' powers from negative forces.  You can see the full roombox on my website under "Dioramas" Id. no:  (Dioramas) Wales - 0028. 

When looking at her recently, I began to wonder when Hallowe'en actually came about.  I have since found out the following information:

According to Irish legends, Jack-o-lanterns were named after a man who could not enter Heaven because he was a miser.  He could not enter Hell either, because he used to play jokes on the devil.

Originally, lanterns were made out of  turnips.  Today people put lanterns made out of pumpkins outside their homes to frighten away ghosts and witches.

Hallowe'en dates back to the ancient Celtic Festival of Samhain, which is a celebration of the end of the Harvest Season.
Hallowe'en is on the eve of All Saints Day, or All Hallows, which is an ancient word for saint.

Carole.

CROATIA, BOSNIA AND MONTENEGRO DOLLS

I have recently returned from a trip to Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro. 

As usual, I was looking for new dolls!

The dolls in CROATIA were mostly made of porcelain with thick unrealistic hands, and rather "starey" eyes, so I chose the hard plastic ones instead.  The chimney sweep is made of a more dainty porcelain than the regional dolls.

In BOSNIA, as I was limited for time, I was only able to find dolls made of vinyl, but they give an idea of the costumes.

In MONTENEGRO I found the delightful little "elderly people" dolls which are hand made.  The other pair of dolls is vinyl.

For more pictures and further information, please see the website.  Carole. 

CROATIA

Website Id:  Europe - Croatia - 008, 008A and 008B

(Woman wearing the headress of a married woman).

CROATIA

Website Id:  Europe - Croatia - 008C

(woman wearing the headress of an unmarried woman)

CROATIA

Website Id:  Europe - Croatia - 001

(chimney sweep)

(His face is clean because he hasn't started work yet!)

CROATIA

hand made dolls

Website Id:  Europe - Croatia - 0010, 0010A and 0010B

 

BOSNIA

Website Id: Europe - Bosnia - 003, 003A and 003B

BOSNIA

Website Id: Europe - Bosnia - 004

MONTENEGRO

Website Id:  Europe - Montenegro - 004

 

MONTENEGRO

Website Id:  Europe - Montenegro - 003 and 003A

CROATIA

The medieval City of Dubrovnik.

The main street showing the shiny, worn cobbles. 

CROATIA

Another view on a coach trip

BOSNIA

(Mostar)

The famous Turkish bridge which was built in 1566

and re-built after it was damaged during the war

in the early 1990's.


BOSNIA
The Turkish street in Mostar
(and the shop on the left where I bought the Bosnian dolls).



MONTENEGRO

View from the highest point in Montenegro

(from the coach).

MONTENEGRO
Monks in Kotor.

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