The Happiest Halloween

 

A very Happy Halloween
Our front porch.
(I didn't get a good picture,
but it looked like this.

This photo is from last year.)
We had so much fun!

A wonderful Halloween and a Happy Birthday for me.
I brought a birthday cake for me to the opening at the
Heliconian of the Harvest show, and everyone there sang
Happy Birthday to me. Thank you everyone for your kind
wishes and singing.

Then tonight handing out candy, everyone who came to
our house sang Happy Birthday to me before they got
their candy.  It was so sweet. Even the most reluctant kids
sang. Neighbours up the street made a point of coming and
singing.

When most of the Trick or Treating was over, my family
came by, and there was more cake, and presents and singing.
Perfect.  I hope you had a happy Halloween.

Thank you to everyone who made mine perfect.

Have a loving your life day!

It's my party, and I'll laugh if I want to, smile if I want to

Some of the Harvest Show,

(my work is the woman in the
purple dress)
Photo

By a Heliconian Hall photographer

(when I find out the name, I'll share it)

You would smile too, if it happened to you! (Referencing
the song It's my party, but changing the words.) If you're in
Toronto, please come out to the Heliconian Harvest show
at 35 Hazelton Avenue from 2 - 5 p.m. tomorrow,
October 31 (my birthday)  -- after that it's dashing
home to hand out candy to our neighbourhood Trick
or Treaters.  The Hall looks like a church, but don't
worry, it isn't -- it's an art club, and a beautiful venue.

We will have coffee, cake, goodies, candy, and children
and dogs are welcome.  The art is beautiful, celebrating
the bounty we are so lucky to have in the Canadian 
harvest.  Oh and the opening is free!

Love to see you there!

Have a loving your life day!

So much going on!

Pumpkin prep in process for the big night!

Wishing you a wonderful Halloween

if you celebrate!

Photo

Barbara Muir © 2025

We planned things well, and -- dropped off my painting
for the Harvest show at the Heliconian Hall opening just
after 9 this morning.  The drop off time was 9:30 and I
thought no one would be there.  But the team was there,
and the former show was down. Steven helped me
get my painting up. It was great to see everyone.  How lovely.
The Harvest show opens this Saturday at 2 p.m. at 35
Hazelton Avenue. It looks wonderful.  There will be candy (yes)
cake, treats, coffee and food. So come on over, and if you know
people who love costumes, bring them. 

Now the prep for the next art event -- Halloween begins.  We 
don't do big inflatable sculptures. Love them.  We carve pumpkins,
rely on the Pumpkin princess (hand made at home), and hand out
candy. The best. Our street will be quite festive! Can't wait!

Have a loving your life day!

You know what would be fun on Halloween Day -- an art show!

Okay decorate your place, get the candy ready, carve your pumpkins,
get your costumes ready, and then on Halloween Day, Saturday
October 31, between 2 and 5 p.m. come out to the Heliconian Hall
 at 35 Hazelton Avenue in Toronto to see some beautiful art, eat
some treats (including cake and candy),
drink some coffee in beautiful china cups, and have fun.  And it's
free!

Oh and there will be candy -- promise.  I would love to see
you there.

Have a loving your life day!

A great time with my art group -- but the painting isn't finished

Captain Giacomo

(art group sketch)

Acrylic on canvas

11 x 14 inches
Barbara Muir © 2020
(* Not tonight's sketch)

Tonight I painted with my art group. It was so good
to be back.  Between set up and clean up, as I've said
before, I think I have 30 minutes to get a painting
completed.  It wasn't enough tonight, so I'm showing
you a former sketch,

The model was wonderful tonight, and very different 
from this sketch. She's a beautiful young woman, and if
I can finish the painting from memory, I will.

I like the one I'm showing you, finished with the same
time limits, but it came together well. My husband drops
me off at 7:30 and picks me up an hour later.  

I love being around the other artists who are making
such wonderful work. It's so inspiring.

Have a loving your life day!

National Pumpkin Day

Steven carving the pumpkin!
This will probably happen tomorrow.

Photo
Barbara Muir ©

Today is National Pumpkin day, and Halloween is Saturday. This is

what was supposed to happen tonight, but my sweetheart took me
out to dinner because it's my birthday week. Our jobs break down
to me drawing the faces -- usually happy (I'm not a fan of the horror
part of Halloween), and Steven carving. 

We have our pumpkins already, and the squirrels haven't eaten them
-- so please be patient.  They will be carved soon.

Toronto loves Halloween, and the decorations are everywhere.

Have a loving your life day!

Halloween Prep begins--the Pumpkin princess goes up!

The Pumpkin Princess and

the pumpkins

Photo 

Barbara Muir ©

This year I didn't have to stuff our very practical Halloween pumpkin
princess, because we left the newspaper stuffing in for the
year, and she survived miraculously hanging on a door in the
cold room. I made the princess out of stuffed painted canvas
eight years ago to offer an alternative to all the extremely
expensive ghost and demon machines in the neighbourhood.

I am on Halloween's sweet side, (which for the kids
in our neighbourhood is the whole thing.)(As in candy and then
some.) We bought our first candy for the event today. Last year
the kids were extremely polite. We'd hold out a basket of candy
and say three is the limit, and most just took one chocolate bar.

To mark the occasion the art tonight is the princess.  It's been an
exceptionally beautiful, and sunny week, and we haven't started
on the pumpkins, so this is a former photo. 

We love the celebration, and how much kids love it. Halloween
is my birthday, so last year I made them sing Happy Birthday
to me to get the candy. And they did. One group after another.
It was the best.

Tonight pumpkin carving begins.

Have a loving your life day!