October 27, 2019

#Halloween In #Miniature 2019 - 2: The Parlor

💀 Welcome to Day 2 of Halloween in Miniature! 💀
(If you missed it, start at Day 1.)


By Christine Verstraete

 Mrs. Skellie turned to make sure everyone was there.  "I see we haven't lost anyone. Glad you decided to come along and didn't touch any of those mysterious potions. (Photo: Skellie, Chris V. Click photos for full size.)

"Nasty, vile stuff if you ask me, but don't tell anyone I said so. Why, I heard the gardener dared touch one of the bottles and he-he turned into something... Of course, I didn't see him myself, you understand, but one of the maids told me she saw him hopping around here somewhere before she quit... (Photo: Polymer clay frog, 1.5 cm, Georgia Marfels



"Now, take a seat. Oh, dear..."




"Mr. Darcy, GET OFF the settee!! Oh, that dog. I've told him over and over. Well, you'll have to find another place to sit. Don't be afraid. He's a big baby. He won't hurt you.



"WAIT! No, don't sit there! Sorry. That's the Invisible Man's chair, and well... No, I can't tell which one, but I'm sure you don't want to sit in his lap. I wish he'd pick up a drink or wear something more visible. Claude, forgive us, please." 

(Photos: Dog/settee, chairs, Patricia Paul. ) New York artisan Patricia Paul started making miniatures back in the '80s. She got into creating small scale Halloween items a decade later when her son, who was nine at the time, wanted a miniature haunted house. The bug never left her, she says: "I like trying new things, but I still love the posed skeletons."

"You had your coffee?" Mrs. Skellie asks. "For those of you who would prefer something stronger, we have some marvelous Bloody Mary drinks and other refreshments. It's our house brand with a 'secret' ingredient. No, don't ask. Didn't I say it was secret?"



"Also, feel free to sample any of our goodies as well. Cook has done quite a job preparing this repast for everyone. Lots of "finger" foods for your enjoyment." (Photos: Two food tables and plates, Chris V.)



A commotion sounded in the other room. "Oh, now what in the world was that?" Mrs. Skellie leaves to peek in the kitchen, with everyone following behind her.

 "Henny! Can't you use the door like everyone else? She insists on coming through the wall, scares the heck out of me. My last cook quit because of her. " (Photo: Ghost in wall,  Sue Wakefield.)



"Thank goodness, Cook Walton has been with me for decades. She's afraid of nothing.  What? Oh, yes, she has some fruit, cheeses and some other non-meat goodies for our vegetarian friends. Oops, we better leave. She hates being bothered when she's working. (Photo: Table and spooky goodies, Patricia Paul.)



"Whew, that was a close one. I saw her pick up that cleaver and I was never so glad to see her chopping up something else! 

"So, let's go back to the parlor. You're welcome to peruse our wonderful library, get a drink, maybe try out a game or the Ouija. 
(Photos: Fortuneteller and cabinet, Chris V. Ouija board box printie on Etsy, Barbara Del Duco)

" Our resident fortuneteller, Madame Zelda, would also be pleased to tell you your fortune. She may even ask you to look into one of her special crystal balls... if you dare."






**** COMMENTS MAY NOT BE WORKING - Enter rafflecopter (day 1) or send comment to me at my website page. I'll pick a random winner for a book, ebook or a mini Halloween goodie bag. (Gifts US Mailing only.) ****

🙀 Go to Day 3. (Link may not be immediately live.)



👿 Free mini Ouija board. Print, cut out on black border and glue to mat board or wood. Paint or color edges black with acrylic paints or Sharpie marker. Spray with acrylic matte fixative and coat with Mod Podge Gloss.

👾 Also do a search on Google to find other images. Here's an idea to make a full-size tray and free Ouija printables that also can be adapted to mini.

💀 Mrs. Skellie's Reading List:


 Monster in Miniature, Margaret Grace (Camille Minichino) - #5 in the Miniature Mystery series - This miniaturist is in BIG trouble... For a festive Halloween project, Geraldine Porter and her granddaughter, Maddie, set out to create a multi-story haunted dollhouse. But their holiday fun turns to fear when a neighborhood scarecrow turns out to be a bloody corpse. (Start the series with Book 1, Murder in Miniature - Kindle or Print.)



 * Read something spooky! 100 Word Zombie Bites features 100 little zombie stories. Includes my two new stories, The Awakening and The Heist. Coming in paperback soon.