Halloween: Spooky Season: Fortune, Anyone?

Today's Prompt is... Somewhere Spooky - hear the eerie music and see the lights flash in the crystal ball??? (Click photos for full size.)

** Today is Day 27 of #septemberspookyseason24 on Instagram. Daily posts and some giveaways via @wyrdworldminiatures. (Click photos for full size.)

* Follow me also - @cwrite12. I'll try to post my daily (hopefully) Halloween inspiration here also with a reminder. Join in! 

I mentioned before (wow, posted back in July!) about getting back to the Van Buren Haunted dollhouse and having this Fortune Teller box kit from Michelle's Miniatures stashed away. 

Bought it quite a few years ago at the Chicago Bishop show. Thought it was a cool kit but wasn't sure about the painting. (*Here's the previous post on the Haunted Van Buren house.)

So I dove in finally! and decided to paint the sides a rust-orange, the front and inside yellow, then accented it with gold and Mod Podge Sparkle for a glittery effect. Really tickled with how it came out! (Oops, I see some spots to touch up! Of course! 😆)

The doll is a porcelain figure I had for a long time, but I confess, I really wasn't crazy about her as she was kind of plain. So I re-dressed her in sparkly attire, used some black yarn for hair ,and added some more "makeup," a red head scarf, and a gold necklace. Much better! The box is about 3.25" h and 1.50" w. 

Then came the fun figuring-it-out part. I decided, well, a fortune teller has to have a crystal ball, right? And... it really should light up!

I happened to find some small Styrofoam (TR) tubes with LED lights in them for $1 each at Goodwill so got a few. They had a red, blue, and green LED inside on long wires. The connector button lets you set it to flicker, blink, or stay on.

I drilled a hole in the bottom back of the kit, put the wires in the bottom near the inner shelf, and then glued on a larger opalescent bead I had. The lights are bent so they'll light from underneath. The only drawback is I have to temporarily tape the battery connector on the back until I can figure out how to hold it on as I have to have access to the on button. I also lightly glued the front of the box so it'll stay on but didn't want to make it where I can't pry it off (carefully) if needed. There is also a wood ceiling painted yellow that I put in but I also have a clear acrylic piece for more light.

Cool, huh? Fun little project! This will go in the haunted house attic for now....

Thanks again for visiting. More spooky and Halloween stuff to come!

Halloween: Spooky Season Pumpkin!

Pumpkin! What says Halloween more than pumpkins!

I seem to keep collecting them, too. I don't have a lot out yet but getting there!

 
** Today is Day 25 of #septemberspookyseason24 on Instagram. Daily posts and some giveaways via @wyrdworldminiatures. (Click photos for full size.)

* Follow me also - @cwrite12. I'll try to post my daily (hopefully) Halloween inspiration here also with a reminder. Join in! 

TODAY'S PROMPT: Pumpkin

 I decided to have a semi-Halloween theme in my half-scale Fairfield dollhouse (above) to go with the dragon wallpaper and this amazing orange fabric on the bed. I fell in love with it! 

The buffet/dresser is a vintage Tootsietoy piece (1920's-1930's) that I repainted brown with gold accents. I love these pieces and try to use them when I can find them reasonable (meaning cheap.) (This is cool - look at the old Tootsietoy ads.) (The Fairfield's girl's bedroom, which has an eerie part-circus theme, also has a Tootsietoy bed.) (Click photos for full size; see archives in left column and  more links on page tab on top banner.)

I also had fun putting quite a few pumpkins outside my half-scale Witch's Cottage. (See more links on the left tab on top banner.) This one was fun to decorate, too.

* More to come so check back soon! Thanks for visiting!

Halloween: Spooky Season: Dressed Up

I didn't have anything to match the previous couple prompts, so I skipped them. But today will work to show the main resident of the Van Buren half-scale dollhouse... the elderly lady is still waiting in the dining room for her lost love....

** Today is Day 24 of #septemberspookyseason24 on Instagram. Daily posts and some giveaways via @wyrdworldminiatures. (Click photos for full size.)

* Follow me also - @cwrite12. I'll try to post my daily (hopefully) Halloween inspiration here also with a reminder. Join in! 

TODAY'S PROMPT: Dressed Up

The doll was one of those generic porcelain figures I had bought cheap somewhere. I painted her fully gray (even her hair), and then redressed her in lace and fabrics I also dirtied-up. Thought she fit here well. Even the vintage "ghost" girls by the window wore their best!

I still have to add a few pictures on the walls and some silverware, plus more Halloween accessories. The spooky table and bench seat is part of the Gothic set from SDK Miniatures.

But speaking of the theme... look there's someone at the door, why it's Mr. Pumpkinhead! Well...and he's wearing his Sunday Best! Oh... do you think it's safe to let him in? We really don't know him very well...

I put the patio temporarily in front of the house and I think it looks really good. I have to make some adjustments and also add more on the outside of the house and the balcony, but I like  how the colors match. It looks so much better with black squares.

One thing I did add that I can't believe I forgot - a couple gargoyles on the top roof. Not a great photo but the best I can do until the whole house is moved. 

There are more visitors coming for Halloween, so stay tuned! Working on the attic and a few things in the kitchen yet so be sure to come back soon!

Thanks for visiting again!

Halloween: Spooky Season Fall Leaves

 I'm behind. Well, I could've done this yesterday so hurrying this morning. I even have a garden utensils kit... somewhere. Grr! I have to organize better! And then Google was acting up and wouldn't let me upload a photo. Frankly, everything seems to act up once Chrome was updated - again!

So, for now, some leaves fell on the  Van Buren half-scale dollhouse patio....

** Today is Day 20 of #septemberspookyseason24 on Instagram. Daily posts and some giveaways via @wyrdworldminiatures. (Click photos for full size.)

* Follow me also - @cwrite12. I'll try to post my daily (hopefully) Halloween inspiration here also with a reminder. Join in! 

TODAY'S PROMPT: Leaves

Halloween: Spooky Season: Fall Picnic

 Hungry???

"Hand" sandwich, anyone? Let me give you a hand...Ok, I'll stop.  haaa!

Considering that these are Halloween posts, this Fall Picnic for today's prompt is going to be a bit, er, different! 

** Today is Day 19 of #septemberspookyseason24 on Instagram. Daily posts and some giveaways via @wyrdworldminiatures. (Click photos for full size.)

* Follow me also - @cwrite12. I'll try to post my daily (hopefully) Halloween inspiration here also with a reminder. Join in! 

TODAY'S PROMPT: Fall Picnic

To me, a Fall Picnic can consist of whatever you like. And when it's Halloween time, well.... 

Let's start with some Bloody Marys, of course! and some appetizers. (All food by me, www.cverstraete.com)

Mmm, crunchy!

Don't fill up! We've got much more for the next course. Lots to eat and drink!

Hope you had plenty to eat! Don't worry, there's plenty more where this came from.... There is a graveyard nearby....heh-heh.... I mean the kitchen! 💀😅

Thanks again for visiting! Don't forget to stop by for more posts.

Halloween: Spooky Season: Wee Folk Among the Trees

 

Among the trees....

Well, this is a tough one and I didn't want to skip a day. I think of wee folk as fairies, the Fae, but...I don't have any mini fairies... that I can see! They are not showing themselves to me!

** Today is Day 17 of #septemberspookyseason24 on Instagram. Daily posts and some giveaways via @wyrdworldminiatures. (Click photos for full size.)

* Follow me also - @cwrite12. I'll try to post my daily (hopefully) Halloween inspiration here also with a reminder. Join in! 

TODAY'S PROMPT: The Wee Folk and Day 18 - Among the Trees....

Well, reading the two days of prompts together gives me a better idea.

I love lit miniature trees, of all kinds, shapes, sizes...

So, peek around the trees I set up for Halloween and maybe, just maybe, you'll be able to spot one of the wee folk. I'm still looking but optimistic. 😏 But there are some strange people lurking among the tombstones....

Side of the Witch's Cottage.

What lurks behind the tombstones? (Maybe that winged dog is part of the Fairy Folk?)

Thanks for visiting again! Come back for more posts and projects....

Halloween: Haunted House

 

Every haunted house needs a garden gnome, especially a zombie gnome!

** Today is Day 16 of #septemberspookyseason24 on Instagram. Daily posts and some giveaways via @wyrdworldminiatures. (Click photos for full size.)

* Follow me also - @cwrite12. I'll try to post my daily (hopefully) Halloween inspiration here also with a reminder. Join in! 

TODAY'S PROMPT: Haunted House....

Which is still underway. Making progress on the Van Buren half-scale dollhouse. I'm close but I'm not-quite-done yet.

So sharing the previous photo of the front. I am working on a brick patio in the front of the house, so here's that progress.

I had this brick sheet forever and decided it would fit perfect for the house and would look even better painted black so it matches. I think it looks much better, doesn't it?

The small garden bed has a zombie gnome (top photo). I was lucky to find a couple sets from Lemax one year. The corner giraffe is a "topiary" animal like The Shining. I have a lion for the other side but I'd like to find a bear. These are smaller zoo animals so closer to half-scale size. The chair set (it comes with two planters) is from TMC Miniatures. I'll add some impatiens around the fountain and am making a bench/seat for the left side.

That's it for the moment! Will show more as I get more done. Thanks for stopping by again.

Halloween: Spooky Season Monster Mash!

  

 

 Mention the words, "Monster Mash," and I know you can hear that 1962 song playing by the famous Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers...  (7" record label image, Garpax Records) (Click photos for full size.)

** Today is Day 15 of #septemberspookyseason24 on Instagram. Daily posts and some giveaways via @wyrdworldminiatures. (Click photos for full size.)

* Follow me also - @cwrite12. I'll try to post my daily (hopefully) Halloween inspiration here also with a reminder. Join in! 

TODAY'S PROMPT: Monster Mash

I decided to invite a few "old" friends from the blog and around to join the party.

Let's see who showed up....

I'd like to introduce you first to Mrs. Skellie. She usually chaperones most of the shindigs and makes sure the monsters don't overdo it on the punch! (Skellie lady by me. www.cverstraete.com) 

Speaking of punch... What's a party without punch? (Be careful now; I heard this one has a real wicked kick! By Patricia Paul via my past blog. Artisan Patricia Paul makes a variety of "creepily" delectable things to eat and drink, perfect for that monstrous bash-mash! (Sign up for her newsletter at her website for some freebies. And be sure to visit her gallery while you're there!)

*** For an even bigger kick, check out an eerie Halloween story by author friend Jean Rabe: The Ascension of Mary Grace. With spooky miniatures, too. 

Someone's knocking at the door... Who is it?

  What a treat! It's Frank! If you stick around long enough, it turns out he's quite the joke-teller. Yeah, I know, some of his "jokes" are sure to make you groan! (The amazing hand-sculpted figure is one of many by artisan Sharon Cariola. See more of the guests she's made and read about Sharon here.)

It's turning into quite a party! Thank goodness, Mrs. Skellie got that lazy server to pass around some more drinks and snacks. Still, she says we can't fire her. It's so hard to dig up good help these days! (haa!) Wine by me and snacks by me, www.cverstraete.com.)

 

Ok, that's enough for now. Gotta go see what the other guests are up to. 

(You can find past Halloween in Miniature links here and on the top banner or type Halloween in Miniature into the search box in left column for a pot-luck tour!)

Hope you enjoyed today's mini-party! Thanks for coming by! Oh, don't forget your parting gift: a mini version of the famous record album for your collection! (Wikipedia image; mini album made by me, not for sale; personal use only.)

Interesting side-note: Wikipedia claims a favorite singer/songwriter/pianist, Leon Russell, played on Monster Mash. (I had no idea!) Though there is no mention on his biography page that I found, it's worth a look for all the contributions he made to the music industry. He played and recorded with just about everyone, even some I didn't realize.

Halloween: Spooky Miniature Witches

 

 (Click photo for full size.)

** Today is Day 14 of #septemberspookyseason24 on Instagram. Daily posts and some giveaways via @wyrdworldminiatures. (Click photos for full size.)

* Follow me also - @cwrite12. I'll try to post my daily (hopefully) Halloween inspiration here also with a reminder. Join in! 

TODAY'S PROMPT: Witches/Wizards

I skipped yesterday since I didn't have anything to fit, but this one today is easy!

For some reason, I have made or have quite a few witches! Synonymous of Halloween, I guess. I do have a wizard, too, but not sure where the photo is.

The above witch was in my 1" scale haunted house, which is now packed away. (No room).

 Here's another flashier witch I dressed a while back. 

I still like this cute little girl witch, too. (Ignore the frame.)

And more recently, there's the 1/24th half-scale witch I dressed last year for the Witch's Cottage. (More photos and video at name link.)

* Thanks again for visiting. Be sure to stop by for more posts and photos!

Halloween Reading: Behind the Shadows II Release Day!

 Today is release day (perfect on Friday the 13th!) for the anthology, Behind the Shadows II, containing my eerie, Twilight-Zone-ish story, "Blink!" 

 In "Blink!", Tommy wakes to a new world and wonders why no one else "sees" what is going on but him.  A little weird and even funny at times!

* Get the ebook: various outlets

* Paperback, ebook - Barnes & Noble

* Paperback  - Amazon US