Spooktacular Weekend

Welcome mortals...

It's my favourite time of the year, the colours are beautiful, the weather isn't cold enough to trigger my Raynaud's (more than usual anyway) and it's the season of all things spooky.

Like last year, I was scaring the pants off of grown men as a scare actor. Whereas I felt out of my depth last year being a lurking entity in the corner of the eye, this year I did baulk at the concept of the Fae Queen. This year I had lines. 

Well. As hoc lines. I kinda winged it each tour depending on whether there were children (teens, this was a mature event), and it not, randomly selected someone to pick on. Still, I was absolutely convinced I wasn't scary enough, even with the claws, the skull face and the click click click of bones against antler (foam clay, but let's not spoil the illusion!)

My first inkling that I was scary was when I spooked hubby in the dress rehearsal. I was practicing my last jump scare, neatly tucking myself behind a pillar and pouncing out with a hiss when I received "bloody hell, I knew you were gonna do that but I still jumped".

Won't lie, it was the bit of courage I needed! There were many jumps, I had joked during rehearsals I had the best scares and I do think I did, mostly because I was the only "supernatural" element and barely looked human in the dull green lights. 

Still, I am rambling. I will comment on my favourite scene and scare and move on:

We had one tour where a lady needed to use the bathroom right at the start. I could vaguely hear an extra tale being made so the lady could be "comfortable". After 15/20 minutes I was summoned and roared my way into the room, getting my first good jump scare. I then called them into the adjacent room, to hold court and allow me to choose my tribute. As they filed into the room, I hoovered behind the door, muttering and hissing and reaching out with my claws (which did gain a few jumps on most of the tours). The guide pleaded that I spare them and I declined, agreeing to let them into the bakehouse to choose their tribute.

This was my favourite part. As they re-entered with instructions to stare hard at me and maintain eye contact, I hissed and darted like a wild animal before screaming and snatching a guest, dragging them screaming into the dark gloom outside...

Of course it was a stooge. But no one knew and it spooked folk. A high pitched, half giggled remark on that tour I mentioned?

"Thank god I went for a pee already".

Do you want to know what else is frightening? I've gone and bit the bullet and made a sewing channel on YouTube - this creation is my second video!

Now back to regular programming - Missy has enjoyed a weekend of lie ins and slow mornings in bed. She has also enjoyed the mild weather brought in by Storm Ashley, long may it continue!

Our weekend plans went a bit askew owing to Banchory Village Hospital (the insane asylum) becoming more and more of a building site, and planned tea and cake in Dobbies was cancelled as it was just too busy for these tired ghosties, but we still managed some nice walks and lots of time cuddled up on the sofa.

The month is not yet over, we have plans for Halloween night, but I will share the details when I get there! Until then, rest up and enjoy the season!

A Frighteningly Quick Visit

It's been a bit of a whirlwind week, so I shan't keep you all long. I had my Manchester based sister visiting with my niece and nephew, Felix and Inkling and it was a blast.

Pumpkin picking, winning best disco dancer at a Halloween roller disco, and a whole ton of spooky arts and crafts, it passed by too quickly.

And the busyness continues as I am scared acting again for Halloween this weekend. The costume is nearly done, but a massive shout out to my visitors for helping make so many tiny bird skulls and bones.

To be fair, before anyone feels bad at child labour, I was tasked to make a labcoat for a frog.... (You can read about his creation here)

All will be revealed soon!

Need more Missy? Here she is helping with a very quick craft I put together! 

Felix has clearly inherited the family magpie gene and found this devastatingly beautiful fabric. And I know theyre gonna be an artist, because what was the request to be made with it?

A housecoat. And it's absolutely stunning! A future fashion designer, I think!

House Guest

I'm starting to think I should open up a kennel and start charging! After having Maisie earlier this year, we have Wee Ben joining us for a stay whilst my sister and her family go on vacation. 

We have previously had Ben over for a long weekend and lessons have been learned all round. This time we put him in the guest room across the hall from us, and also put Missy in there, and he's been sleeping absolutely fine. He's also learned his lesson about food, and whilst still horrendously slow to eat, is finishing his bowl and not playing any daft games about getting different food choices. So it's gone much better already than last time.

We've moved into Autumn and the weather hadn't been great, so we've kept adventuring to a minimum (Ben still dislikes walks, that hasn't changed!). My mums birthday was yesterday, so she came round and we all ate out at the carvery and today was getting the garden put to bed for the year. As I said, no very exciting in terms of adventures! 

I have managed some sewing (amongst the Christmas crafts) - a dressing gown for Wee Ben. Missys was comically large on him, and he could walk right ou the neck, so that wouldnt do. And what better for our little bumpkin but a pumpkin one? Certainly fits the season, and it was nice to get away from the Christmas colours for a moment!

And that's really been us! Just a quick post this week, hopefully I'll have some more exciting tales to tell next week! 

Autumn leaves

Not along post today - it's been one of those odd weeks where I have been very busy, but don't have very much to show for it!

It's been one of those bright and sunny weekends that's cool and crisp. The kind of day where you start with a jumper, your coat, hat and scarf on mum long about the chill and then an hour later your stripped down to your jumper wondering if it really is October. 

The main highlight of this weekend has been catching up with friends. Saturday Missy and I enjoyed a 10km stroll along the canal with one friend, and then today the hubby and I caught up with friends we haven't seen since February. With the new restrictions, we decided on a picnic in the garden with them and it was a lovely day. So nice to see people in the flesh and not on a screen!

On a crafts front, I'm very pleased with this spooky dreamcatcher inspired spiders Web thar I put together to add to the growing window display. Missy isn't all that worried about Halloween (unlike Christmas) so it's been fun to dress the house up a bit and enjoy it without worrying about her anxiety.

Well, that's all for today, we have some pretty exciting stuff to share with you all next week, but I won't spoil the surprise!