Happy Halloween from all the Gang!

Halloween Eve, and outside Vickie's a horde of party goers---wait for the bus???



"I vill mingle with the peasants this Hallow's Eve, and find a wirgin and a Feast. Mrrrrahhahahahahahah!" "My sweet innocent Dear.....are you perhaps a Wirgin?" "Nah, lost that years ago---great getup...Vlad. This will be a tough crowd if you are looking for that!" "See that guy in the cape...he's weird, wanted to know if I was a 'Wirgin'?" Astronaut Midge: "You have to be kidding?..(hysterical laughter)...!" Dreamy Jeanie....."Giggle, snort!" "Where have you been all my lives....my Dearest?? You have a beautiful neck? May I kiss you? But first......are you a 'Wirgin'?" "None of your beeswax, Creep!" (SMACK!) "That smack was OUT OF THIS WORLD! Afraid the Count is Count--less! Tonight!"  Laghertha: Can't wait until the party starts, my wolf is Hungry! Ragnar: OOOOwwwwoooooooooooh!....pant, pant! Piratess: Me too! Pirate: Avast me hearties, I could eat my sword! Kitty: You need to hold that pumpkin differently---you look PG with it! Awwwww, she looks adorable...when do we get to the 'Treats!'? So when is the bus coming-----already? Midge: Hi, Im Midge and you are.... Cher: Cher of course...! How am I going to carry all this on the bus? Fly with me, on Avian Airways.....Happiest of all Halloweens to ALL! All the opinions and photographs on this blog are my own, unless otherwise stated.   I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions  or products shown, or from where I shop.  The dolls shown are from my own and the Grand's collection as are the clothes,  which are vintage, or made by myself. Occasionally, i falter and buy something new. PLEASE do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission.  Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle I'll be sharing at these fine parties: Tuesdays at our Home Celebrate Your Story Wonderful Wednesday Talk of the Town Share Your Style Thursdays Favorite Things Silver Pennies Sunday Sandi

Skeleton Bash Revisited

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(I did this post a year ago---but thought it would be fun for my new doll blog and readers! The benefit committee is putting the final touches on the party venue.)

Mulan: It becomes late, we must leave to be dressed. This is the last table to finish.

Ryan: The stage is better than I thought, we just need the spotlight on for the band.

Patrick and Sindy are finally here. 

Ryan: I'm starving, just one little hot dog, please!

Richelle:Silly, they aren't even cooked yet. 

The table looks fabulous.

Sindy: Thank you, but we really have to thank all the companies that donated. Pizzas, Sushi, and all the fruit and vegetables. Even the ice and coffee were donated. 

Patrick: I have everything I need here, too. We should have plenty for mixed drinks, beer, wine and lots of soft drinks and water.

Ryan: The committee did a super job. Everything looks great.

Meanwhile back at Vickie's Haunted Vintage

Joe: Dang, this phone is dead.
Vickie: No wonder, it stopped ringing. I closed the doors an hour ago and put up the sign.

Nikki:This is the best thing I've done since I started working here, taking down the skeleton guy.

Vickie: I'm glad to see them go, too.

Vickie: The store is so empty, all those hangers. We are going to be closed until November 6th. I think we all need a few days off!

Zoe: (she kicks the garbage can) Take that...you scary old....bag of bones! We need to get going...gang.

Joe: I'm going to follow up on this line going dead, Vickie. I'll meet you there, just stay together and you should be fine. This is the first incidence in three days.

At the Skeleton Bash, before the doors open.

Richelle: Let's get this committee photo done so we can finish the last minute stuff. Everyone looks great. And have fun, tonight.

Elsa: Oh this is so, dark and spooky! 

Anna: We don't have Halloween in Sweden. Oh, fun!

Skipper and Chelsea: (Chorus) Wow, COOL!

Elsa: Ah, Smorgasbord we do have. Salmon sandwiches, I love those.

Anna: Pizza and cake, NUM!

Barbie Fire Woman and a reluctant Snorkler! (He is a Dr.McDreamy, but from the movie, "Enchanted". Love his hair once I got all the sticky stuff out of it.

Two OOAK witches, one in calico's and the pumpkin made from a child's skirt from the Dollar Store.

Pirates (She is the Captain) are OOAK, pieced from old and new patterns.

Burgundy and Gold King and Queen. King is OOAK from old patterns and some altered Chelly Wood patterns. Queen is some vintage (Barbie?) dress, unmarked

 but very lovely.

Belle: Everyone is staring at us.
Aidan: Well, I hope it's because you are stunning, and not me in tights.

Rory teeters in on Neo's arm. 

Rory:This is impossible to walk in.

Waitress: Well, here's the specials tonight:one serving of linebacker served up with a very pretty 'mermaid'. Wonder what's for dessert, tons of food. Music has started, too.

(Waitress is vintage Barbie, with new apron, Neo is in vintage Ken football gear, Rory (Aurora) is in a tail found two years ago, and a dress found last month?, no tags.)

Here are three Barbies: U-Left, Monnie in the green vintage Rocker set, Trish in the 

photo outfit, and my new Lara, in vintage Barbie (Country) Rocker. They are going to do 

some mood music after supper.

Joe sneaks in and scans the crowd for anyone suspicious. (GI) Detective Joe is dressed in a OOAK motorcycle vest with fringe and headband, tattoos are stick on. If they stain him, I will just 'ink' some on him permanently, goes with his undercover detective personae.

Dr. Ken (has a shift at the hospital) and showed up in his Vintage Dr.Ken outfit, scrubs and Mattel coat, and emergency bag. 

The right (Stage) side of the Skeleton Bash Venue. Lots of people.

Middle shot.

Food area, manned by Sindy and Patricia in vintage Disney tops and leggings.

The bar is busy.

The banquet is ready. 

Bone Appetite!

This post is part 7 of a larger story if you are interested the links are below.

Vickie's Haunted Vintage Part 1 

Vickie's Haunted Vintage Part 2

Vickie's Haunted Vintage Part 3

Vickie's Haunted Vintage Part 4

Skeleton Bash and Vickie's Haunted Vintage Part 5

Skeleton Bash and Vickie's Haunted Vintage Pt.6

Vickie's Haunted Vintage and the Skeleton Bash pt.7

All the opinions and photographs on this blog are my own, unless otherwise stated. 

 I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions

 or products shown, or from where I shop. 

The dolls shown are from my own and the Grand's collection as are the clothes, 

which are vintage, or made by myself. Occasionally, i falter and buy something new.

PLEASE do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

I'll be sharing at these fine parties:

All Things Halloween

Tuesdays at our Home

Celebrate Your Story

Wonderful Wednesday

Talk of the Town

Share Your Style

Thursdays Favorite Things

Sandi

DIY Diorama: Outdoor Pumpkin Farm

Weather is terribly unpredictable in Chicagoland, so I seldom venture outdoors with my dolls. Earlier I posted a day at the Pumpkin Farm. Here's ideas of how it was cobbled together.

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Here is a context view of the setup on my huge banquet table in the middle of my craft room. I like to take photos at doll's eye view, so working in the middle of the room gives me great light and flexibility.

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Don't laugh this is my Chicago sky-scape upside down. I don't have tree prints or on tree painted foam core, (yet) 

so I just flipped this two foam core board upside down to give me a tree background. The lower part will be blocked with buildings and walls.

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I gathered items I already had---and grouped them..here, just to show you---it's really this and that.

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Next I did need a building. 

This is a bare bones exterior shot of a 2005 Mattel Totally Real Fold Out House -I purchased for $4.99 at a thrift store and have used for so many projects. I added some cute Fall prints to the walls I picked up at Goodwill. I bought 4 of these in different subjects. The Fall mini book covers Thanksgiving too. They are vintage prints, so cute.

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The Fall one covered Thanksgiving too. They are vintage prints, so cute. I use double stick tape, poster foam stickums, or painter's tape to adhere everything. They were only 50 cents each---so saves me computer time and printer ink. 

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I did keep this box background from a toy farm the Grand received. I mask the seams with foliage, very casually these are basically tossed on the 'ground'. The little scarecrow was a pick in a plant I received for hosting Thanksgiving. I purchase small stems of smaller scaled florals on 70-90% off. Slowly you can acquire a collection for your dolls.

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The dirt itself is heavier backside brown to this red lacquered scrapbook paper. Taped together these four pieces worked great for dirt. I used the painter's tape so I can reuse the paper. The red side photographs well, might have to use that for something.

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The garden center for the scene was this basic oak shelf and some mini pots. The walls are bamboo placemats, as is the 'decking' for the store area. I had made some cactus arrangements. They are so big now here in Chicago for the millennial that forget to water plants...lol.

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Here's a few other pieces I used, all bought at thrift stores or at least 60% off. The fencing and arbor are for fairy gardens. Too small for Barbies, but great for setting the mood in photos.

The wagon is ceramic, probably held salt and peppers-50cents.

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Bamboo mats are light weight, you can easily pin or tape these in place.  The trellis...

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is a base frame for some grass plants. I bought my greens last year at the end of summer. These mounted greens are super  for cutting apart into rows (hedges) or to fit in containers.

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I picked all these containers up for 20-some cents a piece at end of the summer season. 

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The galvanized tub and buckets, scream Farm and Country. The bird feeder was from clearance Fairy Gardens.

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Here, I show how a trimmed grass is placed in the tub with just friction holding it. Setting it just so I added pumpkins to this tub.

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More accessories I picked up over the years. The vegetable basket was a magnet, the seed boxes were end of the season Fairy Garden items. I've had the sunflowers forever(millinery florals)...small succulents are so in right now and they had the orange/peach centers so worked well.

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Greens cut to fill the tote.

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Dollar store branches with fuzzy stuff (messy) but give the illusion of bushes/trees. 

I splurged and bought four. I'm trying not to chop them up.

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Balancing colors of plants/flowers and containers to give a Fall themes. I masked the edge with a 'tree' here is the finished garden center.

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Over to the side is the checkout window with a quick wood piece for a desk and money of course. A sign above says Check-Out and prices for the 'pumpkins' (Chicago prices, lol).

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But we are here for the Pumpkins, right? 

I did purchase a velvet pumpkin stem last year at 80% off. 

Sometimes the best stuff is left at the end. 

Added to mini gourds and natural looking pumpkins, 

they just look luscious. And they were the right size. 

I wove a small scale leaf garland and some ivy bits for vines.

The wagon is rustic and filled with some green moss, perfect for showing off orange pumpkins, or a doll.

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After the corn maze(sign only) maybe next year---the doll's have to have Farm munchies.

More details: the bag of apples was a vintage magnet (I got a huge bag full of food magnets for $3.99) and I have used about half for the dolls and the rest for the Grand's kitchen (magnets removed).

The bowl of apples---has maybe 6 apples from my doll food stash and a thrift store bag of red beads. 

Illusions:I did quite a bit of theatre props and backdrops when I was young. What you see from the tenth row----is what you 'think' you see, that's maybe 12 inches in Barbie scale world.

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Two different level tables make the food display. Every Farm has great food. I removed the 'pink' from the foods, so it looked-like Fall bakery. A vase with 'dried' flowers adds height to the low display. Paper plates are folded squares of yardstick  napkins are left over from last years Thanksgiving (Doll) dinner. I really need to make some new colors of plates/napkins.

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Here's what the donuts looked like before, I just flipped them over so the frosting didn't show. I know they are delicious apple cider and pumpkin now. I added a couple of pies and popcorn too.

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I removed the pink frosting from this red tart eraser and set it aside. 

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And from this layer cake...you just know this is an apple cake now!

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Add a bench here and there...and it's all ready for the DOLLS.

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I added one spotlight low to help with face shadows, 

but it is a beautiful sunny day at the Pumpkin Farm. 

Dress your dolls for Fall weather and shoot it-Post is Here.

Taking photos from the doll's level, puts everything in perspective and scale. Even the diminutive arbor could be full scale now. Hope this helps give you ideas on how to do an 'outdoor' scene.

All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own. I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown or anywhere I shop.

Thanks always for visiting. 

I will try and respond to every comment and answer every question.

 Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. 

Sharing at these Ad Free blog parties-with ads not in the middle of the blog.
(I'm going to try and see if this is possible)
Celebrate Your Story
Inspiration Monday
Inspire Me Tuesday
Talk of the Town
Share Your Style
Wonderful Wednesday

Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle

Sandi