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Vickie's Vintage Halloween Rush and Mystery

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Only ten days to Halloween and Vickie's is simply hopping with customers and lookers on all floors. 

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A mysterious woman is trying on a $600.00 dress upstairs in the bridal boutique.
Vanessa and her dad, Craig are shopping for a birthday present for Jacquie.  Colette/Callie and Opal are having a tug of war over a fur shrug...

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Opal(blue): I saw it first, let GO!

Colette(pink): I touched it first....it's mine. Besides, cuz,  you are too young to wear anything this sophisticated. 

Zoe(blond): Here's a great red skirt, I know it will fit Jacquie perfectly

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Craig: These are pretty, do you think she would wear these?

Zoe: I'm sure they would look great on her skin, and she uses red lipstick now and then.

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Vanessa: And this perfume can be from me...can you wrap these up and we will go downstairs for some Halloween, if you are still open.


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Zoe: Sure, I'll wrap these up, will just take a minute or two. The Dungeon is open for two more hours. Better make your choices right away, stuff is going really fast!

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Upstairs, Carly is agog at possibly selling the most expensive dress to ever come through Vickie's Vintage.

Carly: The dress really fits you very well, I really love how you used the tulle as a veil.

Mysterious Woman: Where did this exquisite dress come from.

Carly: It seems the Opera company down town cleaned out some of their storage rooms. Occasionally we get pieces from them and other theatres.

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Mysterious Woman: Oh, I wonder if it is from 'Phantom'. There were so many lovely gowns in that production. Please undo me, and I will take it. May I have my car pick it up, in an hour or so? 

Carly: Certainly, we will take great care in packing this. You will be stunning at your event! 


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Opal: You always have to have your way! 

Colette: It's $50.00 and real fur---who's going to pay for it, you don't make that kind of money as a receptionist. 



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Colette: I'll let you borrow it, if you ever go to a 'grown up' event.

Opal: Oh, thanks --you are so generous....(ugh).


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Opal: YOU WIN! Happy now,  Miss Deveraux! 

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Zoe: Ladies, please can you keep it down. 

Colette: Thank you, I'm buying this shrug please. Opal is going to look for something else. 

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Colette: With the temperatures finally dropping, I can get this jacket, too. 

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(Opal still wanders among all the cute outfits trying to decide, muttering)

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Opal: Hmmm, these shoes are only $15.00 and match this top perfectly.

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Colette: I see you found some great shoes, and the top is very retro, Opal.  

Opal: You were right, I wouldn't wear that fur as much as you would. Can I still borrow it?

Colette: If I can borrow those shoes?

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Opal: I'm sorry for my bad behavior, it's hard being the new girl and Callie (Colette) is always who I wanted to be.

Zoe: Well, I'm glad you found something. And, you will certainly get a lot of use out these pieces, and I love those shoes, too.


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Zoe: Wow, that was a lot of action for the end of the day.

Carly: I know and my shopper wanted to be let out the back door. I'm glad her card went through, she was a bit mysterious. A $600.00 sale, I wish I was working on commission...(chortle).

Zoe: Well, her dress and accessories are all bagged up. I hope the driver shows up soon.

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Zoe: There he is, let's get this out the door, and we can close down then.

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(For the next two hours, the girls pull summer merchandise out of the racks.)

Carly: Vickie says we are going to set up a 'travel boutique' with seasonal merchandise and with guys clothes, too. The temp really dropped today. I'm  going to freeze walking home. 

Zoe: I have another pair of leggings you can jump in. Hmmm, more guy traffic, that would be nice. I haven't had a date since the pandemic hit. Not many guys at the pre-school center, either.

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Carly: Look what I found under the turning rack. YIKES...do you remember where we put the other one?


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Pinkie: Thanks for letting me in girls so I good pick up my outfit.

Zoe: No problem, we are cleaning stock up tonight anyway.

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Pinkie: I think everyone from the Grand View has shopped here for the resident party.

Zoe: That party sounds like fun. Vickie is having a customer appreciation party for us...since we won't have any extra time until after the holidays. 

(Meanwhile, down in Vickie's Dungeon)

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Vanessa: What about this Daddy, not too much skin and I can still look professional?

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El: You will look great in that...can I wrap it up?

Vanessa: Sure, I do think I need some boots, but I'll come back later. It's getting late!

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Diana(In chair): Three pair of shoes that fit---Gracious...I can't believe it, in a Halloween store! 

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Peder: How nice for you, Hi, I'm Peder.

Diana: I'm Brit, Diana from Bristol, England. I do not recognize your accent? 

Peder: Oh, I'm coming from  Denmark and have been here for two years. You? 

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Diana: I arrived last week, I'm still finding my way about! This shop is dynamite. 

Peder: Yes, awesome!

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Diana: I've been invited to a big do for my boss man. Do you think dressing as a witch is safe? I have no idea what costumes are acceptable here.

Peder: Should be good, I'm going as a horse soldier. I love 'wild west' frontier stories.  Maybe I will see you again, here's my number if you want, ring me up. I know some great American food places we eat at.

Diana: Oh, lovely.  Thank you, Peder---I will when I'm moved in. I've been a bit of a tither now. Maybe next week?

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Diana: I'm buzzing...new shoes, maybe a date, and I'm ready to be a 'Witch'. Today is definitely a Win-Win! 

Vickie: So glad to hear that, please come again!


(Later Vanessa and Craig, talk with Vickie)

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Craig: I'm going as an explorer. Vanessa is dragging us all to the Grand View party.

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Vickie: I think we will be sold out before that party! Joe and I are having all my workers over for a dinner. WE'VE all been working overtime this last two weeks.

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Vanessa: Thanks, El, for your help! Maybe we could get together for a late coffee one night.

El: Sounds great, but, I'm going to lock the door as soon as you leave, so we can get this place cleaned up. See ya!

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(Phew---what a day. Only another week, I wonder if we will have enough stock!)

El: I thought we had plenty of stock, but, the word is out that no one received new stock this year. You are lucky Vickie, that you had so much.

Vickie: I'm worried about the holidays. I have the girls stripping the main floor from all summery stuff. My idea will be to make this a guys' side and over there a 'travel' section, so we can utilize this space all the time. 

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El: Hmmm, I can see it now---a few fake palm trees and stacks of suitcases...over there....

And we can make a guys section they wear shorts all year round, so it won't be too much of stretch to have them next to each other! 

Vickie: Great! It's your baby, El. You can use anything in the store room and  your creativity to come up with a cohesive idea in the one week of being closed down!  

We can put out the buzz on the website for say November 9 opening...that will give us a week to turn the entire store into early winter. I still don't want Christmas decor out until after Thanksgiving. And, I think we will need one more part-timer, if you have any friends looking for work, El.


 El: Sounds like a plan, Vickie. 
(Wow, I get to do this space again. It's almost like having my own shop!)

ARE YOUR DOLLS THINKING ABOUT CHRISTMAS already?



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Dia de los Muertos: A OOAK interpretation


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Halloween isn't the only holiday this time of year.

October is Hispanic Heritage Month. Along with that is Halloween or All Hallow's Eve, which leads into the Catholic, All Saints Day(Nov.1) and All Souls Day(Nov.2). 


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During the 16th Century after Spain had conquered the Aztec nations in Mexico, the Church adjusted the native beliefs dating back as far as 3000 years of honoring the dead holidays to the Catholic Calendar. The traditions continue to this day as 

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November 1 is celebrated as El Día de los Inocentes, when deceased children my come back and visit their parents. 

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November 2 is celebrated as El Día de los Muertos, when deceased adults may come back and celebrate with their families. 

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Parades and celebrations, 'Ofrendas' (offerings to the ancestors), music, altars constructed to honor passed on loved ones, special foods, flowers, maintaining the cemeteries, a festival surrounding not forgetting our ancestors or loved ones who have passed on.

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I've tried to honor the color and exhuberance of this celebration of life, and not death. 

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The yellow flowers represent yellow marigolds or'cempazuchitl'. 

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Roses, skeletons and skulls are everywhere. Makeup is vivid and occasionally a bit scary. The holiday season is bigger than Christmas in the amount of celebrating.


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I chose to paint all her limbs as a skeleton embellished with flowers.

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I just know that lots of music and dancing will be involved in celebrations.

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The basket overflows with essentials and treats to bring as Ofrendas to the family altar.
Special foods and elaborate traditions also include reminiscing and telling fun stories of those who have passed.

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Can you hear the music?

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I can hear the sandals along stone walkways---the same as has been done for centuries, as she dances to the cemetery to honor her passed on family members.

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Superstitions say if you do not celebrate or prepare an altar with gifts for your ancestors,  the dead may return home to an unsuitable or no altar and possibly take on revenge.  

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A very good reason to celebrate and soon it will be over...for another year.

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Creating this doll was a journey. 

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My first face painting and all those ruffles. 


I used cottons for the dress along with wired skull ribbon (the scale was perfect), red wire edged organza ribbon for the neck and arm ruffles, and red organza ribbon for ties. 

The hat is a very old vintage mini straw hat, actually enhanced with some paint on the faded parts.

Dress pattern was a separate top, and ruffles applied to an A-line gown/skirt pattern. The reason I have a million patterns is I can never find the perfect combination for anything. 

Paints were applied by sponge and brush.
(Acrylic) Golden flow Paints over two layers of a spray matte acrylic sealer. 

The same sealer was applied after the paint cured. 
And left to dry. (Time will tell how permanent it is.)


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FOLLOW IT---upper right hand corner.

I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions or products shown, or from where I shop.