This years pumpkin - and I couldn't stop giggling the whole time LOL

So my penfriend was telling me about Speedball Elegant Writer calligraphy pens being able to do this arty thing by turning pink and purple and blue when painted with water... I, of course had to Google and found some gorgeous art things being done with this.

So, off to Hobby Lobby, like I need an excuse, and I procured several of these pens and Holy Crap they totally do some amazing things!

I took some stencils and colored them with the pen and then with a watercolor brush, painted the water around it. I got pinks and purples and a nice teal blue - none of which really shows up well in the photos but I might be addicted to this right now.

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Yes, I said Aliem. It's what I call that guy!

Our neighbors have put him out each October, but this year they waited til just this past week and I was getting worried I wouldn't see him again.  He is the Great Aliem of Blessings and if you are nice to him he will bless you too.

Today he blessed me with a good trip at Hobby Lobby, although, let's be honest - any trip to Hobby Lobby is a good trip.

Georgia finally came home with me today.  Isn't she gorgeous? 

​Then a craving was had:

I don't even remember the last time I wanted a hot dog.  4 years? 5? When did Joe Schmoe's come to Cypress? That long ago.

That one isn't from there though, its from John's.  

I think I was reading a blog where someone was talking about a bbq and mentioned Hot Dogs and I got it stuck in my head and that was days ago. It's been building.  So, I got one and it was every bit as tasty as it was in my head.  

Isn't this a fascinating story?

I am always wary of online tests - even though most of them are unnervingly spot on LOL But this one was interesting because it asks you to respond to the questions with answers that involved your behavior as a child.  And it was unnervingly spot on.

Link: Color Code Personality Test

​MOTIVE [ Power ] Reds are motivated by Power. They seek productivity and need to look good to others. Simply stated, reds want their own way. They like to be in the driver's seat and willingly pay the price to be in a leadership role. reds value whatever gets them ahead in life, whether it be in their careers, school endeavors, or personal life. What reds value, they get done. They are often workaholics. They will, however, resist doing anything that doesn't interest them.

ABOUT RED: Reds like to be right. They value approval from others for their intelligence and practical approach to life, and want to be respected for it. Reds are confident, proactive, and visionary; and but can also be arrogant, selfish, and insensitive. When you deal with a RED, be precise, factual, direct, AND show no fear!

Billy Whistler (Bayou Hauntings #4) - Bill Thompson

I think I sort of did this one backwards but work with me here LOL  This is from a series called The Bayou Hauntings that start with Callie, The Forgotten Men, The Nursery and this one, Billy Whistler.

I found them on my Amazon kindle while looking for spooky atmospheric books for October and these a perfect!  I can read one in a day and they have just the right touch of ghostly intrigue, haunted history and a fun setting.  I also liked that there were continuing characters from each of the novels going forward.

You don't have to read them in order to enjoy them but I suggest you do so you can follow their adventures as they come up. Haunted plantations, creepy jails, psychotic killers, sick cult members and ghosts that just need to move on - just a touch of what these fun books have waiting for you!

I keep meaning to do more of these and never get around to it but this book caught me off guard and I wanted to share my thoughts while they were fresh.

Summer of Night by Dan Simmons was - it was really good!  It was compared a LOT to Stephen King's, IT and a few "constant readers,"  also like this book so I gave it a go.  It is comparable to IT, there are a few plot/scene points that are similar, but most of it is original and kept me reading late into the night.

First and most important: READ THE INTRODUCTION LAST!
No, seriously, read it last - it is really interesting and while it doesn't have spoilers per se, it does talk about the characters and might give a few things away that are really need OH! moments in the story.

The story follows a handful of friends and their creepy AF summer in Illinois where they discover some really messed up goings-on in their town - it actually is pretty terrifying in its visuals!  I also loved that it had a bit of Crowley and the Book of the Law in it as well as some creepy history bits that add a lot to the overall ambience of the story.

To be honest, I think this book was scarier than IT, but I am not sure if that is because I've read IT so many times that I am used to what happens - but this book feels darker. Like if King and Dean Koontz had a book baby LOL

I like when I get to the end of a book and want to know more about what happens next. There are a few books that have grown up versions of the boys in the story: Fires of Eden, Children of the Night and Winter Haunting. I guess also, that Winter Haunting has a strong connection to Summer of Night and I am looking for that one next.

His website has 2 links to 2 short stories that sort of continue the story from the end of Summer of Night and give you a really neat forward view of what happens to these characters. He gives a warning that you may not actually like what happens to some and he was right LOL  But it was nice to read more on these  characters - it's something that adds a richness to the book that I love.

​If you read it - let me know what you think!

Anytime you need a pick me up in the mood category all you need to do is head to Hobby Lobby!  I had a goal too. I wanted to get a big paint by numbers kit. I have been so busy trying to get the paperwork done for a business license, that I sort of stopped all creative stuff and it was making me edgy and sad.  So, I figured a new paint by number kit might help that as it would be just for me and it totally worked!

They had a lot more Halloween decor out too, which made me very happy. And I got to visit my cow skull - I keep hoping it will go on sale! And duck tape - so many duck tapes with so many designs.

As I was walking the aisles I kept smelling THE CANDLE.  It was a scent from my childhood at the holidays and it was driving me nuts because I really wanted to buy that scent and I was pretty sure it was a bayberry candle. BUT!  I couldn't find it. I sniffed a billion candles yesterday and nope. I did find a few nice smelling ones but not the one! I am not even sure if it was a bayberry candle (from when I was a kid,) but I am pretty sure it was.

I came to the conclusion that what I was smelling was ALL OF THE CANDLES mooshed together in my nose. But it seemed a wee bit silly to buy one of each candle just to recreate that scent... but many next time ;)

Rabbit Rabbit!
(Image by WeeCubeMan and OMG I am dying - I think he might be as well when he finds out I wanted him to draw me a fat bunny for this lame post!)

See, I knew about the Rabbit Rabbit thing and always thought I'd like to actually remember to say it first thing on the first day of the month for all that bunny luck, but I never remembered. UNTIL TODAY!

Wikipedia has some interesting info and variants on this funny little superstition as well.  I just love that after years of hearing about it and never remembering to say it, I finally did!

An IG friend made a post about it yesterday and somehow I managed to actually croak out a rusty Rabbit Rabbit before saying anything else this morning. So, all the good luck would be greatly appreciated here. I could use it!

Also, could we discuss the absolute awesomeness of that fat bunny up there? And the eyes! Although, I am concerned about his vision - can he see normally? Or is it limited to things on just the one side? *snort*  WeeCubeMan draws all the fun things - and names them with the best names ever!

I hope my Good Fortune is a bit more clear than this blurry photo. But I will take what I am given!

Also, I think Bungerston needs a story - I'm working on it!

​30 Days Til Halloween!