Frightful Beginnings

 It's been a big week for Cora! Fright Fest opened on Friday, and she had two trainings that went very late, on Monday and Wednesday nights. Her work nights will go until 2 a.m. pretty often. Also, the college play she's in started rehearsals on Saturday morning, so she had to go on very short rest after Friday's late night.

She spent the beginning of the week creating 3D-printed items for her Fright Fest character, a siren in the Devil's Triangle area. She made this mandible and painted it, and will hang it from a net she'll tie around her waist, along with other trinkets like shells and pearls.

Oh, and she also MADE the net! She looked up a video on how to knot twine into a net, and went to work. My girls are both so creative, crafty, artistic... it's astonishing.

On Wednesday night, Stace and I got to go to the training, which was a dress rehearsal for the scare actors and maze workers, and an Employee Night. This meant all employees could go, and bring one guest. Though my mom and Cora were both working, they put in my name and Stacey's name, as their one guest they were inviting.

My mom has been moved to a new scare zone, and it wasn't open Wednesday, so no photos with her yet.

It was great seeing her and meeting some of her new coworkers. She speaks very well of them all and is happy to be in this scare zone with them.

Because it was an Employee Night and dress rehearsal, Stace and I were able to go in all the mazes. That was fun, and a first for us - during normal Fright Fest, you have to pay extra to go in the mazes, and there are long lines, so we never have taken part.

Meanwhile, Violet and I went to the archery range on Monday night with Stace, and got frozen yogurt. Her schoolwork kept her very busy this week - she had a couple of writing assignments that were time-consuming. 

On Friday afternoon, she got her hair cut - not the best photo to show it off here though. Oh well. 

We watched Rango that night with Stace, and over the weekend watched Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, in honor of Robert Redford's passing. Vi has more of an interest in cowboy films and art, because she's been playing Red Dead Redemption 2, a western-themed video game.

On Sunday evening, Stace, Violet and I went to Colleen and Rigo's house. Our friends Christina and Eric were there, too.

I brought a keto-friendly broccoli salad, since our friends aim for that type of diet. But I totally overestimated the amount of broccoli we'd need. Ha! Four cups of chopped florets sounded like a lot but I definitely didn't need as much as I bought. No matter, it keeps in the fridge and we'll eventually eat it up. 

Tidbits

 Cora is done with school, and has a weird off week before her graduation. On Tuesday morning, she went to school for a senior meeting, where they picked up their caps and gowns - she was given a gold gown, signifying her place as an honors scholar for her grades. I'm so proud! Other graduates from her school will be wearing blue.

At dinner, we gave her a little pre-graduation gift - I'd found this theatre mask pin at an upscale thrift store and it's perfect on her Master Thespian stole.

With Cora having more free time this week, she picked Vi up from school Tuesday, and took her to youth group on Wednesday. In classic new driver fashion, though she pretty much knew where to go, and had Violet in the car, they took a circuitous route to get to the church. 

Later, when she picked her up, they took a different out of the way way to get home. Ha! Memories...

While at church, Violet, sketched out Gus and Shawn from Psych, the show the girls have been rewatching again.

Speaking of art, Violet was assigned to create a self-portrait in her art class, and painted this with acrylic. I love it! The hair part and light/shine, the eyes - wow.

Cora also has been painting, after getting her 3D printer going again. Since they're playing D&D more regularly, she's creating mini figures for their campaigns.

She is so skilled at painting, too, especially the fine details like these tiny teeth. 

This was funny - Stace had the idea of giving Cora a Percy Jackson Pop Funko as a little gift, so we ordered one on Amazon. But what arrived was a Pop Funk of Slash, from AC/DC. 

Cora's (Hand-)Crafted Costume

Cora was invited to a birthday party where the guests were asked to dress up and create a character, kind of like role-playing in Dungeons and Dragons. 

She took the invitation seriously, and decided the outfit she envisioned for her character would be easier to make than buy. She downloaded a pattern, taped it together (see photos here), bought fabric, and went to work.  

She made both a gown and a cape, and painted a mask.

It came out beautifully, and Violet painted the wings on her back.

She used the same vinyl she used for her corset (leftover from our dining chairs) to make the mantle, which she painted, trimmed out, and attached jewels to.

She has some incredible creativity, drive and talent.

Meanwhile, Stace and I joined my parents at a huge car show in Glendale while Cora was at the party.

There were some beauts!

A Jazzy Open House

 Cora's high school held its Open House on Tuesday, and we all got a sneak peak at "All That Jazz," led by our favorite high school actress.

We knew she could act, and it's great seeing her excel at singing and dancing.

Grandma and Grandpa were watching Ellie, so she got to watch too. (All the girls were crossing their legs in this photo - Ellie came close!)

I helped at our Parent Advisory Council booth, too, as I'm on the leadership team there. And Vi walked around the campus, as she's deciding whether she'll go here or to the school Cora used to go to. It will be for two classes out of six, as Violet will stick with the independent study program for most of her schooling next year.

Theatre Success

 Another district theater festival in the books, and another great award for our favorite actor.

Cora and Jay performed the death scene in Macbeth, when Macduff kills Macbeth after a sword fight. How awesome is that - an actual choreographed sword fight, ending with the head of Macbeth (Cora) flying. They won tons of cheers for their performance Friday, and a third place award in the Small Group Shakespeare category.

Cora doesn't really have photos from the day, and I wasn't there, so I'm taking nearly all of these photos from the theatre's Instagram page. 

These actors performed a scene from The Play That Goes Wrong, and yes, things literally went wrong, but the judges loved it and they were awarded 2nd place in the Large Group Contemporary category!

Cora also took part in her school's Large Group Musical entry, and she had a nice length solo in the song.

Most exciting for us, Cora was chosen for a Judge's Choice award, given to the five top performers of the day. Seven schools competed, so there were probably 150-200 actors involved. She was honored alongside two actors from her old high school, Char and Sam (on the right)

We celebrated that night with celebratory boba.

Most of the awards were little trophies, other than the Judges Choice awards; Cora got this little pin.

Here, Cora and Jay are putting their Shakespeare trophy in the theatre lobby trophy case. Congrats!

Cora has even more to celebrate with theatre - she will be portraying Velma Kelly in the school production Chicago in May! We're so excited and proud of her. (This was the birthday card we got for her.)

Creative Pursuits

 Creating with curious kittens around can be a challenge.

Here, Cora is adding rivets to her brown leather pants to achieve a stylized look for her upcoming MacBeth scene she's doing for the school district's theatre festival. 

Or, at least, she's trying to.

Cora's hand is deep in the pant leg, so Evie is attacking it through the material.

Cora persevered, and was able to create this amazing outfit. Shirt from Amazon, and she'll add a leather cord to tie round and round the arm. She painted the gloves with the same leather paint she used on the corset, which she completely made from scratch with the sewing machine. I look at the corset, and truly can't believe she made it!

I had a little crafty evening myself - a group of girlfriends got together for dinner and Valentine's craft on Saturday night.  

Also, I finally had better luck with my bread baking. I've been struggling for a couple of months with it not rising enough, despite changing nothing about the recipe or method from when it worked well each time. 

So, I've been tinkering, and this one came out so well.

Violet is still drawing up a storm. 

She made this beauty on her iPad. It seems to be a great investment for her. 

Girls' Art

Cora's newest hand-crafted clay mask is at the top. Each represents a D&D character she has created. 

Best one yet!

She is taking ceramics in school and came home this semester with these. So pretty!

Below, we have a cross section of a dragonfruit, and a lemon.

And I found this amazing creature in Vi's sketchbook. Hope it doesn't become real!

The girls are now off school three weeks for Christmas break.

Art

More artwork from my talented girls.

Violet is a girl who always has a sketchbook with her, and often her travel watercolors as well. 
 

Logan asked Cora to paint this set of figures for him, and she was happy to oblige. Her attention to detail is superb - these are SO tiny.

I got something big done regarding my "art," my writing. I decided to finally take the time and work on the rest of the blog books, and they've now all arrived. I'm actually up to date on publishing blog books!