I've seen so much beauty that my eyes started bleeding. HallowScream party at Casual Connect.

We collected Mokona's huge bag that we managed to leave in the hotel cloakroom, and headed somewhere. The friend was leading me. All I knew was that a friend of hers was going to do her makeup planned as that of Katrina from the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration.

Not the exact pic used for reference, I found this one on the net.

Eventually we came to a suspicious-looking door. Having entered the room I understood that was Mokona's friend's clothes designing studio.

A short teatime - and the preparations started. Deyna covered Mokona's face in white theatrical makeup and started drawing the decorations looking at a reference pic of the character of Catrina every now and then.

In the meantime I was repairing the hoop skirt and - right, running around with the video camera! XD

People were coming to the studio and joined our conversation. One guy said he enjoyed watching Mokona's makeup being done, and another one, whose hairstyle I instantly fell in love with, turned on some awesome music. Apocalyptica and Deathstars were among those I recognized, but there was also something Ukrainian - and, surprisingly, I liked it too. I hope my video has captured at least a part of that pre-holiday mood. 

Having finished the underskirt I started doing my makeup. I didn't change clothes and wasn't aimed on doing anything impressive.

I did hair up into two messy pigtails and upgraded eyes makeup with some red pencil lines. Mokona said it looked as if a cat jumped on my face and tried to scratch the eyes out. :D But that's also cute, isn't it?

One of the girls in the studio suggested using her brushes, and eventually I agreed. It was much easier to apply the final strokes with them, and - here's what I got:

Pic made at home, but it looked the same way at the party. Just don't ask what's going on with the face )))

Fake blood (that, by the way, tastes like liquid soap with sugar) performed a surprise. It's leaking just like real blood. So by the time we got to the club my tears reached the jaw line. Oh well, people said it looked even scarier. Dancing made it worse - as Mokona said, I looked as if someone had been crushing my face on a wall for a long time. :D

Finally the makeup of the evening was ready! 

Impressive, isn't it?
Pic by Anton Karpenko and Sasha Paleeva

 I was Mokona's support teammate in her evil plan of taking over... go on reading! :P

We were met by some actors who tried to scare us. No use, of course. Monsters cannot scare monsters. :D And I was even proposed! One of those dead cuties said I'd be a perfect wife for him. *___* I smiled and we headed to the girls' room to check the makeup status. 

A cute girl was wrapping spiderweb around herself. I painted her a slit throat with dripping blood and she gave me some spiderweb to goth my dress up.

By Dmytro Korzenyuk

Dark stairs, lots of cute scary people. Juice and wine. I was running around with the video camera. 

By Anton Karpenko and Sasha Paleeva

 We sat down and started looking around. Here's where my memory crashed, and all I can remember are separate stories related to certain photos. I'll go on posting a pic and telling what happened behind it, ok?

Photo by Dmytro Korzenyuk

Goth parties have nothing goth if compared to this one. We met vampires and male fairies in tutu skirts, devils and mermaids, a Russian mummy and even Bellatrix Lestrange from Harry Potter. I think now you get why my eyes were bleeding? ^^

And then we saw he Angry Birds themselves! I wish all angry creatures were that cute! =)

By Anton and Sasha

We went dancing and meeting new people. Since the music was loud the best way to get to know each other's name was to poke a person politely, smile at them and have a look at the badge. Sitting, chatting, dancing, observing - here's what we did at that party. 

Just as we sat down and got the drinks we noticed another interesting character. A handsome young photographer. You'll definitely wonder what was so curious about him? He was wearing a kilt! Mokona wouldn't be herself if she didn't ask the eternal question guys in that piece of clothing get. And I was wondering about the same but didn't dare to speak it out. He said he's a true kilt wearer. :D And we did believe. 

Mokona and Alexander the Russian mummy. What a sweet dead couple! XD

Accidentally got one of my eyes out. It rolled somewhere on the floor while this pic was being taken by Anton or Sasha.

By Alex Ptitsa

Do you know where people often run into each other by accident? It usually happens in or near the restrooms! XD HallowScream party is no exclusion.

The first accidental yet pleasant acquaintance happened  shortly after our arrival when we exchanged blood and spiderwebs with a cute girl. Later Vlad told me he also knows her. :) What a small world!

I just needed to use that room, and having come out discovered a whole hangout. Mokona who was waiting for me, a guy from Belarus whose costume was the Blue Screen of Death, the cute developer Stas who later became our party guardian angel. And then Alex Ptitsa came over and took some photos.

This time it was Mokona who took over the video camera, and I made a curious interview with Mr. Blue Screen of Death. It was said to look like a badly directed porn movie. :D Can't wait to see the video!

Mr. Blue Screen, what are the main reasons for your coming? - It's mostly users' stupidity!

Such an experienced journalist near me! A famous one! I don't even get a nosebleed like excited anime characters, I simply cry blood of happiness  :D

The HallowScream party was thrown by the Big Fish Games company. They promised an iPad for the best costume. And here's what for Mokona suffered for more than an hour. She entered the costume contest while her support team was smiling and doing other local PR things... ^_^

I was asked why I didn't take part in the competition - and I answered that we were a team and each was doing her task. :P I'm the PR manager!

I knew my friend had an iPad on the top of her wishlist, and most of all I wished her dream to come true. Whatever insincere and typical this might sound, for some reason I was sure she'll win. Because desire+efforts+dreams = the best result. 

To be honest - I was establishing new contacts during the contest. At first I was talking to Stas - right, the one who later became our guardian angel. <3 

Then the cute photographer in the kilt caught up with me and we went to a quieter place to exchange contact details.

As soon as I got back to the observation point it was getting closer to the time of announcing the winners. For some reason they asked if she could dance - and she  replied she can SING! Of course this turned out a total win! At least I was absolutely sure about it. 

One day Mokona sent me a track asking to tell her my opinion. I liked it a lot and asked who it was by -  she said the singing is hers and the music's been made by her friend! 

By Dmytro Korzenyuk, the Scottish-styled photographer :)

They started from the 3rd place... "Yes or no? It just can't happen that the winner is not Mokona! What??? So who is it?" - this is just a part of all torn thoughts that flew through my head within the seconds of the entertainer's introduction of the winner... who turned out to be Catrina!!! My friend Mokona Catrina! :D 

She could barely talk, she couldn't hold tears of joy - the iPad was hers! Hugs and pics with Big Fish Games bosses, different reactions of the audience - while I tried to figure out where she is. All I wanted was to give he a big hug. We did it! 

P.S. Dear guy who said nasty things, as our friend Reiha says - burn in hell! :P

During Mokona's going through the process of believing the dream's in her hands, signed by her fave game developers, I had another adventure.

By Anton and Sasha. An innocent pic, right?

Another English-speaking guy politely asked for a photo. I agreed. But when he hugged me a bit too strong for a person who is posing for a pic, I realized he's hellishly drunk. But since I was happy I joked and laughed and posed again and again. 

The guy asked Alex Ptitsa to take the photo with his cell phone again and again. And then that English-speaking man tried to pick me up. I LOLd.

But couldn't get anywhere from the nice yet drunk guy who was starting to annoy me. Fortunately Stas came over. :) And then led me to Mokona, who still couldn't believe she won. By the way her makeup turned out to be tears-resistant, and even a few smudged strokes under he eyes looked kinda neat. =) 

It was already late and we headed to the cloakroom. Calling parents, Deyna the MUA, hugging each other - I can say that for me it was one of those happiest moments in life. Being happy for a friend is what truly makes me smile both inside and outside. :)

On the way home Mokona told me that we should win an iPad for me at the next day's party. I LOLd again saying it would be more of a girls' comedy movie. 

I made tea and got on Facebook. Is there a need to explain what new status I posted? ^__~

Vlad was on Skype and I couldn't help telling him about the victory and showing my bloody makeup. He said it looked as if I've been in an accident - hell yeah, it means my MUA skills aren't too bad! He added that I should also win next year. I LOLd again and went to bed. 

Day 2 of Casual Connect was coming up. 

Photos by: Anton Karpenko, Sasha Paleeva, Dmytro Korzenyuk and Alex Ptitsa. Message me on FB if you'd like your links to be added to names. :)